Restructuring events
European Restructuring Monitor (ERM)
The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
Zakład Elektrotechniki Motoryzacyjnej (ZEM Ełk), operating in the automotive components sector, will reduce its workforce by 241 employees in Ełk at the start of 2026, affecting production (187 jobs), indirect production (30), and administrative roles (24).
The restructuring is driven by weakening market conditions in the automotive supply chain, as electrification, rising material and energy costs, and declining demand for combustion-engine vehicles have intensified pressure on component manufacturers. Reductions are scheduled to begin in early 2026 and will be implemented in three phases through February, March and April.
Job‐reduction measures include support from the local labour office, offering guidance on registration, early retirement options, and funding for self-employment. Social partners are preparing meetings with staff to explain available support mechanisms.
Founded in 1945, ZEM Ełk is an 80-year-old manufacturer of wiring harnesses and battery cables, supplying global brands such as Fiat, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Volvo, and Bosch and employs around 296 full-time staff and over 1,060 workers in total, including temporary and other forms of employment.
Eurofound (2025), Zakład Elektrotechniki Motoryzacyjnej (ZEM Ełk) , Internal restructuring in Poland, factsheet number 203774, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/203774.
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