Enlarge image
Staples branch in Hamburg
Photo: Hanno Bode / IMAGO
Almost four months after the Hamburg office supplies retailer OfficeCentre GmbH filed for insolvency, its Staples office markets are on the brink of collapse.
"Despite an intensive search, an investor who is able to continue the business operations of the company, which specializes in the sale of office supplies, could not be found in the long term," said the insolvency administrator Sven-Holger Undritz.
After the opening of insolvency proceedings, the company should now withdraw from the market and sell the remaining goods in the branches.
With around 700 employees, 50 branches of the "Staples" brand and an online shop, the company was the largest stationary retailer of office supplies in Germany, according to the insolvency administrator.
The former Staples wholesale division, which belongs to the French company Lyreco and operates under the name Lyreco Advantage, is not affected by the OfficeCentre bankruptcy.
"I very much regret that we were not able to attract an investor to the company," said Undritz.
More than 120 potential buyers have been approached and negotiations have been going on with several interested parties up to last week.
However, no offer was made for a long-term continuation of the Staples markets.
The employees had fought for three months with the management for a restructuring.
hey/dpa
