UNIBAL, France's National Union of the DIY, Gardening and Home Improvement Industries was established in 1979. Today Unibal serves a membership of over 260 companies which supply a highly diverse range of DIY products.

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

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

Since 1980, Unibal has maintained a production index based on its members' turnover. Published every three month, 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 retail sectors.

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

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 worked 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 or delisting practices.

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

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.

On a European scale, Unibal is one of the three founding members of FEDIYMA, the European Federation of DIY Manufacturers. FEDIYMA represents a tremendous and timely opportunity for dialogue and exchange, and will undoubtedly prove to be a significant initiative for the DIY industry in the decade ahead.