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100 years of electrical trade: Hesse is celebrating a bright future!
In 2025, Frankfurt am Main will celebrate 100 years of electrical trade with historical significance and current developments in the sector.
100 years of electrical trade: Hesse is celebrating a bright future!
On June 18, 2025, the Electrical and Information Technology Association of Hesse/Rhineland-Palatinate (FEHR) will celebrate its 100th anniversary. An occasion that is not only important for the Hesse region, but also affects the entire German electrical industry. The roots of the electrical trade in Germany are deeply rooted in Hesse, like elektro.net reports.
As early as 1891, the first “International Electrotechnical Exhibition” in Frankfurt am Main brought a breath of fresh air into the industry. The “Electrical Engineering Society” was founded here in 1881 by Georg Montanus, a real pioneer in this young industry. Montanus had a good hand and in 1902 became the first chairman of the “Association of Electrical Installation Companies in Germany (VEI)”, which is considered a pioneer of today's Central Association of German Electrical and Information Technology Trades (ZVEH).
An association with history
The VEI took on an important role in representing the interests of electrical installers vis-à-vis electricity suppliers and the electrical industry. Montanus remained in office until 1927, but the global economic crisis and political circumstances led to major challenges for the electrical trade. In 1936 the association's membership increased to 2,200 companies. After the end of the Second World War, the re-establishment of regional associations began in 1946, which enabled the sector to recover and realign.
In 1950 the “State Association of Electrical, Radio and Television Technicians in Hesse” was founded. Another important event in the history of the FEHR followed in 2005, when the regional associations of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate merged. The FEHR currently represents 41 guilds with 5,535 companies and employs over 56,000 people, including around 5,500 trainees.
The ZVEH and its role
The ZVEH itself is a strong partner for almost 49,000 companies in the industry, which employ a total of over 527,000 people. These figures are impressive – the industry itself generates annual sales of around 81.4 billion euros. Members of the ZVEH are heavily active in the area of climate-friendly technologies, such as photovoltaics, heat pumps and electromobility. Wikipedia reports that the ZVEH acts as the voice of electrical engineers and information engineers at national and European levels.
The main tasks of the ZVEH include, among other things, the promotion of economic interests, political advocacy and public relations. The association also ensures that quality standards are met in training and professional practice.
In summary, it can be said that the FEHR trade association plays an important role in the development and preservation of electrical craftsmanship in Germany. With over 40,000 employees and an annual turnover of 8.487 billion euros, how elektro.net informed, the electrical trade is a key economic sector not only for Hesse, but for the whole of Germany. It will be interesting to see how this traditional industry will develop over the next 100 years.