German Bosch, one of the largest automotive suppliers worldwide, announced that it has to axe 13,000 jobs, mainly in Germany, as “structural and personnel adjustment measures are unavoidable” to close a structural cost gap of €2.5 billion globally.
Bosch states that “particularly its Mobility locations in Germany” will be affected by these cuts, which are intended to impact not only manufacturing but also development, sales, administration, and corporate functions. Globally, the Bosch Group employs 429,000 people, with 240,000 working in Mobility alone.
Belgium stays out of the line of fire
In Belgium, the Bosch Group has six branches, employing approximately 1,150 staff members. In Tienen, the group has a factory that is part of the mobility division, which manufactures windscreen wipers. A spokesman told the newspaper De Tijd that Tienen will stay out of the line of fire.
In a press release, Bosch apologizes, saying “the economic environment, which has already been under great pressure for some time, as well as the market conditions for Bosch Mobility, have recently become even more challenging.”
Bosch cites weak demand in the global car market, delays in the adoption of hydrogen, the slower-than-expected ramp-up of electromobility, regulatory uncertainty, shifting demand away from Europe, and intense price/competitive pressures as contributing factors.
No massive layoff round
There will be no massive layoff round, as the timeframe for adjustments will vary, according to the Bosch press release, and the cuts are planned to extend to the end of 2030.
Factories involved are primarily in Germany: powertrain components in Feuerbach (near Stuttgart), electrified solutions in Schwieberdingen, connector technology in Waiblingen, electric drives in Bühl/Bühlertal, and power solutions in Homburg.
Markus Heyn, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH and chairman of the Mobility business sector, believes the measures are necessary, but sees further opportunities.
“Geopolitical developments and trade barriers such as tariffs lead to considerable uncertainty – and this is something that we, like all companies, have to deal with. We can expect to face even more intense competition. That’s why we’re aiming to seize growth opportunities wherever possible and make sure our Mobility locations worldwide remain viable.”
“I’m convinced that Bosch Mobility can prevail in the highly competitive global market. But we have to pave the way for this now and use our own resources to secure our competitiveness, as time is pressing.”
Ranked #1 in automotive
Bosch is one of the very largest automotive suppliers worldwide, but it’s also a diversified industrial and technology group that goes well beyond auto parts. It’s active in four main business sectors. The automotive (Mobility) division is the largest, with sales revenue in 2024 of approximately €56.2 billion, accounting for roughly 60% of the Bosch Group’s total.
Bosch Mobility is typically ranked #1 or #2 globally among automotive suppliers, often in a close competition with Denso (Japan). Others in the top five are Magna International (Canada), Hyundai Mobis (South Korea), and ZF Friedrichshafen (Germany).
Other divisions are Industrial Technology (drive & control, manufacturing automation), Consumer Goods (power tools, household appliances), and Energy and Building Technology (heating, HVAC, security systems, smart buildings).
