Meyer Burger reports bankruptcy: 600 jobs in danger!

Meyer Burger reports bankruptcy: 600 jobs in danger!

Thalheim bei Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Deutschland - Meyer Burger, an important Swiss solar company, has applied for bankruptcy for its two German subsidiaries. This step affects around 600 employees who now have to worry about their jobs. The bankruptcy report was published on the last Saturday and marks another setback for the already battered solar industry in Germany.

The subsidiary in Thalheim near Bitterfeld-Wolfen , Saxony-Anhalt, employs 331 employees who work in solar cell production. In the second subsidiary, Meyer Burger Germany in Hohenstein-Ernstthal , Saxony, 289 people work in mechanical engineering and technology development. Meyer Burger said that it is planning to receive the locations with the help of an insolvency administrator.

effects on employees and locations

The unexpected decision also has an impact on the headquarters of Meyer Burger in Thun, Switzerland, where 60 employees are not affected by the bankruptcy. Nevertheless, the subsidiary in the USA continues to be formally in the books, even if the solar module production at the factory in Goodyear, Arizona , is to be discontinued, which will result in 282 dismissals. So far, solar cells from Thalheim have been processed into modules in Goodyear.

The current situation is part of a wider crisis in the solar industry, which in 2024 experienced a decline after a boom in 2022 and 2023. The Ukrainian War led to increasing gas prices and thus to an energy crisis in Europe, which accelerated the switch to renewable energies. Nevertheless, the market for the solar industry in 2024 was declining, which led to a number of bankruptcies, among other things for companies such as special suns, Amia Energy and Enersol who had to stop operating.

financial challenges and market conditions

The decline in demand for photovoltaic systems that started in early 2024 and continued all year round was reinforced by a repressed competition with cheaper Chinese products. Around 94% of the PV modules currently available on the German market come from Asia. While experts remain optimistic and forecast a recovery of the market in the coming years, short -term unrest in the industry can be expected.

Meyer Burger is currently undertaken talks for financial restructuring with bonds. Two convertible bonds that are due for repayment in 2027 and 2029 are on the agenda, and the company has recently requested an extension of the deadline for the presentation of the 2024 business figures. The original deadline ran on May 31, 2025. Despite these challenges, the belief in the necessity and endurance of the energy transition remains unbroken.

For the affected employees of Meyer Burger, uncertainty is now great, while the industry is hoping for a possible stabilization. These developments could not only influence the jobs, but also significantly influence the direction of the energy transition in Europe.

The source OE24 reports on the details of the insolvency procedure, while nau.ch offers additional information on the situation in the Swiss headquarters and the effects on the employees. Comprehensive analyzes on the overall position of the solar industry and the challenges contains the article on fr.de . .