Two German Contract Textile Companies Merging with New Name: Kos Krebs Contract Textiles; No Cost-Reduction Measures Expected | Fabrics & Furnishings International is the global home & contract sourcing quarterly newspaper since 1990. It covers the upholstery and curtain fabrics industry worldwide; the coverage also includes news of the fabric mills, converters, importers and wholesalers of fabrics for decorating and furniture.
Carsten Krebs is the principal of Rolf Krebs.
BISSENDORF, Germany -- KOS Contract Textiles and Rolf Krebs will merge on Jan. 1 to form a new company: Kos Krebs Contract Textiles.
“First and foremost, this is not about cost reduction or cutting jobs,” the new company’s website says.
In 2011, KOS, a major contract specialist in Europe, was sold and under the management of Thomas Berndt, previously head of contract textiles at JAB in Bielefeld, Germany. Berndt bought his 50 percent interest in KOS from Friedhelm Oelpenich Schmitz, KOS founder, who retired. The remaining half of the business was owned by Peter Kaufmann, who also sold his shares to another unnamed partner of Berndt.
The KOS name was derived from its two founders: Kaufmann (K) and Oelpenich Schmitz (OS).
Rolf Krebs started in 1970, focusing on interior textiles, and in 2000, started their own production of fabrics by launching a range of contract textile collections. Today, Carsten Krebs is the principal.