Schlotterer struggles: Decline in sales threatens jobs and expansion in Adnet!

Schlotterer struggles: Decline in sales threatens jobs and expansion in Adnet!

The Schlotterer company expects a challenging year for 2025. According to managing director Peter Gubisch, 2025 will probably be “our most difficult year in 20 years”. New residential construction has been declining since 2022, and although new building permits are expected to increase by 15 percent in 2025, the effects will only be felt in 2026 and 2027. Despite a 20 percent decline in sales compared to the record year of 2022, Schlotterer does not plan to announce any redundancies for operational reasons. The company currently employs 596 people and will introduce a further 35 employees and training positions in the current year.

Construction work and future projects

A central project remains the construction of a third plant at the Adnet site. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with commissioning planned for 2030. The approval process is currently stagnating due to an objection to the nature conservation regulations, which are being reviewed by a state administrative court. Gubisch expresses concerns that the delays could cause other permits to expire, which would further jeopardize the completion of the work. Schlotterer has already invested four million euros in the expansion and sees a future increase in the need for sun protection products as the population in Austria and Germany grows and climatic requirements increase.

In addition, Gubisch explains the importance of renovations in order to achieve the EU's climate goals. Since the existing buildings also need to be thermally renovated, the demand for Schlotterer's products increases. Schlotterer, known for roller shutters, external blinds and other sun protection, generates over 30 percent of its sales through exports. A new pleated insect screen being introduced this year is said to be another innovative product, particularly important for patio and balcony doors, such as salzburg.orf.at reported. In addition, it lifts schlotterer.com emphasizes that planning for Plant III for the next 20 to 25 years is crucial.