Leroy Merlin

Adeo Group acquired French flooring and furnishing chain Saint-Maclou in 2023 and named Thomas Bouret as new CEO effective January 2024, succeeding Philippe Zimmermann at the head of one of Europe’s largest DIY retail organizations. Adeo, the holding majority-controlled by the Mulliez family through Association familiale Mulliez (which also controls Auchan and Decathlon), operates more than 1,000 points of sale across 21 countries through six retail banners: Leroy Merlin (large-format DIY mainline), Weldom (smaller-format French neighborhood DIY), Bricocenter (Italy), and the M brand for professionals encompassing Bricoman (France, Poland), Obramat (Spain), Tecnomat (Italy), and Obramax (Brazil), alongside the 2023-acquired Saint-Maclou.

Leroy Merlin was founded in 1923 in Nœux-les-Mines, France by Adolphe Leroy and Rose Merlin as a surplus-goods business, renaming as Leroy Merlin in 1960 and pioneering free delivery in French DIY retail. The Mulliez family acquired a stake in 1979 and built Leroy Merlin into Adeo Group’s flagship banner over the following four decades. Mainline stores typically run 9,000 square meters on average, positioned in suburban locations near major cities with self-service and assisted-sales formats. Categories span six core sectors: DIY and tools, building materials, gardening, sanitary equipment, renewable energy (a strategic emphasis from 2022 onward, with solar photovoltaic capacity rollout across 36 French stores), and interior decoration.

Leroy Merlin operates across France, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Ukraine, Brazil, and South Africa, with the strongest store concentration in France and Western Europe and growth-stage operations in Brazil and Eastern Europe. For mall operators, Leroy Merlin is a large-format DIY anchor counterparty for retail park, power center, and mixed-use development positions rather than enclosed mall mainline placements, with leasing decisions routed through Adeo Group’s regional commercial organizations and centralized strategic direction from the Lille-area headquarters near the French-Belgian border.