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The DIY multiples in Austria were not very keen on expansion between January and October. However, there were three new openings at once in the second half of November
The first ten months of the year 2001 passed relatively smoothly where expansionary activities were concerned. Baumax extended its location at Leonding, Linz, into a Mega-Baumax with a sales area of 12 000 m². A member of Öbau opened a DIY store at Kapfenberg (Styria) and another Öbau outlet switched over to OBI as the result of a leasing arrangement (St. Veit/Carinthia). OBI opened a DIY store in Lower Austria in the immediate vicinity of the Slovakian capital of Bratislava, right on the border.
However, there were three new openings at once in the second half of November. Würth-Hochenburger, the Hagebau group member, expanded its location in Innsbruck into a DIY superstore with a retail area of
6 500 m² and a large garden centre. On 21 November Hornbach officially opened two large-format DIY stores at the same time at West Wels (Upper Austria) and Seiersberg, Graz (Styria). After a break of more than three years in its programme of expansion – caused by the usual problems with attaining the necessary permits over the years from 1998 to the middle of 2000 – Hornbach is now once again going all out for growth. With seven outlets Hornbach now has a retail area of about 84 000 m², which means it is closing in on Hagebau (without counting Quester).
Special services are also available to Hornbach’s trade customers in the store at Seiersberg, Graz.
Two new Hornbachs
The new Hornbach superstore at West Wels has a retail area of 13 480 m², with a garden centre accounting for 4 310 m² of the total. A staff of 110 will in the future look after customers. The German company has invested 20 mio euro in this location, which was seven months in the building.
The West Wels location, like the majority of Hornbach stores, is very conveniently sited. The industrial estate on federal highway no.1, where the DIY store is clearly in view, can be reached in just a few minutes from the West Wels motorway exit. A long building with large expanses of glass and a pale green pagoda roof above the garden centre characterise the store’s appearance. The 566 parking spaces are sufficient for a great influx of customers. Among the main sections consisting of DIY store, garden centre and builders’ merchant, the latter now carries a product mix that is above average. The racking is up to seven metres high, which allows for stocking supplies to cover quite a considerable length of time. The store is keen to prove more attractive to trade customers through its offer of extra services (special contact person, trade card and dedi-cated trade checkout). The special opening hours for such customers, starting as early as 6 a.m., also form part of the package.
In late November Hornbach opened two DIY stores at once in Austria.
The new DIY superstore at Seiersberg, Graz, has a retail area of 14 017 m² with a garden centre of 4 847 m². This is where a staff of 115 employees from the region will have a job in the future. Hornbach has invested 24 mio euro in this DIY store, which also took 7 months to build. The store can be reached without any detour from the Seiersberg exit, situated as it is by the A9 motorway travelling towards Graz. The striking, typically Hornbach building can be seen from the motorway (Hornbach livery, garden centre with pale green pagoda roof). The 558 parking spaces are geared to a great number of customers. Special services are to be offered to trade customers at Seiersberg as well, ranging from the breadth of the product mix, to high stock levels, special contact points, a trade card and dedicated trade checkout, and on to the opening hours.
Attractive and eye-catching: the aquarium department.
In the run-up to the two openings Hornbach trained the total of 225 new employees at existing stores, where they were prepared for their new jobs. Many of them come from the trade sector (carpenters, plumbers, painters and gardeners, etc). There is a strikingly high proportion of women among these employees. The store managers gained their experience at the existing Hornbach DIY superstores in Austria.
However, there were three new openings at once in the second half of November. Würth-Hochenburger, the Hagebau group member, expanded its location in Innsbruck into a DIY superstore with a retail area of
6 500 m² and a large garden centre. On 21 November Hornbach officially opened two large-format DIY stores at the same time at West Wels (Upper Austria) and Seiersberg, Graz (Styria). After a break of more than three years in its programme of expansion – caused by the usual problems with attaining the necessary permits over the years from 1998 to the middle of 2000 – Hornbach is now once again going all out for growth. With seven outlets Hornbach now has a retail area of about 84 000 m², which means it is closing in on Hagebau (without counting Quester).
Special services are also available to Hornbach’s trade customers in the store at Seiersberg, Graz.
Two new Hornbachs
The new Hornbach superstore at West Wels has a retail area of 13 480 m², with a garden centre accounting for 4 310 m² of the total. A staff of 110 will in the future look after customers. The German company has invested 20 mio euro in this location, which was seven months in the building.
The West Wels location, like the majority of Hornbach stores, is very conveniently sited. The industrial estate on federal highway no.1, where the DIY store is clearly in view, can be reached in just a few minutes from the West Wels motorway exit. A long building with large expanses of glass and a pale green pagoda roof above the garden centre characterise the store’s appearance. The 566 parking spaces are sufficient for a great influx of customers. Among the main sections consisting of DIY store, garden centre and builders’ merchant, the latter now carries a product mix that is above average. The racking is up to seven metres high, which allows for stocking supplies to cover quite a considerable length of time. The store is keen to prove more attractive to trade customers through its offer of extra services (special contact person, trade card and dedi-cated trade checkout). The special opening hours for such customers, starting as early as 6 a.m., also form part of the package.
In late November Hornbach opened two DIY stores at once in Austria.
The new DIY superstore at Seiersberg, Graz, has a retail area of 14 017 m² with a garden centre of 4 847 m². This is where a staff of 115 employees from the region will have a job in the future. Hornbach has invested 24 mio euro in this DIY store, which also took 7 months to build. The store can be reached without any detour from the Seiersberg exit, situated as it is by the A9 motorway travelling towards Graz. The striking, typically Hornbach building can be seen from the motorway (Hornbach livery, garden centre with pale green pagoda roof). The 558 parking spaces are geared to a great number of customers. Special services are to be offered to trade customers at Seiersberg as well, ranging from the breadth of the product mix, to high stock levels, special contact points, a trade card and dedicated trade checkout, and on to the opening hours.
Attractive and eye-catching: the aquarium department.
In the run-up to the two openings Hornbach trained the total of 225 new employees at existing stores, where they were prepared for their new jobs. Many of them come from the trade sector (carpenters, plumbers, painters and gardeners, etc). There is a strikingly high proportion of women among these employees. The store managers gained their experience at the existing Hornbach DIY superstores in Austria.
