• See also the cooperation’s services/insurance consultancy

• See also the cooperation’s services/data processing

The company ZEUS Zentrale für Einkauf und Service GmbH & Co. KG is a joint venture of hagebau, the Einkaufsbüro Deutscher Eisenhändler GmbH (EDE), a Wuppertal purchasing association of German ironmongers, and the Bielefeld based EK/servicegroup eG. Being the leading cooperation in the do-it-yourself and garden centre business, ZEUS combines all German and Austrian retail trading activities in the do-it-yourself and garden sector. In addition to approximately 750 hagebaumarkt DIY stores, werkmarkt locations (specialist retailers) and Floraland shops (garden specialist centres), ZEUS also supports about 900 owner-managed specialist retailers and garden centres that are not system-oriented. 
 
In 2009, ZEUS increased its net turnover (within its contracting sites) in Germany and Austria by 3,5% amounting to 2,19 billion Euro. With the most extensive location network and a top position in the garden centre sector, ZEUS is one of the leading cooperations in the do-it-yourself trade in Germany.

Founded in April 2007, the joint venture baumarkt direkt combines hagebau’s great competence in the do-it-yourself business and the customer-friendly order and delivery service of OTTO, successful multi-channel retailer and the world’s largest mail order group. baumarkt direkt operates the online shop www.hagebau.de and offers its customers the catalogue “hagebau direkt” with a wide range of home improvement, garden and recreation products. Customers can shop online – 20,000 articles – 24 hours a day.
Customers can choose between various order services: products ordered via internet or telephone are delivered by HERMES Logistik Gruppe, an OTTO Group company. Personal advice and ordering, however, are also possible at any time in hagebaumarkt DIY stores.

The five high-performance hagebau central warehouses in Neumünster, Westerkappeln, Herten, Schleinitz and Burgau are of great importance for the nationwide supply of goods. These warehouses are modern logistics centres storing a comprehensive product range with more than 6,000 articles for building materials, timber and tiles traders as well as hagebaumarkt DIY stores and garden centres. By combining quantities and information flow, the central warehouses reduce loading and unloading processes. This brings significant advantages for all hagebau locations: they benefit from an increased supply availability and from reduced total costs.

hagebau Austria was founded in 1995. Forty Austrian building materials traders and do-it-yourself store operators as well as hagebau Germany have shares in this independent company. Within a few years hagebau Austria became the market leader in the building materials trade. Today the cooperation runs 150 permanent establishments: 77 building materials shops, 55 DIY stores and 18 specialist shops for professionals. hagebau Austria employs almost 3,000 people, its headquarters is based in Vienna.
 
In 2004 eleven former ÖBAU members became partners of hagebau Austria. Since then, the cooperation unifies two brands under one roof: The ÖBAU locations continue trading under their old well known brand, while the other 27 partners perform under the name “hagebau”.
 
As in Germany, Austrian partners benefit from centralised services in purchasing, marketing and training. Of course they are also supported in the conception and planning of new locations and the redesigning of existing ones. The advantages of central purchasing became even more significant when ZEUS obtained shares in the retail division in 2007. Being a joint venture of hagebau, the Einkaufsbüro Deutscher Eisenhändler GmbH (EDE), a Wuppertal purchasing association of German ironmongers, and the Bielefeld based EK/servicegroup eG, ZEUS assumed responsibility for all 54 Austrian hagebaumarkt DIY stores regarding purchasing, sales and distribution, marketing and planning. The locations though remain in the ownership of the Austrian hagebau partners who continue trading under the brand names hagebau and ÖBAU. Furthermore, a ZEUS subsidiary in Vienna sees to the special needs of the Austrian do-it-yourself market.