Supplier Bosch cuts jobs as diesel, petrol car demand dwindles
dpa / tagesschau.de
German car part supplier Bosch will cut around 2,600 jobs in the coming years because the demand for diesel and petrol cars is waning, according to a report by run by a number of German media outlets. The company said earlier this week it would cut 1,600 jobs by 2021 in Feuerbach and Schwieberdingen, in the car-making state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, one of the wealthiest states governed by Germany鈥檚 only Green state premier.聽On Thursday, Bosch announced to cut a further 1,000 jobs in Schw盲bisch Gm眉nd by 2022. 鈥淲e have to act now in order to get competitive again and fit for the future with a far-reaching restructuring,鈥� the head of Bosch鈥檚 Automotive Steering division, Christian Sobottka, said.聽聽said of Bosch鈥檚 410,000 jobs globally, 50,000 were more or less linked to the diesel technology, which has become controversial due to the Volkswagen diesel聽cheating scandal聽and air pollution issues in many cities.
Germany鈥檚 cherished car industry聽has set out聽to shift from high-end combustion engines, its traditional strength, to electric cars, which are widely seen as more climate-friendly. This move together with the digitalisation of mobility, however, requires changes to the workforce and production processes with far-reaching implications for the many suppliers. Bosch聽has added jobs globally聽over the past few years to meet new demand from digitalisation and e-mobility. But overall,聽many experts say聽a digitalised electric mobility will mean fewer jobs in the sector in Germany. In September, automotive supplier Continental聽聽to cut 20,000 of its 244,000 jobs globally, planning to shed 5,000 of those positions in Germany.
