Greater Toronto area becomes the top address for Canada’s craftsmen
Together with Wanzl, Würth opens first North American flagship store with 24/7 concept
Würth offers more than 4,000 products in its Canadian 24/7 store: from fastening materials and manual and power tools to lubricants, abrasives and personal protective equipment, the shop has everything you need for day-to-day work. As with the German 24/7 stores, this is a hybrid solution. Goran Abramovic, Vice President of Retail Sales & Organisation at Würth Canada Ltd. explains: "We want to offer our customers an optimal shopping experience, no matter how they shop with us. During normal opening hours, we invite all customers to experience the diversity of our product range, get advice from our qualified staff and pay for their purchases at the service checkout. Furthermore, authorised business customers have the option of using the 24/7 offer with their activated Würth eShop account day and night. Whether it’s early mornings, late evenings, weekends or public holidays – Würth is always there for you."
Store technology, shopfitting and support – Wanzl NA’s contribution
Wanzl NA has implemented a turnkey complete solution for this project. The basic store concept was taken over from the German Würth24 branch offices. As in the German branches, Wanzl is also responsible for the back-end technology in the Canadian 24/7 store. At the heart of this is the Wanzl Connect® software platform. All the technical processes in the store are controlled by this – including 24/7 access. Authorised customers log into their Würth eShop account and request a QR code. They scan it outside of the shop entrance to enter the building and a second time inside at Wanzl’s eGate entrance system. Once in the store, customers can browse the extensive range for up to one hour at a time.
Wanzl technology also controls the fully automatic check-out process. With their purchase, customers go to the exit, where they are granted access to the self-checkout station by scanning the initial QR code at the Wanzl Galaxy Port special access point. In order to initiate the checkout process and uniquely authenticate the respective customer account, the QR code is scanned again directly at the self-checkout station. The customer now registers their items that are automatically debited from their Würth eShop account.
The modern and structured design of the Würth Canada store is closely based on that of the stores of Würth Germany, which were jointly developed last year by Würth and Wanzl Germany. Wanzl NA also supplied wire tech 100 shelves for the presentation of goods, baskets and shopping trolleys, and coordinated the procurement of further shop fittings via local partners on site, such as the service desk and decorative items. With the support of Wanzl Global Service from Leipheim, Wanzl NA then took over the installation, assembly and commissioning. Wanzl NA is also responsible for the ongoing 24/7 technical support for Würth Canada Ltd.
Ben Hinnen, Managing Director of Wanzl North America, says: “This is the first Würth 24/7 store in North America and clear proof of Wanzl’s global performance as an international partner that always works in close proximity to the customer, locally on site.” Bernd Renzhofer, CSO at Wanzl GmbH & Co. KGaA, adds: “Wanzl is a complete solution provider that provides shop fittings, including digitalisation of the sales area, and develops store concepts in addition to executing the planning, design and installation as well as providing complete technical support during day-to-day operations.”
