Germany – Daimler Truck AG, headquartered in Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Baden-Württemberg, has confirmed plans to cut 5,000 jobs across Germany as part of a sweeping cost-reduction initiative intended to improve profitability in its core European operations. The decision marks one of the largest restructuring efforts since its 2021 spin-off from Daimler AG. The cuts will affect around 14% of Daimler Truck’s German workforce and will primarily target administrative functions, sales, and headquarters roles. Five major facilities (Wörth, Gaggenau, Kassel, Mannheim, and Stuttgart) will feel the impact. The job reductions are set to be phased in over the next five years.

So why is Daimler Truck taking such a bold step? It is clear from the numbers. The decision follows a challenging 2024 for Daimler Truck, which recorded a 12% decline in global unit sales, from 526,053 units in 2023 to 460,409 in 2024, and a year-on-year revenue drop of EUR 1.2 billion to €54.1 billion. Adjusted EBIT fell nearly 15% to EUR 4,667 billion. Mercedes‑Benz Trucks, the company’s European core, saw sales fall most sharply, prompting urgent action. The T&BB 2024 Daimler roundup highlighted how intensely competitive markets in Europe and Asia, rising energy and logistics costs, and declining customer ordering have cut into demand, especially for Mercedes-Benz Trucks.