VDB: Commitment and expertise

8 February 2018 // NürnbergMesse

VDB: Commitment and expertise

Mr Meinhard, in what aspects of your area of expertise is the VDB especially active?
The Verband Deutscher Büchsenmacher und Waffenfachhändler e.V. (VDB) is growing all the time. Over 1,200 enterprises belong to this association that represents the trade and the interests of its members. The VDB is active on behalf of its members – whether it‘s classic lobbying on issues like amendments to the gun law, the National Firearms Register and the implementation of the EU Fire-arms Directive or with regard to qualifications. We can look back on an eventful 2017. Member companies had the opportunity to attend seminars and to obtain ­insights at Heckler & Koch and to get themselves up to date by attending the seminar on foreign trade. Our association organised a tour of Germany with ten seminars on the theme of transporting dangerous goods in the firearms trade – “ADR: Gefahrgut im Waffenfachhandel”. By the end of the series in 2018 we will have trained practically all our member companies trading in dangerous goods like ammunition and aerosols.

What other themes is the VDB focusing on? 
At the VDB, we‘re expecting to train specialist firearms dealers and gunsmiths in Germany in a countrywide series of seminars in 2018 on the National Firearms Register. Because the plan is to have all manufacturers and dealers connected to this database by 1.1.2019, and they MUST then make use of it. The VDB will provide assistance and will also offer its own, convenient software soluti-on. The VDB‘s advertising platform www.progun.de is now being used by every fifth member company. Here you‘ll find over 13,000 items. The VDB will continue to support its members with lots of cooperation projects with other companies. Some of these partners will once again be available on the VDB stand in Hall 3/3-329. Please note! We have changed our location and you‘ll now find us next to the IWA Forum. In addition to all this, the association is expanding its activities in public relations – our aim is, to make people who aren‘t gun-savvy more aware of our industry and to reduce the level of prejudice.
www.vdb-waffen.de, info@vdb-waffen.de