Fintyre, the large but troubled European tyre distribution enterprise, has confirmed that it is talking to “potential new investors” in a statement designed to clarify its ongoing position “given the events that have taken place in the last few months”.
A week ago, Bridgestone announced its acquisition of 42 Reiff Reifen und Autotechnik retail outlets in Germany from the now-bankrupt Fintyre Group business. The insolvency administrator handling the Fintyre case reports that buyers have also been found for two further Fintyre businesses, Duro Reifenservice GmbH and Reifen24 GmbH.
Some ten weeks ago, German tyre wholesaler RS Exclusiv Reifengroßhandel GmbH entered insolvency as part of the Fintyre Group’s operations in Germany. It now seems that the company’s days are numbered. The insolvency administrator’s office confirmed the sale of RS Exclusiv’s headquarters site north of Hamburg to our German partner magazine, Neue Reifenzeitung. The wholesaler has quarter of a year to pack its things and go. But the insolvency administrator also reports another, more cogent reason for winding up the business.
Insolvency proceedings begin for 7 Fintyre Group companies in Germany
According to Sebastian Brunner, spokesman for the provisional insolvency administrator handling the Fintyre Group case, a number of parties have already expressed interest in acquiring individual companies belonging to Fintyre’s insolvent German operations. These potential investors have already inspected the companies in question or will do so in the near future. “We hope to already have binding offers on the table in April and then be able to enter into negotiations,” said Brunner.
The insolvency administrator handling the case of 16 Fintyre Group companies in Germany reports further progress. Miguel Grosser from law and insolvency administration firm JAFFÉ states that 31 TyreXpert, Secura and Duro retail outlets are selling tyres again and providing a full range of customer services. Other centres, including those belonging to Reiff Reifen und Autotechnik, can operate on a “restricted” basis but not sell new products.
Hundreds of people employed by Fintyre Group subsidiaries in Germany didn’t receive their wages or salaries for January, and it looks like this unhappy situation occurred again a month later. Disgruntled employees have contacted our German affiliate to confirm the lightness of their bank accounts, but apparently, they’ll soon become weightier.
All employees of the Fintyre Group’s 16 subsidiary companies in Germany who didn’t receive their wages or salaries for January have now received insolvency benefits – which Fintyre will ultimately pay for, one way or another.
It’s still early days for Fintyre’s insolvency proceedings in Germany, but some progress has been made. The insolvency administrator appointed to the preliminary insolvency proceedings for 16 Fintyre Group companies reports the appointment of a committee of creditors. This committee will work with a “leading international transaction consultant” to find a new investor for Fintyre. At the same time, some of the Fintyre employees who weren’t paid salaries or wages for January have now received insolvency benefit payments.
All 16 companies in the German Fintyre Group have now applied to open insolvency proceedings. But what lies ahead for the 1300-plus employees awaiting wages and salaries, the affected companies’ creditors, and the companies themselves? Sebastian Brunner, spokesman for Miguel Grosser, the provisional insolvency administrator at law firm Jaffé, told our sister website in Germany, Reifenpresse.de, that approximately 200 Reifen Krieg employees will receive their outstanding January wages and salaries in the coming days. Business at the group’s wholesalers and retailers is largely at a standstill, though the office of the provisional insolvency administrator has some more positive news on this too.
They are resigned, angry and desperate. But above all, they’re disappointed. Disappointed that they weren’t informed about the bankruptcy by their employer Fintyre, but by the media. Our sister publication in Germany, Neue Reifenzeitung, has spoken with staff at TyreXpert outlets in the north of the country to gain an insight into the mood of the workforce.
German tyre distributor Reifen Krieg GmbH, part of the Fintyre Group of companies (Fintyre) active in tyre distribution and retail in Germany and Italy, filed bankruptcy proceedings on the evening of 6 February in Frankfurt, with lawyer Miguel Grosser appointed trustee. Tyrepress reported on Monday that the group’s chief executive officer, Claudio Passerini – who is also the CEO of the group’s umbrella organisation in Germany, Fintyre Group GmbH – had written to Fintyre’s German employees to inform them of restructuring necessary for the short-term to ensure its sustainable continuation in the wake of missed salary payments in January.
The Fintyre Group has grown considerably since Bain Capital first acquired Italian tyre wholesaler Fintyre early in 2017, but what does the future hold? Tyrepress.com understands that the company has told its employees in Germany that a restructuring of the Fintyre Group is taking place, and that this measure is now being felt in a very tangible way.
Having recently rebranded as Fintyre Group, the European tyre distribution specialist reports that it is also implementing a leadership succession plan.
Mauro Pessi will continue to be involved as executive chairman. As a board member the company says he will contribute to the long-term strategic direction of the company, working in close cooperation with Bain Capital.
Wholesaler European Fintyre Distribution Limited (EfTD) has changed its name. As of yesterday, the firm is known as Fintyre Group.
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