— By Plasteurope.com staff — 

In response to weakening vehicle demand across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, automotive supplier Autoliv (Stockholm, Sweden; www.autoliv.com) has announced the closure of its plant in Gebze, Turkey – its only production facility in the country.

The company said manufacturing of safety systems, including seat belts, airbags and steering wheels, will be transferred to other facilities by mid-2028, though Autoliv did not disclose the destination sites. The relocation is expected to cost around EUR 120 mn.

Given the sluggish demand outlook, it is unlikely that Autoliv will create an equivalent number of jobs elsewhere to replace the current 2,200 positions in Gebze. The company had not responded to a corresponding Plasteurope.com query by press time.

The move is in line with a broader cost-cutting programme under Magnus Jarlegren, head of European operations. In 2024, Autoliv closed plants and offices in Germany, the UK, the US, and Italy, resulting in the loss of around 1,100 jobs.

Related: Auto supplier organisation Clepa reports 104,000 job cuts over two years

The Gebze facility forms part of the automotive manufacturing cluster east of Istanbul. Autoliv supplies components to vehicle producers including Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, and Toyota, all of which operate assembly plants in Turkey.

Key materials used at the site include polyurethane foams for steering wheels and polyamide 6.6 for airbag fabrics.