Spedition Hermesmann Declares Insolvency After Nearly 70 Years, Highlighting Sector Challenges
Spedition Hermesmann, a nearly 70-year-old logistics firm, files for insolvency amid rising costs and driver shortages accentuating challenges in Germany's transport sector.
- • Spedition Hermesmann ceased operations after nearly 70 years due to economic pressures.
- • Insolvency proceedings started at Hagen District Court in September 2025.
- • Most employees found new jobs; truck fleet has potential buyers.
- • Challenges include Rahmedetal Bridge closure, high costs, and driver shortage.
- • The company’s insolvency exemplifies difficulties for small and medium logistics firms.
Key details
The logistics company Spedition Hermesmann, a family-owned enterprise based in Letmathe, Iserlohn, has declared insolvency and ceased operations after almost seven decades. Founded in 1958, the company was an established player in the regional transport sector but succumbed to mounting economic pressures that have been squeezing small and medium-sized logistics firms. The insolvency proceedings began at the Hagen District Court at the end of September 2025.
According to Dr. Moritz Sponagel, the insolvency administrator, while the company’s website has been shut down, most employees have already found employment with other companies, and buyers have shown interest in the truck fleet. Christoph Brünger from the Südwestfälische Industrie- und Handelskammer (SIHK) highlighted that Hermesmann's insolvency underscores the difficulties facing similar companies, exacerbated by factors such as the closure of the Rahmedetal Bridge on the A45 motorway, rising operational costs, and a severe shortage of truck drivers. The rescue of this traditional family business now appears out of reach, illustrating the harsh realities within Germany’s logistics industry today.