History
Years ago, many suppliers in the DIY sector felt the need for a consultative body to reach common positions. Everyone felt increasingly alone in the face of multiple challenges. Informal contacts between suppliers clearly pointed in the direction of similar problems that called for a well-founded common position. The creation of a unique organisation, strong enough to consult with retail in order to help better organise and influence the market, gradually became a reality.
On the one hand, FEBIN chose to remain independent, rather than operate as a supplier column under the banner of the then federation do-it-yourself, FEDOZ. But on the other hand, FEBIN wanted to make every effort to create a platform where retail and suppliers could consult: thus BDA (The Belgian Do-It-Yourself Association) was born. All pillars were represented in this federation: independent retail through FEDOZ, organised retail through FEDIS (now Comeos) and the suppliers with HIMA Benelux.
In 2009, FEBIN decided to join forces with two other DIY sector organisations (FEDOZ and Comeos) with a view to increasing efficiency. In this operation, the non-profit organisation BDA was disbanded as a structure, and the BDA consultation platform was reduced to 2 pillars: retail and supply. These were integrated into the retail federation Comeos. In the process, FEBIN always retained its status as an independent supplier federation.
Today, the challenge for suppliers is all the greater! Due to the far-reaching concentration of large-scale customers, strongly evolving market conditions and changed power relations in the sector, a good consultative body by means of a supplier federation with a good base of representative members is even more of a must than 15 years ago. Many early suppliers have understood this and continue to support HIMA Benelux as a federation within the DIY sector.
Through a clearer and reformulated vision, a little more adapted to the spirit of the times and the exciting times of change in which we work and live, the ‘old’ FEBIN was renamed HIMA Benelux - Home Improvement Manufacturers Benelux - in 2021. Entirely with new logo and a clear baseline that its working area is the Benelux, in which we represent Home Improvement Manufacturers.