Webasto before renovation: 650 jobs in Germany, hope remains!

Webasto before renovation: 650 jobs in Germany, hope remains!

Stockdorf, Deutschland - The renovation of the car supplier Webasto takes on shapes. CEO Jörg Buchheim has announced that the restructuring of the company, which is in a serious financial crisis, should be completed by 2028. This is reported by the Passauer Neue Presse . In the past, the company has heavily relied on the Chinese business, which has now led to considerable difficulties. The crisis in the German auto industry hit the suppliers such as Webasto. Sales fell from 4.6 to 4.3 billion euros last year, while the profit and loss scores were not published.

As part of the renovation, Webasto is stroking 1,300 jobs worldwide, including 650 in Germany. At the end of 2024, the number of employees is expected to decrease to 15,300, of which 3,700 will be employed in Germany. Two works in China already had to close. Buchheim emphasizes that there are positive signs despite the difficult situation. Webasto started solidly into the 2025, but considerable efforts are necessary to achieve a turnaround. Business development also remains volatile and uncertainties, especially on the basis of trade policy clashes.

financing strategies and new product outlooks

In order to advance the renovation, webasto needs at least 200 million euros in liquidity according to Buchheim. A possible solution could be a trust solution in which the owners' shares are handed over to a trustee in order to secure funds from banks. Buchheim is optimistic about finding a sustainable financing solution in the next few weeks. These plans are in the context of a generally challenging time for the automotive industry, in which companies such as Bosch and ZF Friedrichshafen have also announced job cuts, such as the Tageschau reported.

An essential part of the entrepreneurial realignment is the development of new products. Among other things, Webasto plans to manufacture new roofs for electric cars and entertainment systems in vehicles. The implementation of a “local for local” approach should promote the development on site and reduce dependencies.

The challenges in front of which webasto and the entire industry are standing are enormous. A reserved buyer and the pressure from new competition, especially from China, require a quick rethink and adjustments. Buchheim was used as the new CEO to stabilize the company and successfully implement the restructuring, a major challenge in these turbulent times, in which the development in the automotive industry is increasingly shaped by electrification and digitization, such as the BR explained.

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OrtStockdorf, Deutschland
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