OBI Hungary
Facts and figures
OBI opened up its first store in 1970 in Hamburg – on 870 m2 and with 12 employees. The original idea to offer the goods of twelve types of homemakers' stores under one roof came from America. By now OBI has grown the leading European enterprise in the market segment of home improvement stores. In the 2009 business year, with average store size of 7000 m2, and a total surface area of 3,8 million m2 OBI realised a turnover of euro 5,9 billion. OBI product offering covers 4 areas: living, tools, construction and garden.
Customers of OBI consist of individuals (singles, families, men and women of various age groups) as well as of entrepreneurs and of DIY people. In Germany OBI is among the best known brands, with a recognition rate of 98% (TNS Infratest).
OBI first reached out of Germany in 1991 with the opening of its first Italian outlet. This was followed by the chain entering into Hungary in 1994. Currently OBI is present in 13 countries (Austria, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine), with a total of 546 OBI stores (March 2010). Most recently, the chain entered into 2 new markets in 2008, to Ukraine and Romania. In Germany there are about 336 OBI department stores; while another 210 outlets belong to the chain in other countries. OBI is a market leader in Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Russia, Slovenia and Bosnia. OBI employs 38.500 people in several countries to serve the high number of customers in excellent quality.
The opening of the Hungarian stores took place as follows:
1994. Budapest X., Gyakorló köz (closed in March 2002)
1994. Tatabánya (closed in September 2004)
1995. Budapest XIII. Váci út, Budapest, XIX. Határ út, Budapest IV. Szent Imre út, Budapest X. Kerepesi út (closed in 2006)
1995. Szeged
1996. Siófok
1998. Budaörs
1999. Budapest IX. Soroksári út
2000. Kaposvár
2002. Eger, Miskolc
2003. Veszprém, Békéscsaba
2004. Dunaújváros, Szolnok, Tatabánya (moved to a new location), Budapest, XI. Savoya Park, Nagykanizsa, Budapest XIV. Fogarasi út, Szekszárd, Nyíregyháza, Sopron, Szeged, Kecskemét
2010. Keszthely, Gyöngyös (opening 1 April)
Together with the Gyöngyös store, 25 OBI stores operate in Hungary with a total sales space of 181.000 m2 and a total staff of 1870.
