The job cuts will be made gradually until 2020, and while adjustments will impact all of Bombardier’s German plants, the majority of the positions affected will be in Görlitz and Hennigsdorf.
Bombardier says that the plan is part of its global transformation, and the sites will specialise in either the development or production of rail technology in the next two to three years. Innovation, digitalisation and the increased use of modern Industry 4.0 processes will be at the heart of the specialisation, according to the company.
The sites in Bautzen, Hennigsdorf, Kassel, Mannheim and Siegen will become “Centres of Competence,” while the Görlitz site will also undergo conceptual changes.
Bombardier says “employee interests will be adequately represented through a social compensation plan to be agreed upon.”
The supervisory board expects management to avoid forced redundancies until 2019, and there will be collective wage agreements and operational measures put in place in order to minimise the impact that the reorganisation will have.
Bombardier CEO Mr Laurent Troger told IRJ in May that Bombardier considers its strategy of emphasising reduced total cost of ownership rather than upfront capital costs in its offerings, as well as its technological expertise, as the best way to compete in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
