AQMAT, the Quebec Hardware and Building Supply Association, held its annual general meeting yesterday at Laval’s Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles. Before kicking off the gathering, members heard a presentation from AQMAT president Richard Darveau on the latest edition of the organization’s annual “Family Portrait” of the industry.
The document includes a snapshot of the main retail banners for the year, including banner changes and store closures, as well as data on the activities of the small number of true independents. It also covers the relationship between those retailers and their vendors. “We live in an ecosystem where everyone interacts together,” Darveau said, adding that home improvement is “the only retail sector with a vertical structure.”
The evening concluded with an all-you-can-eat supper of crab and roast beef, which AQMAT communications noted had sold out within three days after tickets went on sale.
