Fight for jobs: Reception raises its voice against Ceratizit closure!

Fight for jobs: Reception raises its voice against Ceratizit closure!

In Empfingen, a small town with a great tradition, the workforce is facing a difficult time: On June 27, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., a rally against the planned closure of the Ceratizit factory will take place. A good 230 jobs are at risk, and the response from employees and their supporters is loud and clear. Black Forest messenger reports on a broad front of speeches from the union, works council and committed citizens who want to set an example together - a “bond of solidarity” should show that the Empfingen location must be preserved.

The mood among the employees is tense. IG Metall and the works council criticize the decision as economically and socially incomprehensible. What is particularly shocking is the relocation of production to Luxembourg and Italy, which is deeply unsettling for the workforce. “The trust in the company's social responsibility is being jeopardized,” says Dorothee Diehm from IG Metall Freudenstadt and calls for a rethink on the part of the management.

Reactions to the closure plans

In addition to the protests in Empfingen, Ceratizit surprisingly announced the closure of the Besigheim plant on December 31, 2026, where a further 372 jobs are at risk. Works council chairman Eduard Mangold reports that there is anger, disappointment and uncertainty among the employees. At a staff demonstration, Mangold motivated his colleagues to actively resist. “We will not simply be written off by management,” he emphasizes, reminding us that there are alternatives to closure. Bietigheim newspaper sums up the feeling of solidarity among the employees well.

The closures are part of a larger restructuring: a total of around 650 jobs in both locations are affected. The pressure from rising production costs and a difficult market situation are making the German plants for Ceratizit unprofitable. The company is heavily dependent on the automotive industry, which raises increasingly critical questions in times of uncertainty caused by electromobility and other changes. Business Journal highlights that the production lines should be relocated to other European plants.

The demands of the workforce

In Empfingen, the employees have decided to raise their voices and actively fight for the preservation of their location. The union has already submitted a petition and an alternative concept to put a stop to the closure plans. This petition demands:

• einen sofortigen Stopp der Schließungspläne,
• transparente Gespräche mit dem Betriebsrat und der IG Metall über Alternativen,
• die Entwicklung eines nachhaltigen Standortkonzepts zur Sicherung der Arbeitsplätze.

The workforce and the union have strongly questioned the argument that the locations in Luxembourg and Italy are better utilized. But the challenge for the group management becomes clear: it is asked to show responsibility and pursue a fair corporate policy.

The coming weeks will be crucial for employees in Empfingen and Besigheim as they face the uncertainty of industry change and the harsh reality of closures.