Schaeffler adjusts production in automotive business

The increasing spread of the coronavirus in Europe has forced more and more companies during the past few days to significantly reduce or temporarily stop their production. As a result, the global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler will adjust its production capacities in Germany and Europe. Adjustments will be made location by location and will consider the specific requirements in the divisions. As before the health and safety of employees, the protection of supply chains, and the support for customers remain our highest priorities.

In order to implement the adjustments in a quick, efficient, and equitable manner, the company agreed a set of measures yesterday evening with employee and Works Council representatives that provides for a range of different instruments. This agreement is based on the conviction that the crisis can only be managed jointly, as the situation dictates, and in close collaboration with all those involved. The agreed set of measures comprises regulations regarding short-time work, which we have decided upon due to the crisis, in addition to proven instruments such as closure days, using hours in flextime accounts, and plant holidays. This package applies to all locations in Germany.

“The spread of the coronavirus presents a major challenge for all companies. Our top priorities at Schaeffler are to protect the health of our employees, keep our supply chains intact as far as possible, and minimize the impact of this crisis on our customers. We must therefore respond with speed and flexibility in order to adjust our production capacities specific to each location.

The package of measures which we agreed with employee representatives in Germany is a significant contribution to achieving this goal,” said Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG.

“As we have to reduce production in our plants in the light of this crisis, it was important to us that flexible solutions be quickly established, which are adapted to the individual locations in Germany and which affect our employees as little as possible,” said Jürgen Wechsler, representative of IG Metall at Schaeffler AG.

Implementation of these measures has immediately started.