Würth Elektronik cuts jobs in Germany

As reported by the local newspaper, Badische Zeitung, Würth felt that due to the drop in orders caused by the corona pandemic, the choice was to either lay off employees at the location, or to not fill vacancies. While the company cannot give exact figures, between 70 to 100 jobs are at risk to be eliminated, according to the Badische Zeitung. Covid-19 is driving forth changes in economic conditions everywhere, and this crisis did not pass the printed circuit board industry unnoticed. However, the PCB division of Würth Elektronik is doing significantly better than the market, the newspaper quotes Thomas Beck, Managing Director of Würth Elektronik Circuit Board Technology. But even while the company is doing better than the market, it still lacks a large number of orders to fully utilise the plant. According to Würth, Schopfheim’s customers included in particular industrial companies – which were severely affected by restrictive corona measures – including companies in the aviation and automotive industries. As a short term measure, short-time work quota will be adjusted. Ultimately, however, the company’s management has decided to adjust the capacity of the plant, i.e. to reduce it. The management approached the site’s works council at the beginning of July to initiate negotiations on staff cuts, the Badische Zeitung continued. The employees were informed on July 8, 2020. According to works council Glatt, the aim is to make the job cuts as socially acceptable as possible and to preserve as many jobs as possible in Schopfheim.