XXXLutz, the furniture conglomerate, anticipates an in-depth review by the EU Commission regarding its planned acquisition of competitor Porta. Alois Kobler, the head of XXXLutz-Deutschland, informed T-Online that the company expects the takeover to proceed into Phase II of the vetting process.
During this deeper Phase II investigation, the EU Commission will scrutinize whether the merger could significantly harm competition within the furniture market. A decision is scheduled for October 12. Although the acquisition was announced more than eighteen months ago, and XXXLutz had originally expected an outcome within about one year, Kobler noted that the volume of questions and data has been greater than anticipated.
Despite the protracted review period, Kobler remains optimistic about the deal, confidently stating that he believes the acquisition will ultimately be approved. However, he did acknowledge that conditional approvals are possible, which might restrict the takeover of certain Porta locations. He explained that clear criteria, such as population size and competitor density, are used, and the Commission examines each individual site meticulously. He now projects that the complete takeover will be finalized by the end of the first quarter of 2027.
Regarding the approximately 6,000 Porta employees, Kobler expects no significant job losses following the acquisition. When asked if this commitment could be guaranteed, he affirmed that they anticipate it to happen. Furthermore, he stated that even if administrative overlaps occur, they will still find roles for qualified personnel. Drawing on past experience in similar acquisitions, the head of XXXLutz guaranteed that employees’ salaries will be maintained or increased, and their existing contracts will not be challenged.
Plans to close any Porta stores are also off the table. Kobler remarked that in the last thirty years, no previous acquisition they undertook resulted in store closures.
The Porta brand is expected to remain active. Kobler emphasized that they would not remove major Porta signage just to install large XXXLutz signs, as this would incur unnecessary costs. While XXXLutz will be visible going forward as an umbrella brand, the individual furniture shops may continue operating under the Porta name for a long time. In keeping with its initial focus on cost-saving, the highly visible red XXXLutz chairs will also not be immediately placed in the acquired stores. The head of XXXLutz mentioned that the chair is quite expensive, running around €200,000 depending on its size, and requires significant effort, including special transport and full assembly.
