April 2025

Pollmann optimizes European production footprint

Strategic reorientation strengthens competitive position: Production in Vitis will phase out until the end of 2025 and will be relocated to the headquarters.

PrensaMisceláneo

Karlstein/Vitis, April 2025 – The automotive industry is facing massive challenges. The shift towards electromobility, supply bottlenecks and volatile market developments are putting suppliers under pressure. The industry is characterized by fewer new projects being awarded and declining call-off figures in series production. Pollmann International, as a traditional family business, is also affected by these developments. But instead of taking a wait-and-see approach, Pollmann is proactively facing up to the challenges by strategically restructuring itself according to the motto “Simply:Pollmann”.

A central component of this restructuring is the relocation of production from the second location in Austria, Vitis, to the headquarters in Karlstein, which is around 30 minutes away by car. This relocation will take place step by step until the end of 2025. All 71 employees will be retained.

Optimizing production structures in Europe
From 2017 until 2020, Pollmann invested around 40 million euros in production buildings, machinery and plants at its international locations in order to be prepared for future growth. However, the hoped-for sales growth has not yet materialized. A detailed analysis showed that the plants in Karlstein and the Czech Republic have enough capacity to handle the entire production volume in Europe, even without the location in Vitis.

“Pooling our production capacities at two European locations is the only economically and strategically reasonable step,” explains Stefan Pollmann, who has also been Managing Director of the holding company since February. “This gives us greater efficiency, more compact structures and the necessary scope for new projects and partnerships.”

Seamless integration of series production
The plant in Vitis produces door lock housings – burner-independent components that will remain an essential part of Pollmann’s portfolio in the long term. The 24/7 series production will be integrated into the production in Karlstein, which will lead to better capacity utilization and shorter distances. “We are already working on floor space optimization and a new value stream concept to ensure a smooth transition,” explains COO Robert Stubenberger.

The team remains unchanged. “Our employees in Vitis do a great job day and night. Their competence, know-how and commitment are indispensable for our company. We look forward to continuing to work with them in Karlstein,” emphasizes Stubenberger.

Future prospects for plant in Vitis
At the same time, Pollmann is examining various options for the future use of the plant in Vitis, ranging from a sale to cooperation with industrial partners who are looking for precisely this type of production capacity. The state-of-the-art plant was opened in 2020. In 2021, it was named Austria’s best factory by Fraunhofer Austria and the Austrian industry magazine “Industriemagazin”. Particularly noteworthy is the fully automated high-bay warehouse, which is regarded in industry circles as a benchmark for modern logistics solutions.

“We are proud of the plant in Vitis. It is a top-equipped, award-winning factory. Even if it no longer remains part of our active production network, it will be used reasonably and strategically,” explains Stefan Pollmann.

“Simply:Pollmann” for a solid future
The decision to relocate is embedded in the transformation initiative “Simply:Pollmann”. This involves reviewing all areas of the company, scrutinizing structures and realigning processes. This also includes targeted personnel measures. Pollmann currently employs around 550 people in Austria. As part of the restructuring, around 15 jobs will be cut at the main site, particularly at Pollmann Werkzeugbau GmbH. The company pursues a responsible approach in order to secure long-term prospects for its employees.

The aim of the realignment is to make the organization more resilient, faster and more future-oriented. “The market is changing, and so are we,” says Stefan Pollmann. “With Simply:Pollmann we pave the way for a solid, innovative and sustainable future. Pollmann’s 135-year success story is to be continued consistently. With vision, respect, trust and corporate responsibility.”

About Pollmann International
Pollmann is a family-owned business with six international locations and 135 years of experience with a focus on the automotive industry. Specializing in the production of highly complex mechatronics parts for the automotive industry, we are a valuable partner to our customers around the world offering design and development, prototyping, toolmaking, equipment automation as well as large-scale production. With its claim to “Process Innovation and Component Precision”, Pollmann supports its customers in the automotive hotspots in Europe, the Americas and Asia and quickly responds to customer needs with its in-house development and production expertise. Pollmann International currently has 1,300 employees and achieved sales of around 160.5 million euros in 2024.

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