French DIY retailer Leroy Merlin to accelerate expansion in Romania

French group Leroy Merlin, one of the biggest retailers specialized in construction materials and home decorations in Europe, will continue its expansion in Romania by opening new stores and by developing an online sales channel. Leroy Merlin, which has 15 stores in Romania, after taking over the local operations of Austrian competitor BauMax, in 2014, estimates that it will reach EUR 400 million in sales this year, reports local Wall-street.ro. This would make it the second biggest DIY retailer in Romania, after local group Dedeman. Leroy Merlin would thus surpass competitors Arabesque, Praktiker, and Brico Depot. “We finalized BauMax acquisition in November 2014 and we set a clear target, to double our business in the first year, which we achieved,” said Frederic Lamy, who runs Leroy Merlin’s operations in Romania. The retailer plans to open five new stores in the next two years and reach EUR 500 million in sales. It will also develop an online sales platform. editor@romania-insider.com