MAN invests nearly one billion euros in German sites
The Traton brand announced in November 2025 plans to cut 2,300 jobs across three German sites over the next decade. At the time, the company described the reductions as “absolutely socially responsible,” while the IG Metall trade union expressed significant scepticism about the future of production in Germany.
Employee representatives and the trade union IG Metall have now approved the new ‘MAN2030+’ plan through workplace co-determination. The aim is to reduce costs at MAN by approximately €900 million by 2028 and sustainably improve the company’s performance.
The company reiterated: “As part of ‘MAN2030+’, the demographic loss of 2,300 jobs will be significantly less in Germany over a period of ten years than the number of employees retiring during the same period.” The Munich headquarters is set to be the hardest hit, with 1,300 jobs, more than half of the total, expected to be lost. A further 600 positions will be cut in Salzgitter, and 400 in Nuremberg. The Wittlich site, which employs just 60 people, will be exempt.
Job security until 2035
Additionally, job security has been agreed until the end of 2035, with a potential extension to the end of 2040, “dependent on company performance.” This will be assessed using key metrics such as results and sales targets in MAN’s core truck business. Compulsory redundancies in Germany remain excluded, though the company stated that “new hires and job cuts in line with demographic trends,” as outlined in the announcement.
Alongside job security, the preservation of all German production sites has been confirmed. By the end of 2030, nearly one billion euros will be invested in these sites to future-proof them, particularly in Bavaria. However, MAN has not provided further details on the specific areas earmarked for investment. The majority of the planned cost-saving measures, totalling around €900 million, are described as “independent of the workforce.” These include savings on materials and overheads, as well as further improvements in sales performance.
There will also be no deterioration in pay. “Wage cuts for employees of MAN Truck & Bus SE and TRATON R&D Germany GmbH have been ruled out in the ‘MAN2030+’ program. In addition, the company and the parties signing the key issues paper have agreed to continue distributing profit-sharing payments to all MAN and TRATON R&D Germany GmbH employees in Germany in the future. MAN Truck & Bus SE has also announced that it will continue to pay above-tariff wage components in order to remain competitive and an attractive employer in Germany,” the statement on the compromise reads.
The major caveat, however, is that key new investments required for the next generation of vehicles based on the upcoming TRATON Modular System (TMS) will, in future, also be made in Eastern Europe. Additionally, the establishment and development of another battery factory within the group will depend on the further ramp-up of electromobility in the truck and bus sectors and may also take place in Eastern Europe. “All relevant committees have approved the planned investments as part of the investment planning process,” MAN stated.
“Following intensive negotiations, we have now reached agreement with our employee representatives on the implementation of key cornerstones of the MAN2030+ program. The plan secures MAN’s competitiveness and guarantees our customers a broad product portfolio as a full liner, which forms the basis for the company’s future success,” said MAN CEO Alexander Vlaskamp. “This will enable us to secure the jobs of our current employees also in the future. With our continued high level of investment in Germany, we are fulfilling our industrial policy responsibilities. We will now consistently implement the long-term MAN2030+ program in order to counteract intensifying competition, changing market conditions, and major regulatory risks at an early stage.”
Karina Schnur, Chair of the General Works Council of MAN Truck & Bus SE, added: “The discussions were not easy, but they were always respectful and constructive, and from the perspective of co-determination and IG Metall, they have now resulted in the best possible compromise for our employees and the company. The agreement sends a very strong signal regarding the security, stability, and future prospects of our employees. With this agreement, we are securing the jobs of our colleagues at MAN until at least the end of 2035. And we are doing so without interfering with collectively agreed benefits.”
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