UFEMAT_66_Paris2026_FDMC

30/09–02/10/2026

PARIS - FRANCE

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Invitation

On behalf of Mr Palle Thomsen, President of UFEMAT, and Ms Marie Arnout, President of the French Federation of Building Materials Distributors (FDMC), and Eldert Jan van Herk, General Manager EURO-MAT I am delighted to invite you to the 66th UFEMAT Congress, to be held in Paris, France.

 

Marnix Van Hoe

Secretary General Ufemat

On behalf of Mr Palle Thomsen, President of UFEMAT, and Ms Marie Arnout, President of the French Federation of Building Materials Distributors (FDMC), and Eldert Jan van Herk, General Manager EURO-MAT I am delighted to invite you to the 66th UFEMAT Congress, to be held in Paris, France.

 

Marnix Van Hoe

Secretary General Ufemat

Marie Arnout
President
FDMC

Palle Thomsen
President
UFEMAT

Eldert Jan van Herk
General Manager
EURO-MAT

Marnix Van Hoe

Secretary General

UFEMAT

Conference in associaton with:

Click here to register

2026 Theme:

“Building Bridges - forever!”

In a time of economic uncertainty, geopolitical pressure and regulatory transformation, building bridges has never been more relevant:

 

• between wholesale and industry

• between national federations and Europe

• between tradition and innovation

• between policy makers and market reality

Letter of the President

Dear

 

After the strangest of summers, we hope this letter finds you well and the building materials industry in your country in good shape.

 

It has been some months since our last communication and we all have faced pressing national priorities during that time.  We have also adapted our working practices in order to support our members safely within a COVID-19 secure environment.

 

One thing we have all become familiar with is the virtual meeting.  It will come as no surprise that the Ufemat Annual General Assembly will be held as a virtual meeting on the afternoon of Thursday 15 October 2020.

 

As well as our formal AGM, the afternoon will include two valuable presentations. 

 

One will outline the results of a research project on the Building Materials Market across Europe undertaken by the Builders Merchants Federation’s Industry Analyst and Economist, Nyssa Patel. 

 

The other focuses on the challenges and opportunities presented by e-commerce and will be delivered by Simon Barkes, Incoming President of ETIM International.

 

Simon is the MD of an electrical wholesaling business in the UK and was previously President of the UK Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA). He has also served as President of the European Union of Electrical Wholesalers. Together with EDA CEO, Margaret Fitzsimons, Simon was responsible for introducing the ETIM standard to the electrotechnical sector in the UK. Following this, he was involved in the creation of ETIM UK Limited, which enabled the HVAC and Plumbing and Building Materials sectors to join the initiative through the BMF.

 

COVID-19 has highlighted several valuable lessons for building materials and distribution businesses. They must be able to adapt quickly to the changing needs of customers and clients; to operate remotely; and be e-commerce enabled. To achieve this we need high-quality, structured product data that can be transferred with ease to websites, e-commerce platforms and partners in the value chain – and ETIM provides a structured solution.

 

We look forward to “virtually” seeing you at the Annual General Assembly and ask you to complete the registration form to confirm your attendance.

 

Stay safe and keep well.

 

Best regards

John Newcomb

President Ufemat

Marnix Van Hoe

Secretary General Ufemat

Programme

Programme

DAY 1 - Wednesday 30 September

UFEMAT General Assembly

EURO-MAT Workshop (held separately)

 

Evening:

UFEMAT & EURO-MAT Meet & Greet

Joint networking activity bringing together approximately 150 participants

 

The Wednesday evening Welcome Reception will be held in the Hilton Paris Opera’s impressive historic former railway arrival hall,

offering participants an elegant and memorable setting to meet and network.

DAY 2 - Thursday 1 October

Venue information Saint-Gobain Research Paris:

41 Quai Lucien Lefranc - 93300 Aubervilliers, France

(Saint-Gobain Research Paris is located in Aubervilliers, near Paris, and is a leading R&D centre for building materials and habitat-related innovation)

saintgobain

Morning Conference Programme

 

09:00 – 09:15:

Welcome & Opening

Marie Arnout (President FDMC) / Palle Thomsen (President UFEMAT) / Eldert Jan van Herk (General Manager EURO-MAT)

IMG_03373
IMG_03372
IMG_0337

Part 1 – Plenary Session
(Main Atrium / Auditorium Steps)

09:15 – 10:00:

The Future of Building Materials in Europe - Saint-Gobain

10:20 – 10:45:

Packaging & Sustainability (PPWR) - Industry / Federation Speaker

10:45 – 10:55:

Best Practises Ufemat Members

10:55 – 11:10: 

Coffee Break

Part 2 – Conference Session
(Closed Meeting Room)

11:10 – 11:20 :

Best Practises Ufemat Members

11:20 – 11:50:

Wholesale in Europe – “The Invisible Giant” – EuroCommerce

EuroCommerce will highlight why European wholesale is often described as an “invisible giant”: 1.6 million enterprises, €818 billion in value added and 9.8 million people employed, with construction-related wholesale accounting for around 10% of this activity.

11:50 – 12:15:

European Commission Perspective – Director Barbara Bonvissuto (Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SME’s)

12:15 – 12:35:

Q&A Session

12:35 - 13:35:

Light Lunch

Afternoon Programme Options

 

After lunch, one group will transfer directly by coach to BATIMAT.

A second group will first enjoy an exclusive guided visit of the Saint-Gobain Research Paris laboratories and R&D facilities

— approx. 1.5 hours, restricted access, no phones/no photography

— before transferring by coach to BATIMAT.

Option 1:
Transfer to BATIMAT Exhibition

BATIMAT Exhibition: Paris Expo Porte de Versailles - Parc des Expositions - 1 Place de la Porte de Versailles - 75015 Paris, France

Option 2:
Exclusive Guided Tour – Saint-Gobain R&D Facilities (±1h30)

Access restricted – no phones / no photography 
+ Transfer to BATIMAT Exhibition

As BATIMAT Hospitality Sponsor, SEMIN Group will welcome UFEMAT participants to its stand during the visit for a dedicated “verre de l’amitié” and networking moment.

Evening

 

Exclusive industry dinner

The Thursday evening programme will feature an exclusive industry dinner, offering high-level networking!

Opened in 1927 in Montparnasse, La Coupole is one of Paris’s most iconic Art Deco brasseries. A historic meeting place for artists and writers such as Picasso, Hemingway and Simone de Beauvoir, it combines elegant architecture, cultural heritage and Parisian gastronomy - the perfect setting for the UFEMAT Gala Dinner.

 

102 Boulevard de Montparnasse - 75014 Paris, France

coupole-2

DAY 3 - Friday 2 October

Morning

 

Euro-Mat General Assembly

Visit to a Wholesale Merchant: Gedimat Houilles (SEFOR),

3 Avenue du Maréchal Foch, 78800 Houilles, France

(optional participation for EURO-MAT members).

gedimat

Lunch

 

The Congress will conclude on Friday with an informal closing lunch at Café Marco Polo, located directly opposite the Hilton Paris Opera.

“An individually tailored partner programme will be available.”

Venue overview

Hotel

108 Rue Saint-Lazare, 75008 Paris, France

Hilton Paris Opera

Participants will stay at the elegant Hilton Paris Opera, a landmark hotel in the heart of Paris combining more than 130 years of history with timeless luxury and contemporary comfort. Located in the vibrant Op.ra district, the hotel is within easy reach of iconic attractions such as the Op.ra Garnier, the Louvre Museum and the famous Galeries Lafayette. Behind its magnificent Haussmann-style fa.ade, guests will discover refined interiors, exceptional hospitality.

hilton-paris

Sponsors

Registration & Participation Fees

COSTS - UFEMAT Congress 2026 – Paris

From Wednesday 30 September to Friday 2 October 2026

 

Option 0 (Conference only)

€ 550* per person

Includes:

  • All official meetings
  • Conference sessions
  • Lunches
  • Logistics and transfers as foreseen in the programme
  • BATIMAT entry
  • Gala Dinner
  • Evening networking events

Option 1 (Conference + 1 Night Accommodation)

€ 650* per person (double use)

€ 950* per person (single use)

Includes:

  • Hotel stay
  • Breakfasts
  • All official meals
  • All official meetings
  • Conference sessions
  • Logistics and transfers as foreseen in the programme
  • BATIMAT entry
  • Gala Dinner
  • Evening networking events

Option 2 (Conference + 2 Nights Accommodation)

€ 1.100* per person (double use)

€ 1.600* per person (single use)

Includes:

  • Hotel stay
  • Breakfasts
  • All official meals
  • All official meetings
  • Conference sessions
  • Logistics and transfers as foreseen in the programme
  • BATIMAT entry
  • Gala Dinner
  • Evening networking events

*All participation fees are fixed forfait packages and are non-refundable and indivisible.

YOUNG MERCHANTS DISCOUNT

A special reduced rate applies for Young Merchants (born after 1986):

€ 200 discount on the applicable participation package.

 

UFEMAT and EURO-MAT strongly encourage the participation of the

next generation of European construction wholesale leaders

Click here to register

UFEMAT- Brusselsesteenweg 524 B 6 - B-1731 Zellik – Belgium - T. +32-2-466.24.83 - ufemat@ufemat.eu - www.ufemat.eu - website by Artex