The car supplier Bosch wants to reorganize its location in Reutlingen and also delete areas. The control device production there is no longer competitive, the group said. You have to adjust structures and reduce costs. In the future, semiconductors will be manufactured in Reutlingen. On the basis of these plans, a adjustment requirement of up to 1100 will be expected by the end of 2029. Both production and the production of control units and the administration are affected.
The background is stricter market conditions in the control unit division, significantly falling quantities as well as increasing competitive and price pressure. Divisions Dirk Kress announced: “We have to quickly adapt our line -up to the rapid changes in the market and increase competitiveness in order to strengthen the location sustainably.” The market is highly competitive by new providers.
“Reduction of jobs is not easy for us”
Kress further announced: “The necessary job cuts are not easy for us, but is now urgently needed to secure the future of the location.” Bosch informed employee representatives and workforce in Reutlingen about the situation. There is still no decision about possible measures.
Now talks should be recorded. You want to find a solution together with the works council and make the implementation of the measures as socially acceptable as possible, said Kress.
In parallel to the conversion, Bosch continues to invest in the semiconductor area. By the end of 2025, the clean room area in Reutlingen will be expanded by more than 5000 square meters to produce silicon carbide chips there. With electric cars, these semiconductors enable larger ranges and more efficient charging processes because they lost less energy.
The Bosch Ebike Systems and Bosch Sensortec areas are not affected by the plans. In total, Bosch employs around 10,000 employees in Reutlingen. The city is about 30 kilometers south of Stuttgart.
Thousands of Bosch jobs should be eliminated
The world’s largest car supplier, based in Gerlingen near Stuttgart, has had a number of degradation programs since the end of 2023. Thousands of jobs are to be eliminated worldwide in the coming years. With the adjustments in Reutlingen, the job cuts now add up to more than 14,000 jobs – a large part of it in the supplier area in Germany.
Bosch boss Stefan Hartung (59) recently expected further deletions in view of the economic situation and change in the auto industry. At the end of 2024, the company had 417,900 employees worldwide – and thus 11,500 fewer than a year earlier. In Germany, the number of employees dropped by 4,400 to 129,800 (minus 3.3 percent).