Interview with Ana Castro, Director of marketing at Bricogroup

The objectives have been fulfilled today Bricogroup is a reference in the market of the DIY, born exclusively as central purchasing and today offers several and important services to its partners.
The number of members has also increased, and although some partner has been left behind more who have risen to the chariot of the DIY and the decoration of the hand of Bricogroup. In addition, under economic circumstances like the present, is when one realizes his role in the DIY market, it increases the number of points of sale of other associations, and independent points of sale, on the requirements to join our group.
Proof that the objectives have been met is that they have begun to open shops under the trade of Bricogroup teaches, when initially the Group was intended to ensure that each partner retained its own Ensign.
Two years ago created an exclusive Department for imports.
Investment in services partners increase every year. So in the past three years has created a manual of mark; has developed a technical manual contains a store type design; an investment of 160,000 euros was made in the implementation of a system of management SAP, which helps us to analysis of data and therefore taking more profitable business decisions, etc.

We currently have 18 members with a total of 43 points of sale distributed among 13 autonomous communities, including the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.

The biggest change is that finally understood the importance of associations. Until a few years ago it was a very diverse market, with many companies operating under their flag, without the beneficial protection posed by belonging to a group. Beneficial not only for to obtain discounts for volumes of purchases, but also by the cost savings involved share an organizational chart of services (marketing, import, financial, etc.) whose cost is distributed.

Without reaching the levels of some countries in Europe, culture of do it yourself is spreading, and in a more dramatic way in times of crisis in which the savings becomes increasingly important in family units.
Savings making a work of DIY self becomes, quite often, in a moment of leisure that just became a hobby, whose result we like to discuss with our people around. This idea of pride in what you do is which gave rise to the slogan of our group 'Boasts of home'.

Linking to the previous response, the culture of DIY extends, increases its potential market, and Spain is no doubt a great attraction for these groups since you still have to grow a lot to reach the levels of the rest of Europe.

It is an example of what we have been commenting on: how important it is to be under the umbrella of a group of shopping and services, cost savings, both for the optimization of purchases, by taking advantage of the various experiences and expertise of partners.

The crisis certainly helps, but from my point of view, accelerating a process that would be inevitable even under positive economic situation.

There is much within the DIY market and it is important that one they know you by a differentiating element. In our case is the specialized treatment, we are medium-sized surfaces and this allows us to help more customers.
You could say that what characterized in our stores is that they have an assortment of large surface area, obviously without the same depth, at the time offered a deal of store of proximity. This should add our own brands and the importance of the cutting of wood.

Of course there will be many 'movements' within the market, with more shops associated with groups of purchases and fewer independent shops.
At the level of consumer expectations for the DIY in Spain market are optimistic, it is a market with a large number of potential 'bricoladores'.
On Bricogroup, no doubt, the brand will be gained greater notoriety among customers, and will continue to be committed to full cooperation with the partner, extending its service level.