Bauhaus (company)

The Bauhaus AG is a trading company based in train in Switzerland and is currently one of the largest home improvement chains in Europe.

History

The company was founded in 1960 after the U.S. model as the first hardware store in Germany by Heinz -Georg construction. "Who was at that time looking for tools or building materials, had to go from shop to shop. Bauhaus enabled with its concept, the relaxed shopping under one roof. "

The first retailer shop with a sales area of ​​250 m² was found in Mannheim square U3. In addition to a range of around 25,000 products, there was the first time in self-service, Bauhaus offered the customer a blank for wood panels, a delivery service and a customer car park right outside the door.

In Mannheim, followed by subsidiaries in Heidelberg and Karlsruhe before 1967 opened a first shop in West Berlin. Until the late 1960s there were ten branches in the 70s, there were three times as many. From the early 1980s until the late 1990s, the expansion concentrated with 60 new openings mainly to Germany. The 100th branch opened in 1989 in Flensburg.

The first Bauhaus outside Germany opened in Austria, where in 1972 the first national company was founded. This was followed in 1988 with a new opening in Denmark entering the market in the Nordic countries in 1993 with a branch in the Czech Republic the first Bauhaus Eastern Europe. Today (December 2012) there Bauhaus in 17 countries where more than 220 branches operated. In Mannheim, Germany is still the center ( Service Center Germany ) resident.

Early 2000 led Bauhaus cooperation talks with the American DIY chain " The Home Depot ", which were, however, ended without a conclusion. 2007 the Federal Court ruled that a decision of the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg will be canceled, which Bauhaus use of a mark with the addition of "The Home Store" under said.

The end of 2004 joined the Bauhaus as well as practitioners from the industry association, the Association of German DIY, Building and Garden Stores from. Bauhaus is also part of any employers' association, therefore is not subject to collective bargaining coverage. 10 Of the 139 Bauhaus offices in Germany have a works council.

End of November 2013 it was announced that Bauhaus would take over 24 Max Bahr stores with some 1,300 employees. Max Bahr previously belonged to practitioners and had also filed for bankruptcy due to the insolvency practitioner, on 25 July 2013.

Organization

Unlike some other DIY chains (particularly Obi ) are not managed in a franchise system, but on regional companies Bauhaus offices. New branches are funded according to the company without debt and are all in the consolidated property.

Bauhaus is now a ( non-listed ) corporation and one of the largest home improvement chains in Europe, currently with about 17,000 employees. The Group is now managed by the Swiss Canton of train. With over 30,000 m² of retail space that's opened in 1997 and several times thereafter extended Bauhaus in Frechen since April 2010, the biggest construction market in Europe. Previously this item was the Bauhaus in Dusseldorf Gerresheim with a sales area of 28,000 m².

Sale concept

The range of Bauhaus branches is divided into several departments called specialty shops and is focused exclusively on products that can be assigned to areas workshop, house and garden. The departments are:

In addition to the normal departmental concept, there are specific technical concepts. This offer compared to the departments, an expanded assortment, and usually occur under a separate name. Part of many offices / branches are garden centers, known as " The Garden City ". Increasingly, similar to the competitor Hornbach, so-called "DRIVE -IN ARENA " set up for building materials, which is available at over 50 locations (as of October 2012). Another concept is to run under the proper name " BATHS WORLD ", which offers a shop-in- shop system products and their installation. It is now offered at over 50 locations (as of October 2012). In more than 30 branches (as of October 2012) there are so-called " Nautic " departments with a variety of boats and accessories for water sports. In seven Bauhaus offices there is a so-called " TILES ARENA "; a department that offers primarily tiles, natural stone tiles and window sills. (October 2012)

Store design

Landmark facade design are three interconnected houses since the early 80s. They are the official Bauhaus logo ( the so-called " conglomerate ", from the Greek, means about " contiguous " ) and in many places form the entrance of the branch. The current average sales area of the newly opened branches amounts to 20,000 square feet with a usually elongated facade form. A wide center aisle divides the sales area and along this axis, all departments are located.

Footnotes