CHILE – According to the company, the Placacentro chain concluded 2014 with 340 stores (2013: 351 stores) and USD 288 million in purchases to Masisa (2013: USD 340 million).

The 15% drop in purchases was largely due to lower level of activity in Venezuela explained Masisa.

In relation to the number of stores, during 2014 a total of 25 new Placacentros were incorporated and 36 stores were closed, mainly due to Masisa’s review of its own underperforming stores and operators replacements in Colombia. The number of stores of the network owned by Masisa, mainly in Chile, Colombia and Peru, decreased from 48 stores in 2013 to 35 stores at the end of 2014.

The franchised network with operations in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, plays an essential role in Masisa’s multichannel marketing strategy. It is supported by the Purchasing Business Unit dedicated to supply the Placacentro network of a broad mix of complementary products for furniture manufacture. In 2014 the Purchasing B.U. had sales of USD 42 million, 5% below sales of 2013. During 2014 the Unit set forth the initial phase of a new online purchasing platform implemented to supply the Placacentro network. Additionally, during 2014 an alliance was reached with Häfele, the German hardware manufacturer. The first stage of this alliance was undergone in three stores in Chile with the creation of Häfele instore outlets.