German scooter manufacturer Unu is insolvent

The Berlin-based electric scooter manufacturer Unu has filed for insolvency. According to an agency report, however, business operations will continue as part of the insolvency proceedings. The company, which was founded in 2013, is said to be aiming for restructuring.

The application for insolvency was filed with the district court in Berlin-Charlottenburg on Thursday, Unu announced on Friday according to dpa. The reasons given for the insolvency are “increased material and transportation costs, higher operational costs and the sharp drop in demand due to inflation”.

The dpa reported that the company had been struggling with problems for some time and had recently employed around 50 people, with Unu having to suspend production for several months during the pandemic. This was compounded by supply problems for chips and, most recently, “poor consumer sentiment”.

According to Unu, it sells its electric scooters in Germany, France, Austria and the Netherlands. In September, the Berlin-based electric scooter manufacturer fundamentally revised its subscription offer and expanded its presence with retail partners.

The aim now is to build on this: “For this reason, we see a good chance of achieving a restructuring solution and continuing to sell and service the scooters,” insolvency administrator Gordon Geiser is quoted as saying.

tagesspiegel.de (in German)