Poor demand in the automotive industry and a noticeable decline in the off-road market have forced seat manufacturer Grammer (Amberg / Germany; www.grammer.com) to modify its production and cost structure. The OEM supplier is to introduce short-time working at five plants in southern Germany from 23 January 2009. The measures will affect the company headquarters in Amberg, seat production lines in Kümmersbruck-Haselmühl and its sites in Wackersdorf and Ebermannsdorf. Short-time working in production was announced in Amberg-Immenstetten in December 2008, but the cost-cutting program has now been extended to the whole site.

The work week at the affected plants will be cut to four days and, in the final week of each month, only three days. A total of 2,000 employees will be affected by the measures. The short-time working is planned initially to last until the end of March. Grammer has declined to provide a longer-term forecast.