Impact of the economic recession on Dillinger Hütte

The first step, starting at the end of March, involved adjusting production levels and reducing the number of shifts. This was accompanied by personnel policy measures such as reducing overtime and work time accounts, and increasing usage of personal leave time. In addition, due to the business situation at both companies of ROGESA Roheisengesellschaft mbH (ROGESA) – namely, Dillinger Hütte and Saarstahl AG – Blast Furnace IV at ROGESA was shut down early at the end of April for a scheduled repair. The worldwide economic downturn continues, and short-term forecasts do not show any significant recovery in the next few months within the customer segments relevant to Dillinger Hütte, which include the construction machinery industry, machine manufacturing, shipbuilding and steel construction. Following other steel companies that began reducing their work hours in late 2008 or at the start of the current year, Dillinger Hütte will institute reduced work hours as of the first of June in some production divisions, such as the blast furnaces (the plants of ROGESA), steel works or rolling mill. “Reduced work hours are an important instrument that allows us to respond flexibly to a very difficult environment and to bridge the gap caused by the slump in orders and in production,” Human Resources Director Dr. Karlheinz Blessing said. “We want to retain our key workforce through this difficult time. As a leading producer of high-quality special steel plate for promising sectors such as the energy industry, we consider ourselves well-equipped to cope with the challenges we’re facing.”