15.02.2024

Tadano to close a Zweibrücken plant

Crane manufacturer Tadano has announced that it will close its plant in Wallerscheid, one of two facilities it operates in the Zweibrücken area, the other being Dinglerstraße.

In all around 400 jobs are to go between now and mid-2025. To put that in perspective we understand that the company has around 1,100 employees in the region, many of them based in Dinglerstrasse, where some jobs might also be at risk, depending on how much of the work currently carried out in Wallerscheid is transferred there.
Tadano Demag Wallerscheid

Wallerscheid from the back end

Wallerscheid has 28,533 square metres under cover on a 45 acre site, it is the most modern of the two Zweibrücken sites, and was originally built as an assembly plant, with fabrication and machining carried out at the Dinglerstrasse location, which now has 44,000 square metres of building on a slightly smaller site.
The Dinglerstraße plant

Most of the job losses will naturally involve production related staff, although some sales and administration roles may also be at risk, according to a statement made to the local press.

A spokesman said that employees were informed yesterday, adding: “Tadano-Demag management has looked at the market and current business situation, which dictates the need to restructure and reduce production capacity. Following meetings with the Works Council, the Wallerscheid plant will be closed, with production relocated to other facilities, possibly including Dinglerstrasse plant.”

The company has blamed the further restructuring on declining market shares, increasing competitive pressures and ongoing supply chain problems. All of which necessitates further restructuring to make the Zweibrücken plant more sustainable. Wallerscheid production will be transferred to other Tadano plants.

The local mayor Marold Wosnitza has said that the city would provide its full cooperation in helping find an acceptable solution for the plant's employees, adding that he is in close contact with Tadano management, and representatives of the union IG Metal.

Tadano acquired the two Zweibrücken plants when it purchased the Demag mobile crane business from Terex in 2019, it has struggled ever since to bring the plants up to the same efficiency levels as most of its other facilities. These latest moves follow the placing of the company into administration between 2020 and 2021, successfully completing and emerging from the ‘protective shield’ (Schutzschirmverfahren) proceedings in April 2021.
See also:
Tadano seeks formal restructuring
Next stage for Tadano Demag/Faun
Tadano Faun/Demag plan approved
Tadano /Demag administration completed

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