Wafios in Reutlingen: 450 employees are on short-time work!

Wafios in Reutlingen: 450 employees are on short-time work!

These are turbulent times for the mechanical engineering company Wafios from Reutlingen. The traditional company, which has been in business since 1893 and specializes in wire and tube bending machines, today announced that it will introduce short-time work for around 60% of its workforce. Loud Mercury Around 450 employees are affected and are expected to go on short-time work from July 1, 2025. The reason for this decision is obvious: falling order numbers and rising costs are affecting the world market leader.

The decision was announced to the workforce on June 4, 2025 by Wafios boss Uwe-Peter Weigmann. Short-time work is scheduled to last six months in order to respond to the fluctuating order situation. During this time, the working hours of the affected employees will be reduced by around 10 to 15 percent. However, the mechanical engineering company is confident that positive developments in areas such as e-mobility and springs will offset the declines in other business areas.

Long-term strategy and location loyalty

Wafios is not planning any job cuts and is clearly committed to the Reutlingen location. The company has benefited from growing demand for electromobility in recent years, but is currently facing challenges that require a strategic realignment. Loud US Money The company management sees short-time work as a responsible measure to create a safe working environment for employees. This is intended to keep specialist knowledge and valuable knowledge in the company, which is crucial for a future restart.

Wafios not only wants to assert itself as an important employer, but also as an innovation leader. The focus remains on consolidating market leadership while at the same time creating the conditions for a possible recovery in the market.

A look at the industry

Mechanical and plant engineering, to which Wafios belongs, is the largest industrial employer in Germany. Despite the challenges facing the industry, figures show that the number of employees only fell slightly in 2023. On the contrary, new positions were also created, such as mechanical engineering reported. But the shortage of skilled workers remains an urgent problem and is holding back many companies. Around 39% of member companies in mechanical engineering are not planning to expand their permanent workforce for 2024.

In this challenging environment, measures such as short-time work are a way for Wafios to retain the workforce in the company and at the same time respond to changing market conditions. The current situation is seen as an opportunity to emerge stronger from the crisis and prepare for a possible market recovery.