Sirnach / Bornheim, November 3, 2021. Three months after the handover by the lessor, Rimaprojekt AG, Hornbach will tomorrow be the first retailer to open its doors at the Ebnet Center, a new specialist retail center. On sales areas of 15,000 square meters*, DIY fans, gardening enthusiasts, and professional customers from the region between Zurich, St. Gallen and Winterthur will now have direct access to Hornbach’s huge product range, which in Switzerland comprises more than 125,000 articles. Sirnach is Hornbach’s 8th location in the Alpine republic and the Group’s 165th DIY store and garden center. Hornbach is initially letting the property for 20 years and will start out with 115 employees in Sirnach.
“From tomorrow, we will finally be offering an attractive Hornbach store with all the latest specialist departments and services to people in Eastern Switzerland as well”, commented Erich Harsch, CEO of Hornbach Baumarkt AG, at today’s media conference in Sirnach. “We have long aimed to gain a foothold in this region, so you can imagine just how consistently we have prepared for this extension to our store network. The results are really impressive and are sure to inspire our customers as well.” Pointing to the location directly on the approach to the A1 freeway, Alessandro Pellegrini, Hornbach’s Managing Director in Switzerland added: “This store has ideal transport links and can also be reached in little time by customers from St. Gallen or Winterthur. Here they can even drive directly to the shelves and conveniently load heavy or bulky goods into their cars or transports. It is our first store in Switzerland to have a drive-in facility for construction materials.”
First drive-in facility in Switzerland – now also with self-scan technology
It was Hornbach that introduced the construction materials drive-in facility to the European DIY sector in 2003. This is hugely popular with home improvement enthusiasts, and especially with professionals, as they can quickly and easily collect even large quantities of construction materials without having to make a detour through the neighboring store and avoiding the time-consuming task of reloading goods from trolleys into their vehicles. Since last year, that has become even faster: Using Hornbach’s app, customers can scan each article with their own smartphones and generate a code that they only need to show briefly at the checkout. “That means that filling out goods forms is now a thing of the past at our drive-in as well. Self-scanning saves a great deal of time that is then available to spend on the building site or with the project at home”, enthuses Hans Völkl, Hornbach’s store manager in Sirnach. It goes without saying that the store also offers the traditional approach for all customers who do not have smartphones or do not use the app.
Bathrooms, kitchens, whirlpools, and saunas in the upper floor
Alongside the drive-in facility of around 4,000 square meters, the new store in Sirnach also has an enormous bathroom and kitchen center in its upper floor. Fifteen attractive model bathrooms, an extra spa section with whirlpools and saunas, and a large display area with twelve fitted kitchens offer a whole world of inspiration. To plan specific solutions, specialist advisors and sales staff draw on state-of-the art 3D software enabling customers to perfectly visualize the implementation of bathroom and kitchen projects in their own four walls. Customers also have the option of ordering full assembly of their solution via Hornbach’s tradespeople service.
Lively event program on first days of opening
Further highlights at the new store include a picture framing shop, the modern paint competence center, and a large garden center on 1,500 square meters. More than 115 staff are on hand to support customers with projects in their houses, apartments, and gardens. “We managed to attract numerous colleagues who themselves already have professional experience in trades and the building sector. They cannot wait to provide specialist advice to DIY fans and professionals alike and offer optimal support with our services”, adds store manager Hans Völkl. The team has organized a lively program of events to accompany the first three days on which the store is open. Customers can expect cooking demonstrations in the store’s show kitchen, and will be able to taste the results. Not only that: Anyone interested can take part in the auction of a van that Hornbach has professionally converted into a camper using bespoke products from its Buildify private label. The proceeds from this initiative will be donated to welfare and charitable organizations in the Sirnach area.
(*Weighted by BHB sector association standard: around 11,900 square meters )
The Hornbach store in Sirnach is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays.
