The regional ranking was in 2014 dominated by three international groups that operate or operated in Romania as well: Leroy Merlin (with a 5.3% share), Kingfisher (3.4%) and OBI (2.7%), while the fourth position was filled by another independent player, Ukraine’s EpiCentr, with a 1.9% share.
PMR data has an estimative character considering most companies have not published their 2014 figures, yet. Even so, the analysis shows the regional size the two brothers’ business has gained. Dedeman in 2014 reached a 40-store network with sales of above EUR700 million.
Moreover, PMR considers Dedeman, together with Arabesque and Ambient, another two Romanian-held networks, managed to dominate the local DIY and building material market in 2014 as well, with Romania being an atypical market from this point of view.
While regionally the DIY market contracted by 10% last year, dragged down by the depreciation of the Russian and Ukrainian currencies, in Romania the field rose by 2.9%, to 9.7 billion lei (EUR2.2 billion) and the growth potential for 2015 is put at 6.2%, to RON10.3 billion.
The local DIY market still presents growth potential, particularly in Bucharest, where the number of stores per 100,000 inhabitants is quite low. In this context, consultants expect major players’ number of stores to rise from 144 to 158 units this year.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)