FEST General Assembly – Milan, 2018

Last month FEST members met at the Mostro Convegno exhibition in Milan to host the annual General Assembly of the European Sanitary and Heating Wholesalers Federation. 

The meeting heralded the end of Mrs Caroline Van Marcke’s highly successful 2-year term as President and the formal appointment of Mrs Beatrix Ostermann as her successor. Mr Johan Stevens of Sanitop in Portugal was also elected as the new Vice President and will take office in March 2020.

During her presidency Mrs Van Marcke broadened the membership of the Federation by opening it up to Associate Members from the supply side of the industry. This has encouraged wider discussions on mutually relevant topics, such as the development of a common product data classification model throughout Europe, using ETIM International as the industry’s chosen partner. Workshops focusing on Master Data and on lobbying of the EUP were held at regular intervals over the last two years and have helped to secure progress on a number of shared initiatives.

Mrs Ostermann will continue to drive progress on FEST’s key strategic goals and will also seek to encourage all wholesalers across Europe to add value to their offer by sharing examples of best practice in their businesses. Her Congress in Vienna this September will also shine a light on the growing digitisation within the industry and the need for all members to modify their trading model in order to prosper in the changing market place.

Those wishing to attend the FEST Congress should visit the website at: www.festcongress.wien