Schaeffler closes Berndorf

Schaeffler closes Berndorf

The Management Board of Schaeffler AG had already announced structural measures in Europe on November 5, 2024 that are aimed at increasing long-term competitiveness. Details about the affected European locations are now being published. The Bearings & Industrial Solutions division is confronted with ongoing economic weakness, structural problems and increased competition. The Powertrain & Chassis division is particularly affected by the declining volume in combustion technology. In the Bearings & Industrial Solutions division, it is therefore planned to stop production at the Berndorf location. Around 460 employees are currently employed there. Schaeffler manufactures wheel bearings and wheel hub modules as well as transmission bearings for the automotive, industrial and aftermarket business in Berndorf. These products are primarily used in heavy commercial vehicles such as trucks, tractors and construction machinery.

The company's statement states that these sectors are currently subject to strong fluctuations in demand as well as very high cost and price pressure due to increasing competition from Asian manufacturers on the European market. Due to the comparatively small size of the location, these fluctuations are difficult if not impossible to absorb in a reliable and economically sensible way. The sharp increase in material, energy and personnel costs in recent years could not be offset by further price adjustments to customers. In the future, the products will therefore be manufactured at more economical locations in the production network in Europe, China and Asia. The sales employees at the Berndorf location are moving to new premises. At the Schaeffler plant in Kysuce, Slovakia, additional production lines in the warehouse area, which were previously located in Berndorf, are now to be created in order to improve manufacturing costs. "Through the necessary consolidation of our European production network, we are improving our cost structure and our competitiveness. The focus of the plans is on making Schaeffler's bearings business future-proof in order to be profitable in the long term and to ensure the best possible customer supply. Our goal is to find viable solutions with the employee representatives and employees as quickly as possible," said Sascha Zaps, Board Member for Bearings & Industrial Solutions.