The 2022 Global DIY Summit returned this month for the first time since the start of the pandemic, and Dan Tratensek, chief operating officer and publisher for the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) was there to experience the keynote speakers, educational sessions and more. As part of his visit to the conference and Denmark, Dan took part in tours of several Danish home improvement stores. See a gallery of highlights from each store below and read more about his experience at the summit here.
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- Carl Ras is a third generation, family-owned chain of pro-focused hardware stores with 19 stores throughout Denmark. The business focuses on selection and service and the location visited during the store tours was a gleaming example of high-performance retailing.
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- Carl Ras has created a state-of-the art warehouse with a sophisticated order processing and fulfillment system that ensures customers’ orders can be processed as quickly and accurately as possible.
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- With a wide range of products to cover any job need from workwear to woodworking tools, this Carl Ras location clearly illustrates the company’s commitment to ensuring its customers’ needs are met.
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- In addition to the wide assortment of brands carried by the stores, Carl Ras also features its own private-label tools and products throughout its assortments. These private-label offerings include everything from mechanic’s tools to highly specialized woodworking items like a Japanese style pull saw.
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- One of the tools Carl Ras has implemented is a robot order picking system This system, much like the ones found at Amazon warehouses, uses a series of robots that run along a gridded track system to sort, pick and combine products into customer shipments.
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- Perhaps even more impressive than the Carl Ras salesfloor is what’s found behind the scenes at this family business. Roughly 50 percent of Carl Ras’s sales are delivered directly to end users from its on-site warehouse.
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- Jem & Fix is Denmark’s low-cost leader for supplying hardware and building products to contractors, tradespeople and the public.
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- Jem & Fix stores feature an ample lumber and building materials selection, as well as lawn and garden and outdoor living.
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- It is a family-owned company with more than 124 stores in Denmark, 59 stores in Sweden and 11 in Norway.
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- Customers can also find a selection of paint, plumbing, hardware tools and more.
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- The store’s brand is completely built around no-frills merchandising. It rarely offers any promotions and does not offer a loyalty program. At Jem & Fix, price is the primary driver to capture customers.
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- The company has been named Denmark’s cheapest construction market for several years in a row by PriceRunner.
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- Silvan is a leading Danish DIY-focused chain that operates 42 stores throughout the country.
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- While its shops are located in both urban and suburban areas, Silvan’s focus for growth is on its urban store formats.
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- Even items like barbecue grills are available at Silvan stores and they use a unique display that allows customers to pick the type of grill they want. Once the purchase is made, the grills are assembled and delivered to customers’ homes.
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- Each Silvan store also offers a variety of services like key cutting, tool rentals, custom curtains and wood cutting services.
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- At roughly 1,000 square meters, this downtown Silvan location offers everything from live plants to light bulbs and offers about 6,000 SKUs.
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- The two-level structure is located in a historic building with a large sign inside the entrance sharing the building’s history and a large map outlining the Silvan store’s layout.
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- STARK 24-7 is a massive lumber dealer that caters to Copenhagen’s professional contractors and trades people but it is also open to the public.
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- STARK is a 125-year-old company and has 485 branches throughout Northern Europe with sales in 2021 of more than $5 billion (US).
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- In addition to its full slate of building materials and lumber, the STARK salesfloor offers everything from a wide selection of power tools and accessories to plumbing supplies, paint and a massive collection of workwear, shoes and safety gear.
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- Along with delivering products and being open around the clock, STARK also offers its customers unique features like the ability to rent one of its tool vans. This van is fully stocked with a range of tools and customers can rent it for the day. STARK will even drop a “fastener” box that is completely stocked with fasteners off at a job site for customers.
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- At this Copenhagen location, STARK offers a full-service outdoor lumber facility and also has products located under a covered, drive-through area for easy picking and loading.
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- The salesfloor also includes a small flooring and kitchen and bath showroom.
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- One of STARK’s most unique features is that it is open 24/7. The retailer feels this kind of accessibility is necessary to truly meet the needs of the market’s contractors who often want to start their days at 3 or 4 a.m.
