Deutz forced into job cuts

The German engine manufacturer Deutz has recorded a 33 percent drop in sales over the first six months of the year, producing a €50 million loss. The Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger reports that the company is looking for ways to save €100 million both on material costs but also on labor. "In order to be competitive in the long-term and to keep the company on the road to success, it is essential to constantly review existing processes and structures," said Deutz's CEO Frank Hiller. It's already cut 380 temporary agency jobs during the first half of the year and another 350 people will lose work at German locations. Further job losses will take place as fixed-term contracts aren't renewed and those workers who leave for various reasons will not be replaced. "Our top priority is to avoid redundancies for operational reasons and to find a socially acceptable solution for our employees," said Hiller. "For this reason, we are already in constant contact with the social partners about the detailed design of a volunteer program."