Cherry to move keyboard and MX switch manufacturing out of Germany

The era of the “Made in Germany” Cherry MX switch has officially come to a close. Facing severe financial pressure, Cherry has confirmed it is ceasing all production at its headquarters in Auerbach, Germany, while simultaneously looking to sell off one of its core business divisions.

According to a report from German outlet Heise, the decision follows a net loss of over €20 million (about £17.5 million) in the first nine months of 2025 alone. To stem the bleeding, switch manufacturing will now be handled entirely by partners in China and Slovakia. The Auerbach facility will remain open, but its role will be reduced to development, logistics, and administration rather than manufacturing.

The restructuring efforts go beyond just factory locations. The board has initiated a process to sell one of its two remaining business units: either the Peripherals division (covering gaming and office devices) or the Digital Health & Solutions sector. The company intends to use the proceeds from this sale to provide the liquidity needed to focus on and stabilise the remaining division.

Considering Cherry was the company that effectively birthed the modern mechanical keyboard market, this news is quite surprising. However, since its original MX patent expired in 2014, Cherry has faced relentless competition from Asian manufacturers like Gateron and Kailh.

KitGuru says: It would be a shame to see Cherry-made peripherals go away, though its real strength always seemed to be as an OEM. 

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