Wickes heading for expansion

The UK DIY chain Wickes, which has been part of Travis Perkins, the British builders' merchant group since the beginning of this year, intends to open 28 new stores by 2007. At present the company, which is positioned at the harder end of the DIY market, operates 172 DIY stores throughout the country. Following the acquisition of Wickes from Focus, Travis Perkins numbers 950 stores altogether in the UK and achieves a pro forma annual turnover in excess of £ 2.5 bn (€ 3.6 bn).You can find a detailed report on Wickes and its plans for the future in the coming issue 9-10/05 of DIY in Europe.