Resilinc Special Report

Global Bankruptcy Trends 2026: European Supplier Insolvencies and Supply Chain Risk

Global business insolvencies continued to rise in 2026 as weaker demand, higher operating costs and tighter financing placed more companies under pressure. Western Europe has become a major center of supplier distress, with Germany reporting elevated insolvencies among industrial and automotive companies while several neighboring markets face concentrated increases by sector. Recent restructurings at Pollmann and Julius Schüle show that suppliers may continue operating while customers face uncertainty around tooling, liquidity and future production capacity. Customer bankruptcies can also weaken suppliers through delayed payments and reduced access to receivables financing.
This special report examines global bankruptcy trends, analyzes financial pressure across Europe and outlines actions companies can take before supplier distress interrupts production.
Key Insights:
  • Global business insolvencies are forecast to increase 6% in 2026, following the same increase in 2025. A fifth consecutive annual rise shows that financial pressure is becoming persistent across major markets
  • Large-company insolvencies reached 247 during the first half of 2026, up 13% YoY. Failures at this scale can expose multiple production sites and supplier tiers to disruption
  • Germany recorded 12,812 corporate insolvencies during the first half of 2026, the increase raises financial exposure for companies dependent on German industrial and automotive suppliers