UNITI Bundesverband mittelständischer Mineralölunternehmen e.V.

Today's UNITI Bundesverband mittelständischer Mineralölunternehmen e.V. was founded on July 1, 1947 under the name UNITI Vereinigung deutscher Kraftstoffgroßhändler e.V. (Association of German Fuel Wholesalers). Strictly speaking, it was a re-establishment, as there had already been a predecessor - the "Uniti" Association of German Independent Fuel and Mineral Oil Importers - since 1927. Renamed "Uniti" Vereinigung deutscher Betriebsstoffgroßhändler e.V. in 1935, the association was dissolved after the introduction of mineral oil management at the beginning of the Second World War. Originally concerned only with fuel matters, UNITI expanded its activities as early as the 1950s to include heating oil, the importance of which as a source of heating energy began to increase at that time. At the beginning of the 1970s, member support also became necessary in the field of lubricants and in questions of mineral oil application technology. From 1977, these activities were intensified when, in the course of the dissolution of the trade association responsible for the lubricants sector at the time, numerous medium-sized lubricant suppliers with a strong market position joined UNITI. Since then, the association's image has been characterized by a comprehensive range of activities covering all mineral oil products, which - in accordance with the mission statement - aims to "promote and protect the common professional, economic and technical interests of its members". In the SME sector, UNITI is currently the only professional association responsible for fuels and lubricants as well as heating oils. It currently has almost 200 companies with different business focuses, which sell their products both as part of an extensive consumer and reseller or wholesale business and at around 4,600 road service stations and over 70 federal highway service stations, both under nationally represented brands and numerous brands of regional importance. UNITI also includes most of the independent lubricant manufacturers and distributors in Germany as well as a large number of medium-sized producers and distributors of additives - two groups of companies that are indispensable partners to the industry in that they are able to optimally fulfill its special requirements for fuels, combustibles and lubricants with their broad and differentiated product ranges. All these companies are linked by the common bond of their medium-sized character. The UNITI members directly employ around 10,200 people. If the companies affiliated with these companies ("company groups") are included, the number of employees is around 16,700. Including the stationary employees of the 4,600 road service stations and their staff, the UNITI Group is likely to employ a total of around 40,000 people directly and indirectly. The total turnover of these companies, including mineral oil tax and VAT, is in the region of 20 billion euros.