![[Translate to englisch:]ElectronicPartner board member Friedrich Sobol spoke at the ElectronicPartner Industry Gathering about current challenges and future strategies.](/fileadmin/_processed_/1/1/csm_Branchentreff_2025_2_7122d3a33c.jpg "ElectronicPartner board member Friedrich Sobol spoke at the ElectronicPartner Industry Gathering about current challenges and future strategies.")
Last month, ElectronicPartner lost two of its most influential figures within just fourteen days: Edgar Haubrich, co-founder of the group, and Jörn Gellermann, Managing Director of the Austrian subsidiary. At the start of the event, ElectronicPartner board member Friedrich Sobol paid tribute to the dedication and unique contributions these two gentlemen made to the company and the people within the group.
Thanks in part to their legacy, ElectronicPartner is able to navigate a tightening market environment and ongoing economic and political challenges with confidence. Despite subdued consumer sentiment, a lack of major innovations, the rise of direct-to-consumer business, and fierce competition between online giants and specialist retailers, the group’s focus for 2026 is clear, Sobol explained: “We want to act, not react. We aim to be solution providers – not only when problems become acute. To achieve this, we closely monitor and anticipate developments around us and will align our brands even more consistently.”
The company is pursuing a growth strategy across all four countries – Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands – with a continued emphasis on specialised and qualified local service provision.
Dominant position of EP:specialist retail brand in DACH and NL
In Germany, ElectronicPartner currently has over 1,250 specialist retail members, around 270 of whom are EP:branded retailers. In 2025 alone, the group welcomed 29 new entrepreneurs to the brand concept: eleven took over existing EP:stores, while eighteen joined from other cooperatives or were previously unaffiliated. In Austria, ElectronicPartner is already the largest electronics retail cooperative with more than 840 members, 120 of whom are EP:branded. In Switzerland, the group is the only consumer electronics cooperative with national coverage across all three language regions, boasting over 1,000 members. In the Netherlands, ElectronicPartner has around 350 member businesses and stands out with its nationally unique omnichannel offering in the electronics retail sector.
Expansion and product range growth at MEDIMAX
The MEDIMAX brand saw three new openings in 2025, involving two new entrepreneurs: two MEDIMAX stores and one ProMarkt location. Additionally, twelve stores reopened following extensive renovation and modernisation – five of which now include integrated kitchen departments. As a result, nine MEDIMAX stores now offer an expanded range in built-in kitchens.
Growth in new business areas
To better secure existing locations and become more attractive to new partner companies, ElectronicPartner continues to invest in new business areas across borders. This includes the ongoing development of a repair network and the expansion of the WENDEpunkt concept focused on renewable energy in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Over 170 businesses now market innovative energy solutions under the WENDEpunkt brand, including ten that have joined the now independent WENDEpunkt company outside the group.
“Repair and energy open up a wide field of potential members – from workshops to specialists in areas such as security, energy, and more,” said Sobol. The group remains highly attentive to emerging topics that align with its expertise and promise high demand for service and consultation – such as robotics.
New 360-degree partner programme
With a new 360-degree partner programme for industry and manufacturers, the group is sharpening its profile as a comprehensive service and solutions organisation.
“Our goal: more growth through networking. ElectronicPartner offers the largest sales network for the electronics industry in the DACH region and the Netherlands. Based on this, we are creating a highly attractive service portfolio for retailers and manufacturers,” Sobol explained. The partnership between industry and specialist retail is a vital and reliable pillar in today’s landscape. The new 360-degree programme combines bundled expertise, retail media services, and best practices for maximum joint sales success.
“Transparency, reliability, and proven performance orientation are a given for us,” promised the board member.
To conclude the presentation programme, keynote speaker Jan Ditgen – performing as Dr Jens Wegmann – introduced the lighter part of the event with a performance on the topic of AI. Afterwards, attendees took the opportunity to engage in personal discussions with the ElectronicPartner board and numerous other representatives from the group’s headquarters. These conversations focused on the shared path towards a successful 2026 and the opportunities offered by the new 360-degree partner concept.
“Edgar Haubrich once said: ‘Without passion, enthusiasm, a desire to perform, discipline, and the will to win, there can be no sustainable success in a competitive world.’ ElectronicPartner continues to live by this credo, and we will use it to pave the way into our future,” summarised Friedrich Sobol.
