Employees Carmen Grolle and Michael Kraft inspect a crankshaft in the final inspection area of FEUER Powertrain’s crankshaft manufacturing facility in Nordhausen. The company is Europe’s largest independent manufacturer of crankshafts for the automotive, truck, industrial, and fun vehicle sectors.
© FUNKE Foto Services | Marco Kneise
Nordhausen. FEUER Powertrain has ended short-time work. The company looks cautiously optimistic towards the future but expresses concerns about strong regulations imposed by EU directives.
“Since February 1, production has fully resumed; the period of short-time work is over for now,” says Bernd Gulden. The managing director of the crankshaft plant “FEUER Powertrain” in Nordhausen looks cautiously optimistic about the near future.
The most difficult times are behind the European market leader in crankshafts. “Throughout 2024, the order situation was declining. Only in December was there a noticeable stabilization,” Gulden reflects. The most important market for Powertrain in the USA has shown slight recovery.
“But there is currently a great deal of uncertainty because President Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum,” explains the Nordhausen director. The impact this will have on production at the Nordhausen plant is still unclear. “The tariffs would only apply to raw materials and not to processed products, according to our lawyers,” reports Gulden. The outcome remains uncertain.
“In the first quarter, we are back to full operation. What we cannot sell now will go into stock,” Gulden adds. It may be necessary to implement another week of short-time work in April. “We need to see what the market provides,” says the managing director.
This year is a transition year for the crankshaft plant. “We aim to return to a growth path by 2026,” Gulden emphasizes. Last year, the growth targets of the second-largest industrial company in Nordhausen, with 700 employees, were not met. “We recorded a revenue of 180 million euros, a 20% decline compared to 2023,” Gulden reflects.
Which markets have declined? “The automotive market, which makes up 60% of our production, has surprisingly remained stable. However, the powersports, construction machinery, and agriculture markets have seen declines of up to 70%,” Gulden lists. This year, it appears that the automotive market will continue to develop steadily, while the other three sectors are slowly recovering.
“It was important for us to retain the core workforce during the short-time work and to avoid any layoffs for operational reasons,” says the managing director. This year, bridge days will be utilized for time off. Full capacity will be maintained for as long as possible. “This is better for our machines than just operating at half capacity,” says Gulden.
A fundamental issue is the overregulation by the European Union. The Nordhausen director cites the CO₂ border adjustment regulation as an example. “If I buy a screw from India for a specific production part, I have to prove how much CO₂ was emitted in the production of that screw,” explains Gulden.
Bernd Gulden, managing director of the crankshaft manufacturer FEUER Powertrain, laments the excessive regulation imposed by a multitude of EU directives.
© FUNKE Foto Services | Marco Kneise
Gulden: The EU is suffocating us
The aforementioned regulation spans a staggering 108 pages. “Not only do I not have the time to read this regulation, but I also don’t understand it,” Gulden complains. The document contains, for example, physical formulas that one cannot manage without a relevant degree.
“I am held liable if I do not comply with these regulations. However, to comply, I would need to hire ten people who can understand the text and calculate the formulas,” he expresses frustration. “The EU is truly suffocating us,” he laments. Meanwhile, competitors in India and China are laughing to themselves because they operate without such regulations.
Original article: Thüringer Allgemeine