Economy - IG Metall boss: Industry faces challenging phase
According to the head of IG Metall in Baden-Württemberg, Roman Zitzelsberger, industry in the south-west is in a tense situation. "We are now entering a really challenging phase," Zitzelsberger told the German Press Agency in Stuttgart. The current economic situation is difficult. "If incoming orders don't pick up now, then we will face a very difficult spring in 2024."
In vehicle construction, which is so important for Baden-Württemberg, it is very clear to see how business is declining. "We are now entering a phase of real disruption in the automotive industry," said Zitzelsberger, referring to the transformation of the industry and the shift towards e-mobility. The phasing out of combustion engine technology is progressing more slowly than expected and battery electric vehicles are starting up more slowly as a result. "If e-mobility does not scale quickly, then progress in terms of costs cannot be achieved quickly either."
Uncanny competitive pressure
According to Zitzelsberger, there is incredible competitive pressure and therefore a certain tendency to move certain things to where it is supposedly cheapest from the outset. The district manager had already warned against automotive suppliers relocating to Eastern Europe at the beginning of the year.
Several recent reports show that the situation in the automotive industry is tense. Most recently, the technology group and automotive supplier Bosch announced plans to cut up to 1,500 jobs in its drive division. ZF recently announced plans to close a plant in Gelsenkirchen. And car manufacturer Audi is parting ways with a large number of its temporary workers in Neckarsulm near Heilbronn.
"I assume that there will also be other situations where cost-cutting measures are announced and there may also be plant closures," said Zitzelsberger. He has always believed that the change in production can be solved by demographics alone.
"Clocked from start to finish"
Zitzelsberger has been district manager in the southwest since 2013. At the end of November, he announced his intention to step down. He will be succeeded by Barbara Resch, Collective Bargaining Secretary, in spring 2024. "What I'm looking forward to most is being able to manage my own time. At the moment, I'm simply clocked up from start to finish," said Zitzelsberger.
He did not want to go into detail about his plans for the time after his departure. He intends to step down from his positions on the supervisory boards of car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, commercial vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck and automotive supplier ZF by the end of next year. However, Zitzelsberger did give a brief outlook: "Should there be any inquiries, I would not rule out accepting supervisory board mandates in the automotive sector."
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- Roman Zitzelsberger, the IG Metall boss in Baden-Württemberg, stated that the automotive industry in the southwest is facing a challenging phase, as reported by the German Press Agency in Stuttgart.
- Zitzelsberger indicated that the current economic situation is tough, and if incoming orders do not improve by spring 2024, the industry might encounter a difficult period.
- In the car manufacturing sector, which plays a crucial role in Baden-Württemberg, there is a clear sign of decline, according to Zitzelsberger.
- He added that the transformation of the industry towards e-mobility has created a phase of disruption in the automotive sector, with the phasing out of combustion engine technology taking longer than expected.
- Zitzelsberger highlighted excessive competitive pressure in the industry, leading to a tendency to relocate certain tasks to areas believed to offer lower costs initially.
- The situation in the automotive industry has become tense, with companies such as Bosch, ZF, and Audi announcing job cuts or plant closures.
- As Zitzelsberger prepares to step down as district manager in the southwest in spring 2024, he expressed his excitement to manage his own time more freely, having been "clocked up from start to finish" since his appointment in 2013.
Source: www.stern.de
