Overview
- The buyout offer, which ran in Germany from April 2025 through March 2026, drew about 5,500 takers according to Handelsblatt, and Mercedes says it will not extend it.
- The program targeted roughly 40,000 office and support roles in administration, development and IT, reflecting an agreement with the works council to handle reductions through voluntary exits.
- Some long‑serving employees received very large payouts, with Handelsblatt citing cases above €500,000, which eased departures but left uneven outcomes across teams.
- Mercedes’ Next Level Performance plan seeks €5 billion in lasting savings by 2027, with about €1 billion tied to personnel measures and €3.5 billion already reflected in EBIT from efficiency steps.
- The restructuring also reshapes production as Reuters reports A‑Class assembly moves from Rastatt to Kecskemét in Hungary in the second quarter of 2026, after site closures in Koblenz, Mainz, Dortmund, Neu‑Ulm and Lübeck in 2025.