BOUCHERVILLE, Que. —The top IT and e-commerce executive at Lowe’s Canada departed from the giant home improvement retailer earlier this month.

Tanbir Grover, vice-president, e-commerce and omnichannel, left the company for a new role as VP digital at The Co-operators, a Canadian insurance co-operative that provides auto, home, life, farm and business insurance. Grover starts there in January.

He joined Lowe’s Canada in the summer of 2012 to establish and lead the Lowes.ca business. Starting in 2016, he assumed responsibility for both rona.ca and renodepot.com.

He headed up an IT team in Toronto, which remains intact following his departure. Grover’s replacement was selected from within the company and is located at the Lowe’s Canada head office in Boucherville, Que.

Even as Lowe’s in the U.S. grapples with sluggish e-commerce sales, Lowes.ca has made countless inroads and innovations to establish itself as an online player. In early 2017, Lowe’s Canada introduced a “Click and Collect” program for its Reno-Depot stores across Canada. By the end of that year, all Ace stores in Canada could make the online offering available to its customers, as well. The following summer, e-commerce was up and running at more than 100 participating RONA dealer stores.

In fact, the contrast between the online offerings of Lowe’s north and south of the border was highlighted during Black Friday in 2018. The U.S. site crashed and was “down for maintenance” on one of the busiest days of the year in U.S. retail. The Canadian Lowes.ca site was unaffected by any disruptions.

With a strong legacy behind him, Grover graciously wound down his stint at Lowe’s Canada by presenting at the Hardlines Conference on November 14, just days before his departure was announced.

COLOGNE ― The International Hardware Fair, Eisenwarenmesse, will once again bring the industry together in Cologne, Germany, at the beginning of March 2020. Innovations in the categories of tools, industrial supplies, fasteners and home improvement will be on display.

As is the tradition, the fair’s organizers reach out to exhibitors ahead of the show to get a feel for the emerging trends to watch out for during the March event and beyond.

Next year, digital technology such as smart home products will be a hot category. Contactless opening systems for doors and windows are making their way into this segment, with one vendor exhibiting a system that recognizes the transponder in a key fob from up to one metre away. If the person is an authorized user, a spot of light appears on the floor in front of the door, which the user need only move their foot over to activate the technology.

Technology will also impact offerings in measurement devices, which will be able to transfer data directly to a computer so that users can evaluate it without specialized programming knowledge.

In the area of grinding technology, new production techniques make it possible for increasingly thinner cutting discs to have more abrasive grit.

When it comes to interiors, experts predict that the coming year will bring a trend reversal as warm colours and pastels in turquoise, grey and aqua take centre stage. At the same time, stronger contrasts and vibrant colours like red and orange will also be making a statement in the home next year. For floor coverings, the trend toward more environmentally friendly and sustainable practices continues.

The International Hardware Fair takes place at the Koelnmesse halls from March 1 to 4, 2020. ((Interested in attending this show? Please contact me directly for more info. Hardlines will be on site as always at this banner event for the global hardware industry, with our own Canada Night Pub Night. ―Your socially engaged Editor!)

ATLANTA ― Home Depot has unveiled a new tagline to capture its evolving vision for a seamless customer experience. “How doers get more done” is meant to reflect the DIY can-do spirit of its customers.

“Home Depot customers are doers,” the company said in a release. “They like to get their hands dirty, test new skills and build stuff.” The company has relied on catchy slogans in the past. Most recently, it used the tag line, “More saving. More doing”, which had been in place since 2009. Prior to that, the slogan “You can do it. We can help.” was rolled out in 2003.

Besides providing an empowering mantra for its customers, the new slogan reflects Home Depot’s own progress on its “One Home Depot” strategy. Launched in 2017, the plan has focused on streamlining the shopping experience across its store network and online channel. That has included investments in store enhancements, new e-commerce capabilities and improved delivery options to customers.

“One Home Depot is a full realization of the inter-connected frictionless shopping experience that we started talking about several years ago,” Craig Menear, chairman, president and CEO of Home Depot, told analysts recently. “It enables our customers to seamlessly blend the digital and the physical world. Every initiative in our investment strategy was formulated using a customer-back approach that will drive results, not just over the next several years but for the long term.”

SPECIAL REPORT — Homeowners are increasingly shopping online for home improvement products, according to recent research from the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI), in conjunction with The NPD Group.

About 33% of homeowners HIRI surveyed had bought home improvement products online within the past year, and half of the respondents plan to buy related items online in the next year. In addition, 44% say they are shopping online more frequently for home improvement products than they were a year ago.

This data shows “an upward trajectory in consumer acceptance” of online shopping for home products, according to HIRI.

Average in-store spending still remains higher than online spending, but the study suggests that might be because homeowners are more likely to buy large items, such as lumber and major appliances, at stores.

You can learn more about HIRI and access market sizing and category data by joining HIRI at HIRI.org.

At Home Hardware Stores Ltd., Jessica Kuepfer has been promoted to director, communications. In that role she is responsible for the strategic development and deployment of Home Hardware’s marketing communications plan, reporting directly to Marketing VP Rob Wallace.

Joe Jacklin has joined the marketing team at Regal ideas. In the newly created role of director of marketing and contractor development, Jacklin will be responsible for contractor acquisition, development, training and loyalty within Regal’s newly launched Deck Stars program. An industry veteran of nearly 30 years, Jacklin brings a wealth of marketing expertise, notably launching the successful Tough as Nails Contractor Tradeshows and Top Notch Rewards programs at Home Hardware Stores.

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VAUGHAN, Ont. ― MW Miller in Eganville, Ont., is the third Ontario dealer to sign on with the TIMBER MART buying group during this quarter. Established in 1960, the building supply business is owned by Dean Felhaber. It operates out of a property in the Ottawa Valley that includes six storage buildings and a 6,000-square-foot retail space. The other recent signings by TIMBER MART were Morin Bros. in Ottawa and Cornerstone Building Supplies in Kingston.

BOUCHERVILLE, Que. ― The TeBrinke family, owners of Ace Agassiz Builders’ Ltd., inaugurated their new building in Agassiz, B.C., just a kilometre away from the previous location. An official grand opening is planned for the spring.

BOUCHERVILLE, Que. ― BMR Group launched its second annual Holiday Operation late last month, supplying Christmas trees to organizations that work with those in need. BMR dealers from across Quebec opted to join head office staff to donate and decorate trees. In a single day, more than 300 trees were distributed to 77 institutions.

ATLANTA ― The Home Depot has reaffirmed its guidance for this year, with expected total sales growth of about 1.8% and comparable sales growth of 3.5%. For 2020, it expects total sales growth of about 3.5% to 4% and comp sales of 3.5% to 4%.

IN MEMORIAM

Peter Kohler, founder of Kohltech Windows and Entrance Systems, died in his sleep on December 2 at his winter home in Florida. He was 77 years old. He founded Kohler Windows, now Kohltech Windows and Entrance Systems, almost 40 years ago, and retired in 2010 after selling the company to his management team.

SUPPLIER NEWS

MILTON, Ont. — Wool insulation maker ROCKWOOL has expanded its distribution agreement with AFA Forest Products. AFA will now distribute ROCKWOOL products in Quebec and Atlantic Canada. This is in addition to AFA’s representation of ROCKWOOL in Western Canada and Ontario, an arrangement that has existed for six years. The deal will take effect March 1, 2020. Until then, Goodfellow will remain the ROCKWOOL distributor in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

SADDLE BROOK, N.J. ― Arrow Fastener Company’s glue guns, nailers and staple guns are being used in season two of the NBC crafting competition series Making It, hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. In the competition, eight talented “Makers” from across the U.S. are given a variety of handmade projects with the hopes of impressing the hosts and expert judges.

MONTREAL ― The Canadian Hardware and Housewares Manufacturers Association held its annual Industry Cocktail late last month at the Casino de Montréal. The Bar Dame de Cœur provided an intimate setting surrounded by the bustle of the casino floor for members and friends to meet informally and share fine food and beverages.

DELTA, B.C. ― Regal ideas helped create some of the winning entries at the 10th Annual North American Deck and Railing Association National Deck Competition, held in Louisville, Ky. Recognized with first place, Regal ideas also placed in three other categories.

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts was 201,318 units in November, a slight increase of 0.3% from October. The SAAR of urban starts increased by 0.4% to 188,559 units. Multiple urban starts increased by 2.3% to 141,753 units in November while single-detached urban starts decreased by 5.1% to 46,806 units. (CMHC)

The value of building permits decreased 1.5% to $8.3 billion in October. The total value of residential permits fell below $5 billion in October for the first time since March 2019. The value of permits declined by 2.9% for single-family and 3.4% for multi-family dwellings. (StatCan)

NOTED

Canadians find greater value in their loyalty reward programs than the rest of the world and are far less likely to give them away to a charity, according to a new report by KPMG International. Only about a third of Canadians prefer to donate their loyalty rewards to a good cause rather than redeem them personally, compared to 52% globally.