USA – The Swedish Ikea Group will open its 50th store in the USA on April 10 in Norfolk, Virginia. The planned sales area at the new location amounts to 331,000 ft². In the state of Virginia, the company already operates a branch in Woodbridge.

CANADA – Consolidated sales of Richelieu, a leading supplier of furniture hardware and accessories in Canada and the United States, reached USD 1,004.4 million, an increase of USD 61.9 million or 6.6% over 2017, of which 3.2% from internal growth and 3.4% from acquisitions.

EE.UU. – Ingka Group, (whose business operations include Ikea Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centers) the world’s largest home furnishing retailer, has signed an agreement to invest and acquire 49% of Traemand, a US based kitchen service company, with an option to buy the remaining shares.

CHILE – Falabella announced an organic investment plan totaling USD 4,200 million for the period 2019-2022, to continue building a digital and physical ecosystem that provides a full response to its customer’s demands, consolidate its presence in the Region; and broaden its commercial offering.

NETHERLANDS – Ingka Group, the largest retailer in the IKEA franchise system – owns and operates 367 IKEA stores in 30 countries – is accelerating its transformation.

MEXICO – On November 20, 2018, Lowe’s announced its plans to exit retail operations in Mexico for which it is exploring strategic alternatives.

COLOMBIA – Sierras y Equipos S.A. is a company with more than 20 years of experience in the Colombian market dedicated to the import and distribution of equipment, tools and accessories for the wood processing industry, the metalworking industry and the food industry.

U.S. – Lowe’s Companies, Inc. announced the wind-down of certain underperforming store locations as part of its ongoing strategic reassessment. The company will focus on its most profitable stores and improve the overall health of its store portfolio.

ARGENTINA – On October 23, together with its distributor Roberto Gentile, EGGER inaugurated its first EGGER Haus in Rio IV, Córdoba, created to provide products and services of excellence for the woodworking professional.

ARGENTINA – With a turnover that exceeded 14,000 million Argentine pesos (ARS) in 2017, furniture e-commerce consolidated as one of the three most important categories in this sales channel, representing 9% of the total invoiced through e-commerce.

CANADA – IKEA Canada launched in select markets TaskRabbit, the in-home assembly and mounting service. This on-demand service is now available in-store and online in the Greater Toronto Area, with plans to roll-out to the Vancouver market in mid-November and the Montreal area in spring of 2019.

HOLLAND – Inter IKEA Systems, the owner of the IKEA Concept and worldwide IKEA franchisor reported figures for financial year 2018 (FY18) which runs from 1 September to 31 August.