GfM-Trend furniture purchasing association
| GfM-Trend furniture purchasing association
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| legal form | GmbH & Co. KG |
| founding | 1975 |
| Seat | Neustadt an der Donau |
| management | Joachim Herrmann |
| Number of employees | 24 |
| Website | www.gfm-trend.de |
GfM – Trend is a furniture association from Neustadt ad Donau with almost 700 member companies. The medium-sized group of members ranges from furniture and kitchen retailers to full-range stores. The aim is to strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium-sized retailers.
Corporate philosophy
The company sees itself as a comprehensive purchasing association with the aim of promoting smaller retail businesses. The cohesion of the dealers and the cultivation of personal relationships with one another are to be particularly encouraged. This focus is also reflected in the “I'm fine” campaign. Here members are cited as an example of entrepreneurial success and shown personally as testimonial .
history
Today's association emerged from a merger of the GfM association in Neustadt ad Donau and the trend association in Oberhausen in 2005. The GfM association was founded in 1975 in Munich by management consultant and economist Gustav Baumeister as GfM - society of progressive furniture retailers. After Gustav Baumeister's death in 1998, the owner-managed association became a cooperative association.
As early as 1958, the furniture dealer Egon Beyer founded one of the first furniture associations in Oberhausen under the name Möbelverbund Westdeutschland, which was later renamed WEG (Oberhausen Housing and Furnishing Company). 1981 WEG changes its name to Trend-Möbel Handels GmbH & Co. Einrichtungs KG. A move to Ratingen followed in 1995 and the return to Oberhausen to the newly built company headquarters. The current managing director is Joachim Herrmann, who has headed the association since the merger and was previously managing director of the Trendverband, Oberhausen.
In 2008, A-plus Küchenprofi GmbH was launched as a subsidiary, this specialized kitchen association supports the needs of retailers in the kitchen segment.
Organs of society
In addition to the management, the assembly of delegates and the advisory board have a significant influence on the strategic direction of the association. The advisory board consists of a chairman and five members. It is determined by election with a simple majority in the delegates' assembly. The assembly of delegates consists of 20 natural persons who are shareholders or cooperation partners of the association as well as the managing director and the chairman of the advisory board.
Trade Shows
Two trade fairs take place every year. The furniture order fair at the association's headquarters in Neustadt ad Donau in spring, where retailers can order the latest models from the listed manufacturers, and the kitchen event at various locations in autumn. Innovations from the industry as well as marketing concepts for the kitchen trade will be shown.
Web links
- Association website
- Website A-plus-Küchenprofi
- Ritthammer Verlag - Möbelmarkt online - Press release - Kitchen event 2010 [1]
- Ritthammer Verlag - Möbelmarkt online - Press release - In-house exhibition 2010 [2]