Tire manufacturer - Plant closures at Michelin: Struggle for jobs
Following the announcement of plant closures and the loss of more than 1500 jobs, French tire manufacturer Michelin is facing compulsory redundancies. The IG BCE trade union wants to save as many jobs as possible. They are working on alternative concepts for the affected sites in Karlsruhe, Trier and Homburg and are considering how to increase productivity there, Matthias Hille, head of the IG BCE district in Mainz, told the German Press Agency. "We want to present ideas to the Group in the middle or end of January." Talks are also being held with politicians.
The IG BCE faces a difficult task when it comes to saving jobs. Hille said that he hoped to accommodate individual employees at the Bad Kreuznach site. "But we're not talking about hundreds." After all, Bad Kreuznach is also struggling with a fluctuating order situation. In general, there is no clause at Michelin in Germany that excludes redundancies.
Hille held the Group accountable for the upcoming talks with employee representatives. "Michelin must follow up its announcements about being there for the people with action. "If we can't find alternatives for the people, we have to talk about a social plan."
"We cannot rule out compulsory redundancies," said a company spokeswoman. Maria Röttger, President of Michelin's Northern Europe region, said: "At this stage, we are considering various measures, such as looking at internal employment opportunities and the services of a transfer company. I am confident that all employees have a perspective." Everyone will be supported.
Michelin ends truck tire production in Germany
The French tire manufacturer announced on Tuesday that it would be closing its plants in Karlsruhe and Trier by the end of 2025. Michelin also plans to discontinue the production of new truck tires and semi-finished products in Homburg (Saarland). A total of 1410 employees in production are affected by the plans. With the restructuring, Michelin is withdrawing from the production of truck tires in Germany. The company also plans to relocate a customer contact center from Karlsruhe to Poland, which will affect a further 122 people.
Michelin cited competition from low-cost truck tires from low-wage countries, overcapacity and rising production costs as the reasons. The retreading of truck tires in Homburg and the car tire plant in Bad Kreuznach are not affected by the restructuring, for which the group is planning to spend 425 million euros.
The tire industry in Germany is in crisis. Only recently, the US company Goodyear announced that it would cease tire production in Fürstenwalde and close its plant in Fulda. This affects around 1800 jobs. Continental had already announced the closure of a plant in Aachen in 2020. According to IG BCE, there are still twelve tire plants in Germany, a third of which could disappear with the plans of Goodyear and Michelin.
Press release
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- The closure of Michelin's plants in Karlsruhe and Trier will result in the loss of 1410 production jobs, while another 122 employees in the customer contact center in Karlsruhe will also be affected.
- Homburg, a site in Saarland, will also see job losses as Michelin plans to discontinue the production of new truck tires and semi-finished products there.
- The IG BCE trade union is working on alternative concepts for the affected sites in Karlsruhe, Trier, and Homburg, aiming to increase productivity and save as many jobs as possible.
- The tire industry in Germany is in crisis, with companies like Michelin and Goodyear announcing plant closures and job losses due to competition, overcapacity, and rising production costs.
- Maria Röttger, President of Michelin's Northern Europe region, assures that all employees will be supported during this transition, considering internal employment opportunities and the services of a transfer company.
- The Homburg retreading of truck tires and the car tire plant in Bad Kreuznach are not affected by Michelin's restructuring, which the group plans to invest 425 million euros in.
- The announcement of Michelin's plant closures and job losses has sparked concern in the German Press Agency and among politicians, with the IG BCE actively engaging in talks to find alternative solutions.
- Matthias Hille, head of the IG BCE district in Mainz, emphasized that Michelin must follow through on its commitment to the people, stating that if no alternatives can be found, a social plan must be considered.
- The crisis in the German tire industry has raised concerns about the future of the twelve remaining tire plants in the country, as plans from Goodyear and Michelin could potentially lead to the closure of a third of these plants.
Source: www.stern.de
