Press releases

OBI, European DIY market leader opens its first store in Romania

Already with 523 in Europe and now in Romania: OBI is opening its first store in
Oradea and announcing expansion plans for Romania.

Wermelskirchen, November 19th, 2008 - OBI, the leading DIY and garden retailer in Central and Eastern Europe, is opening its first store in Oradea. Romania is the 13th European country in which OBI now operates.

OBI is proud to open it’s first store in Romania only twelve months after taking the decision to enter the Romanian Market, being in Oradea the first large international DIY. “We want to become the top player in the whole of the Romanian DIY Market as market leadership is our target in each country in which OBI operates Business” commented the OBI Group CEO Sergio Giroldi.

The official ceremony was attended by Board Members of OBI Holding in Germany, the local authorities and the OBI Romanian Management. A press conference attended by leading Romanian media took place as well. The first OBI opening in Oradea will be followed by a second store in Bucharest by the end of November. Dieter Messner, OBI Board Member International, said “we have big plans for Romania. OBI intends to become the key player on the Romanian Market”.

Romania offers special opportunities for our expansion goals in CEE due to the size of its market and its continious growth trend. Our aim is to bring to Romania OBI’s competitive edge built on our strong values and comprehensive DIY competence. “The Romanian consumers will benefit from our competitive advantage in adapting the products portfolio to the local market,” said Romano Quinzi, Country Manager of OBI Romania.

The approx. 10,000 square meters store will open its doors to customers 8.30. a.m. on Thursday, 20th November and will operate an every day schedule, from 8.30.am till 9 p.m.
The new OBI store in Oradea will bring to consumers a well balanced assortment of DIY products, decoration and home improvement items. Of particular interest and excitement will be the Garden Paradise, the best of its kind not only in Oradea but throughout the whole of Romania.

OBI company portrait

With 523 stores, OBI is the undisputed No 1 in the German market and one of the leading European DIY retailers. Apart from Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Russia, OBI is also present in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Ukraine and now in Romania. In the next few years, OBI’s expansion will focus on Central and Eastern Europe. Target is to reach market leadership in all our countries.

OBI is the fifth largest DIY retailer in the world and employs more than 38,000 people. In FY 2007/08 OBI stores recorded overall sales of EUR 5.8 billion. International sales meanwhile have reached a share of 43%.

Information “What is DIY”

DIY is translated as "Do It Yourself" and characterizes the market segment, presented by the wide range of the following products:
- Building (e.g., wood, construction material, tiles, etc.)
- Technique (e.g., power tools, machines, sanitary, electrical, ironware, etc.)
- Living (e.g., paints, wallpapers, lamps, decoration, etc.)
- Gardening (e.g., balcony, pots, room plants, garden technique and furniture, etc.).