The ZDS member service consists of over 260 member companies from the worldwide confectionery and food industry. Every member company of ZDS benefits from numerous advantages. From the use of ZDS technical equipment, through the support of industrial product development, to company-specific trainings and consulting.

The ZDS education and training center offers a variety of training courses in the confectionery and food industry. Whether for example to the "Specialist for Food Technology", to the "Confectionery Technologist" or to the “Industrial Master” in the fields of confectionery technology or food technology, the ZDS is unique in this form with its training offer. The vocational students live during the block lesson, in the collegiate vocational boarding school and are fed in the refectory.

The ZDS seminar service invites participants from all over the world to learn more about different topics, such as sweets, short and long-term seminars, workshops and large or small congresses. This is how ZDS meets the global confectionery industry. International experts, and above all the trained ZDS staff, will pass on their knowledge to the participants in these seminars and thus form the basis for the innovations in the future of the worldwide confectionery industry.

As one of few historical centres in the Northrhine-Westphalia, Gräfrath offers an abundance of attractions for both the inhabitants and the visitors: An early modern ensemble of market place with fountains that have hardly changed since 18th century and narrow lanes are characterised by slate-lined timber houses. From the centre a 72-stepped stair leads to the Klosterberg with monastery and former abbey, to the medieval starting point of the settlement.

The German Blade Museum is located in the historical monastery building, where valuable collections of cutlery and swords of various epochs and cultures and Gräfrath church treasury - a relic of the monastic heyday – are displayed. Gräfrath museum is also housed in the building of the blade museum. Here the historical society documents the history of our district and its societies.

In the former Gräfrath town hall, build in 1908, the Museum Baden exhibits works of artists from Solingen such as Georg Meistermann and other significant collections.Art lovers can take a look at the galleries around the market.

Even the suburbs of Gräfrath have something to offer: From the centre the Klingenpfad leads to woodlands through Gräfrather Heide, a family-friendly zoo with 200 types of animals. From the light tower with glass dome, another fascinating landmark of Gräfrath, marked trails open up the charming landscape of the surroundings.

Popular as both excursion destination and place of residence, Gräfrath hosts a diverse gastronomy with cafés, bistros, restaurants, hotels and a youth hostel that look forward to your visit. This is also applicable for numerous shops that are located above all in the market and In der Freiheit.