WEM is a purchasing agency that was founded in 1952 as "Wirtschaftsstelle Evangelischer Missionsgesellschaften G.m.b.H." (Purchasing Agency of Protestant Missionary Societies). Since then it has been actively supporting missionary and development work by making purchases at favourable terms and ensuring efficient delivery of a wide range of equipment and services to all parts of the so-called Third World. The fact that WEM has business contacts in up to 90 different countries and provides expert advice means that it offers churches, missionary societies, church mission departments and all church and non-church organizations involved in development activities an obvious advantage when equipping their projects. WEM's qualified staff have international experience and deal efficiently with about 3,000 orders a year. The annual turnover totals between EUR 10-15 million. The sole shareholder of WEM is the Association of Protestant Churches and Missions in Germany, the Evangelisches Missionswerk in Deutschland e. V. (EMW). Its members include the Evangelical Church in Germany, the Free Churches and the regional mission departments of the Lutheran, Reformed and United Churches. Representatives of various mission departments and development organizations belong to the Advisory Board which gives WEM guidance.