DEHA Group
DEHA Group is a German cooperative central services entity for five independent electrical wholesalers (Adalbert Zajadacz, Alexander Bürkle, Emil Löffelhardt, Hardy Schmitz, Obeta) operating approximately 150 branches nationwide. It provides centralized product data management (2.3M articles, 1,500+ suppliers) and marketing systems (TECSELECT, TECWORLD, TECSTORE) to serve electrical trade and industrial customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersGerlingen, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DEHA Group does
DEHA Elektrohandelsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG is a German private limited partnership headquartered in Gerlingen that operates as the central service and coordination entity for a cooperative of five independent electrical wholesale companies: Adalbert Zajadacz, Alexander Bürkle, Emil Löffelhardt, Hardy Schmitz, and Obeta. Collectively these shareholders run approximately 150 branch locations and 5 central warehouses across Germany, employing roughly 3,800 people in total, and serving electrical trade (Elektrohandwerk) customers, industrial buyers, and specialist retailers. DEHA itself does not sell directly to end customers; rather, it provides shared services that enable the five shareholders to compete more effectively against national chains and pure distributors.
The company's core technology is a centralized product data management (PDM) platform that ingests, standardizes, and enriches product data from more than 1,500 suppliers covering 2.3 million saleable articles, distributing updates within 24 hours to the shareholders' ERP and e-commerce systems via ETIM BMEcat formats (versions 4.0.3 and 5.0) with a proprietary Data Quality Index. Around this data backbone, DEHA operates four branded service systems: TECSELECT (a loyalty/performance marketing program with 3,800+ active trade customers since 2001), TECWORLD (a building-technology information portal with over 1 million annual page views), TECSTORE (digital point-of-sale signage at approximately 140 branches), and Key-Account Management with e-procurement integration to platforms including ONVENTIS, Mercateo, and Hubwoo via EDI, OCI, BMEcat, and eClass interfaces. The RED private-label brand (launched 2017) adds direct margin on volume products, while the 2024 CO2NTACT sustainability initiative extends into sustainable product curation.
DEHA generates revenue through a mix of cooperative service fees from its five shareholders, transaction-based charges for PDM services to 1,500+ suppliers, subscription/participation fees from TECSELECT supplier partners, and margin on RED-branded private-label products sold through shareholder branches. Pricing for end customers is handled bilaterally through shareholder sales teams and KAM contracts rather than disclosed publicly. The company initiated the IDEE European cooperation approximately 30 years ago, which now spans 14 independent electrical wholesalers across 19 countries with over 1,200 branches collectively, extending DEHA's cooperative model transnationally.
DEHA Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DEHA Group
- Legal name
- DEHA Elektrohandelsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://deha.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- DEHA Group is a German cooperative central services entity for five independent electrical wholesalers (Adalbert Zajadacz, Alexander Bürkle, Emil Löffelhardt, Hardy Schmitz, Obeta) operating approximately 150 branches nationwide. It provides centralized product data management (2.3M articles, 1,500+ suppliers) and marketing systems (TECSELECT, TECWORLD, TECSTORE) to serve electrical trade and industrial customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DEHA Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electrical Wholesale Distribution Services
- NAICS
- Hardware Merchant Wholesalers (423710)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Construction, Hardware & MRO Supply Clubs (Trades/Contractors) (CRAEAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing (SMETA, supplier ESG) (EUAHAJAE)
Keywords
Where DEHA Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gerlingen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
DEHA Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Cooperative Services for Shareholders: DEHA generates revenue by providing shared services (purchasing, product management, marketing systems) to its five shareholder companies (Adalbert Zajadacz, Alexander Bürkle, Emil Löffelhardt, Hardy Schmitz, Obeta). Revenue is derived from cooperative membership/service fees, central purchasing advantages, and shared marketing system revenues (TECSELECT, TECSTORE, TECWORLD).
- Product Data Management Services for Suppliers: DEHA charges suppliers for central article data management services, including data standardization, enrichment, and distribution to shareholder companies' systems within 24 hours. Suppliers access these services through the supplier portal.
- TECSELECT Loyalty System Fees: TECSELECT generates revenue from supplier participation fees and performance-based marketing service fees. Suppliers pay to participate in the loyalty program, and customers invest earned points in TECSELECT services.
- RED Private Label Product Margin: DEHA's private label brand RED (launched 2017) generates margin on high-volume products sold through shareholder branches, providing quality volume products for everyday electrical installation needs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | B2B wholesale pricing through shareholder companies - individual quotes and contracts |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
DEHA Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DEHA Group operates as a cooperative service entity for five independent German electrical wholesale shareholders (Adalbert Zajadacz, Alexander Bürkle, Emil Löffelhardt, Hardy Schmitz, Obeta), collectively running approximately 150 branch locations. DEHA centrally delivers product data management for 2.3 million articles from 1,500+ suppliers, marketing systems (TECSELECT loyalty, TECWORLD information portal, TECSTORE point-of-sale), Key-Account Management for industrial and over-regional trade customers, the RED private-label product line, and supplier integration services.
Product overview
DEHA Group operates as a cooperative of five independent electrical wholesalers (Adalbert Zajadacz, Alexander Bürkle, Emil Löffelhardt, Hardy Schmitz, and Obeta) with around 150 locations across Germany, offering a platform-based portfolio centered on product data management and marketing services. The core product is the Produktdatenmanagement (PDM) system, which centrally manages 2.3 million sellable articles from over 1,500 suppliers and distributes standardized data within 24 hours across ERP systems, catalogs, e-shops, and mobile apps. Around this core, DEHA layers marketing and sales tools including TECSELECT (a loyalty points system with 3,800+ customers since 2001), TECWORLD (an information portal with 1M+ annual page views), TECSTORE (in-store digital signage at ~140 locations), Key-Account Management (with e-procurement integration to systems like ONVENTIS, Mercateo, and via EDI/OCI/BMEcat/eClass), and the RED private-label brand (launched 2017). The portfolio also includes catalog publications across electrical, building, industrial, lighting, and network technology, a supplier portal and questionnaire system, and the CO2NTACT sustainability initiative. Product data exchange with suppliers relies on file-based transfer via CrushFTP and BMEcat XML formats rather than a programmatic API.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RED: DEHA's private-label brand for high-quality volume products for electrical trade professionals, covering everyday installation needs from screws to ceiling lights. Launched in 2017.
- TECSELECT
- TECWORLD
- TECSTORE
- CO2NTACT
Products and services
- Produktdatenmanagement (PDM)
Quantifiable outcome
- 2.3 million saleable articles centrally managed and updated within 24 hours for over 1,500 suppliers
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use DEHA Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DEHA Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
Feature6 records
DEHA Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- IDEE CO2NTACT Supplier Partners (ABB, Ledvance, Signify)minorCO2NTACT is IDEE's sustainability initiative launched in 2024. Supplier partners ABB, Ledvance, and Signify participate in the initiative focused on sustainable product information, training, services, and communication campaigns in the German market.
- Adalbert Zajadacz GmbH & Co. KGcoreOne of five DEHA shareholder companies. A Hanseatic trading company with over 700 employees and 28 branches. Supplies electrical trade, industry, and specialist retail customers. Specialized competency centers provide customer-specific solutions.
- Alexander Bürkle GmbH & Co. KGcoreOne of five DEHA shareholder companies. A family-owned company based in Freiburg im Breisgau. Over 1,100 employees at 30 locations serving electrical trade, industry, and specialist retail. Acts as technology service provider, simplifying complex systems and connecting people and knowledge.
- Emil Löffelhardt GmbH & Co. KGcoreOne of five DEHA shareholder companies. A traditional family business founded in 1906 with 21 branches and around 650 employees in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Offers one of Germany's most modern logistics centers and 24-hour delivery service.
- Hardy Schmitz GmbH & Co. KG (HARDY SCHMITZ)coreOne of five DEHA shareholder companies. Founded in 1925, employs approximately 350 people. Offers over 350,000 branded articles across branches from the North Sea coast to the northern Ruhr area. Provides exclusive services under the HARDYPRO brand.
- Oskar Böttcher GmbH & Co. KG (Obeta)coreOne of five DEHA shareholder companies. Since 1901, a comprehensive partner for electrical trade with over 1,000 employees across more than 60 locations. Large assortment of around 1 million articles with subsidiaries Eldis and Heinrich Häusler. High service standards and dense branch network ensure rapid availability.
- IDEE (International Distributors of Electrical Material Europe)coreEuropean cooperation of 14 independent electrical wholesale companies in 19 countries, initiated by DEHA 30 years ago. 14 members operate over 1,200 branches collectively. Joint projects include IDEE futurelab developed with SDA Bocconi for strategic development. CO2NTACT sustainability initiative is a joint IDEE project.
- 250+ Contract Suppliers (including ABB, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Phoenix Contact, Ledvance, Trilux, Gira, Jung, Hager, Mennekes, etc.)coreDEHA maintains over 250 contractual suppliers with selected brands across electrical technology, industrial technology, lighting, building systems, network technology, and cables. Suppliers benefit from nationwide distribution through shareholder branches, product data management, and access to the TECSELECT loyalty program.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DEHA Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Würth Group: German family-owned trade distribution powerhouse; shares DEHA's family-company values and decentralized subsidiary structure but operates with broader product coverage (tools, fasteners, electrical) and far larger scale.
- Rexel: Paris-listed global electrical distributor with significant German operations; overlaps directly with DEHA in serving industrial customers and electrical installers at substantially greater scale.
- Sonepar: Global electrical distribution leader with multi-billion-euro revenue; competes head-to-head with DEHA shareholders in the German market while offering broader category, geographic, and digital platform capabilities.
Others
- ABB: Major electrical equipment and automation supplier that is a DEHA contract partner and CO2NTACT co-launch participant; serves many of the same end-customers through direct channels.
- Schneider Electric: Global electrical and industrial automation supplier that is one of DEHA's largest contract partners; competes indirectly via direct sales channels to large industrial customers that DEHA also serves.
- Siemens Smart Infrastructure: Major electrical infrastructure supplier and DEHA contract partner; competes with DEHA at the margin through direct sales to large industrial and infrastructure customers in Germany.
- Weidmüller: German industrial connectivity and electronics supplier; comparable to DEHA as a Germany-rooted B2B electrical specialist and partner-supplier in the industrial technology category.
- Phoenix Contact: Industrial electrical connectivity and automation supplier; a DEHA contract partner whose products are sold through DEHA shareholder branches alongside competing distributor channels.
Direct peers
- IMELCO: International group of independent electrical wholesalers coordinating procurement and marketing across multiple countries — directly analogous to IDEE in function and target members (independent electrical wholesalers).
- FEGIME: European federation of independent national electrical wholesaler associations; the most structurally similar organization to DEHA's IDEE cooperation, operating a comparable member-cooperative model across multiple European markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DEHA Group social profiles
Digital presenceDEHA Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
DEHA Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DEHA Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
DEHA Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DEHA Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DEHA Group
What does DEHA Group do?
DEHA Group operates as a cooperative service entity for five independent German electrical wholesale shareholders (Adalbert Zajadacz, Alexander Bürkle, Emil Löffelhardt, Hardy Schmitz, Obeta), collectively running approximately 150 branch locations. DEHA centrally delivers product data management for 2.3 million articles from 1,500+ suppliers, marketing systems (TECSELECT loyalty, TECWORLD information portal, TECSTORE point-of-sale), Key-Account Management for industrial and over-regional trade customers, the RED private-label product line, and supplier integration services.
Is DEHA Group a public or private company?
DEHA Group is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was DEHA Group founded?
DEHA Group was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DEHA Group based?
DEHA Group is headquartered in Gerlingen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does DEHA Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Cooperative Services for Shareholders are the primary driver. The others are product Data Management Services for Suppliers, TECSELECT Loyalty System Fees and RED Private Label Product Margin.
Who are DEHA Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Würth Group, Rexel and Sonepar. Others are ABB, Schneider Electric, Siemens Smart Infrastructure, Weidmüller and Phoenix Contact. Direct peers are IMELCO and FEGIME.
Does DEHA Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for DEHA Group.
What industry is DEHA Group in?
DEHA Group's product category is Electrical Wholesale Distribution Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAEAEAG, Construction, Hardware & MRO Supply Clubs (Trades/Contractors), with a secondary code of EUAHAJAE, Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing (SMETA, supplier ESG). Its NAICS code is 423710 and its SIC code is 5070.