Cummins Confirms Consultations on Closing Marktheidenfeld Plant as 350 Jobs Hang in the Balance
Published on 09/19/2026 at 16:20 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Workers at a Cummins factory in Lower Franconia are facing the possible loss of roughly 350 jobs after the US automotive supplier confirmed it has opened a formal information and consultation process at its Marktheidenfeld-Altfeld site in the Main-Spessart district.
The IG Metall Würzburg union reported on 17 September 2026 that closure of the entire plant is on the table. According to union sources, the plans have already been shared internally, though no date has been set for winding down operations. The union is demanding a full explanation from management of both the reasoning behind the move and what happens next.
Schneider Electric Automation also in the frame
Attention is turning simultaneously to Schneider Electric Automation GmbH, where the union says around 110 positions are at risk across the company's sites in Marktheidenfeld and Lahr in Baden-Württemberg.
Marktheidenfeld's decline has been a long time coming: production at the Lower Franconian location was shut down roughly five years ago, meaning any fresh cuts would fall on what remains of the automation specialist's operations there.
Taken together, the two situations point to a worsening outlook for the region's industrial base. Union figures bear this out — close to 500 jobs disappeared from Marktheidenfeld's larger industrial employers between 2019 and 2024 alone.
Construction group Schick enters restructuring
Trouble is not confined to automotive and electrical engineering. The Schick Group, headquartered in Bad Kissingen, is in crisis, according to reports dated 17 September 2026. The company says it employs about 620 people across five locations and now faces far-reaching restructuring.
Its Austrian parent, Habau, is planning deep cutbacks in response to the business situation. Under the plans, the existing management team would be replaced and the company reorganised from the ground up. Job losses are also expected as part of the shake-up.
Habau's stated aim is to put the Schick Group back on a stable footing through the cuts. How individual sites will be affected, and precisely how many positions will go, has not yet been quantified.
