Sympatex to restructure via insolvency proceedings

• Normal business activities to continue without restriction
• Salaries of all 70 employees secured through statutory insolvency funds
• Preliminary insolvency administrator reviewing all continuation options

Munich, 26 January 2026 – Sympatex Technologies GmbH filed for insolvency proceedings with the Munich Local Court on 22 January 2026 due to illiquidity. The court approved the application and, on Monday, ordered preliminary administration. Attorney and insolvency administrator Axel W. Bierbach of the law firm Müller-Heydenreich Bierbach & Kollegen (Munich) was appointed as preliminary insolvency administrator. Insolvency proceedings have also been filed for Smart Solutions Holding GmbH, the parent company of Sympatex Technologies GmbH.

The insolvency filing became necessary as the company recently became insolvent due to ongoing economic pressures.

The operational business of Sympatex continues without restriction. The preliminary insolvency administrator, Mr. Bierbach, will make every effort to ensure that customer orders continue to be processed and ongoing projects can proceed as scheduled. Employees, customers, and suppliers were informed of the situation on Monday. The preliminary insolvency administrator and his team immediately began examining the financial situation of Sympatex Technologies GmbH and will investigate all options for the company’s continuation in the coming weeks. The wages and salaries of the approximately 70 employees are secured until the end of March 2026 through insolvency benefits provided by the German Federal Employment Agency.

“The filing is the result of difficult economic conditions that could ultimately no longer be offset by the operational business alone. Sympatex stands for know-how, values, and innovativeness — and for the people who have shaped this company over decades,” says Kim Scholze, sole Managing Director of Sympatex Technologies GmbH since the end of September 2025. “The insolvency proceedings give us the opportunity to reposition the company within a structured reorganisation process,” Scholze adds.

“Sympatex has a strong technology position in the market and highly skilled staff. The goal of the proceedings is to secure this substance and develop a viable solution for the company’s future. In the coming weeks, we will work closely with management to examine how the company can be stabilized financially and repositioned for the future. The insolvency offers the opportunity to restructure Sympatex and give it a fresh start without the burdens of the past,” said preliminary insolvency administrator Axel W. Bierbach.

About Sympatex Technologies GmbH

Sympatex Technologies GmbH has been developing and producing non-porous membrane technology in Europe since 1986. The membranes are used in functional apparel, footwear, workwear, personal protective equipment, and technical applications. The company is internationally positioned through a network of brand, industry, and product development partners.

The membrane technology is PFAS-free, polyester-based, and the technological core of the company. Selected variants have bio-based content and are available in various material thicknesses. The membrane is waterproof, windproof, breathable, and elastic, meeting the requirements of demanding industrial applications.

On this basis, Sympatex develops functional, mono-material polyester and fibre-to-fibre laminates with a focus on recyclability. Early investments in circular concepts, a strong commitment to transparency, and the collaborative transfer of the teams’ accumulated technological expertise shape the company’s sustainable product development.

About Müller-Heydenreich Bierbach & Kollegen

The law firm Müller-Heydenreich Bierbach & Kollegen is a partnership of attorneys specializing for many years in restructuring and insolvency administration, with offices throughout Bavaria. Seven insolvency administrators handle proceedings at numerous local courts in Bavaria and Thuringia. In addition to asset transfer restructurings, the firm’s focus areas include insolvency plan proceedings, self-administration, and group and corporate insolvencies.

Attorney and insolvency administrator Axel W. Bierbach specializes in business continuation and restructuring across a wide range of industries and has many years of experience in this field. Among his many mandates in the textile and sporting goods sector have been the insolvencies of Planet Sports GmbH, Escape Clothing GmbH, A+B Modevertriebs GmbH, and SportScheck GmbH.

Bierbach is a member of the Association of Insolvency Administrators and Trustees in Germany (VID) and the Gravenbrucher Kreis, an association of leading, nationally active insolvency administrators and restructuring experts in Germany who operate in accordance with the exclusive InsO Excellence standard. Bierbach is recommended as a Top Lawyer in the latest JUVE, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers, and WirtschaftsWoche industry rankings.

Find out more at www.mhbk.de

Press Contact

Müller-Heydenreich Bierbach & Kollegen
Nicole Huss

Phone: +49 172 848 89 28
Email: presse@mhbk.de