Varta files for self-administered insolvency

Battery manufacturer Varta AG filed for insolvency under self-administration at the Stuttgart local court on Friday 24 July 2026; the court appointed Stuttgart lawyer Tobias Wahl (Anchor law firm) as preliminary trustee. According to the company the filing is not due to acute illiquidity in ongoing operations but is intended to secure continuation of the business; the household battery business is not covered by the proceedings. The background is falling demand and losses following the loss of a major Apple contract. No job-cut figures were given initially. Update (28 July 2026): VARTA AG and VARTA Microbattery GmbH have moved from the requested self-administration into regular preliminary insolvency proceedings; Tobias Wahl was accordingly appointed preliminary insolvency administrator instead of preliminary custodian. VARTA Storage GmbH and VARTA Micro Production GmbH were already in regular proceedings, and VARTA Consumer Batteries has not filed for insolvency. The company explains the step as reducing complexity given the close intra-group interconnections; business operations continue without restrictions and preserving jobs remains central. The announcement gives no figures for job cuts. Update (11 September 2026): On 11 September 2026 the Stuttgart local court imposed a general disposal ban on VARTA Aktiengesellschaft, VARTA Microbattery GmbH, VARTA Micro Production GmbH and VARTA Storage GmbH. Full authority to manage and dispose of the assets thereby passed to provisional insolvency administrator Tobias Wahl — a marked tightening compared with the previous protective measures (Verbraucherschutzforum Berlin, 11 Sep 2026). Update (01.10.2026): The Stuttgart local court opened insolvency proceedings for VARTA AG, VARTA Microbattery GmbH, VARTA Storage GmbH and VARTA Micro Production GmbH, with Tobias Wahl as insolvency administrator. Around 2,300 people work at the four companies. Wahl expects an investor solution in the coming months, with both financial and industrial investors in the frame; the previously decided closure of button-cell production in Nördlingen, with around 350 jobs, is going ahead (Aktien.news, 1 Oct 2026).