Rautakesko losing out at home

Last year Rautakesko, the building materials and DIY store subsidiary of the Finnish Kesko Group, recorded a 5.1 per cent drop in sales based on a volume of € 746 mio. The Rautia marketing arm numbered 99 outlets in Finland at the end of last year, and K-rauta had 45. Five branches are operated independentls of this marketing arm. The group’s international subsidiaries accounted for a 13.9 per cent share of total sales. K-rauta AB in Sweden had ten stores and a turnover of € 48 mio (up 11.5 per cent). In Estonia the four outlets of Fanaal AS achieved sales of € 36.0 mio. The one branch in Lithuania generated sales of € 15.2 mio. Kesko has meanwhile again given up its intention of acquiring the Norwegian Norgros Group.