Rapid membership growth

The year 2013 has brought considerable growth to the membership of Edra, the European DIY Retail Association, and of GHIN, the Global Home Improvement Network, which was initiated by the former organistion. By the end of the year general manager John Herbert expects to have up to ten new entries. These include genuine heavy­weights from overseas: Home Depot, the American and global DIY market leader, is joining the network, as is Ace Hardware, the American dealer-owned cooperative that services retailers in 60 countries. The Danks Group from Australia is also signing up to the worldwide network. This group operates some 240 stores under the name of Home Timber & Hardware in the fifth continent. Several DIY businesses have already joined Edra/GHIN over the course of the year. Numbering among them are the Union DIY cooperative from Russia, as well as the Technosistema Group with its Pervomaster and Domingo stores, plus the Italian Bricolife chain and Maestro from Peru. This means that the Edra/GHIN organisation has already welcomed seven new members to its ranks since January. The entry of three more companies is expected by the end of the year. Currently the association has 115 company members worldwide, operating in 87 countries with a total of 17 300 stores, 1.1 mio employees and combined revenues of approximately € 204 bn. It is now a question of the association’s future orientation, especially when taking into consideration these many new entries from outside Europe. Most likely the areas of responsibility of Edra and GHIN will be newly drawn up, with the result that Edra takes on a more strongly politically defined role on the European level. Download: