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Shock for Koblenz: ZF cuts 450 jobs in the auto industry!
ZF Friedrichshafen plans to cut 450 jobs in Koblenz by 2030, affecting administration and production.
Shock for Koblenz: ZF cuts 450 jobs in the auto industry!
The automotive industry in Germany is facing profound change. This now also means that the automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen is cutting a lot of jobs at its Koblenz location. Loud Mercury The company is planning to cut a total of 450 jobs by 2030 as part of a comprehensive restructuring. Given that there are 2,100 employees at the site, this represents almost a quarter of the workforce.
The reasons for these drastic measures are varied. ZF is feeling the general weakness of the automotive market as well as the high debts that have arisen through takeovers, particularly of TRW and Wabco. In order to remain competitive in the long term, CEO Holger Klein emphasized the need to make “difficult decisions”. The group is even planning to cut up to 14,000 jobs in Germany by the end of 2028, which will affect more than 25 percent of the workforce of currently around 54,000 employees daily news reported.
Reactions and emotions among employees
The announcement hits employees hard. Many react with shock, frustration and disappointment at possible job insecurity. However, the works council emphasizes that socially acceptable solutions are already in prospect for around half of the affected employees. Redundancies for operational reasons are ruled out until the end of 2026, which indicates a certain easing of the tense situation.
In addition to the cuts in the supply industry, the causes of the job cuts must be seen in a broader context. According to a study by EY, the entire industry lost around 51,500 jobs within a year, which accounts for almost seven percent of the total workforce in the automotive industry. Factors such as weak demand, high energy costs, competition from China and the switch to e-mobility are contributing significantly to the crisis ZDF highlights.
Future outlook for the industry
The key data are clear: the path to e-mobility is expensive and requires massive investments. ZF has to spend billions to make itself future-proof. At the same time, competition from international companies and changes in the market are becoming ever stronger. ZF itself has announced that it wants to invest in new, leaner structures and innovative technologies in order to maintain its position as one of the largest suppliers.
The future of the Koblenz location remains uncertain, but with the commitment to retaining the plant on the table, there could perhaps still be positive news for the employees. The next few months will show how the situation develops and whether the affected employees can successfully master the changes.