HOLZRING

What HOLZRING does

DER HOLZRING GmbH (Kooperationszentrale) is a member-owned purchasing cooperation and network manager headquartered in Bremen, Germany, serving medium-sized and large European timber wholesale companies and their suppliers. Founded in 1971 and structured as a private GmbH governed by its Gesellschafter (members) under a Beirat advisory board, the company curates an exclusive network where new members require 75% approval from existing members. Its named member companies include W. & L. Jordan GmbH, Enno Roggemann GmbH & Co. KG, Johannes Fries GmbH & Co. KG, Georg Thalhofer OHG, Holzwarth GmbH, Karl Birlenbach GmbH & Co., Holz-Speckmann GmbH & Co. KG, and Holz-Mayrhofer GmbH.

The cooperative's core technology is the EPIS (Electronic Product Data Information System), which standardizes product data and electronic order processing between members and suppliers, combined with centralized payment processing that includes unlimited del credere liability assumption and certified bonus accounting. Supporting capabilities include an industry-unique insurance scheme, a continuous improvement process certified under DIN EN ISO 9001:2008, and knowledge-transfer offerings such as the HOLZRING Logistik-Symposium, ERFA working groups, and strategy seminars.

HOLZRING monetizes through recurring membership fees and cooperative contributions from its timber wholesale members and supplier partners, supplemented by performance-based remuneration services and consulting (HR, corporate succession, insurance, financing, FSC/PEFC certification). The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-driven: members are recruited through a selective, approval-based process and served through high-touch, direct dialogue by a small headquarters team in Bremen, with no reseller or third-party distribution. The organization explicitly positions itself as operating 'deliberately in the background' relative to other industry networks, emphasizing trusteeship, transparency, and cost efficiency over public visibility.

Name

HOLZRING

Legal name

DER HOLZRING GmbH (Kooperationszentrale)

Website

https://holzring.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HOLZRING is a member-owned purchasing cooperation and network manager for European timber wholesalers and their suppliers, operating the EPIS electronic product data system and centralized payment/bonus services from Bremen since 1971.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bremen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees and Cooperative Contributions: HOLZRING generates revenue through membership contributions from timber wholesale companies that join the cooperative network. Members pay for access to exclusive supplier agreements, performance-based remuneration systems, and a comprehensive range of services including consulting, optimization, processes, and knowledge transfer. The revenue model supports the cooperative's mission of making successful businesses more successful.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HOLZRING operates as a purchase cooperation and cooperative network manager (Kooperationszentrale) for timber wholesale companies. It provides centralized services including supplier framework agreements, an Electronic Product Data Information System (EPIS) for data exchange and electronic order processing, performance-based remuneration systems, certified bonus accounting, central payment processing with unlimited del credere liability assumption, and an industry-unique insurance concept. Members gain access to consulting, optimization, process management, and knowledge transfer services designed to strengthen business between suppliers and member wholesalers.

Product overview

HOLZRING operates as a cooperative network center (Kooperationszentrale) for timber wholesale companies, offering a suite of interconnected services rather than a single software product. The core offering centers on EPIS (Electronic Product Data Information System) for product data exchange, combined with smart performance-based remuneration systems and centralized payment processing. Supporting services include consulting (HR, succession, insurance, financing), optimization (procurement management, supplier assessments, marketing), process management, and knowledge transfer through exclusive conferences and symposia. The network combines 75+ years of industry experience since 1971 with modern digital processes to benefit both timber wholesalers and suppliers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consulting Services (Beratung) Professional advisory services for timber wholesale members covering HR consulting, corporate succession planning, insurance advisory, financial services, FSC/PEFC certification consulting, business financing, and market analyses.
• Optimization Services (Optimierung) Services including framework agreements, supplier assessments, quarterly accounts, sales promotions, marketing support, procurement marketing, bonus optimization, product development, and referral marketing for member companies.
• Process Management Services (Prozesse) Value-creating process development between industry and trade, including data management and streamlined process optimization between suppliers and members.
• Knowledge Transfer Services (Wissenstransfer) Exclusive conferences and symposia including working groups, ERFA circles, professional excursions, strategy seminars, and business economics entrepreneur meetings (BUT) such as the HOLZRING Logistik-Symposium and HOLZRING Forum.
• EPIS - Electronic Product Data Information System Central electronic system for managing and exchanging product data information and enabling electronic order processing between suppliers and members in the timber wholesale network.
• Central Payment Processing & Certified Bonus Accounting Centralized administrative simplification of payment transactions between suppliers and members, including unlimited assumption of del credere liability and certified processing of bonus settlements.

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HOLZRING Members (Timber Wholesale Companies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHOLZRING members are strong timber-trading companies that meet ambitious requirements. They are regional market leaders with wide product ranges. The cooperative provides exclusive services including consulting, optimization, processes, and knowledge transfer. Members benefit from special supplier agreements, smart remuneration systems, and access to the HOLZRING supplier network.
• HOLZRING SupplierscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHOLZRING suppliers are customers and partners simultaneously. Customized framework contracts and listing agreements form the basis of trustworthy partnerships. HOLZRING optimizes business between suppliers and members using smart remuneration systems designed to increase sales and retain customers. Suppliers benefit from access to and growth within the HOLZRING member network.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Zedern:
• MEG Maler-Einkauf-Genossenschaft: German cooperative purchasing network for painters and finishing trades. Highly comparable in cooperative structure, member-driven governance, and centralized supplier negotiation.
• E/D/E (Einkaufsbüro Deutscher Eisenhändler): German purchasing cooperative for hardware and tool retailers, offering similar centralized procurement, marketing, and digital services to member firms. Closely comparable cooperative-of-distributors model.
• Nordwest Handel AG: German purchasing and trade cooperation for building materials, steel, and timber wholesalers, with a similar member-driven network model, framework agreements, and centralized services. Closest structural analogue to HOLZRING in the DACH market.
• Eurobaustoff: European trade cooperation for building materials and DIY specialists with shared procurement, marketing, and digital services. Mirrors HOLZRING's cooperative intermediary role at a larger scale.
• hagebau: German trade cooperative spanning building materials, timber, and DIY retail; member-owned with centralized procurement and marketing services comparable to HOLZRING's Gesellschafter model.

Regional players

• Travis Perkins: UK's largest distributor of timber and building materials with merchant and contracting customer bases. Comparable in customer segment (timber merchants) but geographically distinct and corporate-owned.

Others

• Gesamtverband Deutscher Holzhandel (GD Holz): German national trade association for the timber wholesale industry. Ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor; HOLZRING members are likely members of GD Holz and benefit from its policy and advocacy work.

Broad incumbents

• Saint-Gobain Distribution: Europe-wide building materials distributor and a major timber/construction products player. Overlaps with HOLZRING's supplier side but operates as a large integrated incumbent rather than a member cooperative.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HOLZRING