OUR HISTORY
A.R.E.N.A. Alliance : The purchasing & negotiation hub for independent retailers
Born from the joint ambition of Groupement Mousquetaires (France) and hagebau (Germany), the A.R.E.N.A. Alliance has become a global reference in the home improvement sector. It brings together 10 leading DIY banners, united by a strong conviction: together, our allies go further, faster and with more impact.
A strategic alliance, a growth engine
A.R.E.N.A. builds complementary strengths across markets, cultures and expertise. By pooling volumes, negotiating with force and structuring agile governance, we deliver a high‑performing purchasing dynamic rooted in massification and sustainable competitiveness.
Shared data, informed decisions
Collective intelligence is at the heart of our model. We aggregate our allies’ needs, turn data into actionable insights and help teams deploy continuous improvement levers. This analytical approach strengthens our ability to steer performance, anticipate trends and accelerate innovation.
Expert sourcing, uncompromising quality
From supplier qualification to on‑the‑ground quality control, our teams in Europe and Asia ensure rigorous oversight at every stage. We deliver safe, compliant products aligned with market requirements and our allies’ standards.
A global vision, a shared future
As a pioneer across 5 continents, the A.R.E.N.A. Alliance continues to expand by attracting new strategic partners. Our ambition: remain a catalyst for transformation, a performance accelerator and a leading voice in a changing market.
A.R.E.N.A. is the power of an international collective serving your local ambitions.
Discover the history of A.R.E.N.A. from its beginnings to today :
2000
A.R.E.N.A. ALLIANCE FOUNDED
Created by hagebau (major DIY and building materials player in Germany) and Groupement Mousquetaires (one of Europe’s leading retail groups).
2001
NEW PARTNERS
Danish banner DENDEK and South African MICA join; following the merger of DITAS and DENDEK, the new entity DITAS joins.
2003
A.R.E.N.A. ALLIANCE EVOLVES
MITRE 10 & RONA (Canada’s #1) joins
hagebau transfers its shares to German buying group ZEUS, which then joins the Alliance.
Creation of A.R.E.N.A. IMPORT for direct sourcing in Asia with offices in Shanghai and Ho Chi Minh City.
2004
BRAND LAUNCH
Launch of GO/ON!®, the Alliance’s own brand for entry‑level products, exclusive to our allies.
2005
FURTHER EXPANSION
BRICOSTORE (Hungary, Croatia, Romania) joins.
2006
HOMEMART JOINS
The Chinese banner HOMEMART joins the Alliance.
2008
INDIA AND ITALY JOIN THE ADVENTURE
JUMBO (then #2 in Swiss DIY with 40 branches) joins; A.R.E.N.A.
BRICOFER (Italy’s 4th‑largest DIY retailer) joins.
A.R.E.N.A. IMPORT launches direct sourcing in India.
2012
RUSSIA JOINS THE ALLIANCE
DITAS leaves.
Russian distributors BAUCENTER (Kaliningrad, Krasnodar, Omsk) and TREST SCM (49 stores across five regions) join.
2013
ARRIVAL OF THE ROMANIAN MARKET
Following its acquisition by Kingfisher, BRICOSTORE leaves
DEDEMAN (Romania’s leading DIY & construction banner) joins.
2014
WELCOME CRC GROUP
CRC GROUP With THAI WATSADU, HOME WORKS and BANN & BEYOND, CRC becomes Thailand’s #2 DIY player.
BRICO IO also joins (108 stores in Italy).
2015
A DEPARTURE...
RONA leaves the Alliance.
2018
A NEW DISTRIBUTOR
PEVEX d.d., Croatia’s leading DIY retailer, joins.
2019
INDIA STRENGTHENED
A.R.E.N.A. IMPORT signs a partnership with Source One in India for sourcing, quality control, negotiations and quotations.
2020
BENELUX JOINS
Maxeda DIY Group, the #1 DIY group in the Benelux, joins.
2022
THE FAMILY GROWS
Opening of a Central Europe & Turkey sourcing office in Warsaw, Poland.
2024
NEW PRESENCE IN CANADA
BMR and KENT join A.R.E.N.A. Alliance. The Alliance access a new market and become stronger.
2025
ARENA BECOME STRONGER
Woodie’s the #1 DIY retailer in Ireland, joins.
Merkur.si (Slovenian DIY retailer) and SPANCAN join us to continue to build a stronger, more competitive and truly international network.