On expansionary track

True Value, an American hardware cooperative, will expand its combined retail area by around 140 000 m² between 2006 and 2009, according to its president and CEO, Leyle G. Heidmann. That amounts to opening two stores per week throughout this year and next. The cooperative, which numbers around 5 600 affiliated hardware shops, seems to be less severely affected by the real estate and financial crisis than market leader Home Depot, which has already reduced this year’s target figures for new openings.