VdL celebrates 125th anniversary at 2025 general meeting
The Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V. (VdL) is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a festive evening and a large annual general meeting in the heart of Berlin in 2025.
The German manufacturers of coatings, paints and printing inks have returned to the place where their association was founded: the self-organization of the German coatings industry was founded in Berlin in 1900. It was the industry's first association and quickly established itself as a comprehensive platform for opinion-forming and self-administration for a medium-sized and, until then, regionally based industry.
The name has changed several times over the decades - printing inks are now also included - but the purpose of the association has not: networking and the effective representation of interests for the approximately 200 member companies at national and international level. Reason enough to celebrate 125 years of the association together: the industry met again for a multi-day anniversary event in the center of Berlin: it started on 22 May with a meeting of several committees and specialist groups from the architectural coatings, industrial coatings, wood coatings and printing inks segments. In the evening, they celebrated together with invited guests at a banquet in the center of Berlin near Berlin's Museum Island.
General Assembly 2025 of the VdL
The actual general meeting followed on Friday, 23 May: VdL President Dr. Harald Borgholte welcomed around 180 participants from 72 member companies. Numerous guests from Germany and abroad as well as friendly associations from all over Europe had also come to the Spree. VCI Managing Director Wolfgang Große Entrup and publicist Stephan Götz Richter were invited as keynote speakers - both spoke about the social and economic reforms that are urgently needed in Germany. Managing Director Dr. Martin Kanert outlined the broad range of activities of the association, which sees itself as a political organization and has been intensively involved in the changes in Brussels and Berlin, especially in the anniversary year, and has also been able to provide technical and communicative support to its members. In his speech, President Borgholte emphasized how important it is to work together as an association in difficult times. "We have the feeling that we are going from one crisis to another. And in this situation, the German coatings and printing inks industry has proven its great resilience." Especially now, the commitment of the member companies and their employees in the association's committees is crucial. Borgholte: "The association is only as strong as its members, and only together can we remain powerful."