Schwäbisch Gmünd: traditional glasses manufacturer Menrad before the end!

Schwäbisch Gmünd: traditional glasses manufacturer Menrad before the end!

In the sign of upheavals and challenges, two traditional companies in Germany are faced with significant problems. The glasses manufacturer Menrad from Schwäbisch Gmünd recently reported bankruptcy and now closes its headquarters, which means the end of a 129-year history. The insolvency administrator Florian Zistler is actively looking for investors, while trademark rights and the entire inventory to the Design Eyewear Group from Denmark were sold. This takeover includes well -known brands like Jaguar, Joop! and Morgan. Overall, this decision also affects all 115 employees at the headquarters in Schwäbisch Gmünd, who now have to be released, and the ten sales representatives are also taken over by the new owner. The aim of the Design Eyewear Group is to expand the brand presence in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America, as [Merkur] reports.

The news about Menrad, however, is not the only ones that are currently causing turmoil. The Glashütte Freital, which was founded in 1802 and thus refers to 223 years of company history, has also filed for bankruptcy. In this small glassworks, which specializes in the production of bottles and glasses, almost a third of the 125 employees are to be released, which is concerned around 40 jobs. The reasons are similar to Menrad: Sightering energy costs and falling demand for glass products are attributable to the industry. Management, together with a comprehensive renovation plan, is planning to go through bankruptcy on his own responsibility in order to save the Glashütte, such as [Wirtschaftsjournal].

The challenges of the glass industry

The problems of the Freital Glashütte are part of a larger trend in the German glass industry. Other companies are also faced with similar challenges. The Drebkau glass plant fears a closure, which threatens 163 jobs. The signal is clear: the entire industry has to adapt to the new market conditions in order to be able to survive. The industrial union mining, chemistry, energy (IG BCE) has already organized protest events to draw attention to the precarious situation, and the coming months will be decisive for the future of these companies, as explained in [chip].

In a time when many traditional companies fight for their existence, it can also be seen how quickly economic framework conditions can change. While Menrad and the Glashütte Freital have to be clarified questions of the immediate future, the challenges for the entire industry are unmistakable. Hope dies in the end, but reality is often relentless and hardly leaves room for optimism.