Gardeur

Gardeur is a German clothing company founded in 1920 in Mönchengladbach, originally as a family business for outerwear under the name Dieter Janssen & Co. It specialised in men's trousers in 1959 and created the gardeur brand in 1969, making it the first trouser brand in Germany. Since 1980 it has also produced and distributed women's trousers and skirts. The company's products are sold by 2,700 department stores, chain stores, mail-order and specialist retailers in 41 countries. Since December 2018, Atelier Gardeur GmbH has belonged to the Dutch Duijndam Group. According to owner Steef Duijndam, Gardeur is "the only trouser supplier in the industry that combines all development steps within the company – from design to the finished pair of trousers." The company established its first production facility in Tunisia in 1974, beginning its own foreign manufacturing. It was converted into a stock corporation in 2000, and in 2004 a new production and administration building was built in Tunisia, along with a logistics centre with 12,000 m² of additional usable space. In 2006 Gardeur opened its own laundry there. For the 2007 financial year, Gardeur reported sales of €104 million, 10% growth over the previous year and an export share of 54% of total sales. In 2008 the Roesner and Janssen families, who held all shares in Gardeur, sold the company to the investment firm Capcellence, a private equity subsidiary of HSH-Nordbank. In its 2011 group annual report, the state bank reported a capital share of 91.78% (previous year 88.50%) in the Gardeur Group. In the course of this, gardeur AG was converted into a GmbH. In November 2010, Gerhard Kränzle replaced Michael Simon as new managing director, who had led the company since 2008. In 2010, with sales of €97 million, Gardeur ranked 110th among European clothing manufacturers. After investing around €1.4 million in a change of operations at the German plant in Augustfehn in 2009, the site was closed in autumn 2011 (except for the factory outlet). A social plan was agreed with the works council for the 70 affected employees. In 2013, Kränzle Beteiligungs GmbH, owned by management members Gerhard Kränzle, Frank Schulte-Kellinghaus and Marcus Kraft, took over 51% of the shares in Gardeur from Capcellence for an undisclosed price; the remaining 49% was taken over by a fund of NRW.Bank. In October 2017 Gardeur filed for insolvency. Despite positive annual financial statements in previous years and an EBITDA of €3.1 million, the company had run into a liquidity crisis. At the beginning of December of the same year, the Dutch Duijndam Group took over the company. Steef Duijndam became the new managing partner, and Gerhard Kränzle left Gardeur in March 2018. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Gardeur took comprehensive cost-cutting measures in 2020, including cutting 30 jobs. The gardeur brand, created in 1969, underwent a relaunch in 2008/2009 by CEO Michael Simon and advisory board chairman Lothar Reiff. With a new lettering and the removal of the long-standing, distinctive "g" logo, the realignment and modernity of the company were to be signalled. A seven-figure sum was invested in the new brand appearance at the POS. At the same time, Gardeur was certified as a Fairtrade manufacturer for some women's and men's jeans for the first time; the range was expanded in 2013. In 2011 the brand Gardeur was perceived by retailers as rather classic and of an upscale genre. From 2012 to 2019 the products were advertised under the name Atelier GARDEUR. From 2012 to 2017 Gardeur cooperated with designer Thomas Rath, with whom the company marketed the premium line Thomas Rath Trousers. In 2015 Jan Josef Liefers and Anna Loos were engaged as brand ambassadors for Gardeur. In 2018 Gardeur took over the licence for Michèle trousers. In 2019 the small "g" was reintroduced into the Gardeur brand profile. Between 1989 and 2009 Gardeur sponsored the Bundesliga football club Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Gardeur was founded in 1920 by Dieter Janssen in Mönchengladbach as a family business for outerwear called Dieter Janssen & Co. In 1959 the company specialised in men's trousers. The gardeur brand was created in 1969, making it the first trouser brand in Germany. Since 1980, women's trousers and skirts have also been produced and distributed. The founding of the first production facility in Tunisia in 1974 marked the beginning of foreign manufacturing in own plants. In 2000 the company was converted into a stock corporation. In 2004 a new production and administration building was built in Tunisia, along with a logistics centre with 12,000 m² of additional usable space. In 2006 Gardeur opened its own laundry there. For the 2007 financial year, Gardeur reported sales of €104 million, 10% growth over the previous year and an export share of 54% of total sales. In 2008 the Roesner and Janssen families, who held all shares in Gardeur, sold the company to the investment firm Capcellence, a private equity subsidiary of HSH-Nordbank. In its 2011 group annual report, the state bank reported a capital share of 91.78% (previous year 88.50%) in the Gardeur Group. In the course of this, gardeur AG was converted into a GmbH. In November 2010, Gerhard Kränzle replaced Michael Simon as new managing director, who had led the company since 2008. In 2010, with sales of €97 million, Gardeur ranked 110th among European clothing manufacturers. After investing around €1.4 million in a change of operations at the German plant in Augustfehn in 2009, the site was closed in autumn 2011 (except for the factory outlet). A social plan was agreed with the works council for the 70 affected employees. In 2013, Kränzle Beteiligungs GmbH, owned by management members Gerhard Kränzle, Frank Schulte-Kellinghaus and Marcus Kraft, took over 51% of the shares in Gardeur from Capcellence for an undisclosed price; the remaining 49% was taken over by a fund of NRW.Bank. In October 2017 Gardeur filed for insolvency. Despite positive annual financial statements in previous years and an EBITDA of €3.1 million, the company had run into a liquidity crisis. At the beginning of December of the same year, the Dutch Duijndam Group took over the company. Steef Duijndam became the new managing partner, and Gerhard Kränzle left Gardeur in March 2018. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Gardeur took comprehensive cost-cutting measures in 2020, including cutting 30 jobs. The gardeur brand, created in 1969, underwent a relaunch in 2008/2009 by CEO Michael Simon and advisory board chairman Lothar Reiff. With a new lettering and the removal of the long-standing, distinctive "g" logo, the realignment and modernity of the company were to be signalled. A seven-figure sum was invested in the new brand appearance at the POS. At the same time, Gardeur was certified as a Fairtrade manufacturer for some women's and men's jeans for the first time; the range was expanded in 2013. In 2011 the brand Gardeur was perceived by retailers as rather classic and of an upscale genre. From 2012 to 2019 the products were advertised under the name Atelier GARDEUR. From 2012 to 2017 Gardeur cooperated with designer Thomas Rath, with whom the company marketed the premium line Thomas Rath Trousers. In 2015 Jan Josef Liefers and Anna Loos were engaged as brand ambassadors for Gardeur. In 2018 Gardeur took over the licence for Michèle trousers. In 2019 the small "g" was reintroduced into the Gardeur brand profile. Between 1989 and 2009 Gardeur sponsored the Bundesliga football club Borussia Mönchengladbach. The successor as the club's outfitter was the brand Brax.

• 2020

  Comprehensive cost-cutting measures due to Covid-19, including cutting 30 jobs.

• 2019

  Small "g" reintroduced into the brand profile.

• 2018

  Gerhard Kränzle leaves in March; licence for Michèle trousers taken over.

• 2017

  Insolvency filing in October; Duijndam Group takes over in December.

• 2015

  Jan Josef Liefers and Anna Loos engaged as brand ambassadors.

• 2013

  Kränzle Beteiligungs GmbH takes over 51% from Capcellence; NRW.Bank fund takes 49%.

• 2012

  Start of advertising under the name Atelier GARDEUR (until 2019); cooperation with designer Thomas Rath (until 2017).

• 2011

  Closure of German plant in Augustfehn (except factory outlet); 70 employees affected.

• 2010

  Gerhard Kränzle replaces Michael Simon as managing director in November.

• 2008

  Families Roesner and Janssen sell the company to Capcellence, a private equity subsidiary of HSH-Nordbank.

• 2008

  Michael Simon becomes CEO; brand relaunch begins (2008/2009).

• 2007

  Reported sales of €104 million, 10% growth, export share 54%.

• 2006

  Opening of own laundry in Tunisia.

• 2004

  New production and administration building in Tunisia, plus logistics centre with 12,000 m² additional space.

• 2000

  Conversion into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft).

• 1989

  Start of sponsorship of Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach (until 2009).

• 1980

  Start of production and distribution of women's trousers and skirts.

• 1974

  Founding of the first production facility in Tunisia, beginning foreign manufacturing in own plants.

• 1969

  Creation of the gardeur brand, the first trouser brand in Germany.

• 1959

  Specialisation in men's trousers.

• 1920

  Founded by Dieter Janssen in Mönchengladbach as a family business for outerwear (Dieter Janssen & Co.).

Classic, upscale trouser specialist; first trouser brand in Germany; full vertical integration from design to finished trousers.

• Men's trousers

• Women's trousers

• Skirts

• Jeans (Fairtrade certified since 2008/2009)

• Thomas Rath Trousers (premium line, 2012–2017)

• Michèle Hosen (licensed since 2018)

1. 1Gardeur – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2Gardeur – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Atelier Gardeur official websiteatelier-gardeur.de