Record attendance in Madrid

The 3rd European Home Improvement Forum began today in Madrid with a record attendance of 615 delegates from 42 countries. The organisers, the European retailer and industry associations Edra and Fediyma, highlight in particular the large number of top-level representatives of the European and international DIY trade present. Edra chairman Régis Degelcke presented positive growth rates of the European DIY retail industry in the first quarter, but concerning the prognostics for 2014 he is "not so optimistic", as he said. Around 25 presentations will be given at the two-day event, which is entitled “Mobile commerce. Get intimate with your customer”. A store tour yesterday to four DIY stores in the Spanish capital’s catchment area was the forerunner to the forum.