Vereinigung Bergischer Unternehmerverbände e.V.

Name

Vereinigung Bergischer Unternehmerverbände e.V.

Legal name

Vereinigung Bergischer Unternehmerverbände e.V.

Website

https://vbu-net.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wuppertal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

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: Annual membership fees calculated as a percentage of the company's payroll sum. Fixed fee model providing comprehensive advisory services as a flatrate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The VBU is a federation of nine autonomous employer and industry associations that collectively serve approximately 560 member companies with around 60,000 employees in the Bergisches Land region. It delivers comprehensive personnel consulting (collective bargaining, recruitment, compensation, workforce planning, HR development, compliance), legal representation before labor, social, and administrative courts, public relations, digital member services through the ArbeitgeberNet portal, and a seminar and events program, all under a single membership fee.

Product overview

Vereinigung Bergischer Unternehmerverbände e.V. (VBU) is an association of nine independent employer and industry associations serving approximately 560 member companies with around 60,000 employees in the Bergisches Land region. The organization offers a portfolio of professional services including personnel consulting and management (covering collective bargaining, recruitment, compensation, workforce planning, and compliance), legal representation before labor and social courts, public relations, and digital tools such as the ArbeitgeberNet research platform, VBU Podcast, and seminar programs. Nine member associations represent industries including metal, chemicals, wholesale/foreign trade, leather, lime/dolomite, paper/plastics, textiles/apparel, and transport/logistics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VABI (Verband von Arbeitgebern im Bergischen Land e.V.): A member association serving companies of all industries and sizes, providing advice and support in all personnel and labor law matters.
• Bergischer Arbeitgeberverband der Metallindustrie e.V.
• Arbeitgeberverband der chemischen Industrie im Bergischen Land e.V.
• Arbeitgeber- und Wirtschaftsverband Großhandel-Außenhandel-Dienstleistung Bergisch Land e.V.
• Arbeitgeberverband der rechtsrheinischen und westfälischen Kalk- und Dolomitindustrie e.V.
• Arbeitgeberverband der Deutschen Lederindustrie e.V.
• Arbeitgeberverband der Papier, Pappe und Kunststoffe verarbeitenden Industrie Bergisch Land e.V.
• Verband der Rheinischen Textil- und Bekleidungsindustrie e.V.
• Arbeitgeberverband für das Verkehrs- und Transportgewerbe im Bergischen Land e.V.

Products and services

• Personalberatung & Personalmanagement (Personnel Consulting & Management) Advisory and consulting services covering collective bargaining agreements (Tarifverträge), recruitment support (Hilfe bei der Personalgewinnung), compensation determination (Bestimmung des Entgelts), strategic workforce planning (Strategische Personaleinsatzplanung), HR development support (Unterstützung bei der Personalentwicklung), and compliance consulting (Compliance Beratung) for member companies.
• Rechtliche Vertretung (Legal Representation) Legal representation services for member companies before labor, social, and administrative courts at all instances, as well as representation before works councils, unions, and authorities.
• Öffentlichkeitsarbeit (Public Relations) Public relations and advocacy service that promotes employer positions to key opinion leaders in media, politics, public administration, schools, and universities on behalf of member companies.
• ArbeitgeberNet (Online Member Research Portal) Online research tool providing templates, checklists, and documents for legal, economic, and organizational questions in daily HR practice, available to member companies around the clock at arbeitgebernet.de.
• VBU Podcast (vbu to go) Regular podcast series ('vbu to go') providing insights and information on labor law, HR management, and employer association activities for member companies.
• Seminare & Veranstaltungen (Seminars and Events) Education and networking program including web and in-person seminars, trial seminars (Schnupperseminare), the Bergische Unternehmerlounge networking events, and educational programs for member companies.
• VBU Newsletter Regular newsletter providing members with important information affecting their companies, including updates on labor law changes and HR best practices.
• Nine Member Associations (Mitgliedsverbände) Federation of nine independent employer and industry associations under the VBU umbrella: VABI (general employers), Bergischer Arbeitgeberverband der Metallindustrie (metal), Arbeitgeberverband der chemischen Industrie (chemicals), Arbeitgeber- und Wirtschaftsverband Großhandel-Außenhandel-Dienstleistung (wholesale/foreign trade/services), Arbeitgeberverband der Deutschen Lederindustrie (leather), Arbeitgeberverband der rechtsrheinischen und westfälischen Kalk- und Dolomitindustrie (lime/dolomite), Arbeitgeberverband der Papier, Pappe und Kunststoffe verarbeitenden Industrie Bergisch Land (paper/plastics), Verband der Rheinischen Textil- und Bekleidungsindustrie (textile/apparel), Arbeitgeberverband für das Verkehrs- und Transportgewerbe im Bergischen Land (transport/logistics).

Quantifiable outcome

• 560 member companies served
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände e.V. (BDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational employers' association federation at federal level. VBU member companies benefit from coordinated positions on labor policy and legislation.
• Landesvereinigung der Unternehmensverbände Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level employers' federation coordinating employer positions at the NRW state level.
• GesamtmetallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal association of metal and electrical industry employers. Coordinates nationwide collective bargaining and employer interests.
• Verband der Metall- und Elektro-Industrie Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V. (METALL NRW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level metal and electrical industry employers' association. Coordinates collective bargaining at state level for Bergischer AGV Metall.
• Hamann & Posch HR Partners (H&P)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecruitment consulting partner for hiring processes. VBU shares application documents with H&P for candidate evaluation and selection.
• Bergische Universität WuppertalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership through the 'Traiber' team for regional industry transformation and knowledge transfer.
• Bergischer Bildungscampus gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational campus providing training and qualification programs for metal and electrical industry. Formerly GLW Velbert.
• Textilakademie NRW gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTextile academy for vocational training and continuing education in the textile and clothing industry.
• Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e.V.minorOthersEconomic research institute providing analysis on labor market and economic topics.
• Bundesarbeitgeberverband Chemie e.V. (BAVC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal chemical industry employers' association for coordination of collective bargaining and industry policy.
• Hauptverband Papier- und Kunststoffverarbeitung e.V. (HPV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association for paper and plastics processing industry employers.
• Unternehmensverband der Papier, Pappe und Kunststoffe verarbeitenden Industrie Nordrhein e.V. (UPV Nordrhein)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional state association for paper and plastics processing employers in North Rhine.
• Bundesverband Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen e.V. (BGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational wholesale, foreign trade, and services employers' federation.
• Bundesverband der Deutschen Kalkindustrie e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational limestone industry employers' federation.
• Gesamtverband der deutschen Textil- und Modeindustrie e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational textile and fashion industry federation coordinating industry positions nationwide.
• Arbeitgeberverband Spedition und Logistik Deutschland e.V. (ASL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational freight and logistics employers' federation.
• Arbeitgeberverband Verkehrswirtschaft und Logistik Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level freight and logistics employers' federation in NRW. Forms a tariff community with VBU's transport association.
• Landesausschuss der Arbeitgeberverbände der Chemischen Industrie von Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level chemical industry employers' federation for NRW.
• Papiertechnische StiftungminorOthersPaper technology foundation for research and development in paper industry.
• Versicherungsstelle des Deutschen Groß- und Außenhandels GmbH (VGA)minorOthersInsurance services for wholesale and foreign trade companies.
• Bildungswerk der Nordrhein-Westfälischen Wirtschaft e.V.minorOthersEducation and training services for businesses in North Rhine-Westphalia.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft SCHULEWIRTSCHAFTminorOthersWork-economy education network connecting schools and businesses.
• Hauptverband der gewerblichen BerufsgenossenschaftenminorOthersGerman trade association for statutory accident insurance.
• Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft GmbH (INSM)minorOthersEconomic policy initiative promoting social market economy.
• Statistisches Bundesamt DeutschlandminorOthersFederal Statistical Office providing economic and labor market data.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• bayme vbm – Bayerische Metall und Elektroindustrie: Combined Bavarian metal and electrical employers' associations. Same collective-bargaining, HR consulting, and labor-law representation role as VBU's member associations, just at larger scale and in a different Land. Functionally identical service portfolio.
• Nordmetall: Employers' association for the metal and electrical industry in the five northern German states. Direct counterpart to VBU's Metall association; offers identical services (collective bargaining, legal counsel, HR advisory) for a different geographic footprint.
• Verband der Metall- und Elektroindustrie Berlin-Brandenburg (VMEBB): Regional employers' association for metal/electrical companies in Berlin-Brandenburg. Directly comparable scale and remit to VBU's Bergischer AGV Metall — collective bargaining, labor-court representation, and HR services for SME-heavy membership.
• HessenMetall: Metal and electrical employers' association for Hesse. Same legal structure, same collective-bargaining role as VBU's Bergischer AGV Metall, and overlapping service offering (legal, HR, political representation).
• Südwestmetall: Regional employers' association for the metal and electrical industry in Baden-Württemberg. Same legal form (eingetragener Verein), same collective-bargaining and labor-court representation mandate, and comparable member scale (hundreds of companies, tens of thousands of covered employees). Direct functional peer to VBU's Bergischer Arbeitgeberverband der Metallindustrie.
• Unternehmerverband Handwerk Nordrhein-Westfalen: Craft-sector employers' association in NRW. Adjacent model: regional employers' federation providing labor-law, HR, and political-representation services to craft SMEs — same organizational template as VBU but in the Handwerk segment.
• Arbeitgeberverband Chemie Nordrhein-Westfalen: State-level chemical-industry employers' association in NRW — same Land as VBU and a coordination partner via the Landesausschuss relationship. Direct peer to VBU's Chemie member association.

Broad incumbents

• Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHK) Wuppertal-Solingen-Remscheid: Statutory chamber of commerce for the same Bergisches Land territory that VBU serves. IHKs are broader incumbent bodies that overlap with VBU on HR/labor-law advisory but operate under public-law mandate (compulsory membership), unlike VBU's voluntary membership model.
• Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA): Federal peak employers' association — VBU's direct partner and upstream umbrella. BDA coordinates national labor-policy positions across all member employer associations; not a direct competitor but the federation-level peer against which VBU's regional contribution is measured.

Others

• Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB) – Region Bergisches Land: Trade-union counterpart on the same Bergisches Land territory. While not a competitor, DGB is the direct negotiating party across the collective-bargaining table that VBU's tariff-bound member associations face; understanding DGB dynamics is essential context for VBU's business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vereinigung-bergischer-unternehmerverb%C3%A4nde-e-v

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Vereinigung Bergischer Unternehmerverbände e.V.