Wibra bankruptcy in Belgium

Wibra Belgium has been declared bankrupt. All Belgian branches of the Dutch clothing store are closed. As a result, 439 employees lose their jobs.

The Dutch owners wanted to restart in Belgium with 36 of the 81 branches and 183 employees, but these plans were rejected by the company court in Dendermonde, whereupon bankruptcy was declared. Nevertheless, the management hopes to be able to realize the plans for the restart.

Wibra is an abbreviation for Wierdsma & Braam, the founders of the clothing chain. The first Wibra was opened in Epe in 1956. In the 1960s, Wibra grew into a chain of 11 branches and then grew to almost 300 branches in the Netherlands and Belgium.