Veiling Rhein-Maas looks back positively on 2019

16 January 2020

Overall, Veiling Rhein-Maas looks back on a satisfactory business year 2019 and with a product turnover of almost 350 million euros, there was even a slight increase compared to 2018. The physical auction clock remains the most important sales channel at the marketplace in Straelen-Herongen in 2019 and has achieved an increase in product sales of almost 2% compared to the previous year. The Christmas sales in 2019 were excellent resulting in the strongest December sales since the foundation of Veiling Rhein-Maas in 2010.


Positive trend at Clock pre sales and Remote Buying
The positive development of Clock pre sales continues further in 2019. The digital sales channel achieved an increase in turnover of more than 11% compared to 2018. Veiling Rhein-Maas is pleased that many suppliers of cut flowers are already offering their products via Clock pre sales. Nonetheless, there is still room for a stronger participation in terms of garden plants. Since December 2019, customers of the marketplace have been able to reserve products that will be offered via Clock pre sales on Mondays already on Saturdays. The cumulative share of Remote Buying in the total turnover of the auction in 2019 was almost 30%, which represents a small increase compared to the same period of the previous year.

Webshop for cut flowers and potted plants
After the first presentation at the customers and suppliers day and the IPM 2019, the Webshop of Veiling Rhein-Maas was intensively tested and expanded throughout the last year and was officially launched at the beginning of January 2020. With the introduction of the Webshop, Veiling Rhein-Maas is responding to the wishes of customers and suppliers for a further digitalised marketplace. The Webshop offers an even wider range of products, generating additional purchasing and sales opportunities for our customers and suppliers alike. Veiling Rhein-Maas says thank you to all customers and suppliers who supported the development of the Webshop during the pilot phase!

Modernisation in the auction hall
The first maintenance and modernisation measures in the auction hall have already been carried out in 2019. Since November 2019, the control panels of all seats in the auction room are being modernised. In 2020, Veiling Rhein-Maas will further invest into the facilities of the marketplace, e.g. converting the complete clock front in the auction room into an LED display.

Event highlights 2019
The first highlight of the year was the customers and suppliers day 2019 on the subject of `Marketing for the green industry in the digital age´ , which was attended by around 450 guests. In March, Veiling Rhein-Maas organised another successful edition of the trend exhibition `Rhein-Maas Next´ together with the `Fachverband Deutscher Floristen´ (FDF) in the foyer of the auction. The already fifth edition on the topic `Wedding dreams´ inspired many customers of the auction and presented the most important wedding trends of 2019.