Type
Closure
Country
Germany
Region
Bayern; Schwaben; Donau-Ries
Location of affected unit(s)
Nördlingen
Sector
Manufacturing
(26 - 27) Manufacture of electrical, electronic and optical products
27.2 - Manufacture of batteries and accumulators
27.20 - Manufacture of batteries and accumulators

350 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
19 May 2026
Employment effect (start)
19 May 2026
Foreseen end date
31 December 2026

Description

Varta, a German battery manufacturer, announced the shutdown of its button cell production for wireless headphones in Nördlingen, resulting in 350 job losses. The closure will take effect at the end of the year.

The decision follows the withdrawal of its major customer, Apple, that plans to source its batteries from the China in the future. The customer accounted for 98% of the plant’s utilisation, and reflects the challenges facing the industry. The company continues to pursue battery development at a smaller site. Varta emphasizes that it is currently working on a social plan for the affected employees.

Varta employs about 4,200 people worldwide.

Previous restructuring events were recorded in the ERM database in December 2025, with 150 job cuts at the Nördlingen site: Varta 2025 - DE.


Citation

Eurofound (2026), Varta, Closure in Germany, factsheet number 300412, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://dev.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/300412.