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Household Consumer Goods Retailer of the Year Wenko is an owner-operated medium-sized family business selling products for the ranges bathroom, living, kitchen and laundry in more than 80 countries. We profile the firm to find out more and explore the secrets behind its success so far. Wenko, founded in 1959, became one of the most innovative companies in the categories above all around Europe. Each year the firm bring to market around 450500 new products, offering clients both variety and quality. Currently the firm has 5000 products which it is selling through retail business, in particular DIY stores, but also alimentary stores, as well as mail order and e-commerce stores, making it a one stop shop for all its clients’ needs. All of the firm’s products are developed with the aim of being innovative, making the consumers life easier and pursue Wenko’s motto “The Better Idea”. Therefore, the company has a vast product management team and work with trend scouts and designers all over the world to ensure that products are always at the cutting edge of the latest market trends and developments. Many products have patent protection so that clients can rest assured that only Wenko provides these innovations. The slogan “The Better Idea” is about improving life, with clever ideas which make its clients’ day
to day lives easier. For example, the firm brought to the market the first bathroom series which is fixed to the tiles with a vacuum pump (Vacuum-Loc), additionally there are gluing systems (PowerLoc) and self-adhesive products (Turbo-Loc), e.g. shower corners. This innovation and others have led the firm to become the market leader particularly in the fixing without drilling sector. New series will shortly come up also for storing purposes in the kitchen. As a family-business Wenko keep the hierarchy flat so the communication is straight and products can be developed quickly to react on trends or market/consumers needs immediately. This ensures quality and excellence for the customer, which is vital in such a service orientated market. Within the wider consumer good market currently, Amazon and its disruptive sales models are changing the entire European landscape in many ways. Suddenly not only Chinese factories find a way to access the European market by managing their businesses from home. The full effect of globalisation is shown in this situation.
Left to Right: Philip C. Köllner, H.-J. Köllner, Niklas Köllner
Due to this, building and investing in the Wenko brand has become increasingly important, so that clients understand that they can rely on this dynamic and innovative company. Recently Wenko invested in a new warehouse, which will be
ready by beginning of August, with the idea in mind of becoming even quicker and more efficient in supplying its clients. Besides innovation the firm see logistics as one of its core competences and are keen to develop this and build upon it even more going forward.
WORLDWIDE BUSINESS REVIEW / German Enterprise 2017 13