The do-it-yourself Austrian store chain BauMax will invest 40 million euros this year in opening four new stores on the local market, in Targu-Mures, Bacau, Cluj-Napoca and Craiova.
The network, which will include 6 stores by the end of 2007, has planned another 6 openings for 2008, when it will also enter the Bucharest market.
"We intend to open several stores in Bucharest within the next five years," said Emma Anghel, marketing manager at BauMax Romania. The first store in the Bucharest network will be located in the Sun Plaza shopping centre in the southern part of the city.
The company concluded rental contracts with the operator of the European Retail Park shopping centres, for new stores in Targu-Mures and Bacau, which it plans to open this year, after BauMax opened its second network store in a European Retail Park shopping centre in Sibiu. Other cities targeted by the Austrians are Cluj-Napoca, where a store is expected to open within the next few years, and Craiova, which will also see a new store opening this year.
According to BauMax plans, the company expects to reach a 25-store network in Romania by 2012 and in the long run could exceed 40 stores.
BauMax stores have a sales area of 10,000 square metres, with around 30,000 articles for sale. The biggest store in the network will be opened this month in Targu-Mures, with an additional 2,000 square metres designated for a drive-in area.
The overall DIY market includes international networks such as Praktiker, Bricostore and Mr. Bricolage, as well as store chains owned by local investors such as Arabesque, Bacau-based Dedeman, and Sibiu-based Ambient. The do-it-yourself Brithouse store network, developed by British-owned Customline Construct, has also entered the provincial market, while the first store of the Turkish network Tekzen is scheduled to open in July.
Pentru alte știri, analize, articole și informații din business în timp real urmărește Ziarul Financiar pe WhatsApp Channels
