Bosch is planning short-time work: hundreds of jobs in Salzgitter are at risk!

Bosch is planning short-time work: hundreds of jobs in Salzgitter are at risk!

The situation in the German automotive industry remains tense, and recently announced short-time work at Bosch raises new questions. News38 reports that the company is considering short-time work for several of its locations, including the plant in Salzgitter. Around 1,400 people are employed here and the possible effects cannot be underestimated. Up to 400 jobs could be affected if short-time work is actually implemented. But the situation is not yet entirely clear: How many employees should go on short-time work depends on the further development of production and the bottlenecks.

This is due to delivery difficulties at the semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia. This Chinese-controlled producer, which supplies important chips for electronic control devices, has stopped deliveries due to export bans from China. Nexperia is of central importance not only for Bosch, but for the entire industry. The situation is so serious that even the Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) and the ZVEI are warning of massive production restrictions. daily news makes it clear that it is not just Bosch that is affected: ZF Friedrichshafen and Volkswagen are also watching the situation like a hawk and are preparing for possible short-time work.

The background of the chip crisis

The export ban on Nexperia chips has its origins in complicated geopolitical conflicts between China and the USA, which have led to control of semiconductor production. According to Autozeitung, the Dutch government has taken control of Nexperia, prompting China to halt exports of key components. These chips are indispensable in automotive control devices, sensors and voltage regulators. The consequences could be serious: If the delivery bottlenecks do not resolve soon, there will not only be a risk of production stoppages, but also potentially serious economic consequences for the entire industry.

The federal government is already in talks with the automotive and electronics industries as well as the Chinese government to find a political solution to the crisis. At the same time, companies are working on alternatives, but switching to new sources of supply is time-consuming and poses major challenges. While a quick fix may be necessary, qualifying new components takes time, which increases the urgency.

What happens next remains unclear for the time being. The signs point to a storm and the situation could worsen further if political solutions are not found. The automotive industry remains called upon to act creatively and in a solution-oriented manner in order to meet the challenges of this chip crisis.