Tesla has agreed to acquire key assets and staff from Manz AG, a financially troubled automation systems supplier in Germany. The deal, facilitated by Tesla Automation GmbH, will bolster Tesla’s manufacturing and automation capabilities in Europe while rescuing hundreds of jobs at the insolvent company.
The agreement will see Tesla Automation take over the Manz facility in Reutlingen, near Stuttgart, along with more than 300 employees. The acquisition includes tangible movable assets, with Tesla also securing use of the Manz property. While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, the acquisition is subject to regulatory approval, according to German publication Faz.
“This agreement provides a positive outcome for many employees, who now have a future with one of the most recognized players in the electric mobility industry,” said insolvency administrator Martin Mucha, who confirmed that negotiations with Tesla had been successfully concluded.
Manz AG originally filed for bankruptcy in December 2024 due to mounting financial pressures and a lack of anticipated orders from the electric mobility sector, and had been seeking a buyer for its assets. The German mechanical engineering company specialized in automation and battery production technologies, but slowing market growth left it unable to sustain operations.
For the approximately 100 employees who will not be joining Tesla, a transition program has been put in place, offering them an opportunity to move to a transfer company that will assist in easing the impact of their job loss.
The acquisition strengthens Tesla’s industrial footprint in Germany, where it already operates Giga Berlin. Tesla Automation GmbH, originally Grohmann Engineering before its 2016 acquisition by Tesla, focuses on automating production lines and has been instrumental in Tesla’s efficiency-driven manufacturing philosophy.
