NEW K-RAUTA STORES OPENED IN OULU AND SIILINJÄRVI
A new K-rauta store for hardware and builders’ supplies was opened today in Oulu and Siilinjärvi. The newly constructed store at Äimärautio, Oulu is the biggest hardware outlet in northern Finland and the first K-rauta store set up in accordance with the new operating model. The area of the new store premises, which meet all European standards, is 6,616 square metres. In addition to the retailer couple, Raija-Leena and Tapio Särkilahti, the Äimäraution K-rauta store employs around 80 persons.
Retailer Ari Kokkonen operating the K-rauta Siilinjärvi store opened a new outlet on Tuesday. Its total area is around 2,500 square metres, but the premises also house a 250 m² store for garden products and a 3,000 m² cash & carry area. The number of personnel was increased by 7 employees, now totalling 20.
The biggest K-rauta in Finland will be opened in May at Pakkala, Vantaa. The business premises constructed for Kesko Corporation will provide about 10,000 square metres of warm store space and about 2,500 square metres of cash & carry storage sheds. A 1,300 m² store for garden products will also be built on the site. The Vantaanportti K-rauta will be run by Mikael Åstrand from the Vantaankoski K-rauta store.
The K-rauta store chain includes currently 125 outlets in Finland and 6 in Sweden. In the coming years, the chain will continue to invest in new store sites both in Finland and Sweden. During 2000, a total of eight K-rauta stores will be opened in Finland, some of which are completely new and some considerably extended ones. Our objective in Sweden is to increase the number of stores in the K-rauta chain up to 25 outlets within the next five years.
The sales by K-rauta stores in 1999 amounted to FIM 3.4 billion.
Kesko Corporation
Corporate Communications
Erkki Heikkinen
Director
Further information from:
Oulun K-rauta: Retailer Tapio Särkilahti, tel. +358 500 690 456,
tapio.sarkilahti@k-rauta-oulu.com
Siilinjärven K-rauta: Retailer Ari Kokkonen, tel. +358 500 677 563
Kesko Corporation: Sales Director Jorma Mykrä, tel. +358 1053 20001
