Benteler to close Swiss welded tube production site

Benteler Steel/Tube maintains its decision to close its production site in Rothrist, Switzerland, by the end of 2023. The closure plan was announced earlier, and a consultation process carried out in the meantime did not yield any sustainable prospects, Kallanish learns from the company.

The company says it is responding to the situation on the global welded tube market, which has been tense for some years. Reasons are export restrictions; continued high costs of energy, spare parts and raw materials; and declining demand for powertrain components for combustion engine vehicles. The plant in Rothrist, with around 300 employees, is particularly affected by these developments as it specialises in the production of quality welded drawn tube for the industrial and automotive sectors.

“Making this final decision was not easy for us,” says Thomas Michels, chief operating officer at Benteler Steel/Tube. “At this point, it is important for us to once again emphasise that in all necessary steps, the focus is on treating our employees with respect. Details of the social plan are currently being discussed with the works council, to keep the period of uncertainty for the workforce as short as possible.”

Christian Koehl Germany