Germany’s Furniture Industry Splits: Salvage Efforts, Store Shutdowns, and Multi-Million-Euro Bet
28.06.2026 - 12:15:37 | boerse-global.de
A cautious flicker of optimism has appeared in Germany’s furniture sector, yet the latest ifo index reading of –17.5 points for June—up from –26.2 points the month before—masks a deep internal divide. While some companies are fighting for survival, others are pouring serious money into expansion.
The most acute trouble spot is the upholstered furniture maker Himolla Polstermöbel GmbH, based in Taufkirchen. On 26 June the company filed for protective shield proceedings (Schutzschirmverfahren), a court-supervised restructuring process. Around 850 employees at the German headquarters are affected; their wages are guaranteed through August via insolvency benefits (Insolvenzgeld). Management has brought in a turnaround specialist to steer the firm. International production sites in Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary continue to operate without interruption. The move follows a double-digit sales drop in the upholstery segment during the first months of the year.
That picture stands in stark contrast to what is happening in Gütersloh. At the end of June, the Husemann Group laid the cornerstone for a new office building with 40 modern workstations and an in-house restaurant. The company is investing a high single-digit million-euro sum in the project. The building will be energy self-sufficient, relying on photovoltaics, geothermal heating and battery storage. Completion is scheduled for summer 2027, and the vast majority of the workforce will be based at the Gütersloh site.
Retail is undergoing its own shakeout. The decorative home-goods chain Depot is shutting 66 of its 155 stores, blaming soaring import costs and intensifying competition from Asian online platforms. In a smaller bright spot, the furniture retailer Möbel Pagnia is being taken over by Wohnorama Möbel Kuch GmbH effective 1 July, saving three of its locations and roughly 100 jobs.
Market leader Ikea is responding to shifting shopping habits by trialling compact stores. At the end of June, the company opened its first German “mini” furniture store in Ingolstadt, covering just under 3,000 square metres — considerably smaller than traditional outlets. The format blends a curated selection with online ordering. Ikea has announced plans for 20 more such urban locations worldwide.
Despite the ifo index’s improvement, consumer sentiment across Germany remains sluggish. The furniture industry’s current business situation is still assessed as negative, though expectations for the coming months have become less grim. For now, the sector is a story of extremes: one company is steering through protective proceedings, another is breaking ground on a new headquarters, and the retail landscape is being reshaped store by store.
