UK DIY News
The A.R.E.N.A. Alliance Welcomes Merkur And Spancan Corporation As New Allies
The A.R.E.N.A. Alliance today announced the start of a partnership with Spancan Corporation for the supply of DIY, Home and Garden products, effective June 30th, 2025. Spancan group 20 DIY retailers across Canada, comprises of 1200 stores in Canada. The ARENA Alliance now includes 12 partners: Spancan (Canada), Merkur (Slovenia), Woodie’s (Ireland), hagebau (Germany), Le Groupement Les Mousquetaires (France), Jumbo (Switzerland), Gruppo Bricofer (Italy), Dedeman (Romania), Pevex (Croatia), Maxeda DIY Group (Benelux countries), Groupe BMR (Canada) and Kent Building Supplies (Canada).
“Spancan is excited to announce its partnership with the ARENA International buying group. This is now a unified group direction including ILDC, TIMBER MART and Federated Coop. Together with A.R.E.N.A. we are looking to dynamically grow our vendor partnerships to better serve our stores and customers. We are taking our Canadian buying group to a new global level." said Doug Bitter, Spancan Director of Purchasing.
"We are proud to welcome Spancan corporation as a new member of our international alliance. This integration reinforces our presence in Canada, following the successful integration of Groupe BMR in June 2023 and Kent Building supplies in January 2024, also members of Spancan. It is the proof that our international alliance model is pertinent in Europe and Canada to serve the performance of our various members in combining our strengths to serve even better our stores and our customers. Our team is looking forward to a successful new partnership in Canada which will benefit all parties involved", said Jacques Noiré, Chairman of the Board of A.R.E.N.A. and Bricorama store owner and operator in France.
About Spancan
Spancan is a hardlines buying group with a network of members across Canada. Formed in 1999, the group has grown to become the largest group of its kind, representing independent businesses specializing in hardware and home improvement retailing and distribution. The 3 members, ILDC, Federated Cooperatives Ltd and Timber Mart have over 1200 locations with reported sales of $9.3B cdn. For more information, please visit www.spancan.com.
The A.R.E.N.A. Alliance today announced the start of a partnership with Merkur for the supply of DIY, Home and Garden products, effective June 30th, 2025. Merkur comprises of 34 DIY stores in Slovenia. The A.R.E.N.A. Alliance now includes 11 partners: Merkur (Slovenia), Woodie’s (Ireland), hagebau (Germany), Le Groupement Les Mousquetaires (France), Jumbo (Switzerland), Gruppo Bricofer (Italy), Dedeman (Romania), Pevex (Croatia), Maxeda DIY Group (Benelux countries), Groupe BMR (Canada) and Kent Building Supplies (Canada).
"We are honored to join the A.R.E.N.A. Alliance and to stand alongside such respected partners in the DIY, home and garden sector. For all of us at MERKUR, this is more than just a partnership - it is a chance to learn from each other, share experiences and create new opportunities. Together, we will be able to strengthen our offering and bring even more value to our customers while contributing to the success of the entire alliance." said Jure Kapetan, CEO of MERKUR.
"We are proud to welcome Merkur as a new member of our international alliance. This integration allows us to continue strengthening our presence in Europe and North America, following the successful additions of Groupe BMR in June 2023 and Kent Building Supplies in January 2024. It demonstrates our shared vision of combining strengths to deliver even more value to our stores and customers. We look forward to a successful partnership that benefits all parties,” said Jacques Noiré, Chairman of the Board of A.R.E.N.A. and Bricorama store owner and operator in France.
About MERKUR
MERKUR is Slovenia’s leading technical retailer, specializing in DIY, home, garden, construction and workshop products. Established in 1896, MERKUR has grown from a small local store into one of the country’s most trusted and recognized brands. Today, the company operates 24 retail centers and 10 franchise stores across Slovenia, supported by merkur.si, its award winning online store for home and garden. With nearly 1,300 employees and its MERKUR Zate loyalty program, MERKUR combines technical expertise, high quality products and innovation with excellent customer service, making it the go to partner for both households and professionals. For more information, please visit www.merkur.si
About A.R.E.N.A.
A.R.E.N.A. is an international sourcing, trading and quality alliance for DIY, home and garden equipment. It brings together leading independent DIY distributors, including Le Groupement Mousquetaires (France), hagebau (Germany), Jumbo (Switzerland), Gruppo Bricofer (Italy), Dedeman (Romania), and Pevex (Croatia), Maxeda DIY Group (Benelux countries), Groupe BMR (Canada), Kent Building supplies (Canada), Woodies (Republic of Ireland), Merkur (Slovenia) and now Spancan Corporation in Canada. The 12 allies have combined sales (incl. VAT) of over 24,4 billion euros and are present in 13 European countries and in Canada.
For more information, please visit www.alliance-arena.com.
Source : A.R.E.N.A.
Source : A.R.E.N.A.
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