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9/16/2025
Milan becomes the European capital of dialogue between industry and distribution
The 65th Ufemat Congress brings together key players from the construction sector to address the challenges of sustainability, regulatory evolution and digital transformation
The 2025 Ufemat Congress brought together representatives of national associations of distributors of building materials in Milan to discuss new regulations, sustainability and digitalisation. It was an opportunity to “team up”, promoting collaboration between manufacturers and distributors. The event showed how innovation and dialogue are driving the future of the construction industry.
On 12 September, Palazzo Castiglioni in the heart of Milan hosted the 65th Congress of UFEMAT (European Association of National Builders’ Merchant Associations and Manufacturers), a key event for the European construction sector. The congress brought together representatives of national associations of building materials merchants from across Europe, alongside manufacturers such as Mapei, for an open and constructive dialogue on the major transformations reshaping the industry: from the green transition to the digital revolution, and the evolving regulatory landscape that introduces new responsibilities and opens up new opportunities.
On 12 September, Milan hosted the 65th Ufemat Congress, which brought together representatives of national associations of building material distributors from various European countries.
Founded in 1958, Ufemat was established by national associations of building materials distributors with the aim of creating a European organisation capable of defending the interests of a strategic sector through dialogue with European institutions. Today, Ufemat brings together 19 national associations. Italy is represented by Federcomated (Italian Federation of Traders in Cement, Bricks and Building Materials), whose president Giuseppe Freri is a long-standing figure within the European association.
Ufemat Secretary General Marnix Van Hoe introduced and moderated the proceedings of the Association's 65th Congress.
The congress was opened by Ufemat President Palle Thomsen and Secretary General Marnix Van Hoe, joined by Giuseppe Freri. In his keynote speech, Freri proposed the creation of a joint working group between manufacturers and distributors to strengthen shared representation before the European Commission and enhance the competitiveness of European companies in the global market. “Manufacturers and distributors must move forward together to build a stronger and more sustainable Europe,” he stated.
Palle Thomsen reaffirmed Ufemat’s role as the voice of distributors in Brussels, highlighting how bureaucracy risks penalising small and medium-sized enterprises—the backbone of the sector across Europe. “The solution lies in digitalisation, with its ability to ensure traceability, simplification and speed,” declared the president.
Marco Squinzi (left), CEO of Mapei, and Palle Thomsen (right), President of Ufemat, highlighted in their speeches how digitalisation can help manufacturers and distributors overcome the challenges of the present and of the future.
One of the most anticipated moments of the day was the speech by Marco Squinzi, CEO and R&D Director of Mapei Group, who offered a concrete and forward-looking perspective on the role of distribution and the impact of new EU regulations.
“Distributors are the central link between manufacturers and customers. Cooperation is essential to avoid market confusion, ensure accurate information and adapt effectively to European regulations.” Squinzi highlighted the upcoming entry into force of the new Construction Products Regulation (CPR 2024/3110), applicable from January 2026. The new regulation will replace the DoP (Declaration of Performance) with the new DoPC (Declaration of Performance and Conformity), which will also include sustainability indicators, and will push towards digitalisation by introducing the DPP (Product Digital Passport). While aiming to ensure trust, transparency and free movement of construction products in the European market, it will potentially cause chaos in the market due to the very long period of coexistence - 14 years - with the current CPR 305/2011.
The CEO of Mapei also presented some projects developed by Mapei for packaging, both to increase its sustainability and to bring it into line with national regulations in various European countries. Squinzi illustrated how Mapei is already moving towards the future by adopting digitalisation tools (geolocalised QR codes printed on packaging that link to the relevant product page, sharing of tools and information, etc.), providing concrete support to companies in achieving regulatory compliance in this area as well.
In his speech, Marco Squinzi highlighted how digitalisation, sustainability and cooperation can help tackle the challenges facing the construction industry.
Following an economic overview of the construction market presented by Antonella Stemperini of Cresme (Centre for Economic and Social Market Research in Construction), the congress featured contributions from European associations. Lisa Marie Brehmer of EuroCommerce highlighted the strategic role of wholesale trade in the European context and the association’s efforts to defend the interests of the sector before EU political and legislative bodies. Rien van de Bosch of GS1 provided concrete examples of how digitalisation is impacting manufacturers and distributors, presenting tools such as the Digital Product Passport, a strategic instrument for identifying and communicating the environmental impact of products, and the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), used to track and identify products, their composition and life cycle.
Francesco Freri, President of REC – Circular Construction Recovery Consortium, shared the experience of the consortium established to promote the reuse of construction materials, with Mapei as a technology partner. “REC represents a concrete model of transition to sustainability, capable of collecting, tracking and processing waste efficiently, reducing emissions and transport costs,” Freri stated.
Manuel Ritz from HGC provided concrete examples of digital tools that, through artificial intelligence, have brought benefits to Swiss distributors and customers.
The congress also addressed the challenge of generational transition in the construction sector. Jan van Herk of Euromat and Giovanni Delei of Assimpredil Ance highlighted the difficulties faced by small and medium-sized enterprises in passing the baton to younger generations. They stressed the need to make the sector more attractive to new talent by investing in innovation, digital tools and inclusive business models.
Finally, Manuel Ritz of HGC (Handel Gesellschaft für Baustoffe), one of Switzerland’s leading building materials distributors, demonstrated how artificial intelligence can revolutionise distribution by improving customer interaction and automating complex processes. He presented digital tools (a platform and a process management system) launched in the Swiss market that have delivered competitive advantages for both distributors and end users.
At the end of the conference, participants visited the Mapei manufacturing plant in Robbiano di Mediglia, near Milan.
The congress concluded with a visit to the Mapei production plant and the 4Bild retail outlet, both tangible examples of applied innovation and sustainability. Milan, with its international outlook and dynamic business environment, proved to be the ideal venue for this exchange. And once again, Mapei confirmed its role as an active driver of change.
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