ᐅ Would you consider buying from a bankrupt kitchen manufacturer?
Created on: 12 Jul 2017 14:23
S
Smurfberry
Hello everyone,
As announced today (but already long expected), the kitchen manufacturer Alno is insolvent and has filed for bankruptcy.
Our current plan was to buy an Alno kitchen through the kitchen studio, but nothing has been signed yet. Alno itself says they will continue producing as usual. From many industries, we know that insolvency does not necessarily mean the end of a company – but I don’t know if that applies here as well.
So my question is: do you have experience with this situation, and would you still consider buying from a manufacturer in insolvency, or is it too risky since this has happened before and eventually no spare parts or service were available?
In my opinion, it shouldn’t be a problem in most cases, since it is not the kitchen studio that is insolvent, just the manufacturer. Spare parts might be more difficult to get, but service should still be available. Moreover, appliances are probably more prone to faults than kitchen cabinets and countertops.
What do you think? Thanks for your opinions!
Best regards,
Tom
As announced today (but already long expected), the kitchen manufacturer Alno is insolvent and has filed for bankruptcy.
Our current plan was to buy an Alno kitchen through the kitchen studio, but nothing has been signed yet. Alno itself says they will continue producing as usual. From many industries, we know that insolvency does not necessarily mean the end of a company – but I don’t know if that applies here as well.
So my question is: do you have experience with this situation, and would you still consider buying from a manufacturer in insolvency, or is it too risky since this has happened before and eventually no spare parts or service were available?
In my opinion, it shouldn’t be a problem in most cases, since it is not the kitchen studio that is insolvent, just the manufacturer. Spare parts might be more difficult to get, but service should still be available. Moreover, appliances are probably more prone to faults than kitchen cabinets and countertops.
What do you think? Thanks for your opinions!
Best regards,
Tom
HilfeHilfe schrieb:
Alno won’t go bankrupt. The company is too large and well-positioned for that. There will be layoffs and production will become cheaper. Debt will be cleared, a new investor will come in, and business will continue,I wouldn’t agree with that. Who wants a kitchen manufacturer that has been running at a loss for 20 years? The previous main owner is no small player and could immediately save the kitchen manufacturer. But it seems they no longer want to.
montessalet13 Jul 2017 08:12Musketier schrieb:
I wouldn’t agree with that. Who wants a kitchen manufacturer that has been operating at a loss for 20 years? The previous main owner is not insignificant and could save the kitchen manufacturer immediately. But it seems they no longer want to.I agree – the relative size of a company doesn’t really protect it from permanent closure. And considering market developments, I would expect a complete bankruptcy rather than any form of continuation.
S
Smurfberry14 Jul 2017 15:43montessalet schrieb:
I agree – the relative size of a company doesn’t really protect it from total insolvency.Today, we visited a showroom that specializes exclusively in Alno kitchens. Of course, they observe the situation closely (and perhaps try to convince themselves). According to the owner, he suspects this move is just a radical negotiation tactic to restructure debt and put pressure on creditors.
I’ve also reached out to a second kitchen showroom to get their opinion and thoughts on how to handle the situation—let’s see what they say.
Still, I think we will take the small risk and go ahead with buying an Alno or Wellmann kitchen, even knowing there’s a chance of cancellation.
Thanks for your replies and opinions!
We visited a kitchen showroom a week ago that also sells Alno kitchens, among other brands. The kitchen advisor openly told us that there have been ongoing issues with Alno (missing kitchen parts on delivery, delays), and that is why they no longer sell Alno kitchens. I don’t see why anyone would want to take such a risk. A kitchen door could break after a year, and you might not be able to get a replacement anymore.
Best regards,
Sabine
Best regards,
Sabine
S
Smurfberry15 Jul 2017 10:48tomtom79 schrieb:
What use is it to you if the kitchen is installed but 5 kitchen components are missing?That’s really unfortunate, indeed. But I don’t expect that to be the case. On one hand, because in my opinion that would be the kitchen studio’s responsibility, and on the other, such issues should be noticed by the kitchen studio beforehand—they are the ones who have to take responsibility for a faulty kitchen. Since we still have several months, we will see how reliable deliveries are with other customers in the meantime.
The more I read about the whole situation, the more I think it’s just a tactic to give shareholder Hastor full control of the company. They probably want to increase their stake.
But we will just have to wait and see.
Otherwise, it will just be a LEICHT.