A&E Gütermann

Type
Offshoring/Delocalisation
Country
Germany
Region
Baden-Württemberg; Freiburg; Emmendingen
Location of affected unit(s)
Gutach im Breisgau
Sector
Manufacturing
(13 - 15) Manufacture of textiles, apparel and leather
13.1 - Preparation and spinning of textile fibres
13.10 - Preparation and spinning of textile fibres
New offshoring locations
North Africa
340 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
24 October 2025
Employment effect (start)
24 October 2025
Foreseen end date

Description

As announced on 24 October 2025, the German sewing thread manufacturer Gütermann plans to close its production in Gutach and relocate to North Africa for cost reasons. This would affect 340 employees.

The company cites the challenges facing the textile industry as the reason. IG Metall Freiburg announces resistance against the closure plans and criticises the knowledge loss that is to incur if production is moved without the human capital behind it.

The company was founded in 1864 and the first production facilities were built in Gutach. In 2014, the company was sold to the U.S. firm American & Efird (A&E) which is a subsidiary of Elevate Textiles.

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2025), A&E Gütermann, Offshoring/Delocalisation in Germany, factsheet number 203605, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/203605.