Schaeffler and ZF in Schweinfurt open on Brückentag

The automotive suppliers Schaeffler and ZF at Schweinfurt have agreed with some of their employees that they stay home on Friday and Saturday. The reason is sales declines. The auto industry is weakening.

Schaeffler and ZF have released a part of their employees on the day of the bridge after the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and also on Saturday. The automotive suppliers are struggling with the recent weakening economy and declining sales figures.

Schaeffler leaves 2,000 employees at home

Schaeffler had to cope with a profit decline of around 30 percent throughout the Group in the first six months . That's why the company leaves around 2,000 of its approximately 6,300 employees at home on Friday and Saturday. There were already first closing days. In October and November will be three more episodes. The reason for this is a decline in sales in the automotive sector.

Terminations currently excluded

Operational dismissals are currently not an issue. They have even been excluded between the works council and the group management. Working days accounts will be reduced with the closing days, says Norbert Lenhard, chairman of the works council in the Schaeffler Group. He is responsible for all around 90,000 employees worldwide. In Schweinfurt, Schaeffler is benefiting from the currently well-performing industrial sector. It fills around 80 percent of total production there.

Also ZF with difficulties

Automotive supplier ZF is also struggling with the current economic situation. The company has decided to partially interrupt production on the bridging days after Assumption Day and 3 October. At the same time, the employees in production and administration are to reduce their working time accounts, says Hans-Jürgen Schneider, ZF site manager in Schweinfurt.

Electromobility is growing at ZF

However, ZF in Schweinfurt can partly compensate for weak production areas due to the growing electro-mobility sector. This is currently booming. The company is looking for more than 100 professionals in Schweinfurt to build electric and hybrid engines. Currently, around 1,000 of the 9,400 employees work at ZF in Schweinfurt. In this area , people from weakening or relocated production areas such as the shock absorber sector were also able to find new jobs.

At present, ZF manufactures about 120,000 hybrid engines per year in Schweinfurt. Starting in 2022, production will be ramped up for a double-digit billion order from BMW and Fiat-Crysler for electric motors. ZF invested around 30 million euros in Schweinfurt in the field of electromobility.