Mestro Maco on expansionist track

The Portuguese DIY retailer, Mestro Maco, is planning to open 14 new stores in Portugal by the end of 2009. It had 21 outlets in operation at the end of 2005. Expansion beyond national borders is to go ahead this year with the first DIY store in Spain. Three more new openings are scheduled to be established there in 2007, and between five and seven more stores are to be added by 2010. The company has announced sales growth of 31.4 per cent for the completed 2005 financial year, or 11.9 per cent more than the previous year in like-for-like terms.