bobbie: Building materials retail digitally and nationwide in Germany

I grew up and went to school in Coesfeld, which is about halfway between Münster and the Dutch border," says Tim Kuhlmann, looking back. "With my A-levels in the bag, I went to Munich and studied international business administration at Munich Business School." The 40-year-old then decided not to pursue a traditional career as a management consultant, but instead joined Godelmann in Fensterbach in the Upper Palatinate, east of Nuremberg.

"I had a great time at Godelmann," says Tim Kuhlmann. "I went through several positions in the company, built up the business in the Czech Republic and was appointed to the management board in 2010 - I was 28 years young at the time. My extensive contacts in the building materials trade stem from this time and my realisation that there is huge potential for optimisation in this field of work."

"I then had a key experience in 2015," Tim Kuhlmann continues. "At a private party, I met Alexander Gran, an IT specialist with extensive and international experience. We got on very well right from the start and he was also looking for new challenges. So we founded bobbie together in 2017."

bobbie, which has offices in Munich and Aachen, sees itself as a modern building materials retailer that wants to create transparency and, as a service provider, bring manufacturers and customers together with digital processes. The employees strive for the best possible customer service and - despite their focus on digital commerce - are personally and easily accessible on the phone.

The company has a comprehensive building materials database, which is updated daily. Here, landscape gardeners and professionals from other trades can find all the relevant information they need to find, compare and ultimately purchase building materials and have them delivered. As a result, bobbie is gradually automating the transaction steps from customer enquiry to delivery to the construction site. The aim is to achieve cost and speed benefits as well as better service - for building tradesmen and building material manufacturers alike. Tim Kuhlmann concludes by describing the special features of bobbie as follows: "It's about the building materials procurement of the future, with fully integrated data and purchasing processes for maximum cost accuracy in planning and minimum effort in procurement."

Bobbie is one of the exhibitors at the joint stand for young innovative companies. This is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) and is aimed at newcomers and start-ups from Germany. At GaLaBau, Leading International Trade Fair for Urban Green and Open Spaces (www.galabau-messe.com), from 14 to 17 September 2022, over 20 companies will be exhibiting in Hall 3C.