Schaeffler to Close Both Berlin R&D Centres, Cutting 270 Jobs

Automotive supplier Schaeffler announced on Tuesday, 3 November, the closure of its two Berlin research and development centres — one in Moabit, one in Spandau — affecting approximately 270 employees. Both sites focus on electric drive systems. The closures are part of a broader European restructuring that will eliminate 3,460 jobs in total, of which 2,660 are in Germany, to be implemented through 2028. The company cited slower-than-expected growth in the electric vehicle market as the reason for reducing its electromobility R&D activity. IG Metall Berlin secretary Andreas Buchwald called the decision a unilateral act with "nothing to do with democracy" and estimated that some 1,000 indirect jobs could also be at risk. The Berlin Senate was informed only on Monday evening, hours before Tuesday's announcement. Automotive analyst Stefan Bratzel of the Center of Automotive Management warned that losing expertise in electric drives and AI "endangers long-term competitiveness." IG Metall demanded the decision be reversed and threatened labour action if negotiations failed.