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Washing machine production at Miele in Gütersloh

Photo: Ina Fassbender / dpa

Due to a decline in demand, household appliance manufacturer Miele is intensifying its workforce reductions at its washing machine plant in Gütersloh. The company announced on Friday that it would have to "adjust production planning," referring to the production of washing machines at its headquarters in Gütersloh. Previously, the WDR and the »Westfalen-Blatt« had reported on it. In a section of the washing machine plant, where 1300 people work, there will be a change from three to two shifts at the turn of the year.

The management is relying on voluntariness: The staff reductions at the plant are to be carried out, among other things, through severance payments, and fixed-term contracts will not be extended. How many jobs are to be eliminated was not announced. Separately from the demand-related staff reductions, Miele is running a multi-year program under which jobs at the Gütersloh washing machine plant will be eliminated in the long term. On the other are being created at a location in Poland that opened in 2019.

First Corona plus, then inflation blues

Miele has three very good financial years behind it, with sales rising by 2022.12 percent to 2.5 billion euros in 43. This was the highest figure in the company's history. The positive development was also due to the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic: At that time, many people did not travel, but invested in their homes. This benefited Miele as a manufacturer of washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and ovens.

However, the company has been feeling the effects of high inflation and the weakening economy since last year. Since the order books were still full in 2022, things continued to go well for the time being, but the signs were negative – the general reluctance of consumers to consume ultimately also affected Miele. The Group has around 23,000 employees worldwide, about half of them in Germany. In Gütersloh, around 5600 people work for the traditional company.

beb/dpa