 | |
 The entrance to a Builders Warehouse store in Kirstenhof, Cape Town | |
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
Area served | Southern Africa East Africa[1] |
Key people | Llewellyn Walters (CEO)[2] |
| Products | Construction equipment Building materials Home improvement supplies Plants |
| R1.18 billion (2022)[3] | |
| Owner | Massmart (ultimately owned by Walmart)[3] |
Builders Warehouse (commonly referred to as Builders in South Africa), is a South African construction equipment and home improvement retail chain.[1][7]
Founded in 2003,[4] it is owned and operated by the Massbuild division of Sunninghill, Sandton-based chain conglomerate Massmart, who themselves is a subsidiary of Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer Walmart. The various store brands operated under this umbrella include Builders Warehouse, Builders Express (small-format stores), Builders Trade Depot (focused specifically on construction entrepreneurs), and Builders Superstore.[8][3][9]
History
Massmart began its acquisitions of the Builders brand when it acquired five Builders Warehouse stores operating in Johannesburg and Pretoria, in 2003.[5]
In May 2011, Walmart acquired 51% of parent company Massmart Group's stock, at a value of R17 million (approximately US$2.54 billion or £1.54 billion), after receiving regulatory approval from the South African Competition Tribunal. By November 2020, Walmart had finalized the purchase of the remaining 49% of shares, making Massmart a wholly owned subsidiary of Walmart.[10]
In 2017, the company revealed its first store that is in part powered by renewable energy. Located in Northriding, Johannesburg, the store uses 400 roof-mounted photovoltaic panels to provide 16% of its annual energy consumption. According to Massmart Group's sustainability manager Alex Haw, serves to reduce the company's greenhouse gas emissions.[11]
In 2019, Builders Warehouse revealed a new store prototype in Boksburg, Gauteng, offering, among other things, 3D printing; flatpack furniture; and a smart home hub for digital, in-store shopping and retrieving product information. The store was to serve as a benchmark for all future new store builds and renovations.[12]
Operations
Builders Warehouse operates 117[6] stores in 4 countries across Southern and East Africa; South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zambia.[1] It also provides an online shopping service.[13]
Some Builders Warehouse stores offer services such as tool hire, pool water analysis, and car key programming, and have partnered with local coffee chain Vida e Caffè.[14][12]
References
- ^ a b c "Our story". Builders Warehouse. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ Creamer Media Reporter (13 June 2019). "Builders Warehouse opens flagship store in Boksburg". Creamer Media's Engineering News. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ a b c Staff Writer (7 March 2022). "Massmart reveals massive store expansion plans for Makro and Builder's Warehouse". BusinessTech. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Builders Warehouse". Political Analysis South Africa. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ a b "About Massbuild (Pty) Ltd". Top Media & Communications. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Builders Warehouse". Service Systems (Pty) Ltd. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ "Annual Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2021". Listcorp. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ "Our Brands". Massmart. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ "Builders Warehouse - Cape Town City". Life is a Garden. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ "Wal-Mart Takes On Africa With Massmart". Forbes. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Sibahle Malinga (23 May 2017). "Builders Warehouse opens 'green' store". ITWeb Limited. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Builders reveals new store prototype in Boksburg". Bizcommunity.com. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ "Trade Card". Builders Warehouse. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ "Builders Extends Its Gauteng Footprint". Builders Warehouse. Retrieved 5 April 2025.