How are companies adapting when the global rulebook keeps shifting? For Europe’s industrial giants, it’s become a battle for survival and strategy. Germany’s industry has shed almost 250,000 jobs since 2019, with nearly half those losses in autos alone. Asian competition, costly transitions to EVs, and unwavering US tariffs are pressuring even the biggest names.
The recent US-EU agreement may relieve carmakers like BMW (with major US operations) but European players like Volkswagen still face steep barriers. The message for manufacturers: reshoring, diversification, and building resilience into supply chains are now as critical as cutting-edge products. But there are limits—cost-cutting continues at home, and the risk of permanent industrial hollowing out looms large.
