The cash-strapped Dutch electric bus manufacturer Ebusco informed its employees about the earlier announced restructuring of its organization.
The proposed changes aim to optimize the organization in alignment with the previously announced Turnaround Plan and change to the Original Equipment Designer (OED) model.
This restructuring is expected to be executed mostly in the first quarter of 2025.
Ebusco has submitted a request at the Netherlands Employees Insurance Agency (UWV) and informed the trade unions about its intentions.
102 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) will be impacted, representing approximately 16.5% of the company’s total number of FTEs as per 30 September 2024.
The restructuring includes a social plan for employees.
The affected positions are mainly related to the production, warehouse, and facility departments.
This restructuring is in line with the cost reduction targets under Ebusco’s Turnaround Plan.
Christian Schreyer, CEO of the firm, states: “Although this decision is difficult for the affected employees, it is a necessary step to improve Ebusco’s financial performance. Scaling down the inhouse production in the Netherlands is an important part of our strategy and these measures are aimed at right-sizing the company and reinforcing Ebusco’s core strengths in sales, design and engineering.”
“Although it was originally intended to spread this adjustment over a longer period, we have now chosen to expedite the process and provide clarity within a shorter timeframe. The measures are significant, and we are fully committed to supporting our employees in this transition.”
Ebusco dissolves its executive committee
Ebusco had already announced cuts in top management in mid-December and eliminated an entire hierarchical level.
The Executive Committee was dissolved, and the Management Board now manages the company directly.
“Ebusco has concluded that its organisation can be managed more efficiently and, as a result, will adjust its organisational structure accordingly,” says the company.
This means that the roles of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) will be eliminated.
Christian Schreyer will also assume the personnel responsibilities of the CHRO.
In the new structure, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) has an important position, as he is “fully responsible for the core process of the organisation from bus sale, engineering, production, to after sales. This will lead to clearer, more reliable processes and responsibilities and, ultimately, a stronger cooperation with all partners throughout the entire value chain,” the company explains.
However, previous COO Roald Dogge will not take over this central role.
According to the company, it was “mutually agreed that the COO role under the new OED structure requires different competencies.”
Dogge retired from the company at the end of 2024. He will be succeeded by Michel van Maanen, who was previously COO and CCO of Ebusco and rejoined the company again at the beginning of 2024.
He currently holds the position of Transformation Director.
Before rejoining Ebusco, van Maanen was CEO of the Australian electric van company Nexport, “where he successfully managed a contract manufacturing model that is similar to the model that Ebusco is implementing.”
The firm reported an EBITDA loss of over 60 million euros in the first half of the year and was only able to deliver 98 electric buses during this period – despite having over 1,600 vehicles on the order books.
Due to delayed deliveries, some customers cancelled their orders.
At the beginning of September, there was a change of leadership when co-founder and co-CEO Peter Bijvelds stepped aside, and German-born Schreyer took over as sole CEO.
In November, Ebusco completed an important capital increase to further reorganise the company.
