27/03/2025

Consorzio MADE4DIY organized on behalf of the European Association HIMA (Home Improvement Manufacturers Association) the trade mission to explore the opportunities of the US market for Home Improvement, DIY and Gardening. The mission saw the creation of a collective stand within the NHS - National Hardware Show - in Las Vegas which is an interesting trade fair for companies in the Hardware, Garden and DIY sector. The American mission also saw the participation in the conference of Luca Gaudenzi (General Manager of the MADE4DIY Consortium) who brought the point of view of the European DIY market and discussed in a conference with the experts of the American Home Improvement market on the following topics: Size and Evolution of the markets, Trends, Opportunities and economic and political situation/impact of American duties on the European market.

The American mission ended with the organization of a Store Tour at the stores of the main retailers in the American market: The Home Depot, Lowe's and Ace Hardware.

The Home Depot is the most important chain in the world: it has 2,335 stores divided between the USA, Canada and Mexico of which 2,015 are in the United States. On average, Home Depot stores have an exhibition area of ​​approximately 9,200 square meters; the overall turnover of the retailer is 141.2 billion euros. They are stores dedicated mainly to DIYers and therefore do not have products dedicated to a professional public; they have a vast assortment of products for Home Improvement with a very wide range of tools and power tools; they also have a lot of space dedicated to products for organizing and arranging spaces including containers and boxes in plastic and other materials. There is also a lot of space for furnishing products such as wardrobes, chests of drawers and shelves in ennobled chipboard, laminate/melamine. Home Depot stores also have large covered outdoor areas dedicated to the Garden & Outdoor section. All the products for gardening are present including products for green care, irrigation and a large assortment of garden vases and indoor and outdoor plants. Home Depot has a food license to sell snacks and drinks in a wide range and placed in refrigerators and displays at the checkout. Another service is the rental of vans and trucks for the transport of purchased goods. Both Home Depot and Ace Hardware have self-service refueling points for propane gas cylinders, which is widely used for the operation of barbecues compared to traditional charcoal barbecues.

Lowe's has 1,746 stores in the US and Canada with an average of 10,400 square meters and produce a total turnover of approximately 80 billion euros. Lowe's is mainly used by professionals, especially in the construction and Home Improvement sectors. They have stores with larger surfaces than other stores because they have more space dedicated to bulky products specific to the building and construction sector, including lumber, roof insulation materials and flooring, so the aisles are much more spacious and are organized like in warehouses with very high racks. A lot of space is also dedicated to paints, resins and chemical products for the interior and exterior surfaces of the home. They have specific programs for artisans and construction companies that can save on the purchase of large volumes of product. Lowe's has also developed a consultancy service aimed at builders and artisans. So the Lowe's customer can request the consultancy of specific personnel to design a system, such as the installation of photovoltaic panels or thermal insulation systems. There is also a large outdoor area dedicated to the entire Garden & Outdoor world.

Ace Hardware has stores mainly in the USA but also in other continents. They are stores with an average surface area of ​​less than 1000 square meters. The total sales points are 5900 (5200 in America alone) and produce a turnover of 20 billion euros.

Unlike the other two retailers, Ace Hardware stores are purely dedicated to the Hardware and Gardening sector. In fact, they have a vast assortment of small metal parts and professional tools and power tools for DIY and Gardening as well as a vast choice of barbecues and related accessories. Unlike the other two stores visited, they also have products from the Pet world. Here too there is no shortage of products subject to food license such as drinks and snacks and a vast assortment of spices and sauces for barbecue cooking.

Even though the American market has had a decline of 5/8% it remains the main one in the world with a turnover of approximately 268 billion euros.