ADEO

English

ADEO SERVICES

Adeo is the 3rd DIY retailer in the world (1st in Europe), we are established since 1960 with our main brand Leroy Merlin. We have different brands such as Leroy Merlin, Bricoman, Bricomart, Weldom, Bricocenter or Zodio lead by 114 000 people for 800 stores and 23 B€ turnover in 2019 (including Internet Sales).

One of our strategies is to design specific ranges in Private Label Products in order to get a differentiate offer to propose to our 500 Million customers.

To do so, we have a dedicated Global Sourcing service, which is in charge to source, manage and follow local industrial partners to develop long term relationship. We are convinced that working closely and deeply between Industrial Producers and Adeo teams ensure over the long term the best value for price for our products.

In Asia, our adventure started more than 20 years ago, in 1998. Today, we are working with 300 Suppliers, with a constantly growing purchasing amount.

Our Asian Teams (200 people), are located in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Ho Chi Minh. Their mission is to evaluate and select the best suppliers, to have the best Quality Cost Delivery performance.

If you are interested by taking up challenges in a growing and successful international company, then Adeo is the right choice for you! Welcome to Adeo!

IN SUPPORT OF

THE POSITIVE HOME

With the explosion of energy tariffs, issues concerning drinking water, waste management, it is becoming vital for our societies to move towards a positive home.

Our mission invites people everywhere to make our homes a positive place to live, our common home being the planet. We can certainly achieve this if our approach combines the creation of human, economic and environmental value in all our professions, but also by involving all our stakeholders in our initiative.

Since Leroy Merlin was founded in the 1920s, the Adeo Group has kept pace with the various changes in society and helped shape all the major retail sector transformations, to continuously meet inhabitants’ home-related needs. From the invention of free delivery and our shift to an omni-channel approach to our transformation into a platform-based business, discover all the milestones in our 100-year history.

Our History

1920

THE BEGINNING OF A LONG FAMILY STORY

In 1921, Adolphe Leroy senior opens the first “Stock Américain” in France, selling American surplus goods, in the county of Pas-de-Calais. At the time, the “Stock Américain” stores offer all manner of materials, directly to private individuals, to build and improve their homes. In the natural course of family affairs, Adolphe hands over the reins to his son, also named Adolphe Leroy, and his daughter-in-law, Rose Merlin.

1960

TRANSFORMING THE MODEL

With the baby-boom, France needs more housing. The first supermarkets open, retail is changing. It’s a time of pleasure and leisure: consumerism explodes. A new era, a new name! The sons of Adolphe and Rose rename the company and the Leroy Merlin brand is born. Kitchenware, DIY, household appliances, home goods: Leroy Merlin sells “everything under the same roof” and launches a new concept: the self-service. It continues to focus on price, choice and service. To broaden its customer-base to include families, the retail brand launches its first slogan:

“L’Enchanteur Leroy Merlin” (Leroy Merlin the Enchanter)

1930

INVENTING A MODEL

The company flourishes throughout the region in the north of France. Adolphe and Rose launch mail order sales and publish their first catalogue presenting the products and enabling them to achieve half their revenues. The business experiences a period of prosperity and continues to create jobs, becoming an example for all. From this point on, Adolphe Leroy emerges as a key player in the life of the town of Noeux-les-Mines. The company employs around fifty people and is running at full throttle.

1940

REBUILDING THE COMPANY

During World War II, the company maintains a minimum activity building chalets. Like the rest of the country at this time, the company is surviving as though on hold. Upon liberation, in September 1944, Adolphe finds himself in a similar situation to that of his father in 1919 and must rebuild. It’s the start of the ‘Glorious Thirty’ (1945-1975) and Adolphe Leroy is determined to help rebuild the country. He acquires new goods and opens three new stores. He now sells complete homes: the company is off to a new start.

1950

DEVELOPING THE BUSINESS

In the early 1950’s, the products, mostly paint, are marketed under the company’s brand name “Stock Américain”. This option, quite original for its time, confirms the distinctiveness of a name. Following on from this, the company functions in two ways in terms of procurement: the purchase of goods by batch, the method favoured by Adolphe, but also through a range of permanent, own-brand goods. In 1958, our companies begin their national expansion by opening stores in Longueau, in Bruay la Buissière and in Merlimont.

2020

REINVENTING ITSELF FACED WITH THE WORLD'S CHALLENGES

Improving the place we live is an extraordinary mission. ADEO’s desire is to act with responsibility, by contributing to a better human, economic and environmental balance, by being USEFUL to inhabitants around the world. ADEO is committed to homes, neighbourhoods, cities, a Planet, that are more respectful and better-suited to the needs of inhabitants. This home, in order to be useful to the world, must be positive, which means more frugal in energy and water, healthier, with products from sustainable resources and manufactured in respect of people in an environmentally friendly manner. The inclusion of the positive dimension in all the company’s actions is embodied by the “We Make It Positive" initiative, which involves the entire ADEO ecosystem (employees, customers, suppliers, partners, associations, etc.) on the path to more sustainable solutions.

1980

SHARING A CULTURE

It’s a time of globalisation, Leroy Merlin adapts and simplifies its ranges, and focuses on DIY, home improvement and decorating for all.

It is also a time of sharing.

Having introduced profit sharing and the progress bonus, employees become company shareholders in 1986 with Valaction, to become Valadeo in 2007. They participate in and share its benefits (Ownership) and in particular they share together the Will, the Knowledge and the Ability.

Sharing becomes a genuine company culture.

1990

COMMITTING TO A COMMON FUTURE

Now well established on the decorating and home improvement market, Leroy Merlin is the first company to launch an unprecedented initiative: Vision. Employees are invited to imagine the future of the company in 10 years, a co-construction dynamic and a new participatory management style are established. The stores reinvent themselves, customer-listening is introduced and new services emerge: goods pick-up, telephone assistance, the ‘Carte Maison’ loyalty card.

At the same time, Leroy Merlin becomes a federation of independent companies and embarks upon its international development with the opening, in 1989, of an initial store in Spain and the acquisition of the Belgian retail brand Bricoman.

2000

OFFERING OUR SOLUTIONS TO ALL

The Leroy Merlin Group continues its expansion by opening stores in Russia, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Greece and China.

In 2004, Obramat in Spain, Bricocenter in Italy, Aki in Spain and Portugal and Weldom in France all join the Group. In 2007, the Leroy Merlin Group becomes ADEO, which means “moving towards” in Latin, to better reflect the diversity of its activities and its ambition. ADEO still continues to grow through the acquisition of 60 Castorama stores in Italy.

MOVING TOWARDS OMNICHANNEL

In a society where social networks and e-commerce are soaring, becoming accessible and demonstrating real usefulness, ADEO resolutely decides to transform itself into a omnichannel and collaborative group. From “everything under the same roof” to “everything under the same finger”, the new nascent model combines physical and digital formats.

In 2017, as the no.1 player in Europe and no.3 on the international stage, ADEO pursues its new course and opens up to its ecosystems to build the Worldwide Platform for a Positive Home “Useful to ourselves, to others and to the world” and offers comprehensive solutions to inhabitants, from the product to its installation.

2010

OPENING UP TO NEW HORIZONS

Leroy Merlin is tremendously popular. Each store opening is a veritable event for the population. But as times gradually change at the end of the “Glorious Thirty”, societal problems emerge in the country and the Leroy brothers seek a new partner.

In 1979, AFM (Association Familiale Mulliez) buys into the company’s capital for 50% before its total acquisition in 1980