The E/D/E Fachkreis PRO.ELEMENT expert group with its 42 structural elements traders in 55 sites was founded back in 1999 from the Structural Elements expert group. Today, 53 members at 93 sites belong to the PRO.ELEMENT expert group. All partners have a high level of structural element competence in their region, the prerequisite for membership into the PRO.ELEMENT group. The preservation and development of regional market leadership in the field of structural elements was defined as the superordinate objective of the entire task back in 1999 when it was founded.

The fundamental difference to other comparable groups is that wood and metal-focused companies have both merged into the PRO.ELEMENT group, from whose collaboration fundamental synergy effects have often resulted.

In order to be up-to-date for “special subjects” as well, two further specialist groups have been formed from the expert groups. There are currently 26 members of the steel construction element competence group, who focus on dealing with the marketing of steel doors, gates and drives as well as the industrial gate business. The main target groups here are locksmiths and other metalworking companies. On the other hand, the 20 current members of the wood construction element competence group have focused their work on interior doors made of wood/wood materials and glass with the core target groups of carpenters and joiners.

The entire E/D/E Fachkreis PRO.ELEMENT expert group benefits from the results of the two competence groups in many cases. For example, further education and training within the industry: up to now, there was no adequate training measure for the structural element industry, in order to be able to further qualify the next generation of workers in the field of structural elements after their vocational training. In cooperation with the members of the competence groups and some suppliers, an extensive job profile has been developed and, with the training centre of the Zentralverband Hardwarenhandel (ZHH), an independent and competent supporter of this further educational measure has been found. Today, the industry now has a structured, extensive further training course entitled “Technical Specialist for Structural Elements”.

There are constant innovations in all sectors; this naturally also applies to the world of structural elements. With our structural elements report, we keep our members in the loop. In the structural elements report, we provide extensive information about the latest happenings from the industry, introduce member companies and industrial partners and report about the activities of the expert group. With the building legislation report, we keep our members in the loop about the latest decisions in building legislation, a must fur anyone who deals with the marketing of structural elements including their installation.

The improvement of communication in the industry and the creation of an optimal platform for discussions at the highest level were the objectives which we wanted to achieve with the creation of the structural elements forum. Every two years, the structural elements forum, which has now become well-established and very popular, takes place. The agenda includes renowned speakers, who deal with interesting subjects, some of which are very industry-specific and others which are less so. The conclusion of the forums is a communal evening with trade and industry, at which discussions can be held in an informal atmosphere away from daily business.

The E/D/E is at the disposal of its contracted suppliers as a full-service-company. In this partnership, suppliers may use various possibilities, in order to impact markets together with the E/D/E and to boost sales-potentials.
 
Further more, both sides work in close communication on optimum marketing-concepts. Also, innovations can be brought into business faster via the E/D/E network. Apart from central-regulation for members, E/D/E also assumes delcredere-liability towards suppliers.

 Recently founded in 2013, the "Arbeitskreis Marketing" (marketing working team) offers new opportunities: Here,  E/D/E PRO.ELEMENT expert group-members work on new, individual concepts, matched to regional and  branch-specific requirements.

The world without the internet as a medium for information, advertising and marketing has become unthinkable.  Since September 2012, 50 excellent structural element-traders with 75 branches of the E/D/E competence group PRO-ELEMENT  present themselves with an information-portal that is unique in the industry. The site www.bau-wiki.de offers everything buyers of doors and gates could ever want to know.
 
Under the headline „Überzeugen. Begeistern. Handeln.“ ("Convince. Enthuse. Act."), professional and supplier-neutral information for end-customers is to be found, meaning in this case renovating parties or house builders. The platform offers pictures, definitions of  technical terms and answers to the most important questions revolving around the topics of inner doors, gates and architraves.
 
The compact platform, comprising many suppliers, is unique in its market because of its depth and variety in information. BAUWIKI offers an exclusive showroom-area with hundreds of detail-pictures of doors and gates, a so-called style-finder helping house-builders to find the suitable door as well as numerous animations and movie-clips. They explain for instance new functions and transfer professional knowledge in such a way that it is understandable for the ordinary person.
 
Between 2002 and 2012, PRO.ELEMENT was one of the few companies, if not the first-mover in the market, who offered an interactive planning-tool.

“Türen öffnen (T)Räume” Door Magazine [Doors open Dreams]:

Classic media still have their authority. In connection with several door suppliers, the 64-page “Türen öffnen (T)Räume” magazine was published in summer 2010. This door magazine sets itself considerably apart from the “normal” door brochures of the industry. “Türen öffnen (T)Räume” intends to awaken the appetite for new doors and is meant to inspire the reader to change their old doors. The different characteristics and properties of doors are clearly and simply described in text and images. For the end consumer, the “fear” of renovation is taken away. Almost 40,000 pieces were published in the first edition of the magazine.