Story no.164InternationalOngoingPlants, jobs and earningsSerious Several countries (5)31 Oct → 5 Nov20 facts · 110 art.
Schaeffler, Audi and the crisis of the German automotive industry
On November 3, 2026, supplier Schaeffler announces the cutting of 3,460 jobs in Europe and is considering the closure of its Dortmund plant, while around 3,000 Audi employees go on strike in Germany as the future of a production site remains uncertain. This movement is part of a difficult sectoral context marked by a 7% decline in German passenger car production in October, collapsing profits, research cuts and fears of bankruptcies, even if the business climate and orders show some signs of recovery. Across all markets, the difficulties of German automakers are also linked to the drop in sales in China and trade tensions with the United States. The sub-events place Germany at the center of the issue, while Belgium and Slovakia are cited for job cuts at Schaeffler and China and the United States for sales and trade tensions.
In brief
Ongoing story bringing together 20 events involving Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and 3 more, in 5 countries (Allemagne, Chine, Belgique and 2 more), followed from 31 October 2026 to 5 November 2026. 110 articles from 23 sources (plants, jobs and earnings); last updated on 5 November 2026 at 12:20. Figures reported: 326 vehicles, 3500 jobs.
National stories
Confirmed(4)
- 5
Schaeffler announces the cutting of 3,460 jobs in Europe and the closure of five plants.
5 independent sourcesDiariomotor, 汽车之家, news.dealershipguy.com, Le Revenu, Auto Plus
- 3
Profits of German automakers have collapsed in the third quarter, with difficulties in China and the Americas.
3 independent sourcesYahoo Finance, Frankenpost, handelsblatt.com
- 3
German industrial orders rebounded by 4.4% in September, driven by the automotive sector.
3 independent sources中金在线, Produktion Online, El Economista
- 2
In October, the Ifo business climate index for the German automotive industry rose to -4.1 points.
2 independent sourcesad-hoc-news.de, trading-house.net
Single source so far(6)
- Schaeffler wants to close four sites in Germany: Dortmund, Morbach, Berlin and Schwalbach. (according to kfz-betrieb.vogel.de)
- 270 jobs in Berlin at Schaeffler are threatened. (according to Berliner Zeitung)
- Schaeffler plans to cut hundreds of jobs in Slovakia. (according to The Slovak Spectator)
- Schaeffler cites competitive pressure, declining demand for internal combustion vehicles and electrification that arrived too late. (according to Auto Plus)
Updates(4)
- 5 Nov, 14h06New official figure: German industrial orders up 4.4% in September, driven by the automotive sector.
- 5 Nov, 00h59Clarification: the IG Metall strike movement at Audi and Mercedes concerns 3.7 million employees.
- 5 Nov, 00h59New detail: 270 jobs in Berlin threatened at Schaeffler.
- 5 Nov, 00h59New official figure: German passenger car production down 7% in October, at 326,300 units.
AI cross-check of the headlines and extracts of 60 articles (51 outlets) · “confirmed” = reported by at least two independent outlets, or by the manufacturer’s official press room · 5 Nov, 14h06
Context and reference points, separate from the story's news. Every item links to its source; updated on 4 Nov
Key terms
- Restructuring
- Reorganization of the structure of a company or sector, which may result in calling into question all or part of its activities and lead to job cuts or closures of production or management sites. Wikipedia
- Warning strike
- Short-duration protest action, organized to signal dissatisfaction before possible longer actions; the term is used in sources regarding entrepreneur movements, without a distinct formal definition. Wikipedia
- Automotive supplier
- Industrial company that designs, manufactures and supplies components, systems or modules for automakers (original equipment) and/or the aftermarket. Wikipedia
- Ifo barometer
- Business sentiment indicator in Germany, for which sources do not provide a detailed definition; it is mentioned as signaling an improvement in sector sentiment. Wikipedia
Timeline
newest firstDot = severity
- 12h20
LatestGermanyL'équipementier insolvable GWSPA repris par le groupe Demmel
Le groupe Demmel reprend l'équipementier automobile GWSPA Produktion, en insolvabilité à Wasserburg am Inn, et conserve deux tiers des salariés.
automobil-industrie.vogel.de
- 09h56
German automotive industry drives manufacturing sector orders
Orders in German manufacturing industry are rising significantly, driven by the automotive sector.
Automobil ProduktionEU-Schwerbehinderung中金在线+2 outlets
- 09h30
GermanyL'industrie automobile allemande réduit ses budgets de recherche
Selon la FAZ, les constructeurs allemands taillent dans leurs budgets de R&D, ce qui éloigne l'objectif du gouvernement fédéral en matière d'innovation.
FAZ
- 09h03
GermanyLe VDA réclame de meilleures conditions pour préserver l'emploi
Le VDA avertit que la transition vers l'électrique coûte des emplois et demande une amélioration des conditions d'implantation industrielle en Allemagne.
ecomento.de
- 13h53
Germany: passenger car production falls 7% in October
According to the VDA, German passenger car production dropped by 7% in October, totaling 326,300 units.
新浪财经
- 10h46
GermanyUn industriel traditionnel allemand veut fermer cinq usines et supprimer des milliers de postes
Un acteur historique de l'industrie automobile allemande envisage la fermeture de cinq sites et la suppression de plusieurs milliers d'emplois.
GameStar
- 09h06
GermanyLa vague de faillites menace l'industrie automobile allemande
La presse allemande évoque une vague de faillites dans le secteur automobile et s'interroge sur la survie de la filière à quinze ans.
BILD
- 07h37
Le moral de l'industrie automobile allemande s'améliore nettement
Selon un baromètre publié en Allemagne, le climat des affaires dans l'industrie automobile du pays s'est nettement redressé, après plusieurs mois de crise sectorielle.
ad-hoc-news.deOldenburger Online ZeitungPresse Augsburg+25 outlets
- 05h37
La presse allemande décrit la crise des constructeurs automobiles
Le Nordbayerischer Kurier consacre sa une à la crise que traversent les constructeurs automobiles allemands, entre coûts, demande atone et restructurations.
www.marketscreener.com
In figures
Countries concerned
Several countries (5)
Brands concerned
Official figures
- Volkswagen · 120,214 reg. (EU + EFTA + UK, Sept 26) · 59 recall(s) in 12 months
- BMW · 67,640 reg. (EU + EFTA + UK, Sept 26) · 82 recall(s) in 12 months
- Mercedes-Benz · 71,871 reg. (EU + EFTA + UK, Sept 26) · 83 recall(s) in 12 months
- Audi · 58,574 reg. (EU + EFTA + UK, Sept 26) · 42 recall(s) in 12 months
Key figures
- 326
- véhicules
- 3,500
- jobs
Amounts cited€300 million · 300 millions d'euros · 300 Millionen Euro
Highest number recorded in 33 article(s), automatically extracted: please check sources.
Sources by country and language
Press country
| Articles | Outlets | |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 68 | 48 |
| France | 8 | 8 |
| United States | 8 | 6 |
| China | 7 | 6 |
| Spain | 4 | 2 |
| United Kingdom | 3 | 3 |
| Canada | 2 | 2 |
| Italy | 2 | 2 |
| Vietnam | 2 | 1 |
| Austria | 1 | 1 |
| Switzerland | 1 | 1 |
| India | 1 | 1 |
| South Korea | 1 | 1 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 1 |
| Slovakia | 1 | 1 |
Languages
| Articles | Outlets | |
|---|---|---|
| German | 68 | 48 |
| English | 17 | 15 |
| French | 9 | 9 |
| Chinese | 7 | 6 |
| Spanish | 4 | 2 |
| Italian | 2 | 2 |
| Korean | 1 | 1 |
| Dutch | 1 | 1 |
| Japanese | 1 | 1 |
Country of the outlet (not of the topic), inferred from its address and language. Each outlet counts once per row.
Further reading
Organisations cited
Go up the thread
Events in the story
- L'équipementier insolvable GWSPA repris par le groupe Demmel5 Nov
- German automotive industry drives manufacturing sector orders5 Nov
- L'industrie automobile allemande réduit ses budgets de recherche5 Nov
- Le VDA réclame de meilleures conditions pour préserver l'emploi5 Nov
- Effondrement des profits des constructeurs automobiles en mode crise5 Nov
- Le moral de l'industrie automobile allemande s'améliore nettement4 Nov
- Germany: passenger car production falls 7% in October4 Nov
- Schaeffler cuts 3,460 jobs in Europe4 Nov
- Un industriel traditionnel allemand veut fermer cinq usines et supprimer des milliers de postes4 Nov
- La vague de faillites menace l'industrie automobile allemande4 Nov
Related stories
Marques et groupes concernés
Countries concerned