Overview

• Germany’s industrial workforce fell 2.1% in Q2 2025 to 5.43 million, with nearly 245,500 jobs lost since 2019, EY’s analysis of official data shows.
• Sector revenues totaled over €533 billion in Q2, down 2.1% year over year after a marginal decline in Q1.
• Car manufacturing recorded the steepest job drop, down 6.7% year over year in Q2, equal to about 51,500 positions over 12 months.
• Cumulative autos cuts since 2019 have reached roughly 112,000 jobs as firms grapple with competition from Asia and the costly shift to EVs.
• Exports of industrial goods fell sharply in Q2, with shipments to the United States down about 10% and to China down 14%, and EY warns further job reductions are likely.