Bremen at the low point: Industry is planning massive layoffs!

Bremen at the low point: Industry is planning massive layoffs!

Bremen, Deutschland - in Bremen and Lower Saxony, the rumor mill is bubbling: the mood in industry is anything but rosy. According to a current survey among industry employer associations, it turns out that the Bremen industry has the most plans to reduce personnel in the north German comparison. The situation rates almost a quarter of the companies as bad or dissatisfactory, while in Lower Saxony every third company expresses similar impressions, but only flirted with layoffs. It is particularly bad about metal generators, foundries and vehicle construction, where the order situation has dramatically decreased, which turns the mood upside down. Almost half of the companies in Bremen even expect a deterioration in the next six months, while only every third company in Lower Saxony is so pessimistic. "The main cause for this damper is the massive lack of order", reports ButUnunbinnen.de .

What about the shortage of skilled workers? Even if this continues to be an urgent problem, a direct redistribution of specialists, for example from industry to care, is considered difficult. The business journalist Nicolas Lieven describes the situation as the "valley of tears" for the German economy. Despite existing challenges, the future looks more potentially optimistic from the perspective of investments. Perhaps a new government or an unexpected peace conclusion could set positive impulses.

look at the job market

But not only Bremen is affected. The entire German industry is struggling with the job cuts. According to ZDF , 70,000 jobs have already been deleted last year, with further personnel reduction measures at companies such as Audi, Siemens and Continental in sight. When we look at the numbers: In January 2025, almost three million people in Germany were unemployed, and the unemployment rate rose to 6.4 percent. Painful forecast: By the end of 2025, the number of unemployed could increase to 2.92 million. Experts like Enzo Weber from IAB emphasize that structural change in industry is one of the major challenges to which companies have to react.

High energy costs, bureaucratic hurdles and the pressure of international competition, especially from China, also add the companies. The chemical industry, for example, has to deal with drastic export losses. The expected measures for the change and further education of employees could help companies adapt to the market, but the quick recovery of the labor market remains questionable.

conclusion and outlook

The combination of economic uncertainty, political instability and a declining purchasing power of consumers harbors hot challenges. Many companies plan job cuts to reduce their costs. Nevertheless, there are bright spots such as the air and space industry, where two thirds of the companies assess the situation positively. But the question remains: How long will the shade over Bremen and the German economy? The next time will be crucial to see if the pessimistic mood can brighten up.