{{Short description|French international furniture store chain}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}} {{EngvarB|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox company | name = | logo = Conforama logo.svg | logo_caption = Conforama's current logo since 2012 | image = Conforama de Torcy.JPG | image_size = 270px | image_caption = A Conforama store in Torcy, France, in 2012 | type = Public | ISIN = {{ISIN|sl=n|pl=y|NL0011375019}} | industry = Retail | predecessor = <!-- or: | predecessors = --> | successor = <!-- or: | successors = --> | founded = {{Start date and age|df=y|1967|12|12}} (in Saint-Priest, Rhône) | founder = Pierre and Guy Sordoillet; Jean Moll and Jacques Ragageot | defunct = <!-- {{End date|df=y|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | hq_location_city = Lognes,<br />Seine-et-Marne | hq_location_country = France | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Marc Ténart (Chairman)<br />Christophe Guégan (COO) | products = {{hlist|Electronics|Home and furniture|Home improvement|Photo finishing|Craft supplies|Party supplies}} | revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|2.570 billion}} (2017)<ref>{{Cite web |title=chiffre d'affaires et résultats |url=https://www.infogreffe.fr/entreprise-societe/414819409-conforama-france-770199B00248.html |website=www.infogreffe.fr |date= |accessdate=2019-09-09 }}</ref> | owner = Ibex Topco B.V.<br> French branches: BUT | num_employees = 13,500 worldwide (2018)<br/> 9,000 France (2018) | parent = | website = {{URL|conforama.fr}} }}
'''Conforama''' is Europe's second-largest home furnishings retail chain with over 200 stores in France, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, Luxembourg and Italy.
== History and ownership == In the early 1960s, Pierre and Guy Sordoillet, Jean Moll and Jacques Ragageot, supported by furniture dealers in the North and a Bordeaux manufacturer, Charles Minvielle, created a "Carrefour of furniture" by testing a discount formula in the outbuildings of an old farm in the suburbs of Lyon. In 1967, the first Conforama was opened in Saint-Priest, Rhône in a 2,500-square-metre industrial building.
In 1976, Conforama was acquired by ''Agache-Willot''.
In 1981, the financial holding company experienced serious legal difficulties, and in 1991, Conforama was acquired by ''Pinault SA''. Conforama set up its first commercial website in 1998.<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=Toutes les actus des magasins Conforama sur le site lsa-conso.fr|url=https://www.lsa-conso.fr/conforama/|website=lsa-conso.fr|access-date=18 December 2017}}</ref>
In March 2011, Conforama was sold by PPR to Steinhoff International, for a consideration of €1.2 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.strategies.fr/afp/20110318181429/ppr-finalise-la-cession-de-conforama-au-sud-africain-steinhoff.html|title=PPR finalise la cession de Conforama au sud africain Steinhoff|website=Stratégies|access-date=30 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320023246/http://www.strategies.fr/afp/20110318181429/ppr-finalise-la-cession-de-conforama-au-sud-africain-steinhoff.html|archive-date=20 March 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Qui est Steinhoff, le discret propriétaire de Conforama?|language=fr|url=http://bfmbusiness.bfmtv.com/entreprise/qui-est-steinhoff-le-discret-proprietaire-de-conforama-962181.html|last=Godart|first=Nina|date=26 March 2016|access-date=18 December 2017|work=BFM Business}}</ref>
[[File:Wallisellen - Conforama 2012-04-26 17-02-08 (P7000) ShiftN.jpg|thumb|left|A Conforama store in Wallisellen, Switzerland in April 2012]]
In March 2016, Darty announced it had agreed to be purchased by Steinhoff for £673 million, through Conforama subsidiary.<ref>{{Cite web|title= Darty accepte le mariage avec Conforama et délaisse la Fnac|url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/societes/2016/03/18/20005-20160318ARTFIG00274-darty-accepte-le-mariage-avec-conforama-et-delaisse-la-fnac.php/|language=fr|website=Le Figaro|accessdate=2016-03-20|date=18 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Steinhoff drops Home Retail bid; buys Darty|url=http://www.ft.com/fastft/2016/03/18/steinhoff-abandons-pursuit-of-home-retail/|accessdate=18 March 2016|work=Financial Times|date=18 March 2016}}</ref> Fnac returned with a higher offer, resulting in a bidding war between Fnac and Conforama during April 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Thomson|first1=Adam|last2=Massoudi|first2=Arash|title=Fnac and Conforama trade rapid fire bids for France's Darty|url=https://www.ft.com/content/026d09b2-078b-11e6-a70d-4e39ac32c284|accessdate=22 April 2016|work=Financial Times|date=21 April 2016}}</ref> On 26 April, Conforama announced that it had dropped out in the battle for Darty.<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=Fnac-Darty: Alexandre Nodale, PDG de Conforama, garde le sourire |url=https://www.challenges.fr/challenges-soir/20160427.CHA8420/fnac-darty-alexandre-nodale-pdg-de-conforama-garde-le-sourire.html|website=Challenges|date=27 April 2016 |accessdate=2016-05-16}}</ref> The Fnac offer was declared unconditional on 19 July 2016, thereby allowing the takeover to be completed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/news/AN_1468928388539360300/groupe-fnac-offer-for-darty-declared-unconditional-.aspx|title=Groupe Fnac Offer For Darty Declared Unconditional|publisher=Morning Star|date=19 July 2016|accessdate=25 July 2016}}</ref> In September 2016, it was reported that Conforama and Casino had forged a supply purchase co-operation agreement.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/casino-conforama-alliance/retailers-casino-and-conforama-create-french-purchasing-alliance-idUSL8N1BV116|title=Retailers Casino and Conforama create French purchasing alliance|date=19 September 2016|work=Reuters|accessdate=16 October 2017}}</ref>
In April 2017, Conforama signed title sponsorship with France's Ligue 1. The deal, reportedly worth €10 million a season, started in the 2017–18 season and ended on 2019–20.<ref>{{cite web |title=Conforama signs €10m title sponsorship with France's Ligue 1 |website=InsideWorldFootball |date=21 April 2017 |url=http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2017/04/21/conforama-sign-e10m-title-sponsorship-frances-ligue-1/|accessdate=21 April 2017}}</ref> The next month, Conforama announced that it would take a 17% stake in the French number two in online clearance retail site Showroomprivé.fr in the amount of €157.4 million.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.challenges.fr/entreprise/grande-conso/conforama-prend-17-du-capital-de-showroomprive_473022|title=Conforama prend 17% du capital de Showroomprivé|website=Challenges|date=12 May 2017 }}</ref> On 11 January 2018, this stake was urgently sold off on the orders of Steinhoff, which was suffering from its own accounting scandal. The proceeds of this sale to Carrefour amounted to €79m, a loss of 50%.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.lesechos.fr/2018/01/showroomprive-bondit-en-bourse-apres-lentree-de-carrefour-981689 | title=Showroomprive bondit en Bourse après l'entrée de Carrefour | date=11 January 2018 | website=Les Echos }}</ref>
Although the group had a net turnover of €3.4 billion in 2018, according to the parent company, they have accumulated losses of nearly €500 million ($564 million) since 2013. To that end, and to address the challenges in the retail sector, the company announced the departure of Frank Deshayes, general manager France, on 9 July 2019.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.lsa-conso.fr/conforama-les-syndicats-de-plus-en-plus-inquiets-apres-le-depart-du-directeur-general,324456|title=Conforama : les syndicats de plus en plus inquiets après le départ du directeur général|journal=LSA Conso|date=10 July 2019 |last1=Caussil |first1=Jean-Noël }}</ref> A major restructuring plan for 2020 that was announced in July 2019, involved the closure of 32 stores – including the chain's flagship store in Pont Neuf – and the loss of 1,900 jobs.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.lsa-conso.fr/conforama-confirme-la-fermeture-de-42-magasins-et-la-suppression-de-1900-emplois,324596|title=Conforama confirme 42 fermetures et 1900 postes supprimés|journal=LSA Conso|date=11 July 2019 |last1=Caussil |first1=Jean-Noël }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/07/05/conf-j05.html|title=Furniture retailer Conforama announces 1,900 job cuts in France in 2020|first=Anthony|last=Torres|website=World Socialist Web Site|date=5 July 2019 }}</ref>
In late September 2019, Conforama named Marc Ténart as the new general manager of the group.<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=L'ex-patron de Castorama nommé à la tête de Conforama|url=https://bfmbusiness.bfmtv.com/entreprise/l-ex-patron-de-castorama-nomme-a-la-tete-de-conforama-1774205.html|website=BFM Business|accessdate=2019-09-25}}</ref> Marc Ténart had formerly headed Kingfisher, the holding company of Castorama.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Conforama: Marc Ténart nommé PDG pour mener à bien la restructuration du groupe|url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/economie/conforama-marc-tenart-nomme-pdg-pour-mener-a-bien-la-restructuration-du-groupe-20190924|website=FIGARO|date=2019-09-24|accessdate=2019-09-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|language=fr|title=Marc Ténart, ex Kingfisher, devient pdg de Conforama|url=https://www.lsa-conso.fr/marc-tenart-devient-pdg-de-conforama,328721|journal=LSA Conso|date=24 September 2019 |accessdate=2019-09-25|last1=Picard |first1=Magali }}</ref>
In July 2020, Austrian furniture retailer ''XXXLutz Group'' acquired the 162 French branches of Conforama, through its French subsidiary BUT.<ref>{{cite web |title=XXXLutz übernimmt französische Conforama |url=https://ooe.orf.at/stories/3057041/ |website=orf.at |accessdate=2020-07-08 |language=de |date=2020-07-08}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Retail companies established in 1967 Category:Retail companies of France Category:Furniture retailers Category:2011 mergers and acquisitions Category:French brands Category:French companies established in 1967 Category:Companies based in Île-de-France