Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
Earlier this month, leaders from the global home improvement community gathered in Copenhagen to attend the 8th Annual Global DIY Summit, which featured presentations, networking events and tours of some of the region’s top retailers.
Produced by the European DIY Retailers Association (EDRA) and the Global Home Improvement Network (GHIN), the two-day summit was held June 8-10 and marked the first time the event was held live since the start of the pandemic.
“After two years of pandemic, it has been a great pleasure to welcome the leaders of our industry, who bring great value to our event with their knowledge and expertise,” said Iñaki Maillard, general manager of the Global DIY Summit. ”The network represented by the hundreds of participants at this event are our greatest asset, so all our efforts will be focused on deepening those relationships with the most important decision makers in our industry in the years to come.”
The theme of this year’s summit was “THE NEW NORMAL – Adapting to a Rapidly Changing World,” and the program featured a range of internationally renowned speakers touching on topics ranging from the impact of the pandemic on the economy to the rise of digital ecosystems and emerging trends in home improvement.
While speakers filled the program on Thursday and Friday, on the Wednesday prior to the event, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a tour of local area home improvement stores, including everything from a 24-hour-a-day lumber operation to an urban hardware store that is growing throughout Denmark (for more on the store tours please click here).
Leading off the slate of speakers was Mark Herbek from the Cleveland Research Company in the U.S. Herbek presented on the Future of U.S. Home Improvement in a Post Covid-19/Normal Supply Chain World. While the 800+ attendees at the Global DIY Summit hailed from more than 50 different countries, Herbek’s message was well received by the group and he was introduced with the sentiment that “when the U.S. sneezes, the world catches a cold”.
The Summit’s Gala Dinner on Thursday evening took place in one of the most unique buildings in Copenhagen: the Lokomotivværkstedet. Steeped in history, this refurbished and repurposed locomotive workshop features floor to ceiling windows and candescent skylights. This setting provided the perfect backdrop to present EDRA/GHIN General Secretary, John W. Herbert, with the Global DIY Lifetime Award.
Sergio Giroldi, CEO of OBI and EDRA/GHIN President, presented the award highlighting “John W. Herbert [as] a true veteran of the Home Improvement and a friend to all.” Reinhard Wolff, President of Home Improvement Manufacturers Association, praised John and thanked him for “[making] the global DIY community look and feel like a village.”
Next year’s Global DIY-Summit will be taking place in Berlin from June 14-16. For more information, please click here.
