Nolte Möbel in Germersheim: Traditional company finally closes its doors

Nolte Möbel in Germersheim: Traditional company finally closes its doors

The traditional company Nolte Möbel in Germersheim has announced today that it will finally close its doors. A total of 230 employees who were officially informed about the closure on Monday are affected. Nolte Möbel, which was founded in 1955 and has established itself in the furniture industry since 1932, was once the second largest employer in the Germersheim district, where it employed up to 1,000 people.

The closure follows a dramatic decline in business development. In 2023, Nolte Möbel submitted an application for a preliminary insolvency proceedings, whereupon the procedure was opened in November of the same year. The company still employed 430 employees during the bankruptcy registration. In January and February 2024, 135 employees were then terminated.

last steps and final closure

In the past few months and especially after the death of Georg Nolte in March 2024, a central supporter of the company, hopes for a positive turn. Insolvency administrator Steffen Rauschenbusch said that business development has been bad in the past few months. Although the company is temporarily active in the last orders, no investor is in sight, so that the entire workforce is to be released by the end of July 2025.

80 other employees have already received their dismissals in the past few weeks, and the remaining 150 employees should remain employed by the final date of closure at the end of July 2025. A social plan for the workforce has been set up in accordance with insolvency law to help employees in this critical phase.

The effects and the market factor

The closure of Nolte Möbel not only has an immediate impact on the 230 employees, but also on the local economy of the district. In addition, it is expected that the car supplier Allgaier will also close automotive at the end of 2025, which could further exacerbate the already difficult employment situation.

The competitive situation in the furniture industry remains challenging, and bankruptcy applications in Germany are still a worrying topic. Further information on this topic can be called up at Destatis.de

This closes another chapter of a company that has belonged to the German furniture industry for decades. It is planned that the production facility will remain temporarily open to handle the last orders.

The official confirmation of the closure caused great disappointment with the workforce and the customers. Nolte Möbel is now being included in the list of traditional German companies that had to close their doors due to financial difficulties.