Hearing that a production line will relocate is unsettling. The useful response is not sending thirty applications the same evening. First, confirm dates: when does production stop, what notice applies, and whether transfer offers exist at other Standorte.
Build a skills inventory while the machines are still familiar. List machine types, quality systems (ISO, IATF), leadership duties, and languages used with suppliers. Colleagues who wait until after the last shift often forget details that matter to the next employer.
Talk with the Betriebsrat about counseling hours and any Transfergesellschaft options. Those structures can buy time for a careful search. Parallel to that, identify two adjacent roles you could fill within commuting distance — for example moving from Montageleitung into Qualitätsprüfung if travel to the new Standort is impossible.
Avoid signing away claims under pressure without independent advice. Our coaching focuses on career mapping; for legal questions, speak with a Fachanwalt or the union. Keeping those lanes separate keeps your next industrial role on solid ground.