Automotive supplier Albert Weber faces the potential closure of three plants in Markdorf, Neuenbürg, and Magdeburg in July 2026. Porsche intends to terminate all contracts in Magdeburg as of September 30, while Mercedes-AMG is withdrawing orders from the Markdorf and Neuenbürg sites. According to the trade union IG Metall, talks with BMW are also going poorly. Consequently, the group—which has been undergoing restructuring since late 2024—urgently needs investors, especially as customers have already established alternative supply chains. Reports indicate a combined workforce of approximately 540 to 600 employees. According to the union, insolvency proceedings are set to begin in Magdeburg on October 1.
Plant closures loom following loss of orders
Around 300 people work at the Markdorf headquarters. Mercedes-AMG plans to completely withdraw its orders from the site by October. The move affects, among other things, the production of cylinder heads. According to the IG Metall union, the search for investors has been underway for about a year and a half but has yet to yield a viable solution.
Image: © Albert Weber GmbH
BMW remains crucial for the Markdorf site as well, yet negotiations are reportedly taking an unfavorable turn. Several customers have since established parallel production lines with other suppliers or at their own facilities. This secures their supply chains, while it is becoming increasingly difficult for Weber to avert potential plant closures.
Neuenbürg and Magdeburg Losing Major Customers
The Neuenbürg site is also losing orders from Porsche and Mercedes-AMG. Estimates regarding the workforce there range from just over 100 to around 160 employees. Consequently, without replacement orders or a buyer, there is insufficient capacity utilization to sustain the existing parts manufacturing operations.
In Magdeburg, approximately 140 jobs are directly dependent on Porsche. The sports car manufacturer intends to terminate all contracts as of September 30. According to the IG Metall union, insolvency proceedings are therefore scheduled to begin on October 1 unless an investor takes over by that date.
Sales intended to save other Weber sites
In contrast, sale negotiations for the Plauen, Weinstadt, Roding, and Saarbrücken sites are much further advanced. According to the company, deals for three of these locations are imminent. In addition to automotive suppliers and financial investors, Weber is also approaching companies in the defense industry.
Albert Weber had already gone through insolvency proceedings in 2019, though the founding family bought back major parts of the business in 2020. Today, the group still employs around 900 people worldwide. Without new customers and capital, plant closures now threaten precisely those three sites for which no buyer has yet been secured.
Author: Blackout News
Sources: Bild (23.07.26) – Merkur (21.07.26) – Welt (16.07.26) – Maschinen Markt (16.07.26) – Pforzheimer Zeitung (15.07.26)