German chemicals firm Wacker Chemie AG says it is continuing to drive forward its global Pace cost-savings and efficiency programme launched in October 2025, with the aim of reducing costs by over EUR300 million a year and to thereby strengthen competitiveness in the long term. As already announced, the programme includes global job reductions.
In Germany, the company management and employee representatives have now agreed on a socially responsible implementation plan for the reduction of around 1,600 jobs. The planned job cuts will be implemented via a voluntary program that includes attractive phased early retirement arrangements and severance agreements. In addition, all employees in Germany will make a temporary solidarity contribution until 2028, consisting of a 4% reduction in working hours and pay. This will create the necessary financial leeway to rule out forced layoffs. All structural measures under Pace are to be implemented by the end of 2027.
The plan is to reduce 1,300 jobs at Burghausen, Wacker’s largest site worldwide. 200 jobs will be reduced at the Nünchritz site, 60 jobs at the Munich headquarters, and a total of 50 jobs at other Wacker sites in Germany.
The job reductions are based on a detailed implementation plan agreed between employer and employee representatives. It provides for a large number of structural measures, including the consolidation of production facilities, increased flexibility in the shift system and transfers to international service hubs.
“With the agreement we have now concluded, we have reached an important milestone in driving forward the necessary transformation in Germany and strengthening our competitiveness,” says Wacker CEO Christian Hartel. “We have already implemented numerous measures at our international sites that make us more flexible, more efficient and faster. Now, the implementation phase will start in Germany as well.”