The renowned solar module manufacturer Meyer Burger has closed its plants in eastern Germany. The sites in Bitterfeld-Wolfen and Hohenstein-Ernstthal are affected. More than 500 employees are now jobless and struggling with the sudden job loss. The company filed for insolvency in May and has not found an investor to keep it operating. This move is seen as a symbol of the major crisis affecting the entire German solar industry. (ntv: 02.09.25)
Failure of rescue attempts and insolvency filing
The company had already filed for insolvency for its German subsidiaries in May. Insolvency administrators Lucas Flöther and Reinhard Klose sought investors, but their search remained unsuccessful. Although they emphasized their willingness to engage in further negotiations, concrete offers were lacking. This ended another attempt to stabilize the long-established solar production in eastern Germany.
For many employees, this resulted not only in the loss of their jobs but also in the abrupt end of their career prospects. Job losses have been a recurring theme throughout the company’s history.
Eastern Germany is particularly hard hit by the downturn
The crisis is particularly noticeable in eastern Germany, where solar technology was once considered a driver of innovation. However, the current market situation is also forcing established manufacturers to their knees. A key reason remains Chinese competition. These suppliers are shifting large quantities of cheap modules to Europe, as they have limited access to the lucrative US market.
Chinese competition is pushing all suppliers in the region to the brink of existence with aggressive pricing. As a result, more and more producers, including Meyer Burger, are slipping into an economic dead end.
Withdrawal from the US and Job Losses in Europe
Although the company attempted to focus more on the US, its expansion plans there were drastically scaled back in August 2024. At the same time, further job cuts were made in Europe, further increasing the number of job losses. Europe is feeling the consequences, especially because several thousand jobs in Germany’s solar industry are already at risk.
The decision by its most important customer, Desri, to terminate its contracts was also a serious blow. Without this stability factor, the insolvency filing would have been almost unavoidable.
Chinese competition threatens the future of Germany’s solar industry
Current developments show that, despite high demand for renewable energies, the German solar industry is struggling to create profitable structures. Chinese competition still dominates the markets. In eastern Germany, where years of expertise have been built up, this is undermining a key pillar.
For the affected employees, the bitter reality of job loss is ultimately the only thing left. Without investors and new markets, a turnaround currently seems unlikely.