A Fresh Chapter for the Iconic ORWO Brand in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Thanks to TCG
Orwo Net, a local company in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, has received a new proprietor. - New Proprietor Assumes Control over Orwo Net in Bitterfeld-Wolfen
You heard it right! The historic ORWO brand, known for its film and photo products, has a new owner. As of July 1st, the renowned Cologne-based Customization Group (TCG) steps in as the new owner, taking over from the insolvent Orwo Net GmbH in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, as announced by insolvency administrator Christian Heintze.
TCG is pumped to advance the historic film site in Wolfen and continue the ORWO ("Original Wolfen") brand. According to the insolvency administrator, the location is expected to flourish in the coming years under TCG's investment.
As for the workforce, TCG plans to maintain employment for the impressive 146 employees. In March, when the company filed for insolvency, it had 244 employees in its Bitterfeld-Wolfen base. The decline was due to rough market conditions and weak sales.
The Customization Group has its eyes set on making the plant a European flagship for photo lab products. Being a specialist in personalized print products, they continued cooperation with clients even during the insolvency proceedings, and they'll indeed keep supplying drugstores moving forward.
The company has an impressive history dating back more than a hundred years. The Agfa Film Factory first developed the world's first color film. In the DDR, the company was renamed Orwo (Original Wolfen) and provided almost the entire Eastern Bloc with films. Following an insolvency over two decades ago, new companies such as Pixelnet and Orwo Media were established; however, they too went bankrupt. Orwo Net was founded in 2003 from the ashes of the insolvency as a venture by an entrepreneur group.
- Bitterfeld-Wolfen
- Wolfen
- TCG
- DDR
- Saxony-Anhalt
behind-the-scenes:
The Customization Group (TCG) has acquired ORWO Net, the historic film and photo products company based in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, after ORWO Net filed for insolvency in March 2025. This acquisition marks a strategic move by TCG to significantly strengthen its production capacities in Europe while preserving the traditional industrial location of Bitterfeld-Wolfen [1][2].
Regarding expansion and development plans, The Customization Group is focused on a sustainable transformation and technological modernization of the site. They aim to combine the long-standing industrial heritage of ORWO ("Original Wolfen") with future-oriented technologies to drive growth, secure jobs, and implement technological transformation at the Bitterfeld-Wolfen production facility. TCG will maintain most of the existing workforce, ensuring continuity and leveraging the experience of ORWO's employees [2].
In essence, TCG's plans for the historic film location include:
- Strengthening and expanding production capacities in Europe.
- Securing the continuation of the Bitterfeld-Wolfen site as a key production hub.
- Integrating innovative technologies with traditional film and photo product manufacturing.
- Ensuring job security and retaining the majority of ORWO's staff.
- Driving growth and sustainable transformation at the site.
This chimes with a commitment to preserving the legacy of ORWO while modernizing the enterprise to meet future market demands [1][2].
TCG intends to implement a community policy that prioritizes vocational training for the employees at the Bitterfeld-Wolfen facility, as they aim to foster growth and technological modernization at the historic ORWO site. The Customization Group plans to leverage finance and business strategies to bolster production capacities internationally, with a particular focus on making the Bitterfeld-Wolfen plant a European flagship for photo lab products.
