Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks (ZVDH)

What Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks (ZVDH) does

ZVDH (Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks) is the central national trade association for the German roofing trade, founded in 1925 and headquartered in Cologne. The association represents approximately 15,000 member roofing companies through a three-tier hierarchical structure comprising regional guilds (Innungen), 16 state associations (Landesinnungsverbände), and the national headquarters. Member companies collectively employ over 100,000 people and generate approximately €13.2 billion in annual turnover, with the association itself operating with a lean staff of 19.

The association's core offerings center on the authoritative Fachregelwerk (technical rulebook) governing roofing standards, vocational and master craftsman training at the Bundesbildungszentrum (BBZ) Mayen, collective bargaining agreements with IG BAU covering minimum wages and apprentice compensation, and federal-level political advocacy. Notable technology initiatives include the 2025 launch of the ZVDH-KI-Fachassistent, an AI-powered knowledge retrieval tool that provides structured answers with direct references to rulebook sections, the 2026 publication of a fully revised Flachdachrichtlinie (flat roof guidelines), and the founding of the Institut für Dach- und Fassadentechnik (IDFT) in 2026 to consolidate roof and facade system research across industry, science, and trade. Consumer-facing infrastructure includes the DachCheck online portal, which connects homeowners with certified member companies.

ZVDH operates a membership-dues-funded non-profit model (registered as eingetragener Verein / e.V.), supplemented by training and certification fees and revenue from the biennial DACH+HOLZ International trade fair, which attracted 55,933 visitors and 555 exhibitors from 28 countries at its 2026 Cologne edition. The association is governed by a delegates' assembly; in March 2026, Dirk Bollwerk began his fourth term as President alongside newly elected Vice President Felix Schneider. ZVDH is also a founding member of the Taskforce Gebäudetechnik, a coalition of six building trade associations coordinated by ZDH that collectively represents 154,000 companies, 1.46 million employees, 121,000 apprentices, and €225 billion in revenue.

Name

Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks (ZVDH)

Legal name

Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks e. V.

Website

https://dachdecker.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZVDH is the central German national trade association for the roofing industry, founded in 1925, representing approximately 15,000 member companies through a hierarchical guild network and providing technical standards, vocational training, collective bargaining, and political advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cologne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: ZVDH is funded through membership dues from its 16 state associations (Landesinnungsverbände) and state guilds (Landesinnungen), which in turn represent approximately 15,000 member roofing companies across Germany.
2. Training and certification fees: Revenue from training programs at BBZ Mayen, certification services, and educational materials including the ZVDH Regelwerk and AI-powered Fachassistent.
3. Industry advocacy services: Collective bargaining agreements, tariff negotiations, and political representation services for member companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ZVDH is the central national trade association (eingetragener Verein) for the German roofing trade, representing approximately 15,000 member companies through 16 state associations. It sells and provides membership services including the authoritative Fachregelwerk technical rules, vocational training at BBZ Mayen, the Meisterhaft quality certification, collective bargaining representation, political advocacy, and the DACH+HOLZ International trade fair. Member companies and the broader market also access the KI-Fachassistent AI tool, the DachCheck homeowner portal, and the new Flachdachrichtlinie 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Meisterhaft: A quality seal initiative of the German construction industry coordinated by Zertifizierung Bau GmbH in Berlin, offering three levels of certification for qualified construction companies based on their qualifications.
• ZVDH digital
• Solargründach-Weiterbildung
• Sicher auf dem Dach

Products and services

• Fachregelwerk (Roofing Trade Rulebook) Comprehensive technical standards and guidelines that govern roofing, waterproofing, and facade work in Germany. Sold to member roofing companies and used by architects, planners, and inspectors to ensure compliant, safe roofing practice.
• KI-gestützter Fachassistent (AI Specialist Assistant for the Regelwerk) AI-powered knowledge retrieval tool that lets member roofing companies query the technical rulebook with structured answers and direct references to relevant sections. Sold as an add-on to the Regelwerk during its beta phase.
• ZVDH digital / Digitaler Leitbetrieb Digital transformation program for ZVDH member companies, including the Digitaler Leitbetrieb (digital flagship company) initiative and associated digital tools and resources.
• Neue Flachdachrichtlinie 2026 (New Flat Roof Guidelines) Completely revised edition of ZVDH's flat roof guidelines with clear structure and binding construction details for barrier-free transitions, available digitally. Used by roofing companies, architects, and planners.
• DachCheck (Roof Check Portal) Public online tool that lets homeowners check their roof condition and find certified ZVDH member roofing companies for inspections, repairs, and solar installations.
• Meisterhaft Quality Certification Three-tier quality certification for roofing and construction companies demonstrating qualifications, awarded for two-year periods and recognized as a credible industry quality mark.
• BBZ Mayen Vocational Training Programs Vocational training, master craftsman (Meister) preparation, and continuing education courses run at the Bundesbildungszentrum (BBZ) in Mayen for roofing trade apprentices and professionals.
• DACH+HOLZ International Trade Fair Biennial trade fair for roof, wall, and timber construction, co-organized with Holzbau Deutschland. The 2026 Cologne edition drew 55,933 visitors and 555 exhibitors from 28 countries.
• Solargründach-Weiterbildung (Solar Green Roof Training) Continuing education program for vocational trainers at schools and over-the-company training centers that integrates solar green roof skills into the roofing apprenticeship curriculum.
• Institut für Dach- und Fassadentechnik (IDFT) Institute for roof and facade technology jointly founded by industry, science, and commerce to address technical and systemic challenges in roof and facade construction. Debuted as an exhibitor at DACH+HOLZ 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000 member companies represented with €13.2 billion in annual revenue
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• RM Rudolf Müller Medien / RM AkademiecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026ZVDH and RM Rudolf Müller Medien initiated a training partnership (Bildungspartnerschaft) between the RM Akademie and the BBZ (Berufsbildungswerk) of ZVDH. The partnership aims to develop new continuing education offerings for the roofing trade and adjacent trades, providing practical knowledge transfer and strengthening understanding of roof-related requirements at construction interfaces.
• Taskforce Gebäudetechnik (Coalition of 6 building trades)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025ZVDH is a founding member of the Taskforce Gebäudetechnik, a coalition of six central building trade associations coordinated by ZDH (Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks). Members include ZVEH, BIV, ZVSHK, ZIV, and BVM. The coalition represents 154,000 companies with 1.46 million employees and 121,000 apprentices, generating €225 billion in revenue. Focus areas include building modernization law, heat transition, and political advocacy.
• Holzbau Deutschland (Timber Construction Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVDH and Holzbau Deutschland jointly organize the DACH+HOLZ International trade fair and share a joint exhibition booth with BG BAU at the event. Both associations are co-organizers (Trägerverbände) of the leading industry trade fair.
• BG BAU (Berufsgenossenschaft der Bauwirtschaft)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVDH collaborates with BG BAU on joint safety initiatives including the 'Sicher auf dem Dach' (Safe on the Roof) campaign, workplace safety guidelines, and co-exhibit at DACH+HOLZ International.
• Bundesverband GebäudeGrün (BuGG)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVDH partners with BuGG on the Solargründach (Solar Green Roof) project, which trains trainers (Ausbilder) in vocational schools and over-the-company training centers to integrate solar green roof skills into roofing apprenticeships.
• Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVDH works with BIBB on research identifying occupations relevant to climate adaptation measures. BIBB's report recognized the roofing trade as one of only three training occupations making significant contributions to climate adaptation.
• International Roofing Alliance / IFDmajorOthersZVDH participates in the International Roofing Alliance (IFD) and coordinates international delegations at DACH+HOLZ, including delegations from USA and China.
• Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks (ZDH)coreOthersZDH is the coordinator of the Taskforce Gebäudetechnik, of which ZVDH is a founding member. ZDH provides administrative support and political representation for the coalition.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DachdeckerDeinBeruf/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/zvdhdachdecker
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zentralverband-dachdeckerhandwerk
• Instagraminstagram.com/zvdh_verband

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks (ZVDH)