As announced today, the Augsburg Fujitsu site will be closed by September 2020. A total of 1,500 jobs are affected in Augsburg alone. Another 300 will be cut in other German locations of the Fujitsu Group. In total, the company employs 12,000 people in Germany.

For the employees as well as the trade unions, this announcement came as a complete surprise.

"The Fujitsu Group is aware of the importance of the decision to concentrate product development and production in Japan for the employees in Augsburg. The goal of the company is to make the consequences socially compatible. This will include discussions and negotiations with employee representatives to clarify the details" said Vera Schneevoigt, Senior Vice President, Head of Product Supply Operations.

Fujitsu emerged as a joint venture with Siemens and is considered one of the last European computer manufacturers. Back in 2009, Siemens sold all its shares in Fujitsu. The successor company had already cut jobs at its location in Paderborn.

After Ledvance (an LED manufacturer that closed its lighting production in Augsburg after more than 100 years of existance at the end of October 2018), Fujitsu is the second company in Augsburg which reduced, or is reducing, its workforce by over 1,000 jobs. The consequences for the business location in Augsburg are serious, according to the trade union.