On its way to the top

US cooperative Ace Hardware aims to become the world’s largest wholesaler and overtake current number one TruServ

Customers expect competent advice

Hagebau Austria has test shoppers visit its stores on a regular basis in order to be in a position to offer customers the best possible advice and…

Showing the goods in a new light

Hellweg has developed a new presentational concept for furnishing and décor that is designed to help customers find products matching their …

Repositioning of Focus

Having grown frenetically over recent years, the British Focus group has for the first time implemented a ware-house concept and is now eying up Europe as …

Nil German participation

Expansion of area despite declining sales

The year 2002 was in retrospect a poor one for the DIY sector in Germany. Nevertheless, despite a decline in space productivity, the DIY …

Europe: Consolidation of the window market expected in 2003

The European window market fell down to a level of 71,598 million window units in the year 2002, representing a net …

No end to growth in sight

The DIY market in the UK continues to exhibit the same high levels of growth which have characterised recent years

Hornbach expansions in the Netherlands

Nieuwegein is where Hornbach launched its sixth DIY store in the Netherlands. One more store is to be opened later this year as well

Competitive organisation

The British DIY market is dominated by three large DIY multiples. However, cooperative organisations like Home Hardware also position themselves …

Comparison between three American retail channels

The data available annually from the National Retail Hardware Association on the development of the hardware/DIY trade in the USA …

Data interchange simplified

Sinfos will in future make the cross-border interchange of electronic article master data simpler for the European DIY industry

New family brand for “3-E”

Austria’s biggest specialist store cooperative is offering a new concept in the shape of Toolpark, which is designed to fully exploit its m…

Focus Wickes trials new showroom concept

The British Focus Wickes Group is for the first time bringing together its two key brands, Focus and Wickes, in a new showroom concept