 | |
 The entrance to a Builders Warehouse store in Kirstenhof, Cape Town | |
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 2003 (2003)1 |
| Headquarters | Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa2 |
Number of locations | 1173 |
Area served | Southern Africa East Africa4 |
Key people | Llewellyn Walters (CEO)5 |
| Products | Construction equipment Building materials Home improvement supplies Plants |
| R1.18 billion (2022)6 | |
| Owner | Massmart (ultimately owned by Walmart)6 |
| Website | www |
Builders Warehouse (commonly referred to as Builders in South Africa), is a South African construction equipment and home improvement retail chain.47
Founded in 2003,1 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.869
History
Massmart began its acquisitions of the Builders brand when it acquired five Builders Warehouse stores operating in Johannesburg and Pretoria, in 2003.2
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 1173 stores in 4 countries across Southern and East Africa; South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zambia.4 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.1412
References
References
- "Builders Warehouse". Political Analysis South Africa. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- "About Massbuild (Pty) Ltd". Top Media & Communications. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- "Builders Warehouse". Service Systems (Pty) Ltd. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- "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.
- Staff Writer (7 March 2022). "Massmart reveals massive store expansion plans for Makro and Builder's Warehouse". BusinessTech. 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.
- "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.