The company ended the year with more than two billion lei (EUR460 million) in sales, thus consolidating its number one position on a fiercely competitive market where its rivals are German chains Praktiker, OBI and Hornbach, Bricostore (France) and BauMax (Austria).
“We hope to reach the half a billion euro mark this year, no matter how hard it might be. It’s the little things that make the difference,” Dragos Paval, general manager and majority shareholder of the company, told ZF.
Germany’s Praktiker announced 24% decline in sales in the first nine months of 2011, while Austria’s BauMax posted “slight growth” on the Romanian market, after opening a store.
Dedeman’s growth was driven by investment in expansion; the company spent almost EUR60 million on five stores in Tulcea, Alba Iulia, Baia Mare, Drobeta Turnu Severin and Cluj-Napoca in 2011.
Last year’s openings took its network to 26 stores, which is set to grow to more than 30 this year. Dedeman also overshot the 5,000-employee mark in 2011 and each of its stores is staffed by 185 people on the average.
“Our goal this year is to open five more stores and achieve 10% growth,” Paval said.
The largest DIY network in the country is Bricostore, which operates 27 stores and has no expansion plans. (EUR1=RON4.3535)
(English version by Loredana Frățilă-Cristescu)