Kent Joins The A.R.E.N.A. Alliance

The A.R.E.N.A. Alliance today announced the start of a partnership with KENT Building Supplies for the supply of renovation products and home equipment, effective January 29, 2023.

Kent Building Supplies, a subsidiary of J.D. Irving, Limited, comprises more than 48 renovation centers and hardware stores in Atlantic Canada. The ARENA Alliance now includes 9 partners: Kent Building Supplies (Canada), Groupe BMR (Canada), hagebau (Germany), Le Groupement Les Mousquetaires (France), Jumbo (Switzerland), Gruppo Bricofer (Italy), Dedeman (Romania), Pevex (Croatia) and Maxeda DIY Group (Benelux countries).

“We are delighted to be able to join the ARENA Alliance. The opportunity for us to share best practices and strategies with some of the biggest and best home improvement leaders in the world will be transformational for our business," said Michael Simms, Vice President Retail, J.D. Irving, Limited. “We look forward to leveraging our volume and category management experience to support ARENA negotiating strategies and provide improved deals to all partners. Our intention is to become a very active and supportive member."

"We are proud to welcome Kent Building Supplies as a new member of our international alliance. This integration enables the alliance to strengthen its presence in Canada, following the successful integration of Groupe BMR in June 2023. It also reflects a shared strategic vision and mindset among the various partners, aimed at combining our strengths so that we can all perform even better for our stores and our customers. Our team is looking forward to a successful new partnership in North America, which will benefit all parties involved", said Frank Staffeld, Chairman of the Board of Directors of A.R.E.N.A. and General Manager Procurement & Category Management of hagebau.

About A.R.E.N.A.

A.R.E.N.A. is an international sourcing, trading and quality alliance for DIY, home and garden equipment. It brings together leading independent DIY distributors, including Le Groupement Les Mousquetaires (France), hagebau (Germany), Jumbo (Switzerland), Gruppo Bricofer (Italy), Dedeman (Romania), and Pevex (Croatia), Maxeda DIY Group (Benelux countries), Groupe BMR (Canada) and now Kent Building supplies. The 9 allies have combined sales (incl. VAT) of over 16 billion euros and are present in 12 European countries and in Canada. For more information, please visit https://alliance-arena.com

About Kent

For 45 years, Kent has provided helpful service, practical solutions and the quality products our customers need to accomplish their building and renovation goals. Our team mission is to have the right products and the right solutions, right here at home. We have a diverse customer base consisting of large general contractors, home improvement professionals and retail customers serviced through a dedicated delivery fleet. We currently operate 48 retail locations in three store formats sizes - small, medium and big box. Our stores are supported by a central distribution center based in Moncton, NB. We employ over 3,700 associates in communities across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island. Press release For more information, please visit https://www.kent.ca

Source : A.R.E.N.A.

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