Stores belonging to the Praktiker Hellas chain have begun replacing their signs with the name “Dedeman,” according to moneyreview.gr.
The name change, which is also accompanied by extensive renovations, is starting with the company’s flagship store in Tavros, a suburb of Athens. In the coming period, the name change and renovations will continue at the chain’s other 16 stores, a process that will take place gradually to ensure a smooth transition to the new model.
The DIY (do-it-yourself) Praktiker brand first appeared in Greece in November 1991 as a subsidiary of the German group Praktiker AG. Following the bankruptcy of its German parent company, the Greek subsidiary was acquired by Prem Watsa’s Fairfax fund, without changing its name.
In the summer of 2025, Praktiker Hellas came under the control of Paval Holding, the Romanian investment group controlled by the Pavăl brothers, which owns the DIY store chain Dedeman. The brand is the market leader in Romania’s DIY sector.
The new owners took steps to change Praktiker Hellas’s name to Dedeman Hellas, with the initial plan envisaging that the store signs would be replaced later, starting in 2027.
Changes don't stop with the name. In recent months, Dedeman Hellas has undertaken a series of other measures in an effort, on the one hand, to strengthen the company’s capital base and, on the other, to reorganize its operations and structure.
During the summer, Dedeman Hellas completed the absorption of its subsidiaries Adam Logistics and Petral (formerly Southrock, whose business activity is real estate management), following two share capital increases in February and March worth a total of EUR 39 million.
Changes to the supply and network management system are also underway, with the aim of improving the company’s performance and reducing operating costs.
To this end, the practices followed by Paval Holding at the Romanian company Dedeman are being adapted to the Greek market, and the plan also includes introducing products under Dedeman’s own brand, manufactured at Dedeman’s factories in Romania, to stores in Greece.
A crucial challenge for the new owner of Praktiker Hellas, now Dedeman Hellas, is increasing sales but, above all, returning to profitability, the Greek publication reported. In 2024, the chain’s turnover stood at EUR 186.21 million, down 0.70% from 2023. The company recorded a loss of EUR 1.76 million, compared with EUR 1.40 million in 2023. The company has not yet published its financial statements for the 2025 financial year.