Saarbrücken City Hall: Mayor Conradt advocates for education and boosts support for staff members
In the heart of Germany, the industrial city of Saarbrücken is facing an uncertain future as automotive giant ZF Friedrichshafen AG plans to move large parts of its production from the city to Eger, Hungary. The move, which mainly concerns older automatic transmissions and electric axle drives, has sparked anxiety among Saarbrücken employees about potential mass layoffs.
The latest update on this matter involves ZF investing approximately 100 million euros into a modern facility in Eger. Currently, the Saarbrücken plant employs around 8,500 people, with 1,300 jobs already cut, and up to 4,500 more positions at risk due to the relocation. Despite the gravity of the situation, ZF has yet to make public statements clarifying its plans, leading to increased local mistrust.
Saarbrücken's Mayor, Uwe Conradt, has been at the forefront of efforts to seek clarity and protective measures. In a letter to ZF's CEO, Dr. Holger Klein, Conradt expressed the need for the board to demonstrate their commitment to the mutual understanding that exists between the company and the city. Conradt has also emphasized the importance of solidarity between location municipalities, especially during the current situation at the Saarbrücken site.
In a joint declaration with ZF, Conradt agreed on close coordination between the management, municipalities, and employees. He reaffirmed this close cooperation in a personal letter to Simon Blümcke, ZF's Mayor in Friedrichshafen. However, no new concrete proposals have been provided by ZF so far, and the Saarbrücken plant's works council is demanding transparency and alternative plans such as retraining, new product lines, or investment in green technologies.
The future of the Saarbrücken automotive location is a matter of regional justice, economic reason, and respect for the life's work of the employees. Conradt has made it clear that a departure from jointly agreed agreements would be unacceptable. He has also assured the works council of the full support of the state capital.
As the situation unfolds, Conradt will be active on a national and European political level regarding the future of the Saarbrücken automotive location. The coming weeks are critical for the plant's future and the region's economic stability. Local authorities and works councils are actively seeking clarity and protective measures, with no newer statements or official press releases from ZF or the local government found beyond July 2025.
- The relocation of production from the Saarbrücken plant to Eger, a move mainly affecting older automatic transmissions and electric axle drives, is causing concern in the finance sector as it could lead to mass layoffs, affecting around 4,500 employees.
- In an effort to secure the future of the Saarbrücken plant and its workforce, the city's Mayor, Uwe Conradt, has been advocating for a commitment from ZF, expressing the need for solidarity among locations and mutual understanding between the company and the city.
- Beyond July 2025, there have been no newer statements or official press releases from ZF or the local government, leaving the future of the Saarbrücken automotive location uncertain and the transportation industry in flux, with many waiting for clear responses and protective measures from both parties.
