A future together

Over recent years Schäfer Deckenplatten has worked to achieve a leading position in the DIY market through offering a comprehensive range of ceiling tiles and introducing new products on a regular basis. What is more, this company from Ettringen, Germany, brings with it a strong sales and marketing structure. Up to now the focus of NMC’s marketing activities has been in the field of decorative mouldings, rosettes, niches and consoles. The fact that the two companies are so differently orientated results in high potential synergies, e.g. in sales and marketing. Through bringing together the two departments NMC has been able to strengthen its position on the German and east European markets dramatically.
The company appears in the European market under the Decoflair name.
Since June 2002 the European headquarters of the NMC Group at Raeren, Belgium, has been responsible for the marketing coordination of the two brands. Strategies are worked out and directed from here: a Decoflair series for the European DIY market and a Schäfer collection for the export markets.
In the medium term, a uniform image under the Decoflair brand name should result for the European DIY market. There will still be the same broad range of products, with continuing additions. Which means that in future it will be possible to obtain around 600 ceiling tiles and panels, over 100 different mouldings and rosettes, and more than 90 insulating products – not far short of 800 articles altogether – from the one source.
Crucial for the sale of Schäfer-Deckenplatten, a company that generated a turnover of 10 mio euro last year with a workforce of approximately 90, was the fact that the DIY superstores are increasingly cutting back their supplier lists, which has led to the need to expand product portfolios. To ensure the continued existence of his company, Hans Schäfer looked for a buyer who would guarantee lasting development and protect existing jobs, whilst also offering access to an international distribution network.
The Schäfer collection is destined for the export markets.
Management at NMC headquarters sees advantages for retail customers in such features as the acquisition of a larger field staff, which is intended to ensure comprehensive customer care through improved delivery services, sales training, store decoration and reorganisation.
DIY in Europe 9-10/2002