Bosch, a leading global automotive supplier, will cut 1,100 jobs at its Reutlingen plant in southern Germany, citing uncompetitive manufacturing conditions and weakening demand for steering systems. The move reflects mounting challenges faced by traditional auto suppliers amid slowing electric vehicle (EV) adoption and increasing global competition.
The job cuts, affecting about 10% of the site’s workforce, will impact roles across both production and administration. The company has not specified whether these reductions will involve compulsory layoffs or voluntary measures such as early retirements.
Dirk Kress, head of Bosch’s electronics division, acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but stressed its importance for the site’s future. “The European market for steering systems is driven by price and hard fought with new suppliers,” he said. “The required cuts are not easy, but they are essential to secure the future of the site.”
Bosch plans to shift the Reutlingen facility’s focus toward semiconductor manufacturing, which it considers a strategic growth area. The company pointed to declining sales volumes and the slow pace of EV adoption in Europe as key factors behind the falling demand for traditional steering systems, rendering their continued production at Reutlingen economically unsustainable.
The announcement follows similar workforce reductions by other German automotive companies, including Schaeffler and Continental. Porsche recently warned of a ‘serious situation’ driven by collapsing demand in China, underscoring the export challenges facing Germany’s car industry.
This round of cuts comes in addition to Bosch’s earlier restructuring announcement in November, which outlined plans to eliminate 5,500 positions globally in response to shifting market and technology trends.
While Bosch reiterated its commitment to maintaining a manufacturing footprint in Germany, the latest move highlights the strategic and economic pressures legacy auto firms face as they adapt to the evolving demands of electric mobility and fend off competition from emerging players, particularly in China.
The company has not yet detailed a timeline for the job reductions or whether displaced workers will be offered opportunities for redeployment or reskilling within the organization.
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