K-rauta Kouvola is K-rauta store of the year and Makita Oy is K-rauta's supplier of year

K-rauta Kouvola was chosen the K-rauta Chain Store of the Year 2003 and Makita Oy of Helsinki the chain’s Supplier of the Year. The selections were published at Rautakesko’s advance purchasing meeting in Tampere on Saturday.

The selection criteria of K-rauta Kouvola were good sales growth, excellent customer satisfaction and staff’s job satisfaction. Retailer Merja Karhu of K-rauta received the diploma and the training scholarship at the advance purchasing meeting.

Makita Oy imports and sells power tools of the Makita brand to professionals and demanding hobbyists. For a long time, the company has focused on end-users’ customer satisfaction and developing store sales personnel’s competence. Makita Oy can provide the store with a comprehensive and high-quality range of power tools, much appreciated by K-rauta stores. The diploma was received by Sales Director Jorma Kyntölä.

The K-rauta chain consists of 44 stores in Finland, 11 stores in Sweden, four stores in Estonia and one store in Latvia. The chain’s sales, tax included, totalled EUR 452 million in 2002. The chain employs about 1,500 persons.