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.
The Automotive Electrical Engineering Plant (ZEM) in Ełk, a long-established Polish manufacturer of automotive electrical components, announced a collective redundancy plan that will result in the loss of 241 jobs at its production site in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie region. The company, which has operated in Ełk for nearly 80 years, produces low-voltage wiring harnesses, battery cables and ignition systems for the automotive industry and has historically been one of the city’s key employers.
The redundancies are being implemented as part of an internal restructuring and do not involve the closure of the plant, which is expected to continue operating at a reduced scale. The dismissals will be carried out in three stages, with the first round scheduled to be completed by the end of February 2026, followed by further reductions by the end of March and April 2026.
Local authorities and the Regional Labour Office have announced support measures, including job-matching assistance, training, and pre-retirement benefits.
Founded in 1945, ZEM has an 80-year history and has supplied wiring systems to major carmakers such as Fiat, Opel, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, and Volvo, narrowly avoiding liquidation in 2021 as noted in ZEM 2021 - PL
Eurofound (2025), Zakład Elektrotechniki Motoryzacyjnej, Internal restructuring in Poland, factsheet number 203841, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/203841.