Hummel & Hummel shoe manufacturer stops production

In 2012, Bernd Hummel acquired the factory from the bankruptcy estate of the former Biodyn shoe factory in Münchweiler, Palatinate. His intention at the time was to produce unique, high-quality sneakers in Germany using sustainable production methods that were close to the market. It started with five employees; the workforce was gradually expanded to 20 people today.

In Münchweiler, high-quality sneakers of the Kangaroos brand, including limited editions and models from collaborations, as well as Sonra and Vor, were produced using traditional manufacturing methods. The collaborations of the Kangaroos Made in Germany brand were very popular with sneaker lovers and were ordered by well-known sneaker retailers in Europe. According to Bernd Hummel Holding, the development was positive until the Corona years.

“But then the sneaker market gradually collapsed. Due to cost developments in Germany, prices had to be raised at the same time, which was not without consequences,” the company says today. Customers Sonra and Vor moved their production to Portugal. The general reluctance to buy also affected the sales figures for Kangaroos Made in Germany.
Due to this development, production in Münchweiler will be discontinued at the end of the year. Bernd Hummel Holding explains that management is actively supporting employees in their search for new employment and is offering them placements.

“We deeply regret the closure of the factory. We had hoped to preserve a piece of shoe history in the Pirmasens shoe region. The economic and political situation in Germany has now made this no longer possible for us,” says Bernd D. Hummel.