Bankruptcy after 100 years: Karben furniture manufacturer in crisis mode!

Bankruptcy after 100 years: Karben furniture manufacturer in crisis mode!

König + Neurath, the renowned office furniture manufacturer from Karben, is facing a difficult challenge. On November 26, 2025, the company filed for insolvency proceedings on its own initiative at the Frankfurt District Court. The request is no coincidence: the office furniture market has experienced a dramatic slump in the last two years, which is putting considerable strain on the company. The entire sector has been in crisis since the beginning of 2024, characterized by fluctuating demand and postponed new purchases. This particularly affects a provider like König + Neurath, which produces exclusively in Germany and has a sense of tradition that goes back to 1925.

CEO Steffen Schwerd and CFO Rainer Raschke have clearly recognized that immediate measures are necessary. One of the first steps in the self-administration process is to secure the salaries of around 830 employees for the next three months. Employees have already been informed of the serious developments. Mayor Guido Rahn expressed optimism that a good solution could be found for the employees and the company and at the same time called for improvements to the overall economic conditions in Germany.

Redevelopment and restructuring

The board has embarked on a restructuring process that is being driven forward with the support of Hahn Consultants and the law firm Oppenhoff & Partner. In addition, the company is under the legal supervision of Dr. Jens Schmidt and Marion Rodine from Runkel Rechtsanwälte. This support is crucial to getting the company back on track and maintaining control of the bankruptcy process.

König + Neurath, the largest employer in Karben, provides around ten percent of the jobs in the city. By initiating the self-administration process, there is hope of securing jobs and attracting new investors. In order to overcome the numerous challenges, the company is relying on a strategic realignment in order to remain viable for the future. It turns out that digitalization and changing working habits will be important factors in the redesign of the range.

The last market report makes it clear that the sales market has declined sharply since summer 2025. A significant round of financing failed due to weak earnings and an acute liquidity crisis. This situation illustrates how quickly the general conditions can change and how important it is to react to new trends and customer needs.

Despite the challenges, König + Neurath remains optimistic that the managers will not only be able to restructure the company, but also steer it in a new direction. This makes it clear that short distances to the workforce and shared commitment are of central importance for the future of the company.

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