BARRIE, Ont. ― CanSave is hosting its annual buying expo on May 9, a change from previous editions’ June date designed to extend the buying season for the wholesaler’s customers. The focus of the event this year is “exceeding expectations”.

Founded in 1982 by brothers Larry and Cully Koza, CanSave began as a specialty building materials distributor serving dealers in Ontario. Over time, its reach has expanded, and so has its product offerings. Ten years ago, it started manufacturing cabinets to sell directly to dealers and commercial customers. Door manufacturing soon followed.

Today, CanSave operates across three divisions: kitchen and bath, building materials and interior and exterior door systems.

For many years, the expo was held at the Barrie Molson Centre, but in recent years the event has been brought in-house. CanSave’s suppliers exhibit on the warehouse floor, while permanent showrooms have been added on the second level that are also used during the expo.

Many of the staple attractions of the past will continue to be a part of the show, including hospitality and entertainment, prizes, games and seminars. Cabinetsmith will be unveiling its new colour style, Dove Grey, to the public at the expo. Another innovation comes from CanSave’s Doorsmith line: a black door that has been manufactured entirely from black extrusions and black steel, resulting in an exterior door that is free of paint.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. ― The annual general meeting of the Canadian Hardware and Housewares Association was highlighted by the induction of three individuals to the CHHMA’s industry Hall of Fame.

Terry Davis, former president and CEO of Home Hardware Stores Ltd., recalled his early years and mentorship under company co-founder Walter Hachborn.

Solly Feldman, founder of Accent Fairchild Group, was introduced by his son and company president Evan Feldman. “My father has a never-ending passion for people and work,” Evan said proudly.

Dennis Nykoliation, whose career included leadership roles at Black & Decker Canada, Cambridge Towel, CanWel and GSW, was introduced by former CHHMA President Vaughn Crofford. Nykoliation thanked the industry, and his fellow colleagues in the room, for the experience and for the award.

Since 1984, the Canadian Hardware and Housewares Industry Hall of Fame has honoured individuals who have been builders of successful enterprises and have made lasting contributions to the industry through their leadership and innovation. The award is given in recognition of outstanding achievement, service and contribution to the Canadian hardware and housewares industry.

(Click here to see this year’s CHHMA Industry Hall of Fame inductees.) 

TORONTO — With spring around the corner, Lowe’s Canada has released details of its lawn and garden lines, and the trends behind them, for the coming outdoor season.

Under the RONA banner, the company has identified five outdoor trends for the year: “Urban Oasis” offers outdoor furniture and accessories such as candle lanterns and fake grass balls for more modern styles to shape the living space. “Urban Garden” extends that theme into the yard and garden with a hipper groove that features bolder colours and sharper edges. “Mirage” aims for exoticism and comfort with furniture in softer colours and more relaxed styles. “Eldorado” captures the festive spirit with products to enhance entertaining at home, relying on materials with a natural feel, like wood and concrete. “Ocean Breeze” presents a seaside theme.

For the Lowe’s banner, four parallel outdoor trends have been identified, under the labels “City Oasis”, “Palm Paradis”, “Garden Party” and “Seaside Haven”. The big differentiation from the RONA lines is in the use of bolder colours, especially in the mid-blues and bright reds.

In terms of outdoor power equipment and tools, RONA will feature lawnmowers and riding mowers under the Club Cadet brand, and introduce a wider range of outdoor power equipment under the storied Craftsman brand. At Lowe’s, Craftsman is being featured even more strongly, with a range of lawnmowers and riding mowers, in addition to power tools such as air compressors and cordless circular saws, plus storage equipment and tool boxes.

VANCOUVER — The latest acquisition by CanWel Building Materials Group continues the trend by the building materials wholesaler and manufacturer to buy companies that fit in with its efforts to grow and integrate vertically.

CanWel most recently completed the purchase of Lignum Forest Products, a lumber marketing and distribution business operating in Western Canada and the U.S., from Conifex Timber Inc. For CanWel chairman and CEO Amar Doman, the deal falls in line with his company’s larger strategy to be a consolidator. CanWel raised $60 million last fall “to do strategic acquisitions at will.”

The value of the transaction was approximately $11.5 million, including some $10.5 million for working capital.

At the end of 2018, CanWel completed the acquisition of Western Wood Treating in Woodland, Calif., which specializes in producing pressure treated wood products.

At Makita Canada, Richard Pigeault, regional manager sales and service for Quebec and Atlantic Canada, has retired after 35 years. Mike Chartrand, a 30-year industry veteran―17 of them with Makita―has been promoted to replace Pigeault as the regional manager of sales and service for Quebec and Atlantic for Makita Canada. (m.chartrand@makita.ca)

Darren Wright has joined Rockwool North America as key account manager. His previous experience in the industry includes almost eight years with The Hillman Group. (darren.wright@rockwool.com)

Benoit Alain has been named president and CEO of Atis Group. He was previously executive vice president of Cascades. Prior to that, he was the VP of finance and administration at Cascades Tissue Group. Alain will take over from Robert Doyon, who announced his retirement as an investor and president in June 2018, at the end of a 15-year mandate. Atis Group sells to both commercial and retail markets through a range of affiliates, including Allsco, Altek, Alweather, Atis Windows and Doors and Laflamme.

... that there are all kinds of neat features on our updated Hardlines website? One of our favourites is a cool new Dailies Archive! Just click here to find an easy-to-read listing of past Dailies.

WINNIPEG ― Castle Building Centres Group has a new member in Manitoba. The Lumber Hub in Winnipeg, complete with a new retail building and lumberyard, is owned by Ryan Van Damme. “After reviewing buying group options, we decided the Castle Group’s platform was a right fit for our business,” he said. Gerald David is the store manager.

ST. JACOBS, Ont. ― Zak’s Home Hardware Building Centre in Warman, Sask., celebrated a soft opening this week under dealer-owners Chad, Lance and Wyatt Zacharias. “It’s been a successful soft opening—we had a full parking lot and customers lined up at the door who were ready to start shopping,” said Wyatt. The building centre features a retail area of 21,500 square feet and a drive-through lumber yard for contractors and consumers.

MONTREAL ― Dollarama reported that Q4 sales rose 13% to $1.06 billion, compared to $938.1 million for the same period last year. Comparable store sales grew 2.6%, over and above growth of 5.5% in Q4 of 2017. Net earnings increased to $172 million in the quarter, compared to $162.8 million a year ago. Lower gross margin partially offset the gains from higher sales.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Bunnings plans to have a transactional website selling more than 60,000 products up and running within the next 18 months. The iconic Australian retailer launched its online channel last year with about 20,000 large-scale items like sheds and playgrounds. Earlier this year it refined its testing with a pop-up shop on eBay. The expanded offering is beginning with a pilot currently underway at one Melbourne location.

SUPPLIER NEWS

MELBOURNE, Australia ― Amcor Ltd. and Bemis Co. announced that progress has been made towards the completion of their all-stock merger transaction, with the filing of shareholder documentation and finalization of board of director appointments. Amcor’s acquisition of Bemis was first announced last August.

GRANBY, Que. ― Bloomberg reports that as the U.S. moves to implement a ban on consumer sales of paint strippers containing methylene chloride, many retailers are rolling out either ineffective or equally dangerous substitutes. By contrast, Super Remover New Generation, developed in collaboration with the Toxic Use Reduction Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, is comparable in strength to strippers with methylene chloride, yet genuinely safer.

TORONTO ― Canadian HGTV personality Bryan Baeumler has put his brand behind a new app. HeyBryan connects pre-qualified, insured home service providers to homeowners. The app helps users find vetted, qualified and insured home service providers in their area. HeyBryan features real customer ratings and reviews of trusted experts who offer everything from furniture assembly and cleaning to electrical, plumbing, painting, appliance repair and general handyman services. All pros listed have been subjected to background and identity checks. Consumers can look up the availability of the contractors and service providers, as well as rates. Payments are processed directly through the platform.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Retail sales in the U.S. edged down 0.2% in February, as consumers made fewer purchases in categories ranging from food to building materials and garden equipment. The latter saw its largest decline since April 2012, falling by 4.4%. (U.S. Commerce Dept.)

NOTED

Home Depot generates nearly 17% of its annual North American revenue from the sale of indoor and outdoor garden products.

OVERHEARD

“The industry is about building relationships with your customers, your staff and your community. Many of the things that make a successful retailer are common sense―have a clean, bright, organized store with friendly, knowledgeable staff. It’s simple, but it takes hard work and the right attitude.”
―Christine Hand, owner of Handyman Home Hardware in Conception Bay, Nfld., and chair of the board of Home Hardware Stores Ltd. She was recently named one of the industry’s “Top Guns” by the North American Retail Hardware Association.