Growth at Baumax

The Austrian DIY store and garden centre operator Baumax increased its international sales by 6 per cent and sales in Austria by 3 per cent in the first half of 2011. This was attributable primarily to the reorientation of its strategy towards greater service and higher-quality ranges, said the company. In the first six months of 2011, Baumax opened its 150th store in Karlovac (Croatia), as well as new stores in Bucharest (Romania), Pleven (Bulgaria) and Izmir (Turkey). Two further stores are expected to follow in Turkey in the next few months, in Bodrum and Ankara. Baumax currently operates 153 stores in nine countries, including 67 in Austria, 24 in the Czech Republic, 15 in Slovakia, 15 in Hungary, three in Slovenia, seven in Croatia, 14 in Romania, five in Bulgaria and three in Turkey.