Confidence and trust in troubled times
Reliable partnerships in the Verbund:The E/D/E Annual Report 2024 provides a compact summary of the key developments of the past year and also offers in-depth insights into a strong B2B.
Our offer to the members
The E/D/EAs a system headquarters, we strengthen the competitive position of our members with strong market services from central purchasing, logistics – we have two central warehouse in Wuppertal and Schwebheim – marketing and a modern portfolio of networked digital services. With Toolineo, the established online marketplace for trade supplies, E/D/E offers specialist distributors and brand manufacturers the opportunity to market their products in a contemporary and targeted manner. We provide financial services via our fully licensed bank ETRIS BANK with its strategic business areas central payment and factoring.
Strategic development for sustainable growth
EVOLUTIONEVOLUTION is a broad-based strategy and organizational development process with the aim of continuously expanding the performance and future viability of the E/D/E Group – for the benefit of members, suppliers and cooperation partners. EVOLUTION represents a far-reaching transformation on an organizational, cultural and procedural level. As part of this, we have established market-oriented and sustainable organizational structures (see the “Services for members and suppliers” section for details) and made targeted systemic and conceptual changes. In this way, we are raising the performance of the organization to a new level and overcoming identified limitations.
Editorial
The year 2024 was characterized by economic challenges and uncertainties – yet as an association, we demonstrated strength, seized opportunities and created solutions together.
Economic development in Germany remained tense. 2024 marked the second year of the recession, which was reflected in the manufacturing industry in particular. The mechanical engineering and automotive industries suffered from declining demand, while residential construction also fell sharply, putting additional pressure on the overall economic situation.
The market developments also left their mark on our business. Almost all product groups were affected, with the exception of personal protective equipment. While trading volume in other European countries remained at the previous year’s level, the financial year as a whole closed with a slight decline at trading volume of 8.9 billion euros.
However, it is precisely in difficult times that it is important to make smart strategic decisions. Our aim was to secure stability, identify opportunities and further expand the innovative strength of our Group.
Report from the Management Board
The German economy experienced its second consecutive year of recession in 2024. The economy was weak in the manufacturing sector, particularly in mechanical engineering and the automotive industry, as well as in residential construction, which declined sharply. The drivers of the negative developments, such as high energy costs, bureaucratic obstacles, high interest rates and struggling exports, are well known.
Report from the Chair of the Advisory Board
With a decrease of 486 million euros at trading volume goods and growth of 155 million euros at trading volume finances , a total volume of 8.94 billion euros (previous year 9.27 billion euros) is achieved for 2024 (minus 3.6 percent). In view of the geopolitical hotspots and domestic political pressures, the Advisory Board has expressed its appreciation and respect for this result to Management and its teams of employees.
Tailor-made for every target group
Assortments
Complete, attractive product ranges, needs-based solutions and fast availability: this is more important than ever in the current economic climate. E/D/E’s supplier and product group management supports our members network with market-oriented services and offers – tailored to the respective target groups. Both members and contract suppliers benefit equally from this product range policy.
Growing with intelligent supply concepts
Industrial services
Systematic value creation: this is the tenor under which the product range in the industrial business can be summarized. The trend is continuing; industrial customers from all sectors are interested in sustainable increases in efficiency combined with savings. In view of the challenging market situation, the efficient supply of C-Parts/MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operations) has become even more important in 2024. This is where E/D/E members can score points as part of a network with intelligent MRO supply solutions and high reliability, enabling the E/D/E range of services to successfully prove itself on the market with over 100 MRO/C-Parts projects.
trading volume recorded growth with occupational safety products.
Due to the reluctance to invest in capital goods, the tools segment experienced a challenging year.
Performance through professionalization and cooperation
Services for members and suppliers
Strengthening the performance of our market partners with tailor-made and competitive services – this is the central objective of the E/D/E network in its strategic and structural development. In 2024, we made great progress in this regard.
Interaction
Market-relatedCore functions
with international
reach
Unique selling points for retailers
E/D/E trademarks and sales concepts
Strong brands stand for quality, reliability and technical excellence – factors that make the decisive difference in highly competitive sectors. E/D/E trademarks are the best example of this. They offer the production connection trade the opportunity to position itself on the market with clear unique selling points, combined with attractive purchasing conditions, high product quality as well as technical expertise and excellent quality of advice on the part of the trade.
Many distributors concepts are outperforming the market, including the FAVORIT Group.
Steps into a new world: E/D/E digitizes target group communication and enables exciting virtual user experiences.
The FORTIS personal protective equipment series was also expanded and updated in 2024.
Creating added value with practical solutions
Networked digital services
Digitalization is becoming even more important in view of the dynamic changes in the production connection trade and the high market volatility. Solutions are needed that are key to the competitiveness of members, can be implemented efficiently and offer concrete added value – from automated processes to improved added value for our partners.
Precisely fitting product data
DATAcloud360 serves as the basis for the provision of customized product data for digital marketing and online sales. By the end of 2024, the E/D/E digital team had supported more than 270 member companies in the conversion of data procurement to DATAcloud360.
The first expansion stage already included core functionalities such as the deduplication of multiple master data records, individual exports and article compilations or the targeted rejection of articles with changes (deltas). The automated regular export of defined data records, which was implemented in 2024 with the second performance level, brings additional significant efficiency gains at daily operations.
The future of e-commerce
in the B2BSHOPcloud360 forms a central building block for the digital transformation in the production connection trade. e-commerce platform , which has been specially adapted to the needs of B2B companies, enables member companies to optimize its sales performance and strengthen its market position at the same time.
The platform integrates seamlessly into existing value-added processes and helps to implement lean ordering processes and optimized data management. Implementation in the E/D/E member group has started successfully, and the second development stage of SHOPcloud360 was completed in fall 2024. Key features include SHOPcloud360’s personalized and powerful on-site search based on Sparque.AI. The eCommerce Services team also provides support for individual eCommerce requirements at members.
flixxstore.com:
AI apps for more sales and better processes at B2B
With the flixxstore, B2B FUTURE LAB has been creating a central point of contact for distributors to benefit from applications and software with artificial intelligence since 2021. The tools and business models created by retailers for distributors support the innovative and digital use of state-of-the-art system components without a great deal of effort on their part. The strategy is based on building API-enabled systems (including 3D printing platform, flixxstore AI apps, Shopware store) that can be integrated and connected with each other depending on retailer requirements.
A standardized database (dataflixx) enables retailers to use flixxstore applications after a one-time docking with just one click for each additional application. The connection to the flixxstore model has been greatly simplified and therefore offers simple and high scalability. The range of AI applications is being further expanded.
E/D/E provides orientation in the complex world of technology.
Demand for 3D printing has risen significantly in 2024.
The key to flexibility and sustainable benefits
Efficient logistics
High speed meets maximum reliability: at logistics, E/D/E offers its members attractive added value that leads to significant competitive advantages at daily operations. Under challenging market conditions, the eLC logistics center once again proved to be an important pillar of the production liaison trade in financial year 2024, demonstrating a high degree of flexibility.
Read more in PDFNetworks create added value
Strong in combination
Recognizing market changes at an early stage, anticipating new requirements and benefiting from the shared wealth of experience within the association: Member management is indispensable in the ongoing communication between E/D/E and its members. Especially in challenging times, the exchange of ideas and finding solutions together become even more important.
Networking is a central element of Verbund’s work.
The E/D/E industry get-together total: the largest networking platform in the production connection trade.
Digitization and intensification of pan-European cooperation
EDE International
members and cooperation partners from 29 countries (excluding Germany) form a strong alliance in E/D/E. The resulting added value and synergies have proven to be particularly beneficial in 2024, a challenging year for the economy as a whole.
Innovative: EDE International is breaking new ground with the FORMAT Brand Space.
With new technological building on growth course
Toolineo
2024 was a year of transition for the online marketplace Toolineo, the first port of call for craft supplies: the successful rebuilding of the entire IT infrastructure and the successful go-live of the new system on December 11, 2024 laid the foundation for a clear growth strategy in the coming years.
Read more in PDFA sought-after partner for factoring and central payment
ETRIS BANK
With its two strategic business areas central payment and factoring, ETRIS BANK, as a wholly-owned E/D/E subsidiary, seamlessly continued the successful development of previous years in 2024. Numerous new customers in the factoring area and the general interest rate environment boosted the growth path and contributed significantly to the positive development of the earnings situation.
Read more in PDFE/D/E – an attractive employer brand
personnel
The world of work is undergoing fundamental change. However, one thing remains unchanged: The human factor is indispensable for long-term business success. This is why E/D/E proactively focuses on employee loyalty, team spirit and daily interaction.
A positive working environment promotes inspiration and contributes significantly to the success of E/D/E.
is an attitude for us
sustainability
As buying association in the cooperative SME sector, E/D/E is naturally sustainable: sustainability is firmly anchored in the DNA, the business model and the values of SMEs. Entrepreneurial success and sustainability are mutual prerequisites for E/D/E. For the company, sustainability means contributing to the future viability of the medium-sized and family-run members with competitive solutions and services. E/D/E is committed to responsibility for the environment, employees and society.
The installation of the photovoltaic system is one of the key sustainability measures for 2024.
