Switzerland: XXXLutz Closes Six Lipo Stores

Austrian furniture giant XXXLutz, one of the largest companies in the industry, is closing six stores of the Lipo chain, which was acquired by the Lutz Group in 2022. Previously, Lipo operated 22 locations in Switzerland; with this decision, that number will now be reduced to 16. The affected branches in Reinach, Winterthur, St. Gallen, Suhr, Interlaken, and Pratteln will be rebranded under Mömax, Conforama, and XXXLutz to strengthen the group's range and market presence.

Orgatec 2024: Office Spaces Become More Textile and Homely

The Orgatec office furniture fair, held from 22 to 25 October 2024 in Cologne, showcased forward-looking solutions for modern workspaces, which are becoming increasingly cosy, colourful, and textile-oriented. With a newly structured hall layout, themed "Focus Areas," and the Work Culture Festival, the event offered a refreshing platform for the industry. A total of 729 exhibitors from 40 countries displayed their innovations across 140,000 m², including several flooring providers featuring rugs, with companies like Object Carpet, Anker, Infloor, and Ege Carpets among them.

Austria: Kika/Leiner Still in the Red

Despite concluding its restructuring process in autumn 2023, Austrian furniture retailer Kika/Leiner continues to face financial challenges. According to Der Standard, citing the Oberösterreichische Nachrichten, the company has closed 23 of its original 40 stores and reduced its workforce by 500, leaving 1,400 employees. Nevertheless, the company remains in the red.

Christie’s Sells Rare Polonaise Carpet for €1.14 Million

Christie’s auction, "Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Rugs and Carpets," held in London on 24 October 2024, achieved a total of £6.8 million (€8.2 million) for Islamic art and carpets. The highlight was an impressive silk Polonaise carpet, likely from Isfahan and dating to the early 17th century. This rare piece, notable for its well-preserved silk pile and original fringes, fetched a sale price of £945,000 (€1.14 million).

Opti-Wohnwelt to close ten locations as part of restructuring

Opti-Wohnwelt, a German furniture retail chain, will close ten branches by the end of the year as part of its self-administration restructuring process. According to Managing Director Michael Föst, this decision followed a thorough analysis, as the affected locations fell short of economic expectations and showed no future potential for positive contributions. Successors are actively being sought for locations such as Pforzheim, Karlsruhe, and Würzburg. A total of 30 stores will remain, with plans to strengthen them through new concepts, including the launch of the "Opti Living" brand, aimed at attracting younger, value-conscious customers.

Netherlands: Kwantum Founder Steenbergen Passes Away

Joop Steenbergen, the founder of the Dutch home furnishings chain Kwantum, has passed away at the age of 87. A spokesperson for the Homefashion Group confirmed this to Retailtrends. Steenbergen opened the first Kwantum stores in Woudenberg in 1976, laying the foundation for the company’s success.

Germany: E-commerce Nearly at Previous Year's Level After Three Quarters

The German consumer goods e-commerce sector continued to stabilise in the third quarter of 2024, according to the industry association BEVH. The nominal revenue growth of 1.5% to €17.3 billion nearly offset the declines seen at the beginning of the year. Revenues from January to September now stand at €55.4 billion, just 0.4% below the comparable figure from the previous year. In the product group cluster "Home Furnishings" (furniture/lighting/decoration, +2.0%), sales of home textiles and household appliances in particular saw an increase.

Dodenhof: Furniture Division Completely Acquired by XXXLutz

After five years of collaboration, the XXXLutz Group has taken over Dodenhof's shares in the companies “XXXLutz dodenhof.” From now on, XXXLutz will independently operate the furniture stores in Posthausen and Kaltenkirchen, ending the previous co-branding. Dodenhof will focus on its core areas such as fashion, sports, lifestyle, and groceries, marking its exit from the furniture business.

IMM Cologne 2025 Cancelled

Koelnmesse, in consultation with the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM) and the German Retail Association for Furniture and Kitchens (BVDM), has decided to cancel the IMM Cologne 2025, which was scheduled to take place from 12 to 16 January. The main reasons cited are the challenging economic situation for German furniture manufacturers, weak domestic demand for furniture, and the resulting budgetary restraint within the industry. This decision provides all parties involved with the opportunity to work together with Koelnmesse to develop a new trade fair format that will be sustainable for the future.

Dekowe: Brüder Schlau transfers brand back to founding family Schürholz

The Brüder Schlau Group has transferred the distribution and licensing rights for the Dekowe brand to Grundstoff GmbH, owned by Philipp Schürholz. The move brings Dekowe back into the ownership of the founding Schürholz family and returns the company to its original location in Dorsten, Germany, after it was sold to the Steffel Group in 2007. In future, all key corporate functions will be centralised at this site.