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11. September 2020The truck and bus manufacturer MAN, part of the VW Group, announces a massive reduction of up to 9,500 jobs. This is framed within the necessary realignment of the company. The focus is on digitalization, automation, and sustainable profitability. Additionally, the company will concentrate on alternative drives such as electric and hydrogen drives.
(Munich) Europe’s major commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN Truck & Bus is decisively steering towards the future. Today, the board of MAN SE and MAN Truck & Bus SE informed the overall works council about plans for a comprehensive restructuring of the company. The goal of this consistent realignment is to make MAN Truck & Bus significantly more digital, automated, and sustainably profitable. Furthermore, the focus will now be on alternative drive systems.
Today, MAN already offers its customers a modern product portfolio in the areas of trucks, buses, and vans. However, the commercial vehicle industry is undergoing a transformation. Accordingly, MAN is also undergoing a fundamental transformation. By the middle of the decade, MAN aims to be among the leading manufacturers of commercial vehicles in the field of electric and hydrogen drives. This ensures that MAN complies with the tightened CO2 regulations of the EU and continues to meet its claim as a sustainable and innovative company in the future.
With today’s technologies, a successful business model is no longer possible
Based on today’s technologies and structures, a successful business model will hardly be possible in just a few years. However, in order to continue investing in future fields such as alternative drives, digitalization, and automation, MAN must first undergo a comprehensive restructuring process. The goal is a sustainable improvement in profitability. The Corona crisis has further worsened the already tense profitability situation of the company: In the first half of the year, MAN Truck & Bus reported a loss of 387 million euros. To implement the transformation plans, the management has today offered trustworthy discussions with the employee representatives.
The current considerations include the reduction of up to 9,500 jobs in Germany and Austria, as well as globally across all business areas. In this context, partial relocations of development and production processes to other locations are planned. This also puts the production site in Steyr, as well as the facilities in Plauen and Wittlich, at risk. Details about a socially acceptable approach are part of the discussions with the employee representatives.
Big challenges ahead
The chairman of the board of MAN Truck & Bus SE, Andreas Tostmann, says: “We are facing great challenges due to technological change – in digitalization, automation, and alternative drives. Therefore, we need a realignment of MAN Truck & Bus to become significantly more innovative, digital, and sustainably profitable. This secures the future of the company in a rapidly changing world. The board will do everything to ensure that MAN continues to be among the best bus and truck manufacturers in the world. We have therefore asked the employee representatives to accept our offer for discussions.”
Photo: © MAN
