By Ozan Ergenay
(Reuters) -Voestalpine will reorganize its automotive component business locations in Germany, including the closure of one of the sites, to respond to falling demand and structural changes, the Austrian specialty steelmaker said on Friday.
The plants in Dettingen, Schmoelln, Schwaebisch Gmuend and Boehmenkirch will form a joint production network, with each site focused on selected core technologies, Voestalpine said.
“The aim of these measures is to secure the future of the automotive supply segment of the Metal Forming Division in the long term, and with it around 2,000 jobs in Germany,” it said.
Operations in Birkenfeld will be discontinued subject to the outcome of negotiations with the works council and the IG Metall trade union, impacting about 220 employees, said the company.
“Despite ongoing investment and improvement measures, the long-term slowing in the macroeconomic environment and associated drop in orders from the automotive industry in the specific product segment mean that it is no longer financially feasible to continue operations at the location,” it added.
Around a third of the current workforce of 650 employees in Dettingen could also be affected by the personnel adjustment, according to a statement.
European carmakers are struggling with weak demand and rising costs, with German automakers, in particular Volkswagen, facing increased competition in China from local automakers.
Voestalpine’s shares were up 3.3% at 1203 GMT.
(Reporting by Ozan Ergenay, Editing by Miranda Murray)
