Poland's largest furniture manufacturer is set to implement significant layoffs affecting around 800 employees across its nationwide plants, a move that continues its ongoing financial restructuring. The collective dismissals, scheduled to begin in November 2025 and extend into December 2026, will impact staff across all levels, including both production and administrative roles.
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This follows an earlier reduction earlier in the year at the furniture giant, Black Red White (BRW), which saw approximately 500 employees leave the company. Trade unions have voiced strong opposition to the cuts, advocating for higher severance packages and emphasising the contributions of long-serving employees, whose average age ranges between 49 and 50.
The layoffs coincide with recent changes in ownership. Following a high-profile acquisition by Austrian firm XXXLutz in August 2025, BRW's shares were sold to Polish investors F110 Invest PSA and MS Investment PSA, enabling domestic management to assume operational control. Dariusz Formela, a former BRW executive, has returned as chairman of the management board, guiding the company through this transitional phase while awaiting regulatory approval from Poland's Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.
Founded in 1991, BRW has grown from a small workshop in Biłgoraj to an industrial group operating 19 production plants in Poland and abroad, exporting to over 30 countries. Employing between 6,600 and 8,400 people, BRW commands a 20% share of Poland's furniture market, making it a critical player in both domestic and international sectors. Despite its market significance, the company's financial struggles and restructuring efforts underscore broader challenges in the furniture industry, highlighting the tension between operational sustainability and workforce stability in a competitive global market.
Source: www.tvn24.pl
