Target is number two in the rankings

In the last few months of last year, Leroy Merlin worked on becoming the number two in the DIY and garden market sector in Romania, behind market leader Dedeman. Frédéric Lamy, Leroy Merlin's general manager Romania, announced this target to the industry information service BricoRetail.ro in October.
The background to this statement was that the French chain has now converted all the Baumax stores acquired in 2014. Up to September 2016 Leroy Merlin tripled the Baumax sales of 2013 (around € 100 mio), Lamy said in October, and sales should reach approx. € 380 mio by the end of 2016. This figure would be € 20 mio more than Arabesque, to date the number two chain in Romania. Everything points to the fact that Leroy Merlin has achieved this target.
Of the 15 Baumax stores taken over, twelve were converted to Leroy Merlin outlets (five in 2015 and seven in 2016); three were closed and are now being used as logistic centres. The total amount for the whole process of rebranding is said to have cost around € 24 mio.

Together with three stores of its own, the subsidiary of French Groupe Adeo now operates 15 stores in Romania. Two new stores are scheduled to open in 2017, one in Bucharest and one in Ora­dea. "Our target is to have 20 stores nationwide in the next three years," La­my said.
Although there were no new store openings in 2016, Leroy Merlin, in Lamy's own words, focused "on consolidating our business after completion of the rebranding of the Baumax stores". The new store in Oradea should be ready for opening in June or July. It is part of the Ora­dea South Arcade Shopping Centre, where retailers such as Auchan and Decathlon are already located. "Oradea is a city in which I believe a lot", said Lamy.
The new site in Bucharest will be the fourth Leroy Merlin store in the capital. The French company is also setting a clear target here, according to Lamy: "Our target is to have six stores in Bucharest".