SHD press release
Andernach, 4 March 2026: Two days, nearly 300 customers and partners from several European markets, and one clear takeaway: the challenges facing the kitchen and furniture trade cannot be solved with isolated measures. What matters is how well systems, processes and data work together. On 25 and 26 February, the Pyramide Mainz became the meeting place for an industry that is repositioning itself. SHD Forum 2026 was not a series of product showcases, but a space for context, discussion and concrete answers.
In his opening address, SHD CEO Dietmar Meding made clear what is at stake:
“What we are seeing in our industry is not a cyclical swing but a structural shift. Anyone who wants to lead today must reduce IT complexity, not add to it. Our job is to integrate systems in a way that provides stability and creates room to manoeuvre.”
With the OneSHD initiative, the group has been working since 2025 to align its established structures more closely, both technologically and organisationally. Unified architectures, coordinated roadmaps and international collaboration provide the framework. The goal: clear processes and a stable foundation for further growth.
Alongside in-depth product content, three highlight keynotes framed the forum:
Jochen Schweizer spoke about entrepreneurial courage in times of transformation and the responsibility of leaders to provide direction. Julian Yogeshwar gave hands-on examples of how artificial intelligence can improve decision quality, efficiency and customer experience in mid-sized companies. Immanuel Bär used live insights into real attack scenarios to show why cybersecurity has long since become a management responsibility.
The message was clear: digitalisation is not purely an IT topic. It affects strategy, organisation and risk management in equal measure.
Among many other topics, Frank Pohl and Birgit Müller-Hell presented the latest evolution of the KPS.MAX suite in the Product Room, featuring the new AI Presenter. The feature automates scene composition and variant creation directly within the planning workflow. For retailers, this means less manual detail work and more time for consulting and closing sales.
CTO Ryan Bryers put the technology direction into context:
“Over the past few months, the software industry has moved strongly towards agentic AI, especially since the marked shift in market expectations last November. With SHD Connect we were ahead of the curve, as the solution was built on agent-based AI logic from day one. We are now applying this principle consistently across our entire product portfolio, supported by an AI-driven software development process. This line of innovation will become clearly visible in all of our strategic products within the next six months. And that is just the beginning: we are talking about iterative, ongoing development, not a one-off step.”
One central signal from the forum: 2026 is the year of performance. This applies not just to individual solutions but to the entire system landscape. The product sessions made clear how strongly SHD is focusing on speed, stability and a clearer user experience.
In the Test Space, visitors could try out browser-based UI/UX enhancements of the SHD ECORO ERP system live. The goal is a more intuitive user experience that speeds up day-to-day processes and takes pressure off staff.
As part of this performance focus, SHD also gave a preview of its AI Helper framework. In the short term, it is designed to speed up issue resolution in the first-line service desk. Longer term, the technology will be made available directly to users, allowing them to bypass the service desk and get answers immediately.
KPS.MAX web also demonstrated in the Test Space how seamless data handover works, from the first online planning session through to professional planning.
SHD Forum 2026 was supported by strong technology partners. Platinum partners included ALSO, Microsoft, Diomex, Integrated Worlds and InterSystems. Numerous additional exhibitors presented in the expo area. Overall, the partner landscape reflected the full technological spectrum relevant to retail today: from cloud and data platforms through middleware and system integration to security and process solutions.
With guests from several European markets, it became clear that OneSHD is increasingly being thought of internationally. Product development and market strategy are interlocking across borders.
At the closing session, CCO Nina Jonker-Völker joined CEO Dietmar Meding on stage. It was her first SHD Forum in her new role:
“For me, the priority here was dialogue above all. The conversations with retailers and partners show very clearly where the pressure is building and where we need to prioritise. This direct exchange is the foundation for everything we want to achieve in the market.”
It is precisely this direct dialogue across national borders, she noted, that is essential for developing solutions consistently.
SHD Forum 2026 was deliberately not a trade fair in the classic sense, but a decision-making space that visitors could use to recalibrate their strategic course.
CEO Dietmar Meding sums it up:
“SHD is not changing its strategy, technology, products and organisation for its own sake. We are doing it so that our customers can remain capable of acting in an increasingly complex market. Integration, stability and innovative strength belong together. That is exactly what we are working on.”
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