Leroy Merlin
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| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1923 |
| Founder | Adolphe Leroy & Rose Merlin |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | France, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, China, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt |
| Products | Do it yourself Home improvement Garden Supplies |
| Owner | Groupe Mulliez (84 %) Employees (16 %) |
Number of employees | 24,081 (2021)  |
| Parent | Groupe Adeo |
| Website | Leroy Merlin |
Leroy Merlin (French: [ləʁwa mɛʁlɛ̃]) is a French headquartered home improvement and gardening retailer serving several countries in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.
History[edit]
In 1923, Adolphe Leroy and Rose Merlin, associates in private and business life[clarification needed], opened a business of American surplus. Strengthened by this first success, they decided to sell DIY products and supplies at moderate prices. In 1960, the firm was named Leroy Merlin. It became a precursor, as it was the first company to offer free delivery services.[1]
Generally established on the outskirts of major towns and cities, Leroy Merlin stores are large centres (9000 m2 on average) providing self-service and sales assisted services. Its business is centred on six main sectors: DIY, building, gardening, sanitary equipment, renewable energy, and interior decoration.[2]
Controversies[edit]
Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, many international, particularly Western, companies pulled out of Russia. Leroy Merlin, however, on 11 March announced that it has no plans to reduce its operations in Russia, where it operates 143 stores.[3] On 17 March they cut off the Ukrainian office from corporate communications and stated that they would increase supplies to the Russian Federation.[4]
In 2020 the company paid $335 million in taxes as a result of their operations in Russia. The company has been criticized for making indirect contributions to the Russian military effort.[5]
On 21 March 2022, a Leroy Merlin store in Kyiv was destroyed by a Russian missile. One employee was killed as a result of the attack. This prompted a tweet from the Ukrainian Defence Ministry: "LEROY MERLIN became the first company in the world to finance the bombing of its own stores and killing its own employees".[6]
Business units[edit]
- Aki
- Bricocentre
- Weldom
Renewable energy[edit]
Superstore installations[edit]
Spanish electricity utility Endesa has installed a 100 kW solar plant, covering 1700 m² with 670 photovoltaic panels, for Leroy Merlin at its superstore in Rivas Vaciamadrid, Spain.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "LEROY MERLIN | LEROY MERLIN, nearly 400 home improvement stores in 12 countries".
- ^ "LEROY MERLIN | LEROY MERLIN, nearly 400 home improvement stores in 12 countries".
- ^ Pladson, Kristie. "Which companies have pulled out of Russia over the Ukraine invasion? | DW | 10.03.2022". DW.COM. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
- ^ "Leroy Merlin blocks Ukraine office from corporate communications, paralyzing aid". english.nv.ua. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
- ^ "An explosion in Kyiv killed an employee of Leroy Merlin, which continues to operate in Russia". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ^ "Defence of Ukraine on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
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External links[edit]
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| National libraries | |
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