ZF is cutting 14,000 jobs in Germany. They are not the only one.
The people who approved your last contract may not be there when the next one is placed.
Honsel and M. Busch have moved to short-time work. ZF is cutting up to 14,000 positions in Germany. ACC’s battery plant in Kaiserslautern has weeks, not months, to decide its future. Schaeffler is cutting jobs while moving into robotics and defence.
This is not a temporary adjustment. It is a structural reset of who buys what and from whom.
Purchasing teams are being reduced or reorganised. Approved supplier lists are under review. New business units mean new buyers with no existing supplier relationships.
The suppliers who hold their position through this period do this:
Map every active contact at your top three Tier 1 customers. Identify who is at risk of leaving.
Request clarity on whether your parts carry over to the next platform or programme.
Find out which new divisions, such as robotics or defence, are sourcing components you already make.
Are your key contacts still in post at your largest customer?
Facing supplier restructuring at your Tier 1 customers? We help Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers stay visible with new buyers through these changes.