Coperion (Stuttgart / Germany; www.coperion.com), the global market leader in compounding plants, bulk materials plants and components, is to restructure its production site in Stuttgart / Germany as part of a global manufacturing concept. The move will make redundant 120 of the roughly 750 jobs at the central compounding facility (extrusion technology). The company intends to make most job cuts through voluntary measures such as early retirement.

At the same time, Coperion plans to invest several million euros by 2012 to strengthen the site’s core competencies. Nonetheless, it will be relocating production of more components to its US and Chinese production facilities in the future. Coperion stresses, however, that it will not be cutting back on key competitive competencies in production, engineering and R&D at Stuttgart, nor will it be reducing its vocational training activities.