Specialist building materials trade or DIY store?

Many questions, many answers - or what you should keep in mind when choosing your building materials dealer.

Without a professional building materials trade, nothing would work on the building site - nothing at all. As key suppliers, the employees of the multi-billion dollar trade sector carry out a wide range of tasks without which no stone would be laid in construction. Whether it's the provision of materials, logistics, specialist advice, construction equipment, tools, construction chemical products, bricks or paint brushes - building materials retailers like CAPITAL Baustoffe play a central role everywhere.

In today's CAPITAL Building Materials blog we try our hand at navel-gazing. We provide you with an overview of some of the topics that concern us, our customers and suppliers. In addition to general information on the topic of building materials, we dare to take a look into the "crystal ball". We will oraculate and highlight some of the challenges that will keep the entire industry in motion at present and in the future.

What is a building materials trade or building materials specialist market?

The building materials trade and its affiliated specialist markets supply the construction industry with all the materials it needs. From the cellar to the roof, from the garden to practical, safe and chic work clothing. Whether construction steel, construction chemicals, tiles, bulk materials, scaffolding, painting supplies or thermal insulation systems, the building materials trade supplies what is needed in construction. Often directly to the place of use. CAPITAL Baustoffe, for example, has complex delivery logistics behind it. The company's own special vehicles with huge crane jibs or heavy tippers are just as much part of the fleet as a manoeuvrable cargo bike. This makes a lot of sense, for example when urgent deliveries of small parts are needed in the congested inner city areas of Berlin.

A few numbers, please.

As of the end of 2019*, the German building materials trade employed 38,966 people. With 3,100 trainees, the building materials retailers shoulder their new staff in a targeted and independent manner.

In addition to employee qualification and the recruitment of skilled workers, the recruitment of enthusiastic and committed young people plays an important role at CAPITAL Baustoffe. The competition for young talent is at least as great and significant as the tense competitive situation in the building materials market itself.

2,303 companies of the 886 members organised in the BDB (Federal Association of the German Building Materials Trade) generated a total turnover of € 15.90 billion in 2019. With € 12.29 billion, commercial customers contributed a good 3/4 of the result. With private customers, the specialised trade in building materials generated a volume of € 3.28 billion.

Where are the origins of the trade in building materials to be found?

The oldest evidence of a traditional man-made building material was discovered in what is now Turkey. There is evidence that people worked and built with the help of mortar - a mixture of ground stone flour bound with lime and water - as early as 10,000 years ago.

It is widely known that the Romans built with concrete on a significant scale over 2000 years ago. Concrete, actually mortar with a coarser stone structure - at least 4 mm grain size - was used intensively around urban construction.

The "opus caementitium romano" consisted of crushed stone, water, quicklime, sand and pozzolans. In its complex composition, the volcanic rock served as a hydratically reacting binder. In German: Roman concrete hardened even under water. It is thus one of the top innovations of antiquity. Extremely practical for the construction of aqueducts, foundations, water pipes or roads - pressure-resistant, durable and malleable. As a wonderfully flexible building material, Roman concrete revolutionised established building methods. It opened up completely new possibilities in civil engineering, architecture and design.

What does that have to do with the building materials trade, please?

Some. Because Roman concrete is not a natural product. Concrete consists of ingredients. Someone provides volcanic stone and ash, others sand, and others provide water or the burnt lime. Planning, logistics, delivery, tools and containers. Do you notice anything?

Exactly: the building materials trade is a piece of human history. It has existed ever since man built solid shelters, manufactured goods, mined, refined and distributed raw materials - locally, regionally, nationally and even internationally at an early stage.

In essence, little has actually changed. Whether supply chains, raw material procurement, adherence to deadlines, new materials, tools or quality issues. These are all things that have always preoccupied the building community. And will certainly continue to do so in the future.

A quick overview of the product range

Shell construction and building construction - the parade discipline.

Numerous manufacturers with a global reputation are active in this sector. Building materials for solid or prefabricated houses - from wood to concrete, bricks, brick slips, clinker bricks to steel girders. Plaster, aerated concrete, cement or formwork accessories. Whether foundation wall protection, light wells or reinforcement technology - little would work in construction without the innovative products of the manufacturers. Without the knowledge and competence of experienced building material dealers.

Drywall construction, extension and conversion.

Specialist builders' merchants show, advise, recommend and supply the entire product range of professional, modern interior finishing. At CAPITAL Baustoffe, we only sell top quality products from renowned manufacturers such as danogips, Rock- wool®, Upmann® and AC. Dry construction profiles, fillers, interior insulation, clamping felts, screeds or vapour barrier films are part of the standard range of a qualified building materials specialist dealer like Capital Baustoff.

Building elements - more from garage doors to door fittings.

An attractive selection of beautifully designed and functional building elements is a must in a modern building materials store. At least if, like CAPITAL Baustoffe, you want to convince discerning and design-oriented architects and customers of the high quality of your product range.

As an intermediary and seller of high-quality doors, frames, fittings, windows, drives or garage doors, the specialist dealer plays an important role as an advisor. As a pilot, so to speak, between the building element products of the manufacturers on the one hand and the wishes of the customers on the other, he competently ensures a regulated traffic in the broad flow of goods. Permanent training by TOP brands such as Velux, Wellhöfer, BOS, Domoferm, Eclisse, Grauthof, HGM, Hörmann, Hugo, Roto, Kunex, licht & harmonie, Teckentrup or upmann, guarantee a top-level advisory service on site.

Garden & Landscaping - for holidays at home.

Professionally landscaped gardens, green spaces and parks are good for the soul. Well-tended gardens are references. They tell a lot about their owners. They increase and maintain the value of the entire ensemble. Sustainable building material qualities make their ecological contribution to the protection of species, soil quality and biodiversity.

Whether topsoil, drainage, garden slabs, bulk materials or the right tools. The specialist building materials trade knows what garden professionals need on site. Quality manufacturers at CAPITAL Baustoffe such as HEGLER, tubag, KANN, Ehl, MEA and Wienerberger stand for competent, intelligent and sustainable products in landscaping. For solutions that are worth the money.

Roofing materials - quality, nothing else has any place there.

As is the case everywhere in construction, quality more than pays for itself over the years in roof construction. As a building contractor, architect or private home builder, it's good to have competent building material trading partners at your side. Clay tile, slate or green roof? With a skylight, if so, which one? Drainage systems, roof windows or sarking membranes - your Capital building materials dealer knows what to do, gives tips and trusts in proven company partnerships. Like those with Quandt, Roto, Röben, Velux or Wienerberger.

Tiles & natural stones. Practical, beautiful - beautifully practical.

Durable, reliable and extremely practical. Tiles and natural stones are very much in vogue. They are an indispensable alternative to wood, concrete or plastic, both outdoors and in interior design. For example, to wood, concrete or plastics. At CAPITAL Baustoffe you will find tiles and natural stones of all colours, full of character and expression, hard-wearing and always visually eye-catching. Various accessories, from tile shears to levelling compounds and angle elements, are of course available on site in addition to our expert advice. Here in Berlin, you will find popular products from the brand manufacturers Botament, Lasselsberger Keramik, PCI and Schlüter®Systems, among others.

Bulk goods - preferably regional.

Local sand and gravel deposits, topsoil or granulates ensure CAPITAL Baustoffe short distances and attractively priced deliveries for its customers. This reduces the burden on the environment and promotes the regional economy. Are you looking for crushed stone, big bags or 16/32 gravel? Ask us about all bulk material topics. Together we will find a suitable answer - guaranteed. Our long-standing cooperation with top suppliers such as KSMZ, the Kies-Sand-Mörtel-Zentrale, ensures good prices and a perfect organisational process for us and you.

Painters & Painting Supplies. Dear painter paint me ...

Professional, hobby and occasional painters get their money's worth at the specialist building materials dealer. CAPITAL Baustoffe offers a wide and deep range of paints - which can of course be mixed on site as desired - and various painting accessories. For interior and exterior, walls and floors, for painting wood and metal and, and, and. There are no limits to creativity. From A, as in acrylic, to L, as in ladder, to decorative mouldings made of stucco, professional users and amateurs will find just about everything. As always, from top brand manufacturers such as Diessner, tesa, Storch, Otto Chemie or Pufas.

Insulation materials & thermal insulation composite systems.

In times of exploding energy costs and environmental challenges, insulation materials and composite insulation systems can offer valuable savings potential. Supplied by professionals and installed by competent people, they help to sustainably reduce energy demand. Currently, about 30% of Germany's energy consumption is "burned up". Modern façade and base insulation, brick slips or plasters, XPS, stone, wood wool or foam glass improve the energy efficiency of buildings. CAPITAL Baustoffe's highly trained specialist advisors will be happy to provide you with comprehensive information about the latest products. About trends and offers from renowned manufacturers such as BASF, Rygol, ROCK-WOOL or FOAMGLAS.

Structural steel & wood. When bearings really make an impression.

CAPITAL Baustoffe has significant storage capacities for all common structural steel products. Do you need structural steel mesh, reinforcing steel, steel beams or profiles? Ask us to send you our stock programme - we'll be in touch. Wood, as the sustainable building material, is currently in "over demand". A scarce commodity, then, like a variety of organic building materials on offer.

Take advantage of CAPITAL Baustoffe's excellent supplier relationships and ask us. Of course, we stock large quantities of all types of construction timber such as planks, battens, formwork and profiled timber - from GELO, Herholt, Swiss Krono and other TOP manufacturers.

Ready-mixed concrete. Punctuality is not an adornment.

In construction, on-time delivery earns cash money. The interdependency of the various trades forces a precise timing, especially on large construction sites. Special concrete, flowing screeds or ready-mixed concrete according to DIN? All on schedule and in top quality? No problem for CAPITAL Baustoffe. You determine the goods, place and time. We don't talk, we come and deliver - gladly with one of our powerful concrete pumps. C 8/10 or C20/37, C12/15 or C30/37, preferably from Heidelberger Beton? Do you need steel fibres or concrete admixtures? Give us a call. We'll see how we can support you.

Civil engineering. Fundamental expertise is a must here.

As experts for supply, disposal and surfaces, CAPITAL Baustoffe benefits from the know-how in civil engineering acquired over decades. With sophisticated procurement and delivery logistics, we guarantee a smooth flow of materials as a full-service provider. From the order to the precise, on-time delivery.

Whether drainage, concrete shafts, collecting pits, fleeces or KG 2000 pipes and accessories - we are professionals and know what you are talking about. Visit our 18,000 sqm civil engineering exhibition in our outdoor area. You will find what you are looking for. Or we will find a quick solution with our top suppliers ACO, HEGLER, Ostendorf, TenCate or others.

Plaster, mortar, construction chemicals. New construction, renovation - always happy to help.

What is to be done? CAPITAL Baustoffe supplies at prices that are well worth looking at. Mineral and silicate plaster, synthetic resin and silicone resin plaster, cement, grout or joint mortar from PCI, Sekret, Knauf or Bauxit can be found in the well-stocked warehouse of our Berlin building supplies store. Plus numerous articles on the subject of construction chemicals.

Adhesives, sealants, PU foams, fillers, primers and waterproofing are, by the way, product groups that require a lot of consultation. Wrong decisions quickly lead to frustrating results, not infrequently to damage. Take advantage of the expert advice from CAPITAL Baustoffe. It protects you from unpleasant surprises. And it is inexpensive: it costs you nothing.

Workwear. Chic, on the construction site.

Much of what is considered practical, safe and functional to wear on the construction site does not necessarily meet the aesthetic demands of the wearer. Some safety shoes look as if they have fallen out of time. You will look in vain for rude cuts of trousers, jackets or shirts in the CAPITAL Baustoffe workwear range. We want the professionals on the construction site to feel good in their skin and above it. With high-visibility clothing, functional underwear, shirts or protective workwear as well as with shoes, jackets and trousers. The companies CanadianLine, atlas, Dunlop and Kübler, for example, ensure that taste does not fall by the wayside despite all the functionality.

How does the building materials trade differ from the DIY store around the corner?

Good question, the answer is less easy. Because the boundaries between the classic building materials trade and what we know as the offers from DIY stores are becoming more and more blurred.

While in the past the building trade, in its function as an advisory wholesaler, was essentially at the side of the professionals from the building industry, private customers are now using their expertise and parts of the professional range in increasing numbers. Now, hardly any private builder will use the full breadth of Capital Baustoffe's logistics know-how, for example. But the range of tools and machines for traditional trades is also extremely interesting for do-it-yourselfers. Hobby bricklayers, stonemasons, painters and carpenters get their money's worth here. They stroll side by side with the professional craftsmen - who, by the way, make up a good 70 % of our clientele - through our exhibitions and increasingly take advantage of the competence of our expert advice. On the other hand, the DIY stores are also intensively courting the favour of the skilled craftsmen, who are specifically looking for less consultation-intensive offers in nearby branches.

In short: there is a lot going on in the industry, which on the one hand is very customer-oriented and flexibly adapts to the environment. On the other hand, it is increasingly creating competition for itself from within its own ranks, for example by mixing up product ranges, target groups or services.

Expert advice makes the difference!

When two people do the same thing, they are far from being the same. For us, this proverb aptly sums up what distinguishes traditional building materials retailers from DIY stores: their advisory, service and logistics competence.

At CAPITAL Baustoffe, as one of Berlin's leading specialist building materials retailers, we see advice from professionals for professionals as not only our strength. It is part of our brand essence, our DNA as a company. Therefore, qualified training, intensive training, reliable partnerships with suppliers, and enthusiasm for what we do every day have been part of the armoury of all "capitalists" for years.

There are rarely any questions left unanswered. The impossible becomes possible and consultation at eye level is a matter of course for us in our daily work.

As a service provider, we stand by our statements. To transparent, fair prices and binding appointments. Of course, always to the extent that we ourselves can determine and influence. In the current tense times, our experience proves to be an invaluable asset. Long-standing, proven and reliable suppliers help us to meet commitments and agreements on time, competently and thus professionally in the interest of our customers.

Who are the largest German building materials retailers by turnover?

According to the Statista Research department, the company Eurobaustoff leads the ranking of the German building materials trade with a turnover of € 6.63 billion. It is closely followed by Hagebau - certainly known from its nationwide construction markets - with € 5.79 billion in sales volume. In 2020, third-placed Baywa held its position ahead of Nordwest with € 1.9 billion in sales. The company, in fourth place, achieved € 1.12 billion in sales.

The companies Bauvista (EMV Profi & Baustoffring), Wego and Agravis follow in fifth, sixth and seventh place. Their sales volumes in the 2020 financial year were € 0.52 billion, € 0.42 billion and € 0.35 billion respectively.

E-commerce sales of building materials amounted to € 334 million in 2022* and continue to show an upward trend. The total volume includes the e-commerce revenues of both the stationary and the mail-order trade, as well as those of the pure online shops with products from the building materials range.

The most important challenges for the building materials trade in the coming years?

The building materials trade, like the entire medium-sized trade in Germany, is facing enormous challenges that need to be mastered. In addition to increasing competitive pressure, we see customer-oriented digitalisation as a key issue. In addition, the effects of geopolitical conditions and crises are also and especially demanding on locally active building materials retailers such as CAPITAL Baustoffe. Practicable solutions are needed on the ground, in all areas:

- Energy supply
- Europe at war
- Inflation
- Environment
- Trade flows
- Raw materials

In direct connection with the current uncertainties resulting from this, the medium-sized building materials trade is facing a bundle of sector-specific tasks. The focus here is on the topics:

- Cost structures/efficiency
- Specialist Personnel/Training/Recruiting
- Economy/Construction/Cost Pressure
- Digitisation
- E-commerce/Marketing/Own Brand Strategy
- Investments/Loans/Banks
- Procurement/Sortiment/Storage

So there is a lot to do. Let's tackle it and take advantage of the opportunities that arise from the requirements. If you have any questions or comments about our blog, CAPITAL Building Materials or specific projects, please let us know - thank you for your interest.

*Sources : Statista 2022, e-commerce turnover in building materials ; bdb-bdf.fr under Industry / Figures * Facts