Five hardware stores in Lower Saxony are set to return to a major German DIY franchise system beginning in 2026. The stores, currently operated by the C. Ebel Group under the Hagebau banner, will be reintegrated into the Obi Group network over a phased schedule.
The first location, in Gifhorn, is expected to rebrand as an Obi store in February 2026, followed by the Peine site in mid-2026. Stores in Wolfsburg, Salzgitter Bad, and Salzgitter Lebenstedt will transition back to the Obi brand in 2027 and 2028. These sites were previously Obi franchises before switching to Hagebau in recent years.
The C. Ebel Group, which already manages twelve Obi stores across the North and East regions of Germany, is strengthening its partnership with Obi through this realignment.
Peter Tepaß, Chief Officer Central Europe at Obi, commented: 'We warmly welcome the five stores and all employees of our franchise partner Cornelius Ebel back to Obi. We look forward to making "everything possible" for Obi customers together in the new stores in Lower Saxony starting in 2026 and extend a warm "welcome back."'
This development is part of Obi's broader strategy to reinforce its market presence. The company has also expanded operations in Switzerland, welcomed new franchise partners in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony, and recently launched its first international advertising campaign across nine countries.
The gradual reintegration of these stores highlights Obi's commitment to local partnerships and strategic franchise growth across Europe.
Source: www.moebelmarkt.de