Digital Magazine – 2025 #2

Dear Euro-Mat Community,

As Europe faces unprecedented construction labour shortages, this September edition reveals how innovation, adaptation, and strategic thinking are reshaping our industry landscape.

Our cover story explores how builder's merchants could play a crucial role in addressing Europe's construction workforce crisis. Far from being passive intermediaries, they hold vital keys to bridging the skills gap that threatens our industry's future.

Baucenter Decker-Ries from Luxembourg provides the perfect example of this transformation. As one of Euro-Mat's founding members, their remarkable journey toward forward integration, enhanced service delivery, and continuous innovation exemplifies exactly how merchants can evolve from traditional suppliers into strategic partners who actively address industry challenges. Their success story offers a compelling blueprint for merchants ready to reinvent themselves and become part of the solution.

Innovation takes centre stage with Wavin's groundbreaking Polderroof system, a true industry game-changer that transforms water not as a challenge to manage, but as a valuable resource for creating climate-resilient cities. This technology represents the kind of forward-thinking solutions our sector desperately needs.

Finally, we decode the latest EU decarbonisation regulations and their profound implications for building materials. As regulatory frameworks evolve, understanding these changes isn't just helpful, it's essential for strategic planning and competitive positioning.

This edition captures our industry at a critical moment: challenged by shortages, energised by innovation, and guided by new regulatory realities. The companies and solutions featured here aren't just adapting, they're actively shaping what comes next.

Happy reading,

Eldert Jan van Herk
General Manager Euro-Mat