New cooperation relationship between the E/D/E Group, CECOFERSA and EHLIS on the Iberian Peninsula

EHLIS S.A. is taking over the majority shares of CENTRAL DE COMPRAS Y SERVICIOS PROFESIONALES S.A. (CECOFERSA) and is looking forward to the upcoming cooperation with the E/D/E Group and the opportunities of an international cooperation.

With immediate effect, this will create the strongest association in B2B / DIY on the Iberian peninsula with around 1,800 sales locations and its own central warehouse at the company location near Barcelona as well as further warehouse and service locations in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and on Mallorca and Tenerife. A significant expansion of the logistics service is currently being implemented: in order to be able to supply the members of the new constellation with goods even faster, another logistics centre is being built near Madrid by the end of the year on a floor space of around 60,000 square metres.

The Iberian market has been important for the E/D/E Group since the beginning of its European expansion: the cooperation between CECOFERSA, based in Madrid, and E/D/E in Wuppertal has existed since 1999. Over the course of the past few years, this cooperation has been successfully expanded to include relevant business areas.

The development of E/D/E’s FORMAT dealer network in Spain began with the acquisition of joint members and now includes 22 specialists in the cutting tool sector. In addition to using the tool concept with its own Spanish tool catalogue with the FORMAT trade brand and numerous original brands, the Spanish members benefit from deliveries to their own locations and their professional end customers from the central warehouse in Wuppertal in 24/48 hours and joint marketing campaigns.

In 2012, the cooperation also intensified in the area of central payment. The joint founding of Delcredit España S.A. with the two shareholders EDE International and CECOFERSA was an important milestone in the efforts of both companies to offer central payment – a core competence of the E/D/E Group together with ETRIS Bank AG, a 100% subsidiary of the Wuppertal company – to Spanish and Portuguese members and suppliers locally.

Since last year, a new FORTISplus concept has been developed in order to offer the previously conceptless tool dealers the advantages of a general tool concept in other areas, such as cutting tools, fastening technology and measuring technology.

In addition, E/D/E has been working for almost 10 years in the area of the FORUMplus sales concept with the 33 dealers of the ASIDE cooperation association in Victoria. Most recently, we have also been able to extend this cooperation to the area of central regulation.

The most recent joint activity is the foundation of the competence group EHN – European Hardware Network – at the beginning of this year. This was founded by EDE International AG together with CECOFERSA and other long-standing cooperation partners throughout Europe.

Annegret Franzen, CEO of EDE International AG, emphasizes: “We are full of anticipation and expectation that the very good, trusting and successful business relationship with the previous shareholders of CECOFERSA will be extended to EHLIS in the new framework. There will be valuable synergy effects, which we want to use effectively for our local members, but also for our European suppliers.”

EHLIS and the E/D/E Group have many things in common: both companies are family businesses with decades of history in the hardware business. Both companies offer their members customized, strong own brands, original brands and increasingly important logistics services with central warehouses. In addition, both EHLIS and E/D/E already provide a comprehensive range of financial services.

Important to mention – CECOFERSA will remain in existence and will continue to be managed by the current Managing Director, Cristina Menendez. “This continuity was particularly important to us,” said Dr. Andreas Trautwein, Chairman of the E/D/E Management Board. He further added: “We are firmly convinced that the joint future perspective of these 3 family companies offers the highest attractiveness on the Iberian market and that for all partners equally.”