February 5, 2018 Volume
xxiv, #5
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.”
—Groucho Marx (American comedian, actor, and author, 1890-1977)
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WRLA Buying Show charged with energy and plenty of deals
CALGARY — The annual Buying Show of the Western Retail Lumber Association (WRLA) came to a close late last month with increased attendance and a revived buzz on the show floor. With 248 exhibitors taking up 150,000 square feet in the BMO Centre in Calgary, retailers enjoyed two days of buying, networking, and learning.
New this year was the WRLA Live Stage, where 17 exhibitors featured their products and services through live demonstrations. The stage also featured four keynote speakers, headlined by Tom Deans, author of Every Family’s Business and Willing Wisdom. Deans addressed the intergenerational transition of family wealth, the importance of pursuing clarity, and planning for success when it’s time to exit the family business—an important and often overlooked topic in this industry.
Exhibitors brought the latest in the industry’s products and services to the WRLA’s Innovation Station. Featuring 30 of the newest products on the market, the area was a popular destination throughout the duration of the show. The show’s best new product, voted by the retailers, went to EcoPoxy Inc. for its GloPoxy glow-in-the-dark epoxy kits.
The WRLA gave away coolers by Coolest as part of a series of daily prize giveaways. Dealers received an entry ballot for each purchase order they placed. Ten dealers walked away with coolers that came equipped with speakers, plates, cutlery, and even a blender attachment for mixing drinks.
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TIMBER MART adds third commercial dealer in British Columbia
VAUGHAN, Ont. — TIMBER MART has strengthened its commercial arm in British Columbia with the addition of a new dealer, Central Construction Materials Ltd. Located on Vancouver Island in the community of Parksville, Central has been serving contractors and builders on the island since 2004 with a variety of building materials, including gypsum, insulation, steel, roofing, masonry, and siding.
Sitting on a three-acre property, the business has a 17,000-square-foot storage yard, as well as two buildings, and employs 17 full-time staff. “TIMBER MART will provide us with the buying power and programs we need to better compete in the commercial market,” says Allan Versteeg, buyer for Central. “We look forward to leveraging our partnership with TIMBER MART and growing our business on Vancouver Island.”
The commercial side is an important part of any group’s volumes. Castle has a commercial division, called Commercial Building Supply—or CBS for short—and members catering to commercial accounts are an important part of the memberships of groups like Sexton, TORBSA, and Delroc.
“Central Construction Materials joins our group alongside PacWest and Commercial Construction Supply in B.C. and represents our third commercial member in the province,” says Mark Finucane, vice-president of TIMBER MART’s commercial division. Pacific West Pacific West Systems Supply Ltd. (PacWest) has six locations in B.C. and two in Alberta; Commercial Construction Supply has stores in Abbotsford, Kelowna, and Vernon.
The addition of Central also marks an important gain for the buying group on Vancouver Island. In 2015, TIMBER MART lost one of its largest members, Slegg Building Supplies, a chain of 12 stores, when owner Ron Slegg and his family sold the business to WSB Titan.
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Canadians heading to Cologne will get first look at global trends, innovations
COLOGNE, Germany — A number of Canadians are preparing to travel to Cologne, Germany, next month to find new products and tap the very latest trends in home improvement retailing. The show is being held March 4 to 7 at the Cologne fairgrounds, along the banks of the Rhine.
Weighing in at a daunting 1.5 million square feet, the show will offer plenty of opportunities for rubbing shoulders with buyers from some of the largest retail DIY chains in the world. But vendors and buyers from Canada will also get a first glimpse of the types of product and merchandising trends that often show up in North America many months, or even years, later.
The show is being proactive this year in offering as many features and programs as it can.
High-tech innovations are typical in the power tool segment; this year watch for torque wrenches with a radio module for networked production, a technology that has finally gone past the testing stage. Industry requirements are demanding more complexity when calibrating specialized torque tools—yet another trend to watch for in Cologne.
Power tool technology is constantly driven by the need for more performance. Watch for 54-volt battery systems, compatible with 18-volt devices, at this year’s show.
Smart technology will figure throughout the show, as well. Smart home, the intelligent networking of different house functions, goes well beyond just an app that can be used to operate the blinds. Electronic products are becoming more and more compact, more convenient, more efficient, and more intuitive. LED technology enables cost-effective light output, while smart electronics now extend to remote switches with a self-learning coding that can be adapted to suit the individual needs of users.
Recognizing the importance of the “do it for me” movement, which is gaining popularity in Europe as it is here in Canada, the show will feature several manufacturers catering to that trend.
A tradition at the Cologne International Hardware Fair is the Canada Night International Reception, hosted by Hardlines. We’ll welcome Canadians, as well as guests from around the world, for a special night of networking, snacks, and Kölsch, the beer of the Cologne region. (For more information about Canada Night in Cologne, click here now!)
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Ply Gem to be acquired by private equity firm
CARY, N.C. & NEW YORK — Ply Gem and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, a New York City-based private equity investment firm, have come to a definitive agreement under which Clayton, Dubilier & Rice will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Ply Gem common stock. The go-private transaction, valued at approximately $2.4 billion, was approved unanimously by Ply Gem’s Board of Directors. The agreement also provides for the payment of $21.64 per share in cash to all holders of Ply Gem common stock.
CD&R has also entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Atrium Windows & Doors. It will combine the two companies to create an exterior building products company with total revenue of more than $2.4 billion in 2017. The transactions are expected to close simultaneously in Q2.
Ply Gem’s headquarters will remain in Cary, N.C., and Gary E. Robinette, currently chairman and CEO of Ply Gem, will continue in his role. John Krenicki, a CD&R operating partner and former vice chairman of General Electric Company, will be appointed lead Director of the Board.
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Rob Jones has been appointed divisional product merchant for major appliances, small appliances, and floor care at The Home Depot Canada. He was formerly at Sears Canada as division product merchant for major appliances.
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CLASSIFIED ADS
We are currently looking for a motivated Inside Sales Representative / Customer Service / Order entry to join our Oakville team. Our ideal candidate is an energetic self-starter who thrives by giving exceptional customer service to internal and external customers.
Our entrepreneurial culture creates an environment that encourages and enables our employees to be their best every day by encouraging them to think on their feet, to takes an idea from start to finish, to take ownership of their job and to ultimately stay ahead of the competition.
To know more about this opportunity or to apply, please use the following link : https://jobs.careerbeacon.com/details/inside-sales-representative--customer-service--order-entry/791727
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Position Description
Position: Milwaukee Strategic Account Manager- Hardware/LBM 2-Step Channel
Location: Markham, ON Headquarters
Reports To: Director of Sales - Hardware
General Responsibility
Manage Milwaukee Electric Tool sales activities of key accounts in the Canadian Hardware/LBM 2-Step channel; coordinating the efforts of all internal functions to service and profitably grow the 2-Step account base.
Specific Responsibilities
- Develop and implement long term sales strategy to grow sales and drive profitability. Must regularly meet with account(s) to identify long term and short term needs and develop plan to deliver. Must stay abreast of industry trends to understand account needs and positioning.
- Develop and implement annual sales plan. Work with marketing, product management, finance, sales administration and distribution to communicate and execute plan.
- Develop accurate and timely annual, quarterly and monthly sales forecast. Communicate changes immediately.
- Develop budget and profitability plan for account. Manage expenses and account activity to meet or exceed profit plan. Use account profitability model to consistently assess status of accounts.
- Effectively utilize marketing resources for advertising coordination, promotional materials and presentation materials.
- Coordinate with product management to capitalize on current and future product offerings and ensure we are maximizing the accounts’ potential. Work to develop any specific SKU’s needed. Shares ideas and customer needs through all phases of product life cycle.
- Extensive communication with and travel to assigned accounts. Coordinate and deliver sales presentations effectively utilizing resources available. Promote, sell, and secure business for both existing and new products. Obtain feedback and use effectively with internal resources.
- Plan/Participate in Buying Group meetings and Trade Shows representing the company and presenting products and programs.
- Communicate any specific distribution needs internally.
- Expedites the resolution of customer problems and issues.
- Other duties as required.
Requirements
- Minimum 7-10 years successful consumer products sales experience to retail accounts at key or national account level.
- Experience in Hardware/LBM 2-Step distribution channel.
- Demonstrated track record of growing profitable sales.
- Development of account business plans to include: product offerings, forecasts, advertising/co-op, profitability, expenses and any specific distribution needs.
- University degree or College diploma.
- PC literate in Microsoft Office products.
- Demonstrated strong analytical and organizational skills, including forecasting.
- Strong communication skills – written, verbal and excellent presentation skills.
- Demonstrated negotiation skills.
- Takes positive approach and has sense of urgency.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with internal resources.
Resumes are to be forearded to HRCanada@ttigroupna.com. Please put in the subject line: Strategic Account Manager- Hardware/LBM 2-Step Channel
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