German machinery builder Siempelkamp plans to cut 129 of 282 jobs at its Zweibr\u00fccken plant as it ends in-house manufacturing at the site and shifts the operation toward final assembly, service and spare parts.<\/p>\n
The restructuring affects the former Pallmann plant in the Bubenhausen district and marks a major setback for the industrial base of Zweibr\u00fccken. Employees had already been working reduced hours for several months before the company announced the planned cuts.<\/p>\n
According to the company, the decision reflects persistently weak global demand and increasing price pressure from Chinese competitors. Under the new structure, the site will no longer carry out its own production. Instead, it will focus on assembly-related activities and after-sales services.<\/p>\n
For workers, the announcement is a hard blow. Around half of the workforce could lose their jobs, reducing the plant\u2019s industrial role and raising concerns about the long-term future of machinery manufacturing in the region.<\/p>\n
Local politicians and labour representatives have already entered talks with the company. Zweibr\u00fccken mayor Marold Wosnitza described the plan as a serious setback for the city and said discussions were taking place with Siempelkamp management, the works council, IG Metall and the Rhineland-Palatinate state government.<\/p>\n
IG Metall and the works council have said they will oppose the cuts. The union is working with the Technology Advisory Service to examine alternatives that could preserve jobs at the plant.<\/p>\n
Because of the scale of the planned layoffs, Siempelkamp will have to follow Germany\u2019s legal procedures for major operational changes, including the involvement of the works council and negotiations over a social plan and reconciliation of interests. Formal termination notices have not yet been issued.<\/p>\n
The planned cuts come at a difficult time for industrial employment in southwestern Germany. Other manufacturers have also announced closures or restructuring measures, adding to concerns about the competitiveness of German production sites in the face of weak demand, high costs and international competition.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98949,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n