Press release

SHD Forum 2025 Brings the Industry's Future Topics to Centre Stage

ANDERNACH, 14. July 2025 – The gates of the Sayn industrial monument opened to host two days full of innovation, networking, and industry dialogue. More than 200 guests accepted SHD’s invitation and experienced an SHD Forum on 8 and 9 July 2025 that combined current digitalisation trends, innovation and transformation with practical solutions for the furniture and kitchen industry.

Under the motto "Discover. Innovate. Network.", the industrial monument became a stage for future-focused technological topics, where leading thinkers, partner companies and SHD experts shared their insights from AI applications in sales and marketing to cybersecurity and the unveiling of new SHD products.

The Future Made Tangible: From the Big Picture to Concrete Solutions

For SHD CEO Dietmar Meding, one thing is clear: “Over the next five years, our industry will change more than it has in the last fifty years combined. The rules of the game are changing, and we must be prepared to think on a new scale.”

His term “the push of the next 1,000 days” describes the period in which key technological decisions begin to take effect: “1,000 days, that’s the timeframe in which technology projects become reality, in which strategic decisions make an impact, and in which customer relationships are either built or lost. It’s the critical phase when new ideas must move beyond discussion and into implementation. And today, we are laying the groundwork for what our industry will look like tomorrow.”

With a varied programme of keynotes, product presentations, panel talks and a comprehensive exhibition, the SHD Forum bridged the gap between technological progress and tangible added value for manufacturers, retailers and service providers in the industry.

Product Strategy in Focus: TODAY. NEXT. FUTURE.

A particular highlight was the joint talk by CEO Dietmar Meding and CTO Ryan Bryers, in which they presented SHD Group’s product strategy: from current developments to short- and medium-term objectives, and strategic long-term visions. It became clear: SHD is positioning itself as a leading end-to-end technology partner for the industry offering integrated, modular, and future-proof solutions.

Premiere on Stage: SHD Connect

A major product innovation was the introduction of SHD Connect, a modern, cloud-enabled ERP solution tailored specifically to the needs of small and medium-sized kitchen and furniture retailers. “Greater efficiency with less complexity” was the promise explained by Michael Christmann in his main stage presentation, supported by a product preview.

Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity & Customer Experience

Other key topics included:

• The keynote by Prof. Dr Christian Stummeyer on “The Customer of the Future: AI for Marketing and Sales in the Kitchen and Furniture Retail Sector”
• The cybersecurity double session featuring Oliver Schneider (Riskworkers) on real-world crisis management during cyber extortion and white-hat hacker Immanuel Bär (Prosec) offering live insights into an attacker’s mindset
• The presentation “Digital Proximity to the Customer” by hey.kitchen Managing Director Christian Lenzhölzer, on new standards in after-sales service
• The keynote by Dennis Oudjin (Valk Solutions) on the topic of self-checkout systems in retail with numerous best practice examples

Demo Area, Exhibition & Networking: Digital Diversity Live

On the demo stage and throughout the adjoining exhibition area, SHD companies and partners were represented across 23 stands and numerous expert sessions. Topics ranged from e-commerce strategies and modern workforce planning to self-checkout systems and ESL technologies. The demo area served not only as a showroom, but also as a space for dialogue, in-depth product insights and practical use cases.

Key Highlights from SHD Group (Selection):

• SHD Connect – New ERP cloud solution for medium-sized kitchen and furniture retailers
• KPS.MAX Suite – Intelligent kitchen planning architecture
• hey.kitchen – Digital after-sales services and new end customer app
• SHD ECORO e-commerce – Holistic online strategies with impact on physical retail
• SHD perfacto & perforce – Digitalisation of finance and HR processes
• SHD Technology & Service – IT operations, security and hosting from a single source

Shaping the Future Together: Exchange and Partnership

The SHD Forum 2025 was more than just an industry event, it was a place for connection, dialogue and forward planning. CTO Ryan Bryers summed it up: “This was my first SHD Forum and I’m truly impressed by the energy and commitment to shaping the future within our industry. The conversations with customers, partners and colleagues really underscored how important it is not just to develop technology, but to experience it together. And that’s exactly what we achieved here: we didn’t just present the future, we began it together.”

Über SHD

Vernetzt, persönlich, branchenorientiert: Die SHD, eine international agierende Unternehmensgruppe mit Sitz in Andernach, ist seit über 40 Jahren der führende Anbieter von IT-Lösungen und Dienstleistungen für die Möbel- und Küchenbranche. Als Branchenspezialist ist SHD der einzige Anbieter einer durchgängigen Systemwelt – vom Hersteller über den Handel bis hin zum Endkunden. SHD bietet mit den Softwarelösungen und IT-Dienstleistungen Antworten auf die aktuellen und zukünftigen IT-Herausforderungen im Bereich Wohnen und Lifestyle. Die SHD-ERP-Software ist eine Gesamtlösung und passgenau auf den modernen Möbelhandel zugeschnitten. Mit SHD-Planungssoftware gestalten und visualisieren Sie Küchen, Bäder und Wohnräume. Branchenübergreifend liefert SHD-Lösungen zur Lager-, Finanz- und Personalverwaltung sowie IT-Services und Technologien. Als strategischer Softwarepartner bietet SHD für den unternehmerischen Erfolg ihrer Kunden im Onlinehandel ein ganzheitliches E-Commerce-Konzept. Ein breitgefächertes Beratungs- und Serviceangebot mit Projektmanagement, Prozessanalyse, Organisationsmanagement, Schulungen und Support runden das Profil ab. Zur SHD-Gruppe gehören sechs inländische Tochterunternehmen sowie acht ausländische Tochtergesellschaften, die sich mit ihren Lösungen und Dienstleistungen optimal auf ihre speziellen Zielmärkte fokussieren. Aktuell arbeiten in der SHD-Gruppe über 650 Mitarbeiter.

Mehr Informationen unter www.shd.de
Unternehmens- und Pressekontakt

SHD Group Holding GmbH, Susanne Scheuermann, Unternehmenskommunikation, Rennweg 60, 56626 Andernach, Deutschland, Telefon +49 2632 295-456, E-Mail: ssu@shd.de, Homepage: www.shd.de