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German car parts giant Continental to cut 5,500 jobs

Continental confirmed it would slash some 5,500 jobs by 2028 as the German car parts giant seeks savings of €500 million annually.

Published: 20 November 2019 14:08 CET
German car parts giant Continental to cut 5,500 jobs
Continental's headquarters in Hanover. Photo: DPA

Of the total, thousands of jobs are under threat in Germany.

The action comes amid a stuttering global car market and a weaker demand for combustion engines.

The jobs cull affecting Germany, Italy and the US would support Continental's “urgently needed technological transition and thus the strengthening of our competitiveness and future viability”, CEO Elmar Degenhart said in a statement.

Around 520 jobs will be axed when Continental shuts its site in Roding, Bavaria. That site, which makes hydraulic components for petrol and diesel engines, is set to close its doors in in 2024.

Meanwhile, in Limbach-Oberfrohna, Saxony, another 750 jobs are under threat after manufacturing of diesel injection components ends in 2028. And a further 2,200 jobs in Babenhausen in the central state of Hesse will also go.

In Pisa, Italy, 750 jobs are under threat because production of petrol engine components will cease by 2028, Continental said.

Elsewhere, the company said a further 720 jobs will be lost in the US city of Newport News, where production on hydraulic components for gasoline engines will end in 2024.

The latest round of job cuts come on top of a cull announced in September that will see Continental scrap 650 jobs in North Carolina and 270 in Malaysia.

Continental, with a global workforce of 240,000 people, stressed in its statement that some employees would be offered a chance to retrain “for other tasks” to find alternative roles in the group.

As The Local reported, Continental is undergoing a massive restructuring and by 2029, a total of 8,000 jobs will be affected in Germany.

However, not all of those jobs will disappear; some will be shifted between sites or reassigned to new activities, Continental said in a statement.

READ ALSO: Continental to cut thousands of jobs in Germany through massive restructuring

Trade wars, Brexit and technology

Germany's massive car industry – with 800,000 jobs and almost five percent of national output – has suffered as trade wars have intensified and the threat of a no-deal Brexit has grown.

Meanwhile far-reaching transformations of the sector, including electrification and automated driving, require enormous investments in new technology.

READ ALSO: Germany boosts support for electric cars with cash bonuses and a million charging points

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Published: 7 February 2024 10:54 CET
Updated: 10 February 2024 08:20 CET
Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions. 

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds. 

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local. 

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with. 

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