Kovacev secures business operations of long-established bicycle manufacturer Böttcher – investor process underway
Hamburg – In its decision of 7 October 2026, Meldorf Local Court appointed German lawyer Vanja Alexander Kovacev from the international commercial law firm CMS as the preliminary insolvency administrator for the assets of Böttcher Fahrräder GmbH. The company with its registered office in Wesseln near Heide in Dithmarschen will continue business operations in full and without restriction. The salaries of the nearly 100 employees are initially secured for three months by the claimed insolvency benefit.
Böttcher Fahrräder GmbH is one of Germany's longest-standing bicycle manufacturers, tracing its history back to a workshop founded in 1851. The company is active in both bicycle manufacturing and bicycle wholesale and focuses in particular on business with commercial customers. In 2025, Böttcher generated a turnover of around EUR 18.1 million. Only this year BOETTCHER rebranded itself and further developed its product range – comprising customisable bicycles and fully equipped models.
Immediately after being appointed the preliminary insolvency administrator Vanja Alexander Kovacev and his team took initial steps to stabilise business operations and began discussions with the key parties involved in the proceedings. A preliminary creditors' committee is monitoring and supporting the restructuring efforts. The aim is to secure the long-term future of the business and develop a viable solution for its continued operation.
"The management had already initiated extensive restructuring measures prior to filing for insolvency, in particular launching a structured investor process. We can build on this right away," explains Kovacev. "Böttcher is an internationally renowned German bicycle brand with a long corporate history. Together with all parties we will carefully examine the existing restructuring options and systematically continue the investor process that has already begun. Interested investors are expressly invited to get in touch with us."
Day-to-day business operations will also remain unaffected by the preliminary insolvency proceedings for the time being. Customer orders that have already been placed are to be processed as scheduled. The company will also continue to accept new orders.
"Our production and business operations are continuing as normal. "We do not currently anticipate any delays in processing existing orders," says Hauke Niemann, director of Böttcher Fahrräder GmbH. "We will also be welcoming our customers and accepting new orders at the upcoming Böttcher Bike Days. With our recent rebrand and a diverse range of bicycles, we are well placed to meet the challenges ahead."
Prior to the insolvency proceedings Böttcher Fahrräder GmbH was advised by lawyers Niklas Marwedel and Dr Christian Mikolajczak from the restructuring law firm SJPP.
The structured investor process is receiving support from a team from enomyc GmbH led by Tim Bauer, Otto Rantzau and Peter Kink.
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