Obi expands towards the Urals

The Russian subsidiary of Obi, a German DIY retailer, is preparing to expand into the region of Perm in the foothills of the Urals. According to the governor’s press department, the company is already involved in discussions with the Perm regional investment agency about the acquisition of a suitable piece of land. The 18 large-format Obi DIY stores so far are located principally in Moscow, St Petersburg and the south of Russia, with just one in Yekaterinburg in the Urals. In 2009 Obi proved to be the best-performing DIY chain in Russia, finishing ahead of Leroy Merlin.