April 2, 2018 Volume xxiv, #13

“When beginning a journey, never take advice from someone who has never left home.”
―Rumi (Persian poet and mystic, 1207-1283)

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ABSDA Building Supply Expo gets lift from move to new venue

HALIFAX — The Atlantic Building Supply Dealers Association (ABSDA) held its 2018 Building Supply Expo March 21 and 22, hosted for the first time at the Halifax Convention Centre.

There was an optimistic feeling at the show due to the new location. The ease of getting back and forth between hotels and the conference centre, with all show-related events right in one location, was important to dealers and vendors alike. And a strong presence from Newfoundland boosted the expo’s overall success.

“The new location was amazing. It was state of the art,” says Denis Melanson, president of the ABSDA. “Just being downtown was great.”

The show benefitted from the addition of private meeting rooms around the show floor’s perimeter. Major exhibitors, who might have typically had multiple booths on the floor in the past, could use these private rooms instead to showcase their products and hold meetings with customers.

“People loved the experience of having one-on-one meetings with vendors and their clients,” Melanson says. “That was a big plus.”

The ABSDA gala dinner, held during the show, included the awarding of the 2018 Industry Achievement Award, given this year to Lynn Edie of Alexandria Moulding (shown here, flanked by the ABSDA’s president, Denis Melanson, and Chris Deveaux, chairman). “He’s a true road warrior,” says Melanson, “and everyone on the judging committee agreed he was most deserving.”

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BMR pursues opportunities for growth beyond Quebec

BOUCHERVILLE, Que. — Groupe BMR, Quebec’s largest privately owned hardware chain, is spreading its wings beyond la belle province, with new dealers in the Maritimes and wholesale distribution activity in Ontario.

The banner’s latest target for growth is New Brunswick, where it is welcoming three dealers. Two―in Kedgwick and Saint-Quentin―have been wooed from other banners, while the third, in Caraquet, began as a tool retailing start-up and is now set to expand.

Overseeing this push is Pierre Nolet, BMR’s senior director of business development. Nolet knows that growth at BMR “comes from independent dealers across Canada”―not least because he was one, having run four stores in Central Quebec. “That’s where I can show my strength, because I’m a dealer myself,” he says.

As the only greenfields dealer in this latest round of recruitments, Caraquet owner Michel Chiasson’s operation will be a BMR Express hardware store, with a grand opening scheduled for May. Located at 447 Saint Pierre Blvd. West, the store will include 5,000 square feet devoted to the BMR hardware business, as well as the offices of his existing tool business, Location d’Outils JED, which is relocating to this address.

BMR Express is one of the differentiated banners developed by BMR last year to identify its various store formats, which include home centres, building centres, and contractor yards. Express is used to represent smaller hardware stores that offer the most popular products with a focus on personalized customer service.

In addition to the three new retailers, BMR’s presence in the Maritimes has been bolstered by its relationship with the Country Store, a chain of 19 stores that have turned to BMR as their wholesaler. The banner is a member of Atlantic Farm Services, which was created by BMR parent La Coop fédérée as a wholly owned subsidiary grouping the assets La Coop acquired from Co-op Atlantic when it acquired Co-op Atlantic’s agricultural assets in 2015.

The Maritime courtship is part of a broader push by BMR to build on its Quebec base and raise its national profile. The company has already gotten into the wholesale distribution game in Ontario, where it serves independent retailers that operate under a variety of banners. BMR has also named James Hall, formerly at Goodfellow, as its point person to liaise with the English-speaking market.

BMR’s handful of existing stores outside Quebec are fully supportive of the company’s growth plans, Nolet says. “We are so ready! We have the dream team that will make the difference.”

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Tony Steier, head of FCL’s hardware and building materials business, to retire

SASKATOON ― Tony Steier, director of home and building solutions with Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), is retiring effective April 27, after 40 years of service with the organization. An outgoing and committed advocate and brand ambassador for Co-op, including being the first person from FCL to speak at a Hardlines Conference, he became well known and respected throughout the industry.

Steier was pretty much born into the Co-op life. His father operated the Co-op Service Centre at Maple Creek, Sask., and from the age of five, the younger Steier helped his dad with inventory and odd jobs at the service station. During those early years, he learned first-hand how the Co-op model connects with local communities and member owners in Western Canada.

Steier’s career began in Westlock, Alta., where he worked as the hardware manager for Barrhead Co-op. There he learned the day-to-day operations of the hardware business. A combination of business savvy and humour soon led him to larger responsibilities with a promotion to regional sales co-ordinator, responsible for store operations and merchandising in the Edmonton region.

In 1989, Steier joined the FCL home office team in Saskatoon as a buyer. During his years in that role, he would be responsible for several different product categories. An eagerness to take on new challenges helped him develop a reputation with the vendor community as a skilled negotiator―and someone who was not afraid to challenge the status quo.

In 2003, he was promoted to the procurement manager role. In this position he led the buying team and played an important role in FCL’s support of the Spancan buying group.

Steier accepted the role as director of the home and building solutions department at FCL in 2014. As leader of the hardware and LBM business, he worked to implement long-term planning and strategic growth development, with a shift towards a customer experience focus. He currently sits on the boards for both Spancan and Independent Lumber Dealers Co-operative (ILDC).

According to his colleagues at FCL, Steier has demonstrated throughout his career a strong work ethic and drive for continuous improvement, often challenging his team—and others within the industry—to work harder and try new directions.

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Atlantic Canada’s KM Agency celebrates 50th anniversary

BEDFORD, N.B. ― KM Agency Ltd., a long-time manufacturers’ agency based in Atlantic Canada, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018.

KM Agency was created in 1968 by Ray Keating and Earle McCutcheon. The company has evolved into a second-generation business, currently managed by Peter Merrill, son-in-law of Earle McCutcheon, and Tim Smith, son of retired partner and past president Sid Smith. In addition, the KM sales team consists of Jamie Waldron in Nova Scotia, Jamie Jones in New Brunswick, and Steve Kennedy in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The agency now counts among its clients some of the biggest names in hardware and home improvement retailing, including Home Hardware Stores, Ace, Kent, TIMBER MART, and Castle.

Over the years, the company has evolved beyond the role of a traditional agency with the creation of a division that provides in-store servicing for the stores served by KM. Repeat Merchandising Services Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of KM Agency, and has 15 part-time representatives strategically located throughout the Atlantic region. That business turned 20 in 2017.

The occasion of KM’s anniversary was promoted during the recent ABSDA Atlantic Buying Show, where the agency had a presence as an exhibitor.

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Maureen Hizaka, operations director at the Canadian Hardware and Housewares Manufacturers Association, will retire at the end of May. With 30 years on the CHHMA staff, Hizaka is its longest-serving employee. Former President Vaughn Crofford praised her in a statement as simply the best employee he has ever had the pleasure of working with. In making the announcement, Sam Moncada, incoming president of the CHHMA, stated that the association staff, members, and retail customers will miss the cheerful manner in which Maureen treated everyone and for her leadership, dedication, and professionalism. Her service will be acknowledged at the CHHMA Spring Conference on April 3. Well-wishers will have further opportunities to see her off at Maple Leaf Night in Las Vegas on May 8 and the CHHMA Toronto Golf Tournament on May 16.

Robert Niblock plans to retire as chairman, president, and CEO of Lowe’s Cos. after a 25-year career with the company. The board of directors has initiated a search for his successor, and in the meantime Niblock will remain in his current roles.

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CLASSIFIED ADS

Sales Territory Managers | Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Western Canada

Regal Ideas is the innovative leader in Aluminum Railing and associated outdoor living products to the Canadian Home improvement Industry. We require experienced Building Materials Professionals to expand our sales team and drive sales growth across Canada. If you are a motivated and highly organized team player then we want to speak with you.

Please send resume and salary expectations to Marketing@regalideas.com  and you will be contacted if qualifications are commensurate with our requirements.

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FCL invites applications for the position of Director, Home and Building Solutions (HABS) in our home office located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. 

Under the Direction of the Associate Vice President of Ag and Home, the HABS Director is responsible for all aspects of the HABS Department. This includes developing and communicating to all stakeholders, the long term strategic direction, fostering strong operational results, and partnering with retails to deliver a consistent, differentiated customer experience. The HABS Director is responsible for assembling and mentoring a professional, technically competent and highly engaged team, as well as building and maintaining strong relationships with both Co-op and industry colleagues. 

To see a full position description and to apply directly, please click the following link to be taken to our career page: https://www.fcl.crs/careers/current-opportunities/job/HO-Director-Home-and-Building-Solutions-R1

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