Automotive tyre manufacturer Nokian Tyres has announced plans to cut nearly 700 roles as part of a wider cost and efficiency programme.
The Finland-headquartered company said it will permanently reduce 35 white-collar positions in its home market and temporarily lay off around 650 staff at its Nokia, Finland plant, following the conclusion of statutory personnel negotiations.
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The statutory negotiations covered white-collar staff in group functions and all business units, as well as blue- and white-collar personnel in passenger car and heavy tyre production at the Nokia site.
When talks began last month, the company had indicated that up to 55 permanent redundancies were possible in Finland.
Alongside the confirmed job cuts, Nokian Tyres plans to reorganise duties across the affected operations by the end of 2025.
The temporary layoffs, which may be used until the end of 2026, can last for up to 90 days per person.
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By GlobalDataThe measures in Finland form part of a wider international effort to improve profitability and streamline operations.
Nokian Tyres said: “Negotiations or other necessary processes have been carried out in other countries in accordance with local legislation. Measures in other countries will continue as necessary.”
At the end of September 2025, the company employed roughly 4,400 people worldwide, of whom 2,045 were based in Finland.
In March last year, the manufacturer also resorted to temporary layoffs.
At that time, the company cited strikes at Finnish ports and in transport, which it said had halted deliveries to customers and led to tyre inventories building up.
Production of passenger car tyres was stopped for at least two weeks, and after talks with 350 production employees, it was agreed they could be laid off for financial and production‑related reasons for up to 90 days.
Recently, MAN Truck & Bus announced its plans to reduce its German workforce by about 2,300 positions over the next ten years.
The German commercial vehicle manufacturer’s decision comes as a response to weak demand in its home truck market and rising cost pressures in the country.
