Association of German Mineral Wells
| Association of German Mineral Fountains e. V. (VDM) |
|
|---|---|
| purpose | Lobby organization |
| Chair: | Karl Tack (Chairman) |
| Executive Director: | Udo Kremer |
| Establishment date: | 1904 |
| Number of members: | approx. 200 |
| Seat : | Bonn |
| Website: | www.vdm-bonn.de |
The Verband Deutscher Mineralbrunnen ( VDM ) is an interest group in Germany. The registered office of the registered association is in Bonn .
Organization and goals
The VDM stands up for the economic and political interests of around 200 well companies that fill mineral water and produce soft drinks based on mineral water. The most important goal of the organization is to create and maintain uniform standards for the quality of mineral water. According to the association, the level of organization in the industry is almost 100 percent. Since the 1970s, the work of the VDM has been characterized by a rapidly increasing demand for mineral water. In the 1990s, there were major upheavals in the packaging market with the expansion of the reusable mineral fountain system to include a 1 liter PET bottle. According to its self-image, the association is the point of contact for politics, the media and the public on all matters relating to mineral water. The association also supports its members in legal, technical and business issues.
Together with the German Wells Cooperative. G. (GDB), the VDM publishes the specialist magazine Der Mineralbrunnen . The edition is 2000 copies and the publication cycle is six times a year.
history
Empire and Weimar Republic
On October 24, 1904, just under two dozen mineral water companies, predominantly from the Rhenish region, founded the first German mineral water association in Koblenz . The aim of the merger was: “To protect the common interests of the German mineral fountain industry towards authorities, associations and the public in word and in writing”. The determining topics in the first few years were the creation of a binding and generally recognized agreement on the declaration of mineral and medicinal waters and the creation of better competitive conditions. In this respect, the association not only dealt with professional tasks and the technical advice of its members, but also negotiated with suppliers and service providers about purchase prices. For example, he negotiated with the bottle syndicate, an upstream cartel , about a reduction in bottle prices and with the railroad authorities about freight tariffs . The association negotiated internally about the standardization of the sales conditions (= condition cartel ). Among other things, the introduction of a uniform, binding bottle deposit was debated back then.
Third Reich: merging into the compulsory association of mineral fountains
After Hitler came to power, the Reichsverband Deutscher Mineralbrunnen (RDM), like all other private business associations, fell victim to the National Socialist policy of harmonization . They were replaced by a state-approved unitary association for each economic sector , branch and sub- branch . For the area of mineral fountains, this was the sub-group mineral fountains in the specialist group mineral water of the economic group food of the Reichsgruppe Industrie. As a result of compulsory membership , the number of members increased considerably from 57 (in the RDM in 1932) to 272 (in the specialist sub-group mineral fountains in 1934). Many association members welcomed the measures for more economic efficiency in the entire industry, as action was now taken against grievances and unfair competition in the sense of negligence in the collection of deposits , the return of empties and the unauthorized use of third-party bottles.
Re-establishment after the Second World War
The decisive initiative for the establishment of a mineral well association covering West Germany came from the well companies of the British zone of occupation, which on July 4, 1947 founded the professional association of mineral wells in the British zone. On August 11, 1948, the Association of German Mineral Wells emerged from the mineral wells working group of the British and American occupation zones. One year after its re-establishment, the VDM still had 157 members, in 1955 there were already 172. The VDM currently has 195 members who offer around 500 mineral waters and 34 medicinal waters.
Managing director, board of directors and committees
Udo Kremer has been managing director of VDM since January 2017. The board currently has eight members: Wolfgang Stubbe (Chairman), Thomas Fritz ( Ensinger Mineral-Heilquellen GmbH ), Dirk Hinkel ( Hassia Mineralquellen GmbH & Co. KG), Stefan Hoechter ( Adelholzener Alpenquellen GmbH), Barbara Körner ( Apollinaris Brands GmbH) ), Judith Schilling (Treasurer) ( Brohler Mineral- und Heilbrunnen GmbH ), Lilo Sillner ( Labertaler Heil- und Mineralquellen Getränke Hausler GmbH ) and Karl Tack ( Rhodius Mineralquellen und Getränke GmbH & Co. KG ). Important topics are discussed in the four committees of the association (marketing, business administration, technology and medicinal water). In addition, the association is divided into seven well areas: Bavaria, Hesse, North, North Rhine-Westphalia, East, Rhine-Eifel and Southwest.
literature
- Ulrich Eisenbach: Mineral water - pure from the beginning until today. Association of German Mineral Fountains, Bonn 2004, ISBN 978-3-00-013857-7 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Bonn District Court VR 2162.
- ↑ a b Ulrich Eisenbach: Mineral water - pure from the origin until today. Cultural and economic history of the German mineral springs. VDM Verband Deutscher Mineralbrunnen eV 100 years. Bonn 2004, p. 191
- ↑ a b Ulrich Eisenbach: Mineral water - pure from the origin until today. Cultural and economic history of the German mineral springs. VDM Verband Deutscher Mineralbrunnen eV 100 years. Bonn 2004, pp. 225-226
- ↑ Ulrich Eisenbach: Mineral water - pure from the origin until today. Cultural and economic history of the German mineral springs. VDM Verband Deutscher Mineralbrunnen eV 100 years. Bonn 2004, pp. 228-231