Home Depot Canada launches annual eco promotion

TORONTO–Home Depot Canada has launched its sixth annual eco-focused recycling rebate program, in conjunction with the Clean Air Foundation. Called "Mow Down Pollution", the program invites homeowners to bring in older, high-polluting mowers and trimmers and buy more energy efficient, lower-emission models. Canadians who bring in their old lawn mowers to any The Home Depot store across the country between April 20 and April 30 will receive an instant rebate of $10-$100 toward the purchase of a cleaner alternative. In addition, they can be assured the old product will be recycled safely by the Clean Air Foundation. Vendors participating in the promotion include Black & Decker, Gardena, Murray, and Great States. "Using a typical gas-powered mower in one season produces as much air pollution as a car driven 550 kilometres," said Ersilia Serafini, executive director of the Clean Air Foundation. "Canadians can take a big step toward reducing greenhouse gases and improving local air quality by recycling their old, gas-guzzling mowers and trimmers in favour of cleaner alternatives." Through the program, The Home Depot and the Clean Air Foundation hope to retire more than 6,000 two-stroke mowers and trimmers–which is equivalent to a reduction of 288,000 kilograms of greenhouse gases per year, according to Environment Canada. Clean Air Foundation staff and volunteers will be on site at Home Depot stores during the promotion to provide customers with tips on how to incorporate Eco-Options products into their lawn and garden care.

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Loblaw will beef up private label hard goods under new evp

BRAMPTON, Ont.–The hiring of ex-Canadian Tire Retail president Mark Foote as executive vice-president, General Merchandise, underscores the grocery giant's commitment to expand its non-food offerings. Foote, who officially takes the helm today, spent the past decade heading up Canadian Tire's expansion. One of his objectives will be to build one of the world's most famous–and trusted–private labels on non-food items, with a team of about 150 people in the general merchandise division. Already, President's Choice Home appears on more than 1,000 products at Loblaw. "We will continue to expand both our apparel and general merchandise lines" under this brand, said Geoff Wilson, vice-president, investor relations and public affairs for Loblaw. Although he wouldn't specify which areas the company may continue to expand into, he did admit there's lots of room to leverage President's Choice, "with everyday home care products, such as outdoor and patio furniture, seasonal, some limited home electronics and additional apparel. "We have an opportunity to expand the depth we're in."

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Star opens third outlet amidst Alberta housing boom

EDMONTON–In the midst of Canada's hottest economy, Star Building Materials, a major Western building supply company, has opened its second operation in Alberta, serving contractors and builders in this city. The store, which was installed Jan. 1 of this year, celebrated a grand opening last Friday for some 500 customers and local media at the new location, 2920’Äì101 St. The event included a supplier trade show. Star Building Materials was founded in Winnipeg in 1956 as a truss and component manufacturing plant. It asserted its dominance in the contractor market there in the late '90s with two key acquisitions. One was the assets of Dominion Lumber, which was in receivership at the time. The other was Star's biggest competitor, Kilcona Lumber. That site was turned over to a new truss facility and a sales office to serve contractors was added. Star moved into Alberta at the beginning of 2005 when it opened a truss plant and retail outlet in Calgary. With annual sales of about $70 million, it eventually fell into the cross-hairs of Independent Lumber Dealers Association and joined that buying group 2003.

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Sexton vice-president resigns following ill health

WINNIPEG–Mark Henderson, who was hired only six months ago as vice-president at Sexton Group Ltd., handed in his resignation last Thursday. Henderson had suffered from health problems, which surfaced during the group's annual meeting in Hawaii a few weeks ago. He had not been back to work since. Henderson was hired in October 2005 to a newly created position of vice-president. The new role reflected the growing need among buying groups to protect–and grow–their purchasing volumes through membership. Henderson, who reported to Bob Mondy, vice-president and general manager of the Sexton Group, was charged with the development and implementation of a membership growth strategy for the organization. He also participated in all key supplier negotiations. The new role also reflected Sexton's need to establish a succession plan for Mondy himself as he nears retirement. As a result, the search for Henderson's replacement got under way almost immediately, with a recruiter in place and Sexton management tendering input from its members. Henderson began his career in home improvement in 1967 with his family's business, Winnipeg-based G. Henderson Distributors. He took over leadership of that company in 1985. In the late 1990s, Henderson Distributors was sold to Jeld-Wen, and Mark Henderson became CEO and chairman of the board of Jeld-Wen of Canada. He held that role until 2003.

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Weyerhaeuser combines structural framing operations

FEDERAL WAY, Wash.–In an effort to provide builders and dealers with a "unified" solution for structural framing products and services, Weyerhaeuser Co. has consolidated five of its operating companies into a single business unit. That unit, called iLevel by Weyerhaeuser, encompasses the manufacturer's Trus-Joist and Structurwood brands of engineered wood products, as well as its plywood, lumber and distribution divisions. Combined, these accounted for more than one-third of Weyerhaeuser's $22.6 billion revenue in 2005. Kurt Liebich, iLevel's vp-marketing, said in a prepared statement that the reason Weyerhaeuser is consolidating these businesses is to "simplify the business of home construction" by integrating products with distribution and technology, and providing a higher level of field support. By doing so, Weyerhaeuser is claiming that its customers will save time by reducing waste and callbacks. Design changes can be made more easily, and delivery will become more reliable.

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Big box bosses earn big bucks in '05

ATLANTA–Bob Nardelli, CEO of Home Depot, got paid $9.16 million in salary, stock options and bonuses in 2005, an increase of 18% over the previous year. His salary alone was $2.16 million, up from $2 million the previous year, while his bonus went from $5.75 to $7 million last year. Nardelli's counterpart at rival big box retailer Lowe's, Robert Niblock, received salary and bonuses of $3.4 million. While paltry compared to Nardelli's package, Niblock's income was up 41%. The increase was based on earnings growth at Lowe's. After adding in grants of 375,000 deferred shares and 590,000 stock options, Nardelli's total compensation in 2005, when finally cashed out, would be worth $37.9 million.

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U.S. lawn and garden sector continues to consolidate

NATIONAL REPORT–As large retailers and buying groups capture a larger share of sales in the outdoor living sector, it was, perhaps, inevitable that supplier consolidation would follow. Last week, Commerce Corp., which touts itself as the largest private distributor of lawn and garden products in the U.S., expanded its network by acquiring, for an undisclosed amount, J. Mollema & Sons, Inc. The East Paris, Mich.-based wholesaler distributes to retail outlets, professional growers and turf companies. The company also provides lawn-care services, which will now also fall under Commerce's operational umbrella. The 95-year-old J. Mollema has 74 employees and a 100,000-square-foot distribution center. It also has retail locations called Lawn and Garden and Nature. J. Mollema will continue to operate under its own name as a subsidiary of Commerce. Baltimore-based Commerce, which operates in 23 states and distributes from a 750,000-square-foot facility that includes a 10,000-square-foot showroom, stated that this acquisition puts it in a better position to service customers in Chicago and throughout the Midwest. A few days earlier, three suppliers of natural and organic lawn care products’ÄîA2 Organic, Benick Brands and Western Organics’Äîcompleted their merger. The combined company is now called Gro-Well Brands, based in Glastonbury, Conn. Gro-Well Brands has distribution agreements with many of the country's leading retailers, including Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, Target, and Wal-Mart, as well as several prominent regional dealers. Gro-Well's products include organic fertilizers, pest control, repellants, specialty turf care amendments, lawn and garden soils, potting mixes, mulches, bird seed products, ice melting products, and indoor and outdoor home decor accessories.

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