- Self-administration proceedings opened by Mönchengladbach Local Court
- Business operations and online shop continue without restriction
- Investor process with several interested parties at an advanced stage
Following the application for self-administration in November 2025, Mönchengladbach Local Court opened proceedings as planned. This creates the legal framework for implementing the restructuring of the company. The operational business of Polo Motorrad & Sportswear continues. Stores and the online shop remain open, and wages and salaries are once again being paid from current business operations.
Self-administration as the basis for restructuring
With its application in November 2025, the company was already responding to a tense overall economic situation and a noticeable reluctance to buy in the industry. During the preliminary proceedings, business operations continued without interruption. Employees’ wages were secured by insolvency payments through January 2026. The financial situation also had a direct impact on Polo in Austria, where Polo went directly into insolvency.
With self-administration now opened in Germany, further restructuring measures can be implemented. The plan is to revise the cost structure and adjust the branch network. Purchasing and the growing online business are also to be realigned in order to make the business model sustainable in the long term.
Investor process at an advanced stage
A structured sales process is running parallel to the operational stabilization. According to the management, a reliable shortlist of several interested parties, including primarily financial investors, is already available. They are currently reviewing the economic situation, developing concepts, and holding discussions about individual locations.
A decision on a new owner is to be made by the end of March 2026 at the latest. The company’s management is confident that a takeover will be successful and that business operations can continue. As things stand at present, there are no plans for a major wave of layoffs or widespread site closures.
Operating business stabilizes
According to statements from the company, day-to-day business is stable. Demand in the stores remains strong, and suppliers are supporting the restructuring process by, among other things, extending payment terms. The cause of the financial difficulties is said to be a liquidity gap, which is attributed, among other things, to strategic decisions made by the previous shareholder.
The company is being supported in the proceedings by a restructuring team led by lawyer Volker Römermann. Lawyer Rainer Frölich has been appointed as administrator by the court.
Long-term prospects for the traditional brand
Polo has been active in the market since 1980 and is one of the larger suppliers of motorcycle clothing and accessories in Germany. The company currently operates around 90 stores and employs approximately 650 to 700 people. According to those involved in the restructuring, the results of the past winter business are said to have exceeded expectations.
The combination of self-administration and the investor process is now intended to create a basis for making the company economically stable and competitive in the long term.
What does this mean for me as a motorcyclist?
Little will change for motorcyclists in the short term. Stores and the online shop will remain open, orders will continue to be processed, and the product range will be available as usual. Guarantees, warranty claims, and services are expected to remain in place as business operations continue as normal. In the medium term, however, the restructuring could have an impact on the depth of the product range, promotions, or individual locations if the branch network or purchasing is restructured. According to the company, the aim of the ongoing discussions with investors is to secure the product range in the long term and establish it on a stable financial footing without fundamentally changing the core business for motorcyclists.
