Bechtle AG is the largest IT system house in Germany with 70 locations in the D-A-CH region and trading companies in 14 European countries. The business model combines IT services with the direct sale of IT products. The focus is on trading in hardware and software as well as the operation and maintenance of IT infrastructure for industrial customers and public-sector clients. A survey conducted by German industry publications Computerwoche and ChannelPartner ranks Bechtle as the largest B2B IT service provider by revenue in Germany. The Bechtle Group is headquartered in Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg, and organised into multiple parent and holding companies.
History
Bechtle was first established in 1983 by former Heilbronn University students Klaus von Jan, Ralf Klenk and Gerhard Schick. Its first operations were set up in a small shop in Heilbronn. In 1995, the company reached a milestone with revenues exceeding 100 millionGerman Mark and began trading over the internet. At Bechtle’s IPO on 30 March 2000, the stock was listed on the Neuer Markt segment of Germany’s stock exchangeDeutsche Börse, and has been listed on the TecDax since 2004. In 2012, revenues exceeded €2bn for the first time. In August 2018, Bechtle concluded a framework agreement with the Bundeswehr. From 24 September 2018, the share is listed in the MDAX in addition to the TecDAX. In mid-October 2018, Bechtle AG won a software tender from the EU Commission for the supply of software up to 2025 with a volume of 52 million euros per year.
Organisation
Bechtle AG owns or has shares in some 100 companies. As the parent organisation, it provides centralised services to all subsidiaries including investor relations and corporate communications, human resources, quality and risk management, and corporate IT. The company’s direct subsidiaries include:
Bechtle Logistik & Service GmbH, responsible for purchasing, warehouse and product management, marketing and related services
Bechtle Systemhaus Holding AG, responsible for all service business activities in Germany and Austria
Bechtle E-Commerce Holding AG, responsible for all e-commerce business under the Bechtle direct brand
Bechtle Managed Services AG, responsible for outsourcing services
Bechtle Holding Schweiz AG, responsible for all service and e-commerce business activities in Switzerland including the brands ARP and Comsoft direct
Business Segments and Portfolio
The group’s activities are organised into two business segments under dedicated executive management:
The IT Systemhaus & Managed Services segment spans all service business activities with service units and specialised competence centres in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
The IT E-commerce segment covers a portfolio of some 70,000 IT products sold via online shops, catalogues and telesales under the brands ARP, Bechtle direct and Comsoft direct
