Changeover of Öbau members to Hagebau and Obi

Eleven members belonging to Öbau Baustoffunion of Wels, Austria, are changing over to Hagebau Austria of Brunn/Gebirge as of 1 January 2004. Others of the members of Öbau are for their part changing over to Obi. Altogether the ten members of Öbau currently operate 35 outlets in Austria, 22 of them with garden centres. After joining Hagebau Austria, the Öbau stores will continue to run as a second brand and second marketing line unter th Öbau name, something that Obi was not prepared to accept.
The expectation at Hagebau Austria is that this will result in a sales increase of about ten per cent for the coming year, despite the departure of its biggest member, Quester, at the beginning of the year 2004. It is intended to generate this increase in the retail area. Öbau achieved total sales of € 603 mio in 2002, and Hagebau Austria generated retail sales amounting to € 189.56 mio over the same period. The latter group currently operates 56 outlets in Austria, including 15 garden centres.
The future of Öbau’s former chief executive officer, Andreas Pilliczar, is uncertain. Helmut Dieter Kus and Hans-Joachim Hoewner still remain executive officers of Hagebau Austria.