ZG Raiffeisen

ZG Raiffeisen eG is the agricultural Raiffeisen cooperative for the German state of Baden, headquartered in Karlsruhe. It traces its origins to the cooperative self-help movement of Baden farmers and is regarded as having been founded on 1 January 1911, when the first central cooperative on Baden soil — the Zentral-Bezugs- und Absatz-Genossenschaft des Badischen Bauern-Vereins eGmbH — began operations. Its direct predecessor, the Badische landwirtschaftliche Zentralgenossenschaft eGmbH (BLZ), was formed in 1929 through the merger of the purchasing and sales cooperative of the Badischer Bauernverein in Freiburg and the Badische Landwirtschaftliche Hauptgenossenschaft in Karlsruhe. In 1975 the BLZ was renamed Raiffeisen-Zentralgenossenschaft eG by member resolution, and in 2004 it took the name ZG Raiffeisen eG. The cooperative began by supplying Baden's predominantly small-scale farms with seed, fertiliser, crop protection products and animal feed, and by marketing harvests — especially grain collection. From 1950 a technology division with agricultural machinery sales was added. Later came energy, building materials and classic retail in the Raiffeisen markets, some of which keep their own accounts. Even after the founding of the state of Baden-Württemberg, ZG Raiffeisen's sales territory remained limited to the Baden region; within Germany it has the smallest sales territory by area among the six main agricultural cooperatives. In the 1990s business relations were extended to France, Switzerland and Austria through cooperation agreements. Today the ZG Raiffeisen Group describes itself as a link between people and agriculture in its region, serving farmers, municipalities, garden and landscape contractors and forestry operations. Its business fields are agri, building materials, energy, markets, filling stations and technology. The group operates Raiffeisen markets, more than 20 building-materials branches, heating-oil and fuel-station businesses, and a building-materials trade with services such as measuring and installation, delivery, digital configurators, energy-refurbishment coordinators, bathroom planning, gas-cylinder service, paint-mixing service and a concrete filling station. Through shareholdings such as Raiffeisen Baucenter GmbH and other smaller participations in agri, energy, market and technology, the ZG Raiffeisen Group first exceeded one billion euros in revenue in 2007. As a registered cooperative (Genossenschaftsregister No. 100020), ZG Raiffeisen is owned by its members and is a member of the Deutscher Raiffeisenverband, in which ZG Raiffeisen board member Lukas Roßhart sits on the presidium. On 1 January 2012 the former energy and technology business areas were spun off as independent GmbHs, both remaining wholly owned subsidiaries of ZG Raiffeisen eG. Since 2015 the cooperative has operated the German-Swiss logistics centre LahrLogistics in Lahr as a joint venture with Fenaco. In January 2020 the German Federal Cartel Office imposed a multi-million-euro fine on ZG Raiffeisen over illegal price agreements among seven crop-protection wholesalers; after appeal proceedings, in April 2020 the cooperative agreed to a penalty payment of 4.9 million euros.

ZG Raiffeisen eG in Karlsruhe is the agricultural Raiffeisen cooperative for Baden and was founded in 1911 as a self-help organisation of Baden farmers in Freiburg. It is the successor organisation of the Badische landwirtschaftliche Zentralgenossenschaft eGmbH (BLZ), which was created in 1929 through the merger of the purchasing and sales cooperative of the Badischer Bauernverein in Freiburg and the Badische Landwirtschaftliche Hauptgenossenschaft in Karlsruhe. The actual founding date, however, is considered to be 1 January 1911, when the first central cooperative on Baden soil — the Zentral-Bezugs- und Absatz-Genossenschaft des Badischen Bauern-Vereins eGmbH — began its work. The original supply of Baden's predominantly small-scale agriculture with seed, fertiliser, crop protection products and animal feed, as well as harvest marketing, especially grain collection, was expanded from 1950 with a technology division selling agricultural machinery. Later came energy, building materials and classic retail in the Raiffeisen markets, some of which keep their own accounts. Even after the founding of the state of Baden-Württemberg, ZG Raiffeisen's sales territory remained limited to the Baden region. Within Germany, ZG Raiffeisen has the smallest sales territory by area among the six main agricultural cooperatives. In the 1990s business relations were extended to France, Switzerland and Austria through corresponding cooperation agreements. In 1975 the BLZ was renamed Raiffeisen-Zentralgenossenschaft eG by member resolution, and in 2004 it received the name ZG Raiffeisen eG. Through shareholdings such as Raiffeisen Baucenter GmbH and other smaller participations in the agri, energy, market and technology business areas, the ZG Raiffeisen Group achieved revenue of more than one billion euros for the first time in 2007. The cooperative, based in Karlsruhe, sees itself as a service partner for agriculture, for municipalities, garden and landscape contractors and for forestry operations. It is active in the following business fields: agri, building materials, energy, markets, filling stations and technology. It is entered in the cooperative register (No. 100020) and is a member of the Deutscher Raiffeisenverband, in which the ZG Raiffeisen board member Lukas Roßhart is a member of the presidium. As of 1 January 2012, the former energy and technology business areas were spun off as independent GmbHs. Both remain 100-percent subsidiaries of ZG Raiffeisen eG. The new GmbHs are intended to react more efficiently and flexibly to market developments. Since 2015, ZG Raiffeisen has operated the German-Swiss logistics centre LahrLogistics in Lahr in a joint venture with Fenaco. On 13 January 2020 it became known that the Bundeskartellamt had imposed a multi-million-euro fine on ZG Raiffeisen. The authority considered it proven that the goods cooperative had participated in illegal price agreements among seven nationwide crop-protection wholesalers from 1998 to March 2015. According to this, the price lists for crop protection products were coordinated with each other in spring and autumn. After completed appeal proceedings, it became known on 15 April 2020 that ZG Raiffeisen had agreed with the Bundeskartellamt on a penalty payment of 4.9 million euros.

• The first central cooperative on Baden soil, the Zentral-Bezugs- und Absatz-Genossenschaft des Badischen Bauern-Vereins eGmbH, begins operations; regarded as the founding date.

• The Badische landwirtschaftliche Zentralgenossenschaft eGmbH (BLZ) is formed through the merger of the purchasing and sales cooperative of the Badischer Bauernverein in Freiburg and the Badische Landwirtschaftliche Hauptgenossenschaft in Karlsruhe.

• The technology division with agricultural machinery sales is added.

• By member resolution, the BLZ is renamed Raiffeisen-Zentralgenossenschaft eG.

• Business relations are extended to France, Switzerland and Austria through cooperation agreements.

• The cooperative receives the name ZG Raiffeisen eG.

• The ZG Raiffeisen Group achieves revenue of more than one billion euros for the first time.

• The former energy and technology business areas are spun off as independent GmbHs, remaining 100-percent subsidiaries of ZG Raiffeisen eG.

• ZG Raiffeisen operates the German-Swiss logistics centre LahrLogistics in Lahr as a joint venture with Fenaco.

• The Bundeskartellamt imposes a multi-million-euro fine on ZG Raiffeisen over illegal price agreements among crop-protection wholesalers.

• After completed appeal proceedings, ZG Raiffeisen agrees with the Bundeskartellamt on a penalty payment of 4.9 million euros.

Regional cooperative service partner for agriculture, municipalities, garden and landscape contractors and forestry, positioning itself as the link between people and agriculture in Baden.

• Agricultural inputs (seed, fertiliser, crop protection, animal feed)

  Core supply business for Baden farmers, alongside grain collection and harvest marketing.

• Building materials (Baustoffe)

  High and civil engineering, roof and facade, interior finishing, garden and landscaping, tiles, floor coverings, doors, gates and windows, tools and accessories, with services such as measuring and installation, delivery, digital configurators, energy-refurbishment coordinators, bathroom planning, gas-cylinder service, paint-mixing service and a concrete filling station.

• Energy (heating oil, fuel, filling stations)

  Energy supply for the region, including heating oil and filling stations.

• Technology / agricultural machinery

  Agricultural machinery sales, spun off into an independent GmbH in 2012.

• Raiffeisen markets

  Classic retail markets, some of which keep their own accounts.

1. 1ZG Raiffeisen – Das WIR liegt in unserer Naturzg-raiffeisen.de
2. 2Ihr Baustoffhandel in der Nähe – Services & Beratung bei ZG Raiffeisenzg-raiffeisen.de
3. 3Kostenloser Online Planer für Boden und Wand- ZG Raiffeisen Baustoffezg-raiffeisen.de
4. 4Baustoffe kaufen in Baden – Baumaterialien mit Qualität aus der Regionzg-raiffeisen.de
5. 5ZG Raiffeisenwikidata.org
6. 6ZG Raiffeisende.wikipedia.org