Germany’s Federal Association of Medium-Sized Energy Companies (Uniti) and the Association of the Lubricant Industry (VSI) have agreed to merge following unanimous votes at their respective general meetings, they announced in a press release today. The decision marks a shift toward closer industry collaboration, bringing together Uniti’s experience in energy and fuel distribution with VSI’s technical expertise in lubricants.
The wheels were set in motion in December 2022, with a joint task force of three Uniti and three VSI members.
“The driver was that both associations had already a close and trustful relationship with several companies being members in both associations,” Edwin Leber, CEO and managing director of Uniti, told Lube Report. “When the merger is officially finalized, the new organization will represent 95% of the German lubricants market, which is by far the largest lubricants market in Europe.”
The legal and organizational integration into Uniti should be finished in the fourth quarter of 2025. Both associations are currently coordinating the transition, with the aim of providing more unified representation for companies in the lubricant sector.
Uniti, established in 1927, comprises around 1,000 member companies. These include operators of approximately 8,600 fuel stations – 3,700 of which are independently owned – and suppliers that provide heating to around 20 million people in Germany. Uniti members currently account for about 50% of the domestic lubricant market.
VSI, founded in 1947, evolved from a grease supplier association into the principal technical body for lubricants in Germany. Its membership spans both specialized SMEs and international firms. With the merger, the newly formed group will increase its representation in the lubricant sector while enhancing its capacity to address industry-wide developments.