Working for Thuringia's supplier: VW savings course meets the industry hard
Working for Thuringia's supplier: VW savings course meets the industry hard
Thuringia experiences a worrying phase in its automotive supply industry, while the focus is on the Volkswagen Group and its decided austerity course. The automotive industry plays a central role in the state's economy, since numerous suppliers are closely related to VW, one of the largest automobile manufacturers worldwide.
In Erfurt, Rico Chmelik, Managing Director of the Automotive Thuringia industry association, expressed his concern about current developments. "For some companies in the Free State, VW is the largest customer," said Chmelik, which illustrates the great dependence on the car manufacturer. The mood among the suppliers is tense because the submitted news about possible factory closures and an increased austerity policy of VW ensure uncertainty.effects on the supplier industry
These uncertainties became concrete at the beginning of September when the VW board announced a increased austerity measure, which was discussed in meetings for the workforce in the Zwickau plant. Zwickau is not only a location for VW, but also the main location for electric cars in Saxony, which underlines the importance of these measures. The direct proximity of Thuringia to Saxony's VW works strengthens the effects on domestic suppliers.
chmelik found that many larger suppliers in Thuringia are located in Eisenach, Eichsfeld, Gotha and Gera district, and the exact dimensions of the austerity measures and their influence on the local industry are still difficult to estimate. This uncertainty is accompanied by the already tense situation in the industry, which is characterized by an overall economic situation.
A remarkable example is the Muhr and Bender KG (MubeA), a company with a larger work in Weißensee. In view of the difficulties in the entire European automotive industry, Mubea has announced that it would reduce around 300 jobs by the end of 2025. This decision does not only affect the work in Weißensee, but also the company headquarters and other operating facilities in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate.
economic situation and challenges
In August, the concern for the South Thuringian AE Group also increased, which made it public that it is in a financial imbalance. The AE Group, with 600 employees in Gerstungen, said that reduced demand from the automotive industry was largely responsible for its precarious situation. These problems are not unique; Several suppliers in Thuringia have already experienced financial turbulence this year, which increases uncertainty in the entire industry.
The automotive industry in Thuringia employs around 80,000 people directly and indirectly. With an annual turnover of 9.3 billion euros from around 690 companies, it is considered an economic heavyweight in the region. In view of the increasing challenges in the industry, it remains to be seen how this situation will affect the future of the individual suppliers.
Kommentare (0)