Ceratizit closes plants: employees fight for their future!

Ceratizit closes plants: employees fight for their future!

The mood at Ceratizit in Empfingen is tense. The hard metal manufacturer, headquartered in Mamer, Luxembourg, plans to close its German plants in Empfingen and Besigheim by the end of 2026. How Mercury reported, the reason for the closure is the realignment of the international production network.

Around 230 employees in Empfingen are now worried about their future because negotiations on a social plan have failed. This realization triggered a wave of disappointment and anger among those affected. IG Metall Freudenstadt has been calling for a sustainable social plan for long-term employees for months, but management's offer was rejected as “inadequate”. Loud Black Forest messenger the works council was not prepared to accept the proposal, which led to the establishment of a conciliation board.

The path to the conciliation board

The conciliation board, a formal arbitration procedure in German labor law, is now made up of representatives from the employer and works council as well as a neutral chairman, usually a labor judge. Your goal is to develop a binding solution that is acceptable to both the workforce and the company. Again SWR reports, IG Metall sees the need for this measure as an alarming signal and has once again intensified its protest actions.

The closure of the Empfingen plant, scheduled for June 30, 2026, marks the end of a long industrial history. Many of the employees have been working at the plant for several decades and have gained considerable experience during this time. The Besigheim site, which was previously known as the headquarters of the mechanical engineering company Komet, is also on the hit list for 2026. There is also resistance to the upcoming changes.

The reactions of the employees

The reactions among employees are mixed. While some accept the situation resignedly, others are vocal in their rejection of the company's management. There have already been several protests in front of the factory premises, where employees have expressed their disappointment at the continued announcements. IG Metall announced that it would maintain the pressure and continue to protest until a viable solution was found.

What now lies ahead are intensive negotiations. The coming months will be crucial, not only for the remaining jobs in Empfingen, but also for the entire region, which is heavily influenced by industry. The outlook remains uncertain, but solidarity among workers and union support could be crucial to the outcome of these important negotiations.