Nothing will change for Ravensburger staff after the takeover of Steiff. CEO Clemens Maier made this clear in a letter to the toy producer’s workforce. “For now every thing stays as it’s,” Maier wrote in an intranet publish that was accessible to the German Press Company. Ravensburger introduced on Wednesday that it could take a 60 % stake within the plush toy producer. Steiff will proceed to be managed independently on the firm headquarters in Giengen an der Brenz.
The supervisor wrote that there are presently no modifications to the buildings or duties deliberate for the staff. Participation doesn’t create any further workload. Nonetheless, Maier left it open whether or not this can stay the case sooner or later: “Within the medium time period, we are going to look at whether or not and the place wise alternatives for collaboration come up.”
Maier: We do not earn sufficient cash
On the identical time, Maier was extra vital of the state of affairs at Ravensburger internally than beforehand recognized to the general public – and instantly supplied a proof as to how such a big acquisition suits with the financial state of affairs in Higher Swabia. “We’ve got a income drawback, not a liquidity drawback,” wrote the 55-year-old. “Meaning we have now sufficient monetary sources and reserves, however we don’t earn sufficient operational cash from our enterprise. We’re engaged on this with excessive precedence.”
In response to Maier, a restructuring program that has already been launched is a crucial step in direction of making Ravensburger sustainably worthwhile once more and thus positioning it to be aggressive and profitable in the long run. We’re pursuing three essential instructions: “We wish to enhance our price construction, make our enterprise extra scalable and strengthen our development.”
The funding in Steiff due to this fact serves the third aim. This could strengthen the gross sales base. After cautious consideration, the choice was made to make the most of this particular alternative – and to spend money on a worthwhile firm with probably the most famend and conventional manufacturers within the toy world. “That is potential as a result of Ravensburger has completed nicely in recent times,” writes Maier. The supervisor is the great-grandson of Otto Maier, who based the sport writer in 1883.
Gross sales have lately declined
Ravensburger had reported a decline in gross sales for 2025 – from a file worth of 790 million euros in 2024 to 742 million euros. This was primarily as a result of waning of the hype surrounding the buying and selling card sport “Disney Lorcana”. The core enterprise with video games, puzzles and books elevated – however was not sufficient to offset the decline in gross sales. Ravensburger historically doesn’t touch upon the end result.
Ravensburger additionally reported rising price stress alongside all the worth chain. That is why the group needs to work on buildings and prices. That is additionally related to job cuts within the decrease double-digit vary. Most lately, a very good 2,500 folks have been employed by the group Ravensburg itself and a plant within the Czech Republic.
Two conventional firms intertwine
Ravensburger and Steiff are among the many best-known toy manufacturers in Germany. Ravensburger produced classics akin to “Reminiscence”, “The Loopy Labyrinth” and “Scotland Yard”. The “Tiptoi” studying system and the “GraviTrax” marble run may also be discovered in lots of youngsters’s rooms right now. The group additionally contains manufacturers akin to Brio, recognized for picket trains, and the enjoying card writer FX Schmidt. Steiff is taken into account the inventor of the teddy bear and has stood for high-quality plush toys since 1880 – recognizable by the button within the ear.
With the sale, the Steiff funding firm, which is held by the heirs of founder Margarete Steiff, needs to set the course for the corporate’s long-term perspective. “It was essential for us to position Steiff in accountable, entrepreneurial fingers who perceive and respect the model, the values and historical past,” mentioned Managing Director Frederik Reimann. The corporate additionally hopes for extra success on the worldwide market.
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