Overview
- The company will wind down production in Schönwald and build up Weiden as a competence center with highly automated lines, while logistics stays in Selb.
- Around 350 workers in Schönwald are affected, with specific job losses not yet disclosed as the firm promises a responsible staffing adjustment.
- The IGBCE union condemned the decision as a worst-case outcome for employees and a dark day for the region, citing severe impacts on families.
- Wunsiedel district chief Peter Berek called the plan a heavy blow and noted the prospect of no kilns firing in Schönwald after 2028.
- Management attributes the realignment to rising site costs, complex processes and stagnating markets, saying the move aims to secure the company’s future on one of Europe’s most modern production lines.