“Our home market is the continent of Europe”

Sergio Giroldi, boss of the German market leader Obi, has underlined his company’s intention to expand above all in international markets. As he announced during an interview with the German daily “Die Welt”, Obi will be opening up “many more” new countries within and beyond Europe. “Our home market is no longer Germany in the traditional sense, but the greater part of the continent of Europe,” is how Giroldi sketches in the company’s positioning. He described the new EU states like Poland, Czechia and Hungary as countries with “very great opportunities for growth”. Croatia is also extremely interesting, “and Italy as well”. Russia should see the opening of between 25 and 30 Obi stores within the next four to five years. The current total of ten outlets in China is to be roughly doubled next year, and the company is aiming for the figure of 80 to 90 stores by 2010. Giroldi expects a process of consolidation in the German market. “Something is going to happen in the direction of consolidation within the next three years at the latest,” he said, adding: “And we want to be one of the key engines of this consolidation.”