HAI Launches Pre-Budget Submission for Budget 2026
September 22, 2025
Be Part of Ireland’s Leading Trade Event for Home, Garden, Build and DIY
October 8, 2025
This week, HAI had the pleasure of hosting a group of members on a Study Tour of hardware and DIY stores across Stockholm. Focusing on ‘Best in Class’ examples in Trade, DIY, and Garden, the tour offered a hands-on look at how leading retailers are shaping the customer experience, sustainability, and operational efficiency.
Over three days, the group explored ten standout stores, including:
- Beijer Byggmaterial – Sweden’s largest wholly-owned building supply chain, serving both professionals and DIY customers with high-quality materials, tools, and services.
- Optimera – A professional-focused building trade retailer, part of the Saint-Gobain group, with 70 stores nationwide.
- Byggmax – A leading Nordic discount DIY and building materials retailer, known for its EDLP strategy and pre-selected product assortment.
- Bauhaus – Europe’s largest privately-owned home center company, with a new 12,500 m² store in Bromma featuring drive-in, garden, and showroom areas.
- Nordströms – A family-run builders merchant catering exclusively to professional contractors, with a strong focus on climate-neutral operations.
- Zetas Trädgård – Sweden’s oldest garden center, offering inspiration in garden retailing and sustainability practices.
- Bygg Ole – A family-owned business acquired by Beijer Group, recognised for its circular economy initiatives.
- Happy Homes – Established in 1962, operating 80 painting stores across Sweden, with a long-standing commitment to customer service.
- Clas Ohlson – Founded in 1918, now operating over 200 stores across Sweden, Norway, and Finland, offering a wide range of hardware and household solutions.
The tour provided rich insights into the evolution of Sweden’s hardware and building materials sector, from innovative store formats and sustainability initiatives to strategies for meeting the changing demands of urbanisation and professional customers.
📌 More detailed highlights and reflections from the Study Tour will be featured in an upcoming issue of The Hardware Journal.
