ZF has given details on the already announced layoffs as a consequence of the ongoing destruction of the automotive sector. ZF supplies systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, and is among the four largest producers of car transmission systems. For instance, many current traditional models of major carmakers adopt the ZF 8-gear transmission. According to ZF, a total of 4,400 to 4500 jobs are on the line by 2028 just at their plant in Saarbrücken if the economy does not recover. The IG Metall trade union fears that ZF’s number is low, as they think the number of employees in Saarbrücken could fall from the current 9,000 to 9,500 (including temporary contracts) to less than 3,000.
ZF employs 168,000 workers globally and has over 40 production sites in Germany. Last summer, ZF had announced that 11,000 to 14,000 jobs will be lost until 2028. ZF direct competitor in Germany, Getrag (owned by the Austro-canadian Magna group) is also hit by the crisis and has announced the closure of its plant in Köln at the beginning of the year, where 216 employees will be laid off.
