NORDWEST’s Networking Meeting intensively and successfully networks specialist dealers and suppliers
Dortmund, 27 June 2025 – Following the successful debut of the event two years ago, NORDWEST once again brought suppliers and specialist trade partners together for an outstanding networking event from 24 to 27 June 2025. The event focused on strengthening the exchange of expertise between manufacturers and specialist retailers, sharing insights into new products and trends, and fostering new contacts while building on existing relationships. The trade association is delighted to look back on a high successful four-day industry gathering at its headquarters in Dortmund, which attracted a total of around 1,100 guests. For the first time, the Trades & Industry Networking Meeting took place alongside the Construction Networking Meeting. The response was overwhelmingly positive!
From 24 to 27 June 2025, NORDWEST offered participants in this exclusive industry event the ideal platform for exchanging ideas on innovations, market requirements and new solutions. To cater to the wide range of interests, each day of the event focused on specific topics relating to product groups and industries. On 25 June, the focus was on personal protective equipment, welding technology and technical products, while 26 June was devoted to operating equipment, power tools, hand tools, abrasives and precision tools. The Construction division rounded off the event on 27 June with construction equipment, construction hardware, security technology and connecting technology.
On each evening preceding the respective meetings, guests were treated to a convivial programme with live music in the unique atmosphere of the dome tent at the NORDWEST headquarters in Dortmund. Parallel to the main event, meetings of the various performance communities – the Welding Activity Group, InTECH, KOMPASS, PC Operating Equipment, PC Precision, TEC-AS and KBS – were also held on the days running up to the industry meetings. To create ideal conditions for an intensive exchange and make the best possible use of the time, the specialist trade partners booked slots at the suppliers’ information stands in advance using a digital calendar tool. Participants who held more discussions with suppliers increased their chances of winning attractive prizes in the event’s networking competition.
Further inspiration came from keynote speaker Benedikt Böhm, a manager and extreme ski mountaineer, who drew masterful parallels between the world of extreme mountaineering and the business world in his talks.
NORDWEST Management Board member Michael Rolf summed up the experience: “Just like two years ago, we have once again seen tremendous interest and received very positive feedback, even more so with the addition of the NORDWEST Construction Networking Meeting. Since its premiere in 2023, word has spread about how valuable and worthwhile this event is, which has encouraged many more manufacturers to take part. The atmosphere has been outstanding, with everyone highly motivated and many promising discussions being held. The core idea behind the Networking Meeting is to bring together new suppliers with new customers and generate new business opportunities. NORDWEST and our outstanding guests have once again achieved this with flying colours.”
Following the extremely positive feedback from participants, NORDWEST is already looking forward to continuing this successful format in 2027!
Christian Niedermeier, Norres Schlauchtechnik GmbH:
“We really did have a wealth of opportunities to maintain existing contacts and to meet new contacts and customers. Everything has been organised in a highly professional manner, including the excellent schedule management tool provided by NORDWEST. So we’re delighted, and the entire event has been a huge success in our eyes so far.”
Dana Peters, PIEL Die technische Großhandlung GmbH:
“We were really pleased that there was another Networking Meeting this year. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet so many familiar and potential new partners all at once. A brilliant concept! Being able to network so intensively is an absolute highlight, as it’s the only way business can happen. So this is exactly the right platform for it – even the brief discussion sessions are perfectly adequate for delving deeper into other topics afterwards.”
Alexander Kratz, Wiha Werkzeuge GmbH:
“We had a wonderful evening yesterday that was perfectly organised, and the atmosphere was lovely. A wonderful way to start to the event! And after today’s discussions, it’s clear that there’s real added value for us, because we’ve spoken to many specialist retail partners we haven’t actively worked with before, resulting in some excellent new contacts. And all these personal connections really help us to dive right into a business relationship!”
Ralf Pixberg, WVG Werkzeug-Vertrieb GmbH:
“I’m very satisfied! It’s my first time at the Networking Meeting and I never expected one can gain so much valuable input from so many contacts in such a short time. That’s truly fantastic! We benefit greatly from being able to exchange ideas here with suppliers we don’t deal with much in day-to-day business. At NORDWEST, we meet lots of familiar partners with whom we’re in regular contact, and now we’re connecting with new ones too!”
Björn Hauer, CONTAINEX Container-Handelsgesellschaft m.b.H.:
“We’re delighted to be represented at this year’s NORDWEST Networking Meeting. There’s a very pleasant atmosphere here, and it offers the perfect setting to exchange ideas professionally. I think the speed-dating format is fantastic because it allows you to make as many contacts as possible in a short time and lay the groundwork for future business relationships. Extremely exciting!”
Claus Hedemann, Claus Hedemann GmbH & Co. KG:
“We are very satisfied. This is my second time here and we have had an incredible number of talks today. There were five of us here in total who attended the appointments. I find the atmosphere very conducive to conversations, and I also think the 15-minute slots are very suitable for this. It allows you to discuss the essentials. It’s really advantageous for me that the evening event takes place before the actual Networking Meeting, because that means everything that would normally be discussed on the sidelines has already been covered. So during today’s meetings we can really focus on the facts, which is very pleasant.”
Exclusive suppliers on the first day of the networking meeting for the Trades & Industry division were 3M Deutschland GmbH, AK Industry GmbH, ASATEX AG, ATG Hand Care (Pvt.) Ltd., Blåkläder Deutschland GmbH, Caramba GmbH, ContiTech Schlauch GmbH, Conzelmann Schweißhandelsgesellschaft mbH, Ejendals GmbH, FHB original GmbH & Co. KG, Kemper GmbH, Norres Schlauchtechnik GmbH, Ocean Textile Group A/S, Riegler & Co. KG, SAMOA GmbH and TRICOFLEX SAS Zone Industrielle.
On the second day of the very well-attended event, the exclusive suppliers August Rüggeberg GmbH & Co. KG, Durable - Hunke & Jochheim GmbH & Co KG, fetra - Fechtel Transportgeräte GmbH, Gebr. Schulte GmbH & Co. KG, GEDORE Werkzeugfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, GESIPA, KEMMLER Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH, MAKITA Werkzeug GmbH, Meta-Regalbau GmbH & Co. KG, Robert Bosch Power Tools GmbH, Rothenberger Werkzeuge GmbH, Ruko GmbH, VÖLKEL GmbH, Wera Werkzeuge GmbH, Wiha Werkzeuge GmbH and Zarges GmbH were available for discussions.
CONTAINEX Container-Handelsgesellschaft m.b.H., Robert Bosch Power Tools GmbH and ZND were on site as exclusive suppliers for the Construction division.
