Record level

The world’s biggest cooperative, Ace Hardware of the USA, has reported the highest sales and profits in the company’s 80-year history for 2004. Centrally invoiced sales were up 4.1 per cent (5.2 per cent based on 52 weeks) to US $ 3.3 bn (€ 2.46 bn). Profits were US $ 101.9 mio (€ 76.00 mio). 133 new stores with an average retail area of 12 000 m2 were added in the USA and abroad in 2004. The number of members of the cooperative is 4 800, with retail sales of US $ 13 bn (€ 9.70 bn) in total.