Pidigi to Acquire Sympatex Technologies Following Insolvency

Membrane specialist Sympatex Technologies, which has been navigating insolvency proceedings since late January, has secured a future under new ownership. Pidigi, a prominent Italian supplier of materials, components, and machinery for the footwear and apparel industries, has reached an agreement to acquire the company through an asset deal.

The acquisition is scheduled to officially take effect on June 1, 2026. Under the terms of the deal, Pidigi will continue to operate the business under the globally recognized Sympatex brand, ensuring the "ingredient brand" remains a fixture in the outdoor and performance textile markets.

Restructuring and Retention in Unterföhring

While the deal provides a lifeline for the company, it also necessitates a significant restructuring of the workforce. According to insolvency administrator Axel W. Bierbach of the law firm Müller-Heydenreich Bierbach & Kollegen, the following personnel changes are planned for the Unterföhring location:

• Positions Retained: 21 jobs and all four apprenticeships will be preserved.

• Redundancies: As part of the restructuring, 25 employees will be laid off. These redundancies were announced in May and will become effective at the end of August.

• Social Protections: A reconciliation of interests agreement and a comprehensive social plan have already been negotiated to support affected staff.

The insolvency administrator was supported throughout the investor process by M&A advisors from Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P).

A Partnership Decades in the Making

The acquisition is less a takeover by a stranger and more a formalization of a long-standing alliance. Pidigi and Sympatex have collaborated for decades, a factor that Pidigi owner and CEO Giorgio De Gara highlighted as a cornerstone of the deal.

“The acquisition of Sympatex is an important strategic step for us, building on a long-standing and trusting partnership,” said De Gara. “Our goal is to further develop the international business in a targeted manner—from performance laminates and tapes for footwear applications to technical solutions for the public sector, workwear, and apparel markets.”

Strategic Outlook

By retaining the Unterföhring location, Pidigi aims to preserve Sympatex’s "valuable technological know-how" while leveraging its own industrial scale to stabilize the brand. The move allows Pidigi to vertically integrate high-performance membrane technology into its existing portfolio, offering a more robust supply chain for its international clients in the footwear and technical garment sectors.

As the industry moves toward more circular and sustainable textile solutions—a core tenet of the Sympatex brand—this acquisition provides the financial backing necessary for the brand to continue its research and development in an increasingly competitive green economy.