Germany

Focus

Germany

Capital: Berlin | Area: 357.600 km² |
Population (2024): 84.716 mio | GDP (2024): € 4 304.45 bn

Executive board to be reduced

Obi abolishes COO position, Brigitte Wittekind to leave

German DIY store group Obi is reducing the size of its executive board and abolishing the position of Chief Operations Officer. Brigitte Wittekind, who has held this position since August 2023, will leave the company on…

Distribution4. September 2025

Independent retail format

Hornbach plans further Bodenhaus store

German DIY store group Hornbach is expected to open another store for its Bodenhaus retail format, which specialises in floor coverings such …

Distribution15. August 2025

„Hopes only partially fulfilled”

Half-year results in Germany still negative

After a negative start to the year, DIY stores in Germany achieved sales growth again in the second quarter. However, because the …

Distribution29. July 2025

+1.5 percent in real terms

German DIY store sales recover in May

The recovery in DIY store sales in Germany continued in May. This is according to the latest figures from the statistics authority Destatis. …

Distribution11. July 2025

Foreign markets weaker

Hagebaumarkt stores in Germany grow in April and May

After a slow start to the year, the Hagebaumarkt cooperative franchise chain in Germany recorded a significant upturn in April…

Distribution10. July 2025

Better prospects for building materials trade

Eurobaustoff gains just under 1 per cent in retail

The retail division of German building materials co-operative Eurobaustoff increased its centrally invoiced turnover by 0.9 per …

Distribution30. June 2025

March to May

Hornbach DIY stores report a 5.8 percent increase

The DIY stores of the German Hornbach Group increased their net sales in the first quarter (1 March to 31 May 2025) of the …

Distribution24. June 2025

Chinese Tool manufacturer

Acquisition of Al-Ko Gardentech by Ningbo Daye completed

German garden equipment manufacturer Al-Ko Gardentech has been acquired by Chinese manufacturer Ningbo Daye Garden Machiner…

Garden17. June 2025

First quarter

German DIY stores 4 per cent below previous year's level

Sales at DIY and garden stores in Germany were 4.0 per cent below the same period last year in the first quarter, or 3.5 …

News4. June 2025

CMO Christian von Hegel is leaving

Obi gets a Chief Brand & Customer Experience Officer

The German DIY chain Obi is getting a new head of marketing. The company has announced that its current Chief Marketing Officer…

Distribution15. May 2025

Statistical office

Negative quarterly figures in Germany

The German DIY and garden trade ended the first quarter with a decline in sales. This is according to statistics from the German statistical …

Distribution2. May 2025

Mid-August 2025

Obi SVP Joanna Kowalska to become Hornbach CFO

Joanna Kowalska is to become the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at German DIY store group Hornbach, moving from competitor Obi to …

Distribution30. April 2025

Official statistics and association

German DIY stores off to a weak start in 2025

The German DIY sector has made a weak start to 2025. The German statistics authority Destatis reports a nominal decline in DIY store …

Distribution31. March 2025

Continuation of “Local Heroes”

Obi launches advertising campaign simultaneously in nine countries

The German DIY group Obi has launched its first international advertising campaign, which is running …

Distribution12. March 2025

Hima President and Wolfcraft boss

Reinhard Wolff receives the Global DIY-Lifetime Award 2025

Reinhard Wolff is this year's winner of the Global DIY Lifetime Award. The Managing Partner of Wolfcraft and President of…

Suppliers19. February 2025

Three-day trade fair

The DIY sector also visits Eurocis

The Eurocis trade fair in Düsseldorf (Germany) opened its doors yesterday for three days and attracted a good number of visitors. Around 500 …

Events19. February 2025

Just under 20 billion euros

German garden market grew by 1.3 per cent in 2024

The German garden market defied the difficult conditions in the overall economy in 2024 and recorded an increase of 1.3 per cent …

Garden13. February 2025

Retail DIY sector

Down 1.6 per cent in the official German statistics for 2024

The German statistical office (Statistisches Bundesamt, Destatis) has presented its preliminary annual figures for 2024…

Distribution4. February 2025

Around 11 per cent plus

IPM increases visitor numbers to 40,000

IPM Essen has ended with an increase in visitor numbers. Significantly more than 40,000 visitors came to the leading trade fair for the …

Events4. February 2025

180,000 visitors despite one day less

Bau trade fair in Munich keeps visitor numbers high

According to the trade fair company, significantly more than 180,000 visitors came to the Bau trade fair in Munich this year; …

Events21. January 2025

Change from Hagebau to Obi

German franchise and cooperation landscape on the move

There are currently shifts in the German DIY franchise and cooperation landscape to the detriment of the specialist trade …

Distribution13. January 2025

Unexpected decision

CFO Karin Dohm leaves Hornbach prematurely

Hornbach CFO Karin Dohm is leaving the company ahead of schedule. At its meeting on 23 December 2024, the supervisory board of the German…

Distribution8. January 2025

Premiere at the IPM Essen 2025

IPM Discovery Center together with EFSA in Essen

The IPM Discovery Center, which is designed as a special area for creative POS concepts in the garden retail trade, will have a new…

Events19. December 2024

Financial difficulties

Baywa apparently wants to sell shares in Austrian RWA

The German agricultural and trading group Baywa apparently wants to sell its shares in the Austrian Raiffeisen Ware Austria …

Distribution6. December 2024

Workwear in pop-up stores

Bauhaus enters into sales partnership with Strauss

The German home improvement store operator Bauhaus and the workwear specialist Strauss are entering into a sales partnership and …

Distribution25. November 2024

German cooperative

Hagebau parts ways with CEO Jan Buck-Emden

The German building materials and DIY store cooperative Hagebau has parted ways with its boss. CEO Jan Buck-Emden has left the company, …

Distribution6. November 2024

Former European head of Weber

German industry honours Hans-Jürgen Herr

The German DIY and gardening industry is honouring Hans-Jürgen Herr, who was at the helm of Weber-Stephen in Germany and Europe for many …

Garden30. October 2024

German manufacturers in crisis

International furniture trade fair imm cancelled for 2025

The international furniture trade fair imm Cologne (Internationale Möbelmesse) has been cancelled for 2025. Show organiser…

Events21. October 2024

Half-year level maintained

Hornbach stores lose sales in second quarter

German Hornbach group generated sales of EUR 1.6401 bn with its DIY stores in the second quarter of its 2024/2025 financial year (June …

Distribution25. September 2024

German garden tool supplier

Al-Ko Gardentech is taken over by Chinese manufacturer Daye

The German garden tool supplier Al-Ko Gardentech is to be taken over by the Chinese manufacturer Ningbo Daye Garden …

Garden6. September 2024

German DIY discounter

Sonderpreis Baumarkt ready to expand abroad

The German DIY discount chain Sonderpreis Baumarkt (“special price DIY store”) is preparing for international expansion and has given …

Distribution4. September 2024

Second quarter in the red

Bad weather spoils the German half-year figures

The second quarter brought a significant drop in sales for DIY stores in Germany. Compared to the same period last year, their sales…

Distribution15. August 2024

German DIY chains

Hellweg and Toom to stop buying together

The German DIY chain Hellweg will no longer be buying together with its competitor Toom Baumarkt (Rewe Group). The two DIY operators have …

Distribution30. July 2024

Hornbach

The need of the hour

His DIY stores' sales were down 1.1 per cent last year, his forecast remains cautious, and yet Albrecht Hornbach is full of confidence: "This is the …

Distribution11. July 2024

Flagship store and expansion of headquarters

Bauhaus invests in its home town of Mannheim

Bauhaus, the second-largest German DIY store operator and market leader in Germany, is currently investing heavily in its home base in …

Distribution5. July 2024

Retail gets off to a strong start in 2024

Hagebau's central sales fall by double digits in 2023

Central sales of the German specialist retail and DIY store cooperation Hagebau fell by 14.5 per cent to EUR 6.56 bn in 2023. …

Distribution2. July 2024

Germany, Austria, Luxembourg

Alpina takes over the distribution of Rust-Oleum's DIY business

The German paint brand Alpina is entering into a strategic distribution partnership with Rust-Oleum on 1 July 2024. …

Suppliers24. April 2024

Transfer to local management

Knauf withdraws from Russia

The German building materials manufacturer Knauf is withdrawing from Russia. In light of current developments, the group has "decided to part with its …

Suppliers23. April 2024

From Austria for the first time

Hagebau gets a new chairman of the supervisory board

The supervisory board of the German cooperative Hagebau is getting new leadership. The long-standing chairman Johannes M. …

Distribution8. April 2024

2023/2024 only slight growth abroad

Sales at Hornbach stores fall by 1.1 per cent

The DIY stores belonging to the German Hornbach Group generated sales of EUR 5.780 bn in the past 2023/2024 financial year (ending 29 …

Distribution27. March 2024

Almost fully booked

Significantly more exhibitors from Europe at Spoga+Gafa 2024

Spoga+Gafa reports a high level of international exhibitors and 14 almost fully booked exhibition halls in Cologne …

Events14. March 2024

Weather and politics

German garden market shrinks by 3.2 per cent in 2023

The garden market in Germany shrank by 3.2 per cent year-on-year to a volume of EUR 19.7 bn in 2023. Industry expert Klaus …

Garden11. March 2024

Back to the old rhythm

38 000 visitors attend International Hardware Fair in Cologne

The International Hardware Fair in Cologne, which ended yesterday, was able to significantly increase its visitor …

News7. March 2024

2023 ranking of the top 8

Bauhaus is the new DIY market leader in Germany

Bauhaus has replaced Obi as the market leader in the German DIY market. According to estimates by Dähne Verlag, the DIY chain's …

Distribution4. March 2024

New partner Tradebeyond

Obi wants to digitalise its supply chain more

Obi will be working with Tradebeyond, a provider of supply chain solutions for retail companies, to digitalise its supply chain. The …

Distribution12. January 2024

Down 3.5 per cent in third quarter

Hornbach satisfied with business performance despite drop in sales

The German DIY chain Hornbach generated sales of EUR 1.3806 bn with its DIY stores in the third quarter (1 …

Distribution22. December 2023

Former head of Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof

Miguel Müllenbach becomes new chief financial officer of Obi

Miguel Müllenbach (47) has been appointed as the new chief financial officer of the German Obi Group. He will take over…

Distribution24. November 2023

Obi

DIY store boss without barriers

Sebastian Gundel has been at the helm of Germany's largest DIY store operator for a year now. What has changed? Quite a lot, as becomes clear in the…

Distribution9. October 2023

CEO Sebastian Gundel

Obi aims for further growth with franchise partners

Obi wants to grow more strongly through franchising. Sebastian Gundel, who has been CEO of Germany's largest and Europe's …

Distribution9. October 2023

Martina Mensing-Meckelburg

Germany now represented on the board of the International Garden Centre Association

Martina Mensing-Meckelburg, president of the association of German garden centres (VDG – Verband…

Garden4. October 2023

Half-year sales narrowly maintained

Hornbach DIY stores back on growth course in second quarter

In its half-year report, Hornbach has now confirmed and supplemented the figures published in advance in a profit …

Distribution28. September 2023

Stabilised in the second quarter

Hornbach sales in first half almost at previous year's level

The sales performance of the German Hornbach Group stabilised in the second quarter (June to August). This was reported…

Distribution22. September 2023

Cold and wet weather

Hornbach sales fall in Germany and grow abroad

German DIY chain Hornbach reported sales of EUR 1.6676 bn at its stores in Europe in the first quarter of 2023 (1 March to 31 May), …

Distribution26. June 2023

Annual Press Conference

Hornbach: Difficult start to 2023, but good prospects thanks to energy-related renovations

The German DIY chain Hornbach assesses the start to the 2023/2024 financial year as …

Distribution17. May 2023

Sixth generation moves up

Hornbach expands its Board of Management and sets the course for the future

The Board of Management of Baumarkt AG and Management AG at the Hornbach Group will be expanded as of 1 …

Distribution16. May 2023

Statistics

DIY retail area in Germany barely grew in 2022

The retail area of German DIY store operators grew by a total of 0.1 per cent or 17 144 m² in 2022. This is according to figures from…

Distribution26. April 2023

Partnership with a specialist

Obi rents out solar systems

Obi is now offering solar systems for rental in Germany. For this purpose, the DIY store operator has partnered with DZ4, a rental provider of solar …

Distribution14. April 2023

Group grows by 10.4 per cent

Rewe increases DIY sales by 8.7 per cent

The German retail group Rewe has reported turnover of EUR 2.6 bn for its DIY business segment in 2022. This corresponds to an increase of 8…

Distribution3. April 2023

Management board expanded

Tengelmann focuses on the transformation of Obi

Tengelmann Holding, the parent company of Germany's largest DIY store operator Obi, is reshuffling its management board and plans to…

Distribution28. March 2023

BHB industry association

DIY stores in Germany grow by 7.8 per cent in 2022

DIY and home improvement stores in Germany increased their total turnover by 7.8 per cent in 2022, with a volume of EUR 21.92 bn…

Distribution24. March 2023

Foreign share now over 50 per cent

Hornbach grows by 6.3 per cent in 2022/23 financial year

German DIY retailer Hornbach has reported a sharp increase in its sales for the 2022/23 financial year. The company …

Distribution23. March 2023

Top positions in Obi Holding, Italy and Switzerland

Ludwig back on Obi board as head of purchasing, Alemagna advises in Italy

Obi has reshuffled the purchasing department in the holding company and the management of the national …

Distribution17. March 2023

Statement and Interview

Jim Inglis and Susanne Jäger on "Women in the DIY industry".

"We should not define the home improvement industry as a 'man's world'." This is what Jim Inglis, former top manager at…

Distribution17. March 2023

Women in the DIY industry, part 2

The best brains are not always male

Susanne Jäger has been a board member at German DIY chain Hornbach for 16 years - and is still an exception. So what is the status of women in …

Distribution17. March 2023

Total increase of 9.1 per cent

Eurobaustoff grows retail sales by just under 1 per cent

The German cooperative Eurobaustoff has increased its centrally invoiced sales in 2022 by around 9 per cent to almost EUR 9…

Distribution13. March 2023

DIY retailer rankings

Bauhaus draws level with previous market leader Obi in Germany

A new constellation emerged at the top of the German DIY market last year as Bauhaus caught up with the previous …

Distribution10. March 2023

MD Purchasing Frank Staffeld, Hagebau

“We need to be bolder”

The new MD of purchasing and category management at German cooperative Hagebau has taken a critical look at price trends and the cooperative’s relationship …

Distribution22. February 2023

CEO Sebastian Gundel

Obi aims to reach EUR 10 bn mark in five years

Obi wants to reach the EUR 10 bn sales mark in five years. This was stated by CEO Sebastian Gundel in the podcast on the German …

Distribution15. February 2023

Strong growth abroad

Hornbach stores post 6.4 per cent growth after three quarters

The DIY stores of the German retailer Hornbach increased their net sales by 6.4 per cent to EUR 4.6671 bn in the first…

Distribution22. December 2022

Tammo Bruns

New Hagebau director for sales, marketing & digital affairs

The German cooperative Hagebau is getting another new director. The supervisory board has appointed Tammo Bruns (50) as …

Distribution13. December 2022

BHB figures

German DIY store sales grow by 2.3 percent in the third quarter

After nine months in 2022, DIY and garden centres in Germany show a 10.5 per cent increase in sales, and a 9.8 per …

Distribution2. December 2022

10.4 per cent in 2022

Growth in German DIY sales solely price-driven

DIY stores in Germany will achieve a nominal sales increase of 7.0 per cent in 2023. This forecast of a medium scenario was presented…

Distribution28. November 2022

BHB President Franz-Peter Tepaß

"We should not forget that there are opportunities"

BHB President and Obi board member Franz-Peter Tepaß opened the congress of the German DIY industry, organised by the industry …

Distribution24. November 2022

DIY stores post double-digit growth

German garden market down 8.4 per cent year-on-year in the first half of the year

The garden market in Germany shrank in the first half of the year. Compared to the same period …

Garden11. November 2022

New member of the executive board

Manuel van de Kamp is the new chief product officer at Obi

Obi has filled a new executive board position. Manuel van de Kamp is the new chief product officer (CPO) at Obi Group …

Distribution4. November 2022

Administration and logistics locations

Obi headquarters cuts 150 jobs

The German DIY market leader Obi is cutting 150 jobs at its central administration and logistics locations in Germany. The employees that this …

Distribution25. October 2022

"Cooperative collaboration"

Obi bundles central purchasing processes in new category management

As part of the transformation process across the entire company, Obi, the German DIY retailing market leader, is…

Distribution24. October 2022

Char-Broil and Dachser

“Definitely not an easy customer for our logistics partner”

As soon as the sun comes out, people start firing up their grills. Products from US grill manufacturer Char-Broil need …

Suppliers13. October 2022

Berlin opening

Big-box specialist Bauhaus plans neighbourhood store

Bauhaus is opening a neighbourhood store in Berlin in a fortnight. The new store has a sales area of around 2 000 m² and is …

Distribution7. October 2022

Frank Staffeld

New director of category management/purchasing at Hagebau

The German cooperative Hagebau has a new director of category management/purchasing. Frank Frithjof Staffeld will assume …

Distribution5. October 2022

Successor to Giroldi

Obi executive board downsized under new CEO Sebastian Gundel

Following the appointment of Sebastian Gundel as CEO of Obi, the executive board of Obi Group Holding SE & Co. KGaA…

Distribution4. October 2022

BHB Trade Association

DIY and garden market in Germany grew strongly in 1st quarter and stagnated in 2nd quarter 2022

In Germany, the sales of DIY and garden centres increased by 14.9 per cent to EUR 11…

Distribution11. August 2022

Wood, pellets, stoves, radiators

Germans need to save gas and are storming the DIY stores

Owing to the gas crisis, Germans are increasingly looking around for alternative sources of heat. This is also noticeable …

Distribution25. July 2022

Cooperation with Bringoo

Obi launches on-demand delivery

Together with the start-up Bringoo, the German DIY market leader Obi is introducing on-demand delivery. The innovation factory Squared, founded in …

Distribution11. July 2022

First quarter of 2022/2023

Hornbach: up 4.7 per cent in Germany and up 12.0 per cent abroad

The Hornbach Group increased its DIY retail net sales by 8.2 per cent to EUR 1.7053 bn in the first quarter (1 …

Distribution30. June 2022

Germany, Austria

Hagebau decides on new umbrella brand

Hagebau, Germany's largest cooperative in the DIY trade, has decided to implement a new umbrella brand that is voluntary for its affiliated d…

Distribution29. June 2022

Wagner System

The next big thing

... is actually not that big. The concept behind it is all the more sophisticated and the implementation all the more loving: Wagner wants to combine s…

Suppliers20. June 2022

2022/2023 financial year

Hornbach confirms sales and reduces EBIT forecast

The German DIY group Hornbach has confirmed its sales forecast for the first quarter, but reduced its EBIT forecast for the …

Distribution15. June 2022

Change at the top

Obi: Sergio Giroldi retires - Sebastian Gundel to succeed him

At today's supervisory board meeting, Sergio Giroldi (67) announced his decision to retire as chief executive officer …

Distribution14. June 2022

2021 figures corrected upwards

The German garden market is growing more strongly than thought

The garden market in Germany may have grown more strongly in 2021 than the data available so far indicated. According…

Garden29. April 2022

Dehner joins BHB

German DIY association wins garden market leader as member

In Germany, the garden centre market leader Dehner has now joined the German DIY association BHB. According to a Dehner …

Garden13. April 2022

Coronavirus impact

German chain Toom to turn over around 11 per cent less in 2021

German DIY chain Toom recorded EUR 2.7 bn sales last year, 11.4 per cent down on the previous year. Toom is one of …

Distribution8. April 2022

Newspaper report

Is Christian Haub planning an IPO for Obi?

Christian Haub, head of Obi's parent company Tengelmann, may be planning an IPO for the DIY store operator Obi and the clothing chain Kik…

Distribution5. April 2022

Turnover, sales area, store number

This is how the German Top 5 developed between 2019 and 2021

The publishing house Dähne Verlag presents the first detailed statistical figures of German DIY store operators from …

Distribution23. March 2022

Second year of the pandemic

Country report with the latest figures on the German sector 2021

Germany is the largest national market of the home improvement industry in Europe. How did this market, whose sales…

Distribution23. March 2022

Inner-city location

Obi’s DIY bar

The German industry leader Obi opened the “Obi Machbar” in the centre of Cologne, an urban DIY concept store – with the longest workbench in the world

Distribution21. March 2022