Power-Heat-Set GmbH with new dual leadership

Power-Heat-Set GmbH, a specialist in textile machines for yarn finishing, is under new management: since 1 January 2021, Marcus Köhler and Kurt Frank form a dual leadership team for the Bavarian company.

Explore the Bayeux Tapestry online

For the first time, everyone interested will be able to explore the famous Bayeux Tapestry online and spot every detail, too. The 70-metre-long embroidered canvas that tells the story of the conquest of England in 1066 is kept at the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Normandie. The museum is now showing very high-resolution images of the tapestry on its website.

Balta expects sales to drop by 16 per cent

Due to the restrictions caused by the Corona pandemic, Balta Group expects its sales to slump by 16% to EUR 562 million in 2020. In a preliminary balance sheet report, Europe's largest manufacturer of textile floor coverings also expects an EBITDA of EUR 68 million for the past financial year, which translates into a decline of 9 %. With a view to the fourth quarter of 2020, however, the group is optimistic and speaks of a significant recovery of the business situation. In this period, EBITDA improved by 41 % compared to the same period of the previous year.

Carpet Home-Newsletter: Click here for free newsletter subscription

Steinhoff Holding seeks creditor protection in the Netherlands

According to a report in the Austrian newspaper Die Presse, the crisis-ridden Steinhoff Group (including Conforma; formerly Poco, Kika/Leiner) would like to settle the dispute with its creditors over a Dutch protective shield procedure for its Dutch holding company. This could give the company time to reach an agreement with its creditors and thus prevent insolvency proceedings. At the end of 2017, the group plunged into a deep crisis after it became known that an amount in the billions was missing from its balance sheet. In October 2020, Steinhoff submitted a settlement proposal, which was not accepted by all creditors.

Poco's home & living trends: cosy, practical and with holiday flair

Furniture discounter Poco presents its new stay-at-home interior decoration trends derived from sales via the company's online shop or the click & collect service: "Cosiness meets functionality" is the first one; cosy carpets and fluffy home textiles are very popular, preferably in natural and pastel shades. In addition, hidden storage space and flexible usage options play a major role.

XXXLutz opens two stores in Romania

The Lutz Group took over all of Kika's Eastern European stores in 2019. The two shops in Bucharest, Romania, have now been reopened with a new shop design and adapted product range. "Romania is a market with potential, in which we aim to strengthen our presence, because the public has a growing openness to quality home furniture and decorations", says , Mario Brozović, the country manager responsible for Romania.

E-Commerce in Germany: Accelerated growth in 2020

The German E-Commerce Association reports a 14.6% increase in sales for 2020 compared to 2019, with gross turnover rising from EUR 72.6 billion to EUR 83.3 billion. The main growth drivers were everyday goods such as food and pharmaceuticals. According to BEVH, almost every third online shopper in Germany is over 60 years old.

Leiner/ Vienna: Online auction before demolition

The Signa Group (among others Kika/Leiner, Karstadt,KaDeWe) is planning a new building at the current location of the well-known Leiner furniture store in Vienna's Mariahilfer Strasse. A department store in the style of Berlin's KaDeWe is to be built there. Before the demolition of the 30,000 m2 building begins in spring, there will be a clearance sale in the form of an online auction. In addition to showroom kitchens and bathrooms, 900 rugs will also go under the virtual hammer.

Kika and Leiner with new online shops

Kika and Leiner are doing really well online: according to a press release by the Kika/Leiner group, the number of visits to the sites has risen sharply in the last few months; especially small pieces of furniture (for working from home), box spring beds and wardrobes are in high demand. This is one of the reasons why the planned relaunch of the two online shops has been brought forward. "We have increased their user-friendliness and added new payment options, among other things. This has already almost doubled the conversion rate in the first few weeks," explains Oliver Müther, Managing Director Purchasing & Multi-Channel. The online shops should also work smoothly on smartphones. The furniture can either be delivered or picked up via Click & Collect.

Krieger becomes member of Begros

According to a report in the trade journal Möbelkultur, the Krieger Group will become a member of the purchasing association Begros. The furniture retail group, previously not a member of any association, also includes Höffner and Möbel Kraft. In 2018, Krieger took over Möbel Finke. After Ikea and the XXXLutz Group, the company is currently the third-largest German furniture retailer. Other Begros members are Porta, Kika / Leiner, Möbel Martin and Opti Wohnwelt.