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Shock in Heilbronn: US company closes production and cuts jobs!
US group GGB is closing its production site in Heilbronn and cutting 65 of 115 jobs due to rationalization.
Shock in Heilbronn: US company closes production and cuts jobs!
The US group GGB has announced that it will close its production and logistics at its only location in Germany in Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg. This affects more than half of the workforce; specifically, 65 of 115 employees lose their jobs. GGB, headquartered in Thorofare, New Jersey, specializes in the manufacture of plain bearings for the automotive and medical industries. The Heilbronn location has existed since 1991 and celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.
The closure announcement was communicated to employees on May 14, 2025. Production will be relocated to Slovakia, while logistics will move to France. According to Merkur, GGB justifies the measures with the need to rationalize processes and respond to unfavorable conditions in Germany. High energy costs, bureaucracy and tax burdens are cited as the main factors that led to this decision.
Reactions and resistance
IG Metall expressed great dissatisfaction with the decision in a statement. Despite the recently ended short-time work at the Heilbronn plant, the union describes the company's economic situation as “solid”. IG Metall plans to fight together with the employees to preserve jobs. Niklas Anner, a secretary at IG Metall, has stressed that employees are angry and determined to fight for their jobs.
There have also been significant job cuts in the Heilbronn region recently, including at a subsidiary of Thyssenkrupp and the bankruptcy of an electric vehicle manufacturer. These developments cast a shadowy light on the region's industrial future.
GGB belongs to the American Timken Group, which may have been more interested in the brand and customer relationships of the Heilbronn location from the start than in securing long-term jobs. The exact motivations for the relocation are currently unclear, but the socio-economic effects are already being felt. The Heilbronn location and its employees now face an uncertain future.