MAN to reduce 2,300 positions in Germany amid cost and competition challenges
MAN Truck & Bus has outlined a ten-year workforce restructuring plan that will see approximately 2,300 positions phased out across its German operations. According to company statements reported by Handelsblat, also covered on trade agency Electrive, the reduction is intended to be implemented without layoffs and with a “fully socially responsible” approach. The program affects […]
MAN Truck & Bus has outlined a ten-year workforce restructuring plan that will see approximately 2,300 positions phased out across its German operations. According to company statements reported by Handelsblat, also covered on trade agency Electrive, the reduction is intended to be implemented without layoffs and with a “fully socially responsible” approach.
The program affects three major sites: Munich (1,300 positions), Salzgitter (600) and Nuremberg (400).
MAN cites weak German truck market
The move reflects broader structural challenges facing the European heavy-duty vehicle industry. As noted by the German newspaper, MAN cites a persistently weak German truck market, elevated energy and labor costs, and intensifying competitive pressure from Asian manufacturers. These dynamics are weighing on profitability at a time when commercial vehicle OEMs are entering a capital-intensive phase, driven by the rapid development of battery-electric and zero-emission product lines.
Looking at the latest performance figures released by the group, while truck sales remain under pressure, MAN’s bus segment has delivered robust growth as bus deliveries rose 35% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025 to 4,898 units, up from a 9% increase in the first half of the year. Van sales also performed strongly, up 18% with a record 3,146 MAN TGE units sold in September alone. This growth helped offset a 5% decline in truck sales.
MAN says the restructuring is designed to stabilize its cost base while enabling significant investment in its future portfolio. “We are entering a high-investment phase and must secure consistent profitability to expand our product offering,” a company spokesperson told Handselblat. Despite the planned reductions, MAN emphasizes that the number of departing employees will remain below the natural retirement rate. The manufacturer expects to continue hiring and anticipates stabilizing its German workforce at around 13,000 employees.
All production sites—Munich, Nuremberg, Salzgitter and Wittlich—are set to remain operational. MAN has committed to invest one billion euros across these locations over the next five years to support product transformation, manufacturing modernization and the rollout of next-generation powertrain technologies.
The announcement has drawn strong criticism from IG Metall and the works council, who fear that portions of the production network could be shifted to Poland. IG Metall representative Sybille Wankel warned that relocating core components of truck manufacturing “on the long term jeopardizes the future of the Munich site”.
