WORLD HEADQUARTERS, Toronto — Retail’s front lines will unite with leading edge thinkers on stage at the 2018 Hardlines Conference. This year’s conference will take place November 13 to 14 at the historic Queen’s Landing Inn at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.
With the theme, “The Power of Brand”, the event will bring together some of the top brands―and brand leaders―in Canada. Charles Valois, VP central marketing at Lowe’s Canada, will talk about how this retail giant is integrating and leveraging a range of retail brands, namely Lowe’s, RONA, Reno-Depot, and Ace. Darrin Noble, VP of Home Hardware’s Beauti-Tone paint business, will talk about the power of this private brand. From Orgill, Catherine Vaugh will outline how this hardware wholesaler is providing private-label lines to support independent dealers.
Representing actual case studies from the front lines of home improvement retail, Hardlines will present two dealers from opposite ends of the country. Ray Cyr operates RONA Fraser Valley Building Products in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland. Jillian Sexton is a TIMBER MART dealer with two stores in Nova Scotia, and now a third in Charlottetown. Steve Buckle, president of Sexton Group, will talk about how his group supports the individual brands of its members. Ian Madell, president of Level5 Strategy, will kick off the conference, outlining what’s good and bad regarding our thinking about brands and branding.
(For the full lineup of speakers and activities at the 23rd annual Hardlines Conference in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., click here now!)
