Slovenian DIY chain Merkur becomes Hagebau partner

The Slovenian DIY chain Merkur is a new patner in the Hagebau. With 24 locations of its own, the retail company is the largest DIY provider in Slovenia in terms of floor space and is one of the best-known companies in the industry in the country. As a Hagebau partner, Merkur will benefit in particular from access to the German cooperative's own brands and to concepts in store layout and product range design, according to a press release. Hagebau benefits from additional purchasing volumes. Both companies already work together under the umbrella of the international purchasing alliance Arena Alliance, co-initiated by Hagebau, which Merkur joined last year.

"International partnerships help us to consistently develop our purchasing and own brands," says Frank Staffeld, Managing Director Retail at Hagebau. "They provide important impetus from other markets and strengthen the overall performance of our association."

From Merkur's point of view, the focus is primarily on the further development of its own product range: "The cooperation with Hagebau opens up new opportunities for us," says Jure Kapetan, Managing Director of Merkur. "With selected own-brand products, we can make our range more attractive, improve our price position and gain new impetus for the design of our stores. At the same time, our profile remains clearly recognisable – with solutions that suit our market and deliver added value to our customers."