On 4 July, 2024 the Federal Association of Furniture Forwarding and Logistics (AMÖ) e. V., an organisation that represents 800 German furniture forwarding and special logistics companies with 25,000 employees, applied to rejoin the European association FEDEMAC e. V. with effect 1 September, 2024.

Bertil Durieux, President of FEDEMAC remarked: “I am particularly happy that AMÖ decided to rejoin FEDEMAC. AMÖ is the oldest and the largest federation of removal companies in Europe. I witnessed the change at AMÖ following the arrival of Andreas Eichinger. What was achieved during his tenure is remarkable. I know that Andreas visited many of AMÖ’s members. An association has to serve its members. It needs to be connected to them and their issues. Just as Andreas and myself connected since meeting in December 2022 for the first time.”

A press release from FEDEMAC said that Bertil Durieux and Andreas Eichinger, AMÖ’s Director General, had intensive discussions and built a robust relationship over the past year and a half. Moreover, Andreas participated in the last meeting of the FEDEMAC Board and the General Assembly as an observer. This involved developing a common view on how AMÖ and FEDEMAC could work together to achieve mutual objectives. On behalf of their members, AMÖ and FEDEMAC are working hard to achieve a much stronger weight on the European level so that the voices of European movers are heard.

The organisation went on to say that the sector is facing substantial challenges and so political exchange is increasingly important. This is why both associations encourage companies to establish national associations in countries where there currently are none. AMÖ and FEDEMAC support and call for closer cooperation between national associations in Europe.

Andreas Eichinger remarked: “National associations should join forces to overcome existing challenges of the sector, to reap synergies and to find effective solutions. As national associations we need to stand together, speak with one voice. Standing together means that we are stronger together. And to us FEDEMAC is the place for all this, in particular after the turnaround of the Association led by Bertil Durieux. As AMÖ we want to contribute. We want to shape the future of FEDEMAC together.”

With AMÖ joining FEDEMAC, the first mutual project on building an effective group to lobby at an EU level was launched. Representatives of other national associations who are members of FEDEMAC will contribute to the work of the group.

Photo:  Bertil Durieux (left) and Andreas Eichinger.