On April 2, Ahlsell Denmark will open the doors to 24 Danish tradesman stores. Ahlsell took over the large Danish company Sanistål in December 2022, and now the Ahlsell name is being introduced across the country. Ahlsell Denmark has made two additional acquisitions in Denmark in 2023, but these will not be the last. The ambition is to carry out two to three acquisitions per year.
The physical proof that the Swedish billion-dollar corporation Ahlsell has genuinely entered Denmark can be seen in the company's 24 Danish tradesman stores after Easter. The stores have until now been named Sanistål, but going forward, customers will enter an Ahlsell store. The name change is part of Ahlsell's major offensive in the Danish market.
Ahlsell is the largest distributor of tools, plumbing, and electrical items to the construction industry and manufacturing in the Nordic region, and the corporation has a positive outlook on the developments in Denmark in the coming years. The significant growth will be achieved through organic growth and acquisitions.
- We are purposefully aiming to become a leader in the Danish market, even though the market is characterized by intense competition. We have laid out an ambitious growth plan and have high expectations for developments in the coming years. Our growth journey began when we acquired Sanistål, and we will make further acquisitions while also strengthening our existing stores and our digital sales channels, says CEO Claudio Christensen from Ahlsell Denmark.
In 2023, Ahlsell acquired no fewer than 13 companies in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Two of them were in Denmark, where Ahlsell invested in KJV A/S, which sells cutting tools, machine tools, and automation solutions, and Bacher Work Wear, which sells workwear. The latter transaction is pending final approval, as the acquisition is not yet finalized.
- We will acquire companies that either complement or expand the existing product portfolio, or which provide access to new markets and customers. We are constantly analyzing where we can strengthen our business, says Claudio Christensen.
Ahlsell has already invested over 100 million DKK in expanding the company's automated robot warehouse in Billund. The expansion is a key element of Ahlsell's acquisition strategy, as the corporation wants to have the capacity to quickly expand operations in connection with acquisitions.
Ahlsell Denmark is part of the Swedish Ahlsell Group, which has a turnover of approximately 50 billion Swedish Krona (SEK). The corporation has nearly 8,000 employees and more than 300 tradesman stores in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
Increased digitization and improvement of stores
Ahlsell Denmark's growth will also take place through an increased focus on digitization and modernization of the stores. The corporation has already invested a double-digit million sum in digitization in 2022 and 2023, and a similar amount will be allocated for this purpose in 2024. The investments are made, among other things, to develop the online business, which now accounts for about 50 percent of the turnover.
- We have a data-driven approach to e-commerce and an ambition to provide customers with the best e-commerce experience in the industry. We are using artificial intelligence to enhance the buying experience for customers since this is an area where we expect significant growth in the coming years, says Claudio Christensen.
The customers' experience in the stores will also be significantly improved, as it is not only the signage on the store fronts that will be changed. The stores will receive new layouts, and the product range will be expanded – including with Ahlsell's own branded products. Ahlsell's two stores in Aabyhøj and Risskov are the first that have received a significant upgrade, while the rest of the physical stores will be transformed over the coming months and years. For example, a modernized Ahlsell store with Denmark's largest product range will open in Vallensbæk this summer. In addition to 24 tradesman stores, Ahlsell operates two refrigeration technology stores and 11 self-service stores.
Ahlsell will also roll out a 24/7 concept, which means that customers will gain access to the stores around the clock through Ahlsell's app. Customers can unlock the stores themselves via the app, scan items, and pay for them. Additionally, Ahlsell is focused on better connecting the customer experience across the physical stores and digital channels by using data on customer behavior in the store to provide them with a more personalized experience when shopping online.