The company GaLa Selected is a sales representative that specialises on garden products. Their products – from exclusive lamps to high-quality vertical greening – can transform gardens into paradises. Michael Möllenbeck is the owner of the company based in Hamminkeln on the Lower Rhine in the north-west of North Rhine-Westphalia.
“I am 63 years old now and have spent almost all of my career out in the green,” says Michael Möllenbeck. “I grew up here in Hamminkeln. I first trained to be a chef and later a clerk. But after that, I joined my parents’ gardening and landscaping company and did an apprenticeship as a landscape gardener.” He adds: “I enjoyed this job, so shortly after that, I went to Essen and did another apprenticeship as a horticulture technician with focus on landscape gardening.”
Michael Möllenbeck took over his father’s company but had to file for insolvency in 2000. Afterwards, he worked as an manager in the successor company. Furthermore, he worked as an instructor for the Diakonie and became head of sales at a supplier company for gardening and landscaping goods, before founding GaLa Selected in 2020. His son, Jan Möllenbeck, has joined the company on the 1st of March 2024 – much to the delight of his father.
Why should landscape gardeners consult GaLa Selected? Michael Möllenbeck answers: “We offer premium consultation for our customers. And we offer a diverse portfolio. We provide all necessary supplies for roof greenings, represent three providers of exterior lamps, one fertiliser producer, and the manufacturer of a vertical greening system. This system consists of individual planting stones made of a specially developed mineral-based material that stores and transports liquids.”
Michael Möllenbeck likes to use his office on wheels to visit existing and future customers. “During the pandemic, I bought a mobile home and refurbished it so that I can perfectly conduct consultations in there,” he says. “I have all product catalogues and different samples on board. This makes it the ideal place for sharing expertise.”
Michael Möllenbeck is not only very active when it comes to his profession. He has been involved in politics in his home region for decades: He is a member of the local council and takes part in many honorary committees. This brings him joy and at the same time, it provides a balance to his work in the field.
GaLa Selected is one of the exhibitors at the joint stand of the International StartUp Area. This area is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and can be found in Hall 3C. NürnbergMesse offers companies in the International StartUp Area special conditions for participating in GaLaBau, the leading International Trade Fair for Urban Green and Open Spaces (www.galabau-messe.com/en). The fair takes place from 11 – 14 September 2024.
