DER MITTELSTANDSVERBUND (SME Groups Germany) is the leading professional association of cooperations between small and medium sized enterprises. DER MITTELSTANDSVERBUND unites companies from the retail, crafts and services sectors as well as the production industry. DER MITTELSTANDSVERBUND represents around 230.000 independent entrepreneurs which are organized in about 320 groups. The legal form differs between the groups. Whereas around the half of the groups reside as registered cooperatives, the other groups are limited liability companies or stock corporations.