E/D/E

E/D/E — formally Einkaufsbüro Deutscher Eisenhändler GmbH — is a German purchasing and marketing association headquartered in Wuppertal. Founded on 11/12 November 1931 by Ferdinand Trautwein and four other merchants, it describes itself as Europe's largest purchasing and marketing association for the Produktionsverbindungshandel (PVH), the technical/industrial wholesale sector. It is a family-owned business now in its third generation of Trautwein leadership. The association serves roughly 1,200 member companies, most of them specialist wholesalers supplying commercial customers in the trades, industry and municipalities. Members trade in tools and machinery, industrial supplies, fittings and building elements, occupational safety and technical trade products, building services (sanitary/heating) and steel. E/D/E acts as a system headquarters for these members, providing central purchasing, logistics, marketing, an academy, digital services, e-commerce and banking services. Members can source goods and services from more than 3,200 suppliers. E/D/E operates across 29 European countries with more than 1,100 employees. Its central logistics arm, the electronic Logistics Center (eLC), carries over 500,000 articles, has more than 73,000 square metres of warehouse space, ships up to 10,000 parcels a day to 31 European countries, and reports a delivery readiness of 98 percent. The group's trading volume reached EUR 9.4 billion in the 2025 financial year. Ownership is held 75.5 percent by the Trautwein family, 20 percent by E/D/E GmbH and 4.5 percent by the non-profit E/D/E Stiftung. Beyond purchasing, E/D/E has built a diversified service portfolio. It founded the Swiss subsidiary e + h Services AG in 1983, established the E/D/E Stiftung in 2002, launched the ETRIS Bank GmbH as a wholly owned subsidiary on 1 January 2012 to handle central settlement and financing, and opened its own company kindergarten DIE EDEfanten in 2014. The company continues to invest in digital transformation, e-commerce and sustainability programmes for its members.

E/D/E was founded as Einkaufsbüro Deutscher Eisenhändler Bock & Co on 12 November 1931 by Ferdinand Trautwein and four other merchants in Wuppertal. The company initially occupied four rooms on Wupperstraße in the Elberfeld district, later moving to Distelbeck near what is now Wuppertal Hauptbahnhof. Its early focus was warehouse trading in rough and small ironware, building and furniture fittings, tools, and household and kitchen appliances. The warehouse was first located at Weidenplatz near Wuppertal-Steinbeck station, then moved to a site on Saarstraße. When the Distelbeck office was destroyed in the 1943 air raid on Elberfeld, the administration also moved to Saarstraße, where a provisional office barrack was erected next to the warehouse in 1945. The company benefited from the post-war economic boom and employed around 130 people by 1956. Goods were presented at trade fairs of the Verband Deutscher Eisenwarenhändler, and branches and warehouses were established in Munich and Kitzingen for southern Germany. By that time, only Robert Christians and Ferdinand Trautwein remained of the founders as managing partners. In 1964 the company moved to a 30,000 square metre site in Wuppertal-Langerfeld, where a new warehouse and administration building was commissioned. In 1967 the business passed to Ferdinand Trautwein's son Eugen Trautwein. By 1981 the warehouse area had grown to 60,000 square metres, and the company operated a high-bay warehouse with an associated conveyor system that was exemplary for its time. The current company high-rise was built in 1998. In 1983 the Swiss subsidiary e + h Services AG was founded as a representative for well-known national and international brands, acting as an interface between manufacturers and dealers. In 1990 E/D/E acquired an adjacent site of nearly 30,000 square metres. Between 1995 and 1998 the company erected a new administration building, the E/D/E high-rise. In 2002 Dr. Eugen Trautwein founded the non-profit, independent E/D/E Stiftung. In 2006 Dr. Andreas Trautwein joined the E/D/E management, marking the third generation in the executive suite. In 2008 the E/D/E Stiftung became one of three founding shareholders of Junior Uni Wuppertal. In 2009 a new warehouse was completed with an investment value of EUR 35 million, and sustainability became a fixed component of the business. On 1 January 2012 E/D/E founded ETRIS Bank GmbH as a wholly owned subsidiary to take over central settlement (Zentralregulierung) and offer members and suppliers growth credits, financial services and payment processing. On 1 January 2014 Andreas Trautwein took over management, representing the third generation of the family. In the same year the company's own kindergarten DIE EDEfanten was inaugurated, in which the company invested EUR 2.5 million. Today 75.5 percent of the company remains in family ownership, 20 percent is held by E/D/E GmbH and 4.5 percent by the E/D/E Stiftung. E/D/E is active with around 1,100 employees in 29 European countries, and its trading volume in the 2025 financial year was EUR 9.4 billion.

• 2026

  E/D/E expands and realigns its management board as part of an orderly generational transition.

• 2025

  E/D/E reports a trading volume of EUR 9.4 billion for the 2025 financial year.

• 2014

  Andreas Trautwein takes over management on 1 January; the company kindergarten DIE EDEfanten is inaugurated (EUR 2.5 million investment).

• 2012

  ETRIS Bank GmbH is founded on 1 January as a wholly owned subsidiary for central settlement and financial services.

• 2009

  Modern logistics technologies and sustainability become fixed components; a new warehouse is completed with an investment of EUR 35 million.

• 2008

  The E/D/E Stiftung becomes one of three founding shareholders of Junior Uni Wuppertal.

• 2006

  Dr. Andreas Trautwein joins the E/D/E management — third generation in the executive suite.

• 2002

  Dr. Eugen Trautwein founds the non-profit, independent E/D/E Stiftung.

• 1995

  Construction of the E/D/E high-rise administration building begins (completed 1998).

• 1990

  Site expansion: E/D/E acquires an adjacent site of nearly 30,000 square metres.

• 1983

  e + h Services AG is founded as the Swiss representation for national and international brands.

• 1967

  Dr. Eugen Trautwein joins E/D/E, bringing the second generation of the Trautwein family into the executive suite.

• 1964

  Move to the current site in the Wuppertal-Langerfeld industrial area.

• 1932

  The founders hire their first apprentice — also the company's first employee.

• 1931

  E/D/E is founded on 11/12 November in Wuppertal.

• 1929

  Ferdinand Trautwein becomes fascinated by the idea of joint purchasing, forming the founding idea of E/D/E.

Europe's largest purchasing and marketing association for the technical wholesale (PVH) sector, acting as a system headquarters that strengthens the competitiveness of mid-sized specialist wholesalers.

• Central purchasing (Zentraleinkauf)

  Pooled purchasing for members from over 3,200 suppliers.

• eLC electronic Logistics Center

  Logistics center with over 500,000 articles, 73,000+ sqm warehouse space, shipping up to 10,000 parcels daily to 31 European countries.

• ETRIS Bank GmbH

  Wholly owned subsidiary handling central settlement, growth credits, financial services and payment processing.

• E/D/E AKADEMIE

  Training and education services for members.

• Digital services and e-commerce

  Digital transformation support, e-commerce solutions and knowledge platforms such as BAUWIKI.

• Marketing and network services

  Marketing support and organization/operation of networks for supply systems.

• Sustainability Detectives (Nachhaltigkeitsdetektive)
• FORMAT Badbuch 2026/27
• Meet & Connect Schweißtechnik 2026
• Forum Bauelemente 2026
• Meet & Connect Baugeräte 2026

1. 1Das E/D/E in Wuppertal - Wir verbindenede.de
2. 2Über das E/D/E | E/D/E GmbHede.de
3. 3Geschichte | E/D/E GmbHede.de
4. 4Logistik | Zentrale Services E/D/Eede.de
5. 5E/D/Ewikidata.org
6. 6E/D/Ede.wikipedia.org