What Stark Group does

STARK Group is Europe's largest B2B distributor of heavy building materials for the construction industry, headquartered in Frederiksberg, Denmark, and operating 1,050+ branches and distribution centres across seven national markets — Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Austria, and the UK — supplemented by presence in Greenland. The Group serves approximately 450,000 professional builders, contractors, and trade customers with a portfolio sourced from roughly 15,000 suppliers, operating a decentralised model in which each national business unit runs its own branded chain under recognised names including STARK, Jewson, Beijer Byggmaterial, Neumann Bygg, and Raab Karcher.

The Group is privately held by CVC Capital Partners Fund VII since 2021 (prior ownerships: CVC 2003–2006, Ferguson plc 2006–2018, Lone Star Funds 2018–2021) and reported FY2024/25 net sales of EUR 7.8 billion with adjusted EBITDA of EUR 369 million (reported EBITDA EUR 288 million after EUR 81 million transformation costs). The technology stack is conventional for the sector: branch-based distribution, an e-commerce storefront (deployed in STARK Suomi), and digital sustainability tools — most notably a CO2 data platform covering 78% of LCA-relevant product sales and a Digital Carbon Monitoring Tool for verified climate documentation, rolled out across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland between 2024 and 2026.

Revenue is generated predominantly through direct B2B hardware sales of building materials, timber, tools, and construction products, with pricing negotiated bilaterally with professional customers via the branch network rather than disclosed publicly. STARK Group's go-to-market combines a heavy physical branch footprint with embedded local sales relationships, supported by own-brand product ranges (RAW building materials, RAPTOR tools and workwear, KERMOS tiles, Terralis garden products) and sustainability positioning anchored by five consecutive EcoVadis Platinum ratings and SBTi-validated net-zero targets.

Name

Stark Group

Legal name

STARK Group A/S

Website

https://starkgroup.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

STARK Group is Europe's largest B2B distributor of heavy building materials, operating 1,050+ branches across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Austria, and the UK to serve ~450,000 professional builders, contractors, and trade customers with products from ~15,000 suppliers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Materials Distribution

NAICS

Brick, Stone, and Related Construction Material Merchant Wholesalers (423320), Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4234)

SIC

Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Office, Janitorial & Facility Supplies (B2B) (CRAEAEAE)

Keywords

• Building materials distribution
• Heavy construction supplies
• Builders merchant services
• Professional contractor supplies
• Timber and tools wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Søborg

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Building Materials Distribution: STARK Group generates revenue through the distribution and sale of heavy building materials to professional builders and contractors across Europe. The company operates through a network of 1,050+ branches and distribution centres, serving approximately 450,000 customers with a portfolio of products sourced from approximately 15,000 suppliers. Revenue is generated through direct sales of building materials, tools, timber, and construction products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

STARK Group is Europe's leading B2B distributor of heavy building materials, operating through 1,050+ branches and distribution centres across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Austria and the UK. The company sells over 500,000 products sourced from approximately 15,000 suppliers, serving ~450,000 professional builders, contractors and tradespeople with construction materials, timber, tools, tiles and complementary services including logistics and expert advice.

Product overview

STARK Group is Europe's leading B2B distributor of heavy building materials, operating as a platform of six national business units with decentralised management: STARK Building Materials UK (500+ branches, 10 brands including Jewson, International Timber, JP Corry, Normans, Minster, Frazer), STARK Deutschland (Germany/Austria, 7 branded chains including Raab Karcher, Keramundo, Muffenrohr, Melle Gallhöfer, Dach und Wand, Schilowsky), STARK Danmark (80+ locations in Denmark/Greenland), Beijer Byggmaterial (Sweden's largest national player), STARK Suomi (Finland's second-largest distributor, ~30 branches), and Neumann Bygg (Norway). The Group's own brands include RAW (building materials), RAPTOR (tools/equipment/workwear), KERMOS (tiles), and Terralis (garden/patio products). The company connects manufacturers with professional craftsmen through superior logistics and serves approximately 450,000 customers with products from ~15,000 suppliers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RAW: RAW is a series of building materials specifically selected to meet the construction industry's demands for durability, sustainability, building style and quality. All RAW building materials have been tested and approved by professionals.
• Raptor
• Kermos
• Terralis

Products and services

• STARK Building Materials UK B2B distribution of heavy building materials serving professional builders and tradespeople across the United Kingdom through the Jewson-led brand portfolio.
• STARK Deutschland B2B distribution of heavy building materials, tiles, timber, and tools across Germany and Austria through 7 branded chain stores including Raab Karcher, Keramundo, Muffenrohr, Melle Gallhöfer, Dach und Wand, and Schilowsky.
• STARK Danmark Largest provider of building materials, services and advice in Denmark and Greenland with over 80 locations, serving both professional contractors and DIY builders.
• Beijer Byggmaterial Leading Swedish chain of builders' merchants, the largest national player in Sweden, operating combi-stores serving professional builders, contractors, small industrial enterprises and private customers.
• STARK Suomi Finnish builders' merchant chain with nearly 30 branches, four distribution centres and an online store, serving professional builders, consumers, home builders, industry and distributors.
• Neumann Bygg Norwegian chain of builders' merchants serving professional builders, contractors and small industrial enterprises, with strong position along the Norwegian coastline.
• RAW Building Materials STARK Group's own brand series of building materials specifically selected for durability, sustainability, building style and quality, tested and approved by professionals for local climate conditions.
• RAPTOR Tools & Workwear STARK Group's own brand of tools, equipment and workwear designed to withstand wear and tear, wind and weather, with high demands on function, quality, safety and durability.
• KERMOS Tiles STARK Group's own brand offering high-quality floor and wall tiles with accessories such as mosaics, suitable for both public and private areas in various styles and formats.
• Terralis Garden & Patio STARK Group's own brand of garden and patio products offering a wide range of attractive products in various colours and materials, from modern to Mediterranean styles.
• Digital Carbon Monitoring Tool Digital tool providing professional builders and contractors with verified climate information linked to their material purchases, enabling carbon footprint documentation for construction projects.
• STARK Suomi Online Store E-commerce platform for STARK Suomi (Finland) enabling online ordering of building materials complementing the physical branch network of nearly 30 branches and four distribution centres.
• STARK Sourcing Group-level international procurement and supplier relationship entity managing relationships with approximately 15,000 suppliers across STARK Group's seven markets, enabling category management and group-wide scale.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 1% globally in EcoVadis sustainability rating with score of 94/100
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Finnish Basketball Association / Susijengi (Men's National Basketball Team)minorOthers · 23 February 2026STARK Suomi entered a multi-year partnership with the Finnish Basketball Association and the men's national team, Susijengi. The partnership is founded on shared values of strong team spirit, high professionalism, and joint ambition for continuous development.
• Danish Football Association (DBU)minorOthers · 8 October 2025STARK Denmark extended and expanded its partnership with the Danish Football Association to include both Women's and Men's National Teams, supporting equal opportunities in football.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SIG plc: UK-listed specialist distributor of building products (insulation, roofing, interior fit-out) serving construction professionals. Comparable as a B2B building materials specialist with similar customer profile, though narrower in product breadth and geographically UK-focused.
• Würth Group: Global market leader in B2B distribution of fasteners, tools, and construction consumables, with extensive direct-sales force across Europe. Directly comparable to STARK Group's trade-customer model and overlapping product categories (tools, workwear, fixings); STARK Deutschland's new CEO Marc Baumgartner is a 16-year Würth veteran.
• Travis Perkins: The UK's largest builders' merchant, serving professional tradespeople across 1,900+ branches including Travis Perkins, Toolstation, and Benchmarx. Highly comparable business model to STARK Group's UK operation (Jewson), and STARK UK's CEO John Peter Carter previously led Travis Perkins as Group CEO.
• Selco Builders Warehouse: UK trade-only builders' merchant (Travis Perkins subsidiary) with large-format branches and extended trading hours. Comparable to STARK UK (Jewson) as a B2B builders' merchant focused on professional tradespeople with multi-category building materials offerings.
• Toolstation: Travis Perkins subsidiary operating a chain of trade-focused tools, hardware, and building supplies stores across the UK and Europe. Comparable as a trade-customer builders' merchant with strong digital ordering capability, increasingly relevant as STARK Group competes in the same customer wallet.

Broad incumbents

• Saint-Gobain Distribution: Distribution arm of Saint-Gobain, the global building materials manufacturer. STARK Group acquired Saint-Gobain's German and UK building distribution businesses in 2019 and 2023, making Saint-Gobain both a supplier and historical precedent for STARK's distribution platform strategy.
• Ferguson plc: US-headquartered, UK-listed distributor of plumbing, heating, and building products. Directly comparable as a former owner of STARK (2006-2018) operating an overlapping distribution model at much larger scale across North America and the UK.

Regional players

• Bricoman: France-based B2B and prosumer chain of large-format builders' merchants operated by ADEO (Leroy Merlin parent). Comparable as a French-market peer to STARK's operating model and a potential consolidation target if STARK expands south beyond its current 7 markets.
• HORNBACH Baumarkt: German-headquartered pan-European DIY and trade home-improvement retail chain operating large-format stores across Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and other European countries. Comparable as a German-market peer with significant overlap in product range and pro-customer trade positioning, though more retail than pure trade-focused.
• Bauhaus: Swiss-headquartered European DIY and builders' merchant chain operating large-format specialty stores across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other European markets. Comparable as a regional peer with overlapping heavy building materials and tools categories, though more DIY-tilted than STARK's pro-trader focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stark-group-a-s

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A9 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stark Group