Home, sweet home

The fact that this issue of DIY International is coming out under the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic will surprise no one. There are only a few articles in the magazine in which the virus is not referenced.
This also goes for the big regional report on Italy. The country was heavily impacted by the first coronavirus wave in the spring, as is reflected in the reports that we requested from our two Milan colleagues, Giulia Arrigoni and Marco Ugliano.
Now, at the end of October, as I complete this issue and try to summarise the turbulent months behind us, we find ourselves in the middle of a second wave in Europe. The situation is the same as before: time and again, the momentum of the pandemic overtakes the latest news.
Looking back on the last six months, however, it can be said that after the shock of the first wave, Covid-19 boosted the sales of DIY store operators in most countries worldwide. In this issue you will find figures from Europe relating to this upturn.

The same effect has been reported also by the interviewees of John Herbert, general secretary of Edra/Ghin, speaking on the Global DIY Network platform: people all over the globe are rediscovering the value of their homes (and gardens). Nearly all of John Herbert's discussion partners expect this cocooning effect, which has been hugely amplified by the coronavirus, to continue for some time yet.
The European associations Edra/Ghin and Hima have put a lot of effort into creating the online platform to provide the industry with a digital meeting place as a quasi-substitute for the Global DIY Summit. Communication in the international sector should not grind to a halt, and quite clearly there is no intention of letting that happen.Rainer StrnadP. S.: Any German with a surname like mine is far from being a nationalist, and so I may add this personal postscript without fear of misappropriation: after residing in Germany for 57 years, John Herbert has taken German citizenship (and retained his British citizenship). I feel rather proud that a man of his stature has spoken such kind words about my country and my fellow countrymen - and happy that he intends to work on creating a greater Great Britain. Fantastic. Listen again on LinkedIn.
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