Metcash hardware revenues remain down (ex-acquisitions), but the company believes that as housing starts grow it will return to growth. Metcash CEO Doug Jones re-affirmed that its future is as a mixed wholesale/retail business, in its food division as well as its hardware division.
Despite interest rate decreases, NSW and VIC show little signs of higher growth in retail sales. WA and QLD remain well above the national average in sales growth.
The Bunnings store in Rockley (QLD) is closing as the hardware retailer redevelops its larger and flood resistant Oxley store. Bunnings has also introduced electrical vehicle (EV) chargers to 14 of its stores in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and New Zealand to give EV owners the opportunity to charge their car while they shop. The rollout includes a mix of 22kW, 50kW and 120kW chargers.
The Tool Kit Depot store has 1600sqm of floor space, on an expansive 3698sqm of land that is situated directly in front of Bunnings, with 28 car spaces on-title. Burgess Rawson sold the site for $8.1 million under the hammer which delivered a 5.19% return. Burgess Rawson partner Matthew Wright told The Mercury it was purchased by an interstate-based investor who has other holdings in Tasmania.
Property investment and funds management group, Charter Hall has sold the Clyde North Bunnings store in Melbourne's southeast for $44 million. The Bunnings Warehouse is located on a 37,780sqm site on Berwick Cranbourne Road. A new deal with BWP Trust, BWP will commit to $56 million to expand five Bunnings sites in NSW (Maitland and Smithfield), WA (Balcatta), VIC (Nunawading) and QLD (Gladstone).
Cement Australia has achieved comparable strength capabilities to standard General Purpose (GP) cement with its Low Carbon Cement product. Additional benefits include lower permeability and enhanced durability and comes with 30% less embodied Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - compared to GP Cement. As a result, users can confidently use Low Carbon Cement as a direct replacement for GP Cement whilst having a lower environmental impact.
Iconic Melbourne hardware store Penhalluriack's has been operating since 1975 but owner Frank Penhalluriack - now 83 years old - thinks it is time to finally take it easier and sell up. His shop is set on an amalgamation of properties that spans 7634sqm. Philip and Beth Shoppee from St Leonards Hardware in regional Victoria are ready for retirement after owning and managing the store since 1981.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recently published a statement of issues relating to Elders' proposed $475 million takeover of Delta Agribusiness, raising concerns the deal could reduce competition in the sale of rural goods locally and at a regional, state or national level. The ACCC is also considering whether the proposed acquisition would reduce competition at the wholesale level in Western Australia.
Hyne Group has acquired Pallet & Bin Pty Ltd through its pallets division which was established in 2024. Hyne Group chief executive Jim Bindon said the strategic location of Shepparton-based Pallet & Bin would benefit operations. Hyne Group's UK-based majority owner, James Jones & Sons Ltd also announced it acquired United Box that manufactures and distributes agricultural boxes across the UK and Ireland.
After the special event in March 2025, the May 2025 Strategy Day was more an update than an announcement of new strategies. These included further expansion in rural supplies, and ongoing development of a trade services marketplace.
