Family business since 1896
Traditional company insolvent: Hope for restart remains
03.04.2025 – 12:02 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The two brothers Eberhard and Hermann Müller-Menrad face an uncertain future. After more than a century history, you now have to register bankruptcy for family glasses.
The traditional family business Menrad from Baden-Württemberg with its almost 130-year company history is one of the leading glasses manufacturers in Europe. Despite sales to over 100 countries worldwide, the shock came: On March 31, the Menrad group of companies, with its headquarters in the Baden-Württemberg Schwäbisch Gmünd, had to register bankruptcy.
Florian Zistler was appointed to the provisional insolvency administrator by the Pluta law firm. In a message from the Ulm law firm to the employees at the headquarters, it was said that the wages of the 250 employees were secured for March, April and May. Business operations should also continue to run without restrictions for the time being. However, Zistler emphasized how important it was that the customers continue to keep the company loyalty.
Despite the good positioning in the European market, financial bottlenecks have already occurred in the past. According to the notification, a declining order and sales development mainly led to the current economic imbalance. The application for bankruptcy was therefore a consequence of the foreseeable developments. The management was nevertheless confident: bankruptcy could also be “a chance for a restart”, it said. The first discussions with potential investors and partners have already been recorded in order to stabilize the company in the long term.
The company, founded in 1896, is now the fourth generation of the brothers Eberhard and Hermann Müller-Menrad. Design and development continue to take place in Germany. Around 80 employees abroad who are responsible for sales are not affected by the bankruptcy.
