Thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel, a subsidiary of German steelmaker thyssenkrupp, has halted production at its Gelsenkirchen plant for one week amid growing market pressure from low-priced Chinese steel imports, according to German media reports.
The shutdown will affect approximately 1,200 employees, with all operations, including administrative work, temporarily suspended. Also, a short-time work scheme remains under consideration if weak market conditions persist.
Surge in cheap imports hits orders
The company said the decision stems from an influx of underpriced Chinese steel being sold below domestic production costs, significantly reducing order volumes for electrical steel products.
Sources clarified that the short-time work discussions are not related to the plant’s competitiveness, but to distorted market conditions caused by dumping-level imports.
Political response and industry concerns
Local political representatives have voiced concern over the situation. Felix Langer, spokesperson for The Left Party in Gelsenkirchen, criticized the lack of effective industrial policy, stating that “workers are once again paying the price for political failures”.
The party called for binding protection measures for strategic sites like Gelsenkirchen, describing it as a “central building block for the energy transition”.
In a statement of solidarity, The Left Party urged the federal government to safeguard industrial jobs and technological know-how, warning that unchecked dumping imports threaten both employment and Germany’s green transition goals.
