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.

Jysk: New Records in Revenue and Customer Numbers

Jysk's revenue increased by 7.6 percent in the 2023/24 financial year, reaching DKK 41.4 billion (€5.6 billion). At the same time, the number of new customers grew by 11.9 million. In Germany, revenue rose by 5.2 percent to €1.234 billion, with 2.2 million new customers.

Expanded Domotex every two years from 2026, no Carpets & Rugs Edition in 2025

In 2026, Domotex will expand its product range to include the paints, wallpapers, acoustic elements, tiles, outdoor floor coverings as well as privacy shields and shading elements. In future, Domotex will thus present itself as an international trade fair for interior design. As a result, the “Carpets & Rugs Edition” planned for January 2025 will be discontinued and transferred to the new biennial cycle.

Rugs at Hometex Winter 2024

The winter edition of Hometex, which takes place on 20-21 November, will feature a dedicated section for leading suppliers of area rugs. Exhibitors include well-known companies such as Theko / Theo Keller, Paulig, Ragolle, Obsession, Golze 1873, OCI, Oritop, Reinkemeier-Rietberg and PAD. Hometex evolved from the former ABK open fair and, from 2025, will be organised by SN-Verlag Hamburg, which also publishes the trade magazine Carpet Home.

Kuldeep Wattal appointed as the new Chairman of CEPC

S. Kuldeep R. Wattal has been appointed as the interim Chairman of the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) effective from August 1, 2024. He assumed office on August 3, 2024. Wattal, an experienced expert in the carpet industry, has previously held this position from 2001 to 2003 and again from 2014 to 2017.