IVG, the German Garden Industry Association, was founded by 15 manufacturing companies in 1973 in Düsseldorf, the association now has grown to nearly 140 member companies.

IV considers itself both the joint body of the suppliers of utility and consumer goods for the leisure outdoor garden market as well as the professional market for horticultural products and garden landscaping within Germany. Since 2000 IVG also represents the German peat and substrates industry with its office in Hannover, BTH (Bundesvereinigung Torf- und Humuswirtschaft) in Lower Saxony.

IVG has its main focus on the following tasks:

• Defending economic and political interests of the sector in the “Green Market” 
• Marketing: issues on the sector’s market and distribution 
• Public relations work for the promotion of the “Green Market” 
• Industrial fairs with emphasis on “gafa”, the Cologne International Gardening Fair 
• Law, especially economic and environmental law, competition and contractual law 
• Exchange of experience on service and spare parts issues 
• Contacts with suppliers’ associations and similar or related associations of trade and industry nationally and internationally 
• Defending the interests of the gardening market vis-à-vis environmental legislation 
• Cooperation together with Bau und DIY in the logistics cooperation project SynLOG: www.synlog.org  

The following product groupings are active within the defined market segments

• Lawn mowers 
• Gardening tools 
• Gardening equipment 
• Biological-chemical products 
• Peat and substrates industry
• Working Group “Plants” 

IVG's fair activities are concentrated on an official partnership between IVG and Cologne Fair in the interest of gafa, the leading international show for garden retail.

IVG office is situated in Ratingen near Düsseldorf airport within a close working relationship with Bau und DIY, the German association of DIY manufacturers, thus joining forces to represent the industry focussing on the DIY and garden centre distribution channel.