Prana-tec from Ostrach: Insolvency threatens 16 jobs, company future uncertain!

Prana-tec from Ostrach: Insolvency threatens 16 jobs, company future uncertain!

Prana-tec GmbH from Ostrach, a traditional manufacturer of glass fiber reinforced plastics, filed for bankruptcy on September 1, 2025. This became possible after 16 employees were laid off at the end of July. The reason for this step is the insolvency and excessive indebtedness of the company, which has been in business since 1958 with the production of products for vehicle trim and control cabinets Schwäbische.de reported.

The new insolvency administrator, Ulm lawyer Michael Winterhoff, will now divide the company's remaining assets among the creditors. The managing director, who wishes to remain anonymous, sees insolvency as a bitter reality for many medium-sized companies in Germany that are currently under extreme pressure. Small and medium-sized companies are particularly struggling with rising energy costs and weak domestic demand, as the analysis by Deloitte shows. This means that many companies need to rethink their strategies and become more flexible.

Difficult industry situation

Prana-tec received the majority of its orders from Hymer of Bad Waldsee, which according to the original agreement was to purchase 800 units annually. However, due to ongoing market problems, Hymer reduced the quantity to 300 units, which was not economically viable for Prana-tec. This consolidation of orders came post-Corona, when overall demand collapsed. Under these circumstances, the managing director has no prospect of improving the situation in the short term, and he and the affected employees regret the dismissals, as many have a long-standing relationship with the company.

Many of the 16 affected employees have now been able to find new jobs. Nevertheless, the closure is a hard blow for the 16 employees, as they were closely connected to the company. The managing director points out that Prana-tec is an example of the current challenges in medium-sized companies, which are often related to geopolitics and other uncertainty factors, as can be seen from Deloitte's analysis.

The future will be challenging

The current economic situation remains tense. Although business prospects have improved slightly since the fall, many companies continue to struggle with declines in domestic and external demand. A survey shows that about two-thirds of middle market CFOs see cost reductions as the top priority of their corporate strategies, which could further weigh on the sector's recovery.

With an aging CEO who only has four years until retirement, this could spell the end for Prana-tec. The focus on digitalization and resilience is becoming increasingly important for companies of this size so that they can survive these stormy times. The recommendation remains to actively monitor geopolitical risks and promote willingness to invest, which could be a question of survival for many companies. Risk aversion is high and government support could be crucial to overcome the challenges of the next few years.