UNIBAL, France's DIY, Gardening and Home Improvement Manufacturers Association was established in 1978. Today Unibal serves a membership of over 250 companies which supply a highly diverse range of DIY, garden and home improvement products.

By promoting exchange of experience, monitoring consumer demand and market trends, and encouraging dialogue with retailers, Unibal provides a full range of services and the commercial tools necessary to succeed in today's DIY business in France and abroad to its members.

To deliver reliable statistics and trends on a regular basis to its members, Unibal operates a comprehensive programme of surveys and studies regarding both supply and demand.

Since 1980, Unibal has been issuing a quarterly production index based on its members' turnover. This index reflects the trends emerging from the main DIY product categories. A DIY consumption index, produced by Unibal since 1990, reflects sales in the various DIY retail sectors.

Major studies carried out every two years and focused on diyers and gardeners provide valuable information about changing consumer attitudes and shopping habits regarding products, brands and stores to Unibal’s members.

In addition to keeping its members informed and up-to-date, Unibal also helps them to improve their knowledge of the market: a training institute set up in 1996 offers top quality training courses tailored to the DIY business.

Since its creation over 20 years ago, Unibal has been working continuously to promote good working relationships with retail federations as well as public authorities. For example, a code of good practice was signed in 2000 with the FMB, the Federation of DIY retailers in France. This code is constantly updated with appendices, for example on logistics, delisting practices, security of the products or service quality. Recently FMB and Unibal have signed an agreement on reduction of the payment terms.

Also, Unibal often welcomes national retailers to important meetings, to offer the DIY chains   the opportunity to meet and discuss face-to-face with manufacturers.

Unibal offers as well the opportunity to its members to gather and think all together about topics such as logistics, sustainable development, export, etc. Unibal organises as well meetings about latest news in the industry, legal topics and of strategic reflection.

To encourage its members in their export activities, Unibal offers a full range of services - from European studies of DIY retailing, to overseas trade missions, to group stands at major international trade events. Meetings are also organised with the leading European retail groups to encourage dialogue and partnership, and to offer French manufacturers additional opportunities for commercial discussions.

Unibal is one of the three founding members of FEDIYMA, the European Federation of DIY Manufacturers. FEDIYMA represents a tremendous and timely opportunity for its members to exchange on markets on a European level.