Elex Italia S.c.P.A.

What Elex Italia S.c.P.A. does

Elex Italia S.c.P.A. is an Italian consortium purchasing group (società consortile per azioni) headquartered in Assago, Milan, founded in 2001 through the merger of the GGA and Sogeme groups. It aggregates 11 associate member companies that independently operate 441 retail points of sale across Italy, distributing electrical and thermo-hydraulic materials from over 80 major supplier brands (including ABB, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Legrand, BTicino, and Vimar) to professional installers and contractors. Consolidated turnover across the consortium network is reported at €3,013,117,205, with the central entity itself operating with a lean staff of 14.

The consortium monetizes primarily through aggregated purchasing arrangements that generate transaction and membership economics, supplemented by centralized financial and administrative services delivered through its wholly-owned subsidiary Finelex (established 2001), which handles invoicing and supplier payment management. Core products are two bimonthly branded catalogues — the Catalogo Elettrico and the Catalogo Idrotermosanitario (ITS division) — alongside a Promofferta promotional programme and the Elex e-Ducation technical training webinar series delivered with supplier partners. Distribution is executed entirely through member-operated retail locations, with no direct end-customer e-commerce; an online store locator and reserved customer area on elexitalia.it support member sales.

Elex Italia holds active memberships in FME (Italy's national federation of electrical material wholesalers) and Imelco (Europe's largest group of independent electrical distributors), providing regulatory positioning within Italy and international supplier reach. The go-to-market is channel-partner led via the consortium's member network and sales-led at the installer level through each associate's local retail teams. The 3rd annual Top Partners Meeting in May 2025 reflects ongoing investment in member alignment, supplier coordination, and shared commercial initiatives such as e-mobility training, EPBD compliance education, and smart-home/energy-efficiency content.

Name

Elex Italia S.c.P.A.

Legal name

Elex Italia S.c.P.A.

Website

https://elexitalia.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elex Italia S.c.P.A. is an Italian consortium purchasing group aggregating 11 associate members operating 441 retail points of sale for electrical and thermo-hydraulic materials, serving professional installers across Italy with over 80 supplier brands and €3 billion in consolidated network turnover.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Assago (Milano)

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Consortium Membership and Purchasing Aggregation: Elex Italia generates value through aggregated purchasing power across 11 member companies, negotiating better terms with suppliers. Revenue is derived from collective buying arrangements and shared commercial services rather than direct product sales.
2. Finelex - Centralized Financial Services: Finelex, a wholly-owned subsidiary, provides centralized invoicing services to the consortium. This ensures suppliers receive timely payments while offering consortium members more flexible management conditions. Finelex generates revenue through service fees for financial and administrative processing.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Elex Italia is a national consortium purchasing group that aggregates 11 associate member companies operating 441 retail points of sale across Italy to distribute electrical and thermo-hydraulic materials to professional installers. The consortium delivers shared services including centralized purchasing negotiations with over 80 supplier brands, bimonthly promotional catalogues, technical training through the Elex e-Ducation program, and centralized financial administration via its Finelex subsidiary.

Product overview

Elex Italia S.c.P.A. is a national consortium for the distribution of electrical and thermo-hydraulic (termoidraulico) materials in Italy, founded in 2001. Rather than manufacturing products, the consortium operates as a purchasing group and distribution network. Its core products and services include two branded bimestral (every-two-months) catalogs — the Catalogo Elettrico n° 73 and the Catalogo Idrothermosanitario n° 25 (Divisione ITS) — which aggregate promotional offers from major national and international electrical and plumbing brands, dedicated to professional installers. A separate Promofferta program offers bundled promotional deals. The consortium also operates through Finelex, a financial and administrative services sub-brand providing centralized invoicing and payment management for member companies. The overall portfolio is a unified consortium model offering member businesses access to competitive pricing, a wide product range, and shared services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3 billion euros in combined turnover across the consortium network
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ImelcocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImelco is the largest European (and beyond) group of independent electrical distributors. Elex Italia is an active partner of Imelco, providing international reach and access to selected international suppliers. Membership offers benefits including direct access to international suppliers, exchange of expertise with European market leaders, optimization of commercial offerings with exclusive conditions, and the ability to anticipate market trends and innovate continuously.
• FME - Federazione Nazionale dei Grossisti di Materiale ElettricocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFME is Italy's leading national federation for electrical material wholesalers. Elex Italia is an active supporter and member, providing access to regulatory, commercial, and technical updates in the Italian electrical sector. The federation serves as the primary reference point for industry standards and compliance in Italy.
• FinelexcoreTechnology or IntegrationFinelex is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elex Italia, established in 2001 to provide financial and administrative services to consortium members. Through centralized invoicing, Finelex ensures suppliers receive timely and regular payments while offering consortium members more flexible and advantageous management conditions. It serves as the financial infrastructure supporting the consortium's purchasing aggregation model.
• Signify Professional Italia (Philips)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSignify Professional Italia partners with Elex Italia on the Elex e-Ducation training program, delivering webinars on topics such as the European EPBD directive and Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) for lighting installations. Training is dedicated to Elex Italia members involved in lighting product sales or project development.
• Scame ParreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScame Parre partners with Elex Italia on the Elex e-Ducation training program, providing technical education on products including the BE-R Series Wall Box and e-Mobility charging solutions. Training is targeted at commercial collaborators and retail staff of Elex Italia associates.
• Supplier Brands NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorElex Italia works with over 80 major brands in electrical and thermo-hydraulic sectors including ABB, BTicino, Legrand, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Vimar, Gewiss, CAME, Comelit, Samsung, Ariston, Immergas, Vaillant, Ferroli, and many others. These suppliers provide products distributed through the 441 retail points of sale operated by the 11 associate companies.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• CEF (City Electrical Factors): UK's largest specialist electrical distributor with nationwide branch network serving professional installers. Similar scale and customer segment to Elex Italia but geographically focused on the UK market.
• Graybar Electric Company: North American electrical and communications distributor serving contractors and installers. Comparable in scale and B2B installer focus to Elex Italia's network, but operates in US and Canada rather than Italy.
• Edmundson Electrical: UK's largest independent electrical wholesaler with over 350 branches nationwide. Comparable to Elex Italia in scale and B2B installer focus, but operates exclusively in the UK rather than Italy.

Direct peers

• Sonepar: World's largest B2B electrical distributor with significant European presence. Competes head-to-head with Elex Italia's network in serving electrical contractors and installers across multiple European markets.
• Hagem: Dutch electrical distributor and Imelco member organization. Sister consortium to Elex Italia within the Imelco network, operating a similar purchasing aggregation model in the Benelux region.
• Rexel: Global B2B electrical distribution leader with extensive European footprint. Directly competes with Elex Italia's member companies for professional installer business across electrical products, lighting, and automation.
• E.G. Elektro: German electrical wholesaler and Imelco member operating a consortium purchasing model serving professional installers. Directly comparable to Elex Italia in business model and installer focus, serving the German market.
• FEGIME: European federation of independent electrical wholesalers operating across multiple countries. Closest structural peer to Elex Italia given the shared consortium/purchasing-group model aggregating independent distributors under shared branding and procurement.

Broad incumbents

• Würth Group: Global multi-line distribution group with electrical products among broader industrial and trade offerings. Larger and more diversified than Elex Italia but serves overlapping professional installer and trade customer segments across Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/elexitalia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elex-italia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Elex Italia S.c.P.A.