HARDLINES™
Canada’s electronic information service for the home improvement industry
June 25, 2001
Volume vii, #26
Michael McLarney, Editor & Publisher
Phone: 416.489.3396
Fax: 416.489.6154
email: mike@hardlines.ca
hardlines.ca <https://hardlines.ca/>
* * * * * *
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Newest Home Depot features small appliances, etc.
* CHS 2002 will feature décor "show within a show"
* McDiarmid Lumber moves into gypsum supply
* Alliance to hold meetings in conjunction with Hardlines Conference
* Retail sales creep up in April
* Wal-Mart gets hit with U.S. class action suit
* * * * * *
BIG NAMES, NETWORKING, AT NEXT
HARDLINES MARKETING CONFERENCE:
Join Canadian Tire, RONA, Ace Hardware, American Tool, Turkstra Lumber and more. Where? The Sixth Annual Hardlines Marketing Conference — September 13, 2001 at the Four Points Sheraton! I am confident this conference will turn out to be the single best day of education, insights and networking you’ll have all year. Period. Only $389.00 per person — includes continental breakfast, lunch, cocktails, prizes and more! Contact bev@hardlines.ca for more info, or call me direct: 416-489-3396. — Michael
(Some sponsorships still available for the event — call me for details.)
(go to https://hardlines.ca/html/conferences.html)
To get our special hotel rate for the Hardlines Marketing Conference at the Four Points Sheraton, call 1-800-737-3211.
* * * * * *
THE HARDLINES QUARTERLY REPORT
Get the trends. The numbers. The research. The insights.
HQR is a quarterly executive summary of the issues and news driving hardware and home improvement retailing. Each issue is jam-packed with thought provoking articles, in-depth analysis and exclusive survey results of industry performance and benchmarks.
The latest issue includes:
- A store-by-store analysis of big box merchandising strategies
- Benchmarking standards of hardware and building centre dealers
- The incredible Buying Group Org Chart ™
- analysis of the latest housing and building statistics
Get a sharper focus on the industry. Subscribe to HQR today!
Contact: Nancy Wright, Circulation Manager.
Phone: 416-489-3396
email: nancy@hardlines.ca
(or order at https://hardlines.ca/html/order.html
* * * * * *
ARE YOU UP ON OUR DAILY NEWS?
Our website has daily updates on retail and industry news that matter to you.
Keep informed. Visit hardlines.ca <https://hardlines.ca/> every day.
* * * * * *
THE SOFTER SIDE OF HOME DEPOT:
WOMEN, TOWELS AND BEDDING
Home Depot Canada’s 73rd store opened last week in mid-Toronto with a distinctly softer approach in a number of departments. Called the "Yorkdale" store for its proximity to the upscale shopping mall of the same name, it features a more boutiqued approach to décor departments, and more emphasis on installed sales of everything from flooring to window treatments to storage systems.
Those boutiques include towels, bedding, linens and "soft" wallcoverings, indicating a direction toward softer DIY and a more committed focus on the female shopper. Also new for the Yorkdale store: a selection of small appliances. "We had 1.2 million transactions in 72 stores last week," says Home Depot president Annette Verschuren. "This is a captive audience. We want to offer them as wide a range of products as possible."
The 113,000-sq.ft. store sits on 10 acres and has 550 parking spots. It opens into lower sight lines with emphasis on the kitchen and bath design centre in the middle of the store, flanked by blinds and drapes, with floor coverings and lighting to the far right. To the left, the tool corral has been opened up and is three aisles wide instead of two, with a wider, more open looking entrance. Locksets, key cutting and some miscellaneous hardware have all been added to the corral.
Racking is lower at the front of the store in an effort to increase sight lines to the back, with 12-racking the norm for most of the store. Sixteen-ft. racking remains in the back, where commodities (e.g., bagged concrete and insulation) are stacked high.
While vying for the female shopper, Home Depot continues to promote the "harder" side of DIY sales. A tab-sized flyer announcing the grand opening of the new store features a full back page ad promoting installed sales. Verschuren says there’s tremendous potential for this segment of the business, especially kitchen and bath and floorcovering installations, which are not subject to seasonal ups and downs. "They’re going through the roof — and they’re year round," she says.
______________________________________________
ALLIANCE TIES IN BUYER MEETINGS
WITH HARDLINES CONFERENCE
As excitement mounts for the upcoming Hardlines Marketing Conference on September 13, 2001 (who writes this stuff, Mel Lastman? — MM), other groups are turning to the event to anchor their own activities. Alliance International LLC, which comprises Home Hardware, Rona Inc. and Do it Best Corp. in the U.S., has decided to move its semi-annual purchasing meetings to coincide with the Conference in Toronto.
The meetings, involving the Alliance’s senior purchasing management team, were originally going to be held during the National Hardware Show in Chicago in August, but, says Alliance general manager Greg Thomas, the group decided to hold the get together in the day before the Hardlines Marketing Conference.
______________________________________________
CHS INTENDS TO BOOST DÉCOR AND SEASONAL
Next year’s Canadian Hardware Show will build on its partnerships with the Paint & Decorating Retailer Association and the Lumber and Building Materials Association of Ontario to offer more décor and seasonal products — something retailers are demanding, says CHS show manager Joe Edwards.
This will mark the PDRA’s second year affiliated with CHS, during which the association, which represents North American paint and décor dealers, will introduce a Décor Showcase within CHS’s Home Trends & Décor area. This "show within a show" will feature a separately identified area consisting of more than 65 booths dedicated strictly to paint and sundries.
In addition, the LBMAO will run its annual convention in conjunction with CHS for the third year.
CHS runs February 3-5, 2002 at The National Trade Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. To register, visit http://www.crha.com/ or call 1-800-268-3965.
______________________________________________
COMPANIES IN THE NEWS
Sodisco-Howden Group has moved its head office from St. Bruno, QC to: 485 McGill St., 8th floor, Montréal, QC H2Y 2H4; phone: 514-286-8986; fax: 514-286-2911.
McDiarmid Lumber, the six-store chain based in Winnipeg, is increasing its services to the trades with the development of a full-fledged gypsum supply operation. The new operation will include drywall, insulation and steel studs.
Home Outfitters has announced the opening of a new store in Winnipeg later this Summer. The chain, a kitchen and bath concept store operated by the Hudson's Bay Co., has six stores in Ontario and one in Calgary. Expansion plans for 2001 include nine locations in Southern Ontario, two additional stores in Alberta, two stores in Manitoba and four stores in Québec.
Six female employees of Wal-Mart Stores in the U.S. have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the company of engaging in widespread discrimination against women. It demands compensation, potentially running into several billion dollars, for 700,000 current and former female employees of the retailer. Home Depot was similarly sued in the mid-’90s in a case that was settled for US$65 million plus US$22.5 million in lawyers’ fees. Home Depot did not, however, admit any wrongdoing.
Dekor, a four-store chain co-founded by ex-Home Depot exec Jim Inglis, is closing one of its outlets and stalling the opening of a store in Nashville. However, says Inglis, the other stores are performing well. The high-end home décor and furnishings competes with Home Depot’s EXPO stores and features trendy store layouts, selling everything from wood flooring to drawer pulls. Recently Dekor has offered promotions such as two-for-one deals and 50% off certain selections.
Customers who tire of waiting in line will be able to scan and bag their own purchases with Kmart’s adoption of a new technology by NCR. Kmart expects to have the systems in 1,300 stores by year’s end. Other retailers such as Wal-Mart and Safeway are testing the same systems in a handful of stores, but holding off on aggressive roll-outs.
Newell Rubbermaid Inc. has reached a definitive agreement to sell its Anchor Hocking glass business to Libbey Inc. for US$332 million in cash. Libbey will acquire all of Anchor Hocking’s business in both the U.S. and Canada. The US$216 million company employs approximately 1,900 people and was acquired by Newell in 1987.
____________________________________________
CANADIAN STOCK WATCH
| COMPANY |
52-WK HIGH |
52-WK LOW |
CLOSE (FRI) |
| Canadian Tire |
25.20 |
15.05 |
24.29 |
| Canfor |
16.95 |
7.65 |
10.00 |
| Goodfellow |
11.00 |
8.00 |
9.01 |
| Home Depot |
49.74 |
47.61 |
50.71 |
| Hudson's Bay |
17.65 |
12.40 |
17.05 |
| Lowe's |
64.90 |
34.25 |
77.00 |
| Sears Canada |
37.25 |
18.55 |
21.90 |
| Taiga Forest |
10.00 |
6.80 |
9.15 |
| West Fraser |
36.50 |
21.00 |
34.00 |
______________________________________________
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered."
— G. K. Chesterton"
_______________________________________________
MARKET INDICATORS
Retailers sold $24.2 billion worth of goods, up 1.6% from March. This was the strongest gain since December 1999, when retail sales rose 1.8%. April’s increase followed a 0.4% rise in March and a 0.2% decline in February. Since the spring of 2000, Canadian retail sales have advanced at almost twice the rate seen in the U.S. In April, sales in Canada were 6.8% higher than in April 2000, compared with a rise of 3.6% in the U.S. This recent relative strength in the Canadian retail sector follows a decade during which U.S. retail sales growth was generally stronger than Canada’s.
Volatility was still evident in wholesale trade in April, as sales fell 0.9% to $31.9 billion. The drop follows a 1.8% rise in March. With one exception, since October 2000 wholesale sales have risen one month only to fall again the following month. On balance, overall wholesale sales have edged higher since the start of the year, after having levelled out beginning in mid-2000. Prior to this, wholesale sales were generally on the rise since mid-1998.
Preliminary estimates of the composite index released by Statistics Canada show that household demand for big-ticket items remains the strongest sector in the economy. Spending was boosted by gains in disposable income at the start of the year. Housing continued on its upward trend, and falling vacancy rates, especially for multiple units, suggest more gains may be in store. Furniture and appliance sales continued to grow rapidly. Spending on other durable goods rose, as auto sales received a boost from rebates.
U.S. housing starts fell slightly in May as the housing market showed further signs of slowing. The Commerce Department tracked a 0.4% decrease in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.622 million units. Housing starts fell by 28.3% in the Northeast, while they jumped 15.8% in the Midwest. May's decline in housing starts can be partly attributed to a moderate 0.2 percent decline in single-family homes. Multifamily units rose by 0.7%.
______________________________________________
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Westroc Inc. has made changes to its sales and marketing functions. Don Moses is now senior vice-president sales and marketing for North America ... effective July 1, Steve Stremecki will be vice-president marketing for North America, based in Mississauga. Stremecki replaces Doug Kissick, who left the company to pursue his own consulting business ... David Wall is now Western sales manager based in Calgary; he was formerly district sales supervisor for British Columbia. (905-403-2770)
Dave Martin is no longer general manager of Jennseng’s Canadian power tool division, McCulloch Canada Ltd. No replacement has been named yet. (You can reach him at: 519-821-6046)
______________________________________________
NOTED ...
The Retail Council of Canada’s 37th Annual Conference recognized outstanding retail achievement in various categories: Home Depot Canada was awarded Innovative Retailer of the Year for its employee training and for its marketing campaign to launch the company’s entry in Québec. The retailer was also awarded for its costumer service. Sears Canada Inc. was recognized for the redesign of seven eatons department stores, and for its community involvement in heath-related or environmental causes. Zellers received the retail technology award for the implementation of its merchandise system. Canadian Tire Co. Ltd. was awarded for website effectiveness and brand awareness.
______________________________________________
* * * * HARDLINES MARKETPLACE* * * *
Check out Hardlines Classifieds on the web: https://hardlines.ca/html/classifieds_new.asp
______________________________________________
NORAL INSTORE
BOOST your retail profile with instore sales support
for your products and merchandising.
Visit http://www.noralmarketing.com or call 519-439-6800 ext. 201
* * * * * *
WE KNOW THE MARKET AND THE MARKET KNOWS US!
Lenmark offers a wide range of INTEGRATED MARKETING SERVICES … from package design to websites, from trade campaigns to consumer promotions.
Find out how Don Flynn and his team at Lenmark Communications can bring innovative solutions to your marketing challenges. Phone 905-475-5222; Fax 905-475-6369. E-mail to dflynn@lenmarkgroup.com <mailto:mdflynn@lenmarkgroup.comail> or visit: http://www.lenmarkgroup.com <http://www.lenmarkgroup.com/>
* * * * * *
BUILDING MATERIALS REPRESENTATIVE:
Can-Save, a building materials distributor based in Barrie, ON is looking for a building material representative to call on all lumber and building materials retailers in the GTA and Niagara peninsula.
Experience is an asset. Contact Larry Koza or Dan Clements, phone: 800-461-5411; fax: 705-722-1124; email: lkoza@can-save.com
______________________________________________
THE HARDLINES MARKETPLACE: just $16 per line.
A classified ad with Hardlines is the most direct way to industry eyes.
Over 3,000 executives in the industry come in contact with our email and fax publications … and have you seen our Marketplace in our new website? https://hardlines.ca/html/classifieds_new.asp
Publish your ad where it matters. Get industry exposure today.
Contact Eugenia Canas at 416-489-3396 or email: buzz@hardlines.ca
______________________________________________
DOING YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY? PLANNING THE BUDGET?
THEN YOU WILL NEED HARDLINES INDUSTRY REPORT:
"Home Improvement Retailing in Canada" is a comprehensive overview of the size of the market, how many stores are out there, who the key players are, their market position, the size and growth of the big boxes, the trends in housing and renovations, market trends — and much, much more! 120-plus pages filled with charts, graphs and photos. Regular price: $945, only $750 for subscribers! For more information, contact Nancy Wright at nancy@hardlines.ca; phone: 416-489-3396.
(go to https://hardlines.ca/html/industry_report.html)
______________________________________________
Hardlines is published weekly (except monthly in December and August)
by McLARNEYCOM
542 Mount Pleasant Rd., Suite 302, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4S 2M7
© 2001 by Michael McLarney.
HARDLINES™ the electronic newsletter hardlines.ca
Phone: 416.489.3396; Fax: 416.489.6154
Michael McLarney, Editor & Publisher: mike@hardlines.ca
Eugenia Canas, Assistant Editor: buzz@hardlines.ca
Beverly Allen, Marketing Manager: bev@hardlines.ca
Nancy Wright, Circulation Manager: nancy@hardlines.ca
______________________________________________
THE HARDLINES "FAIR PLAY" POLICY:
Reproduction in whole or in part is very uncool and strictly forbidden and really and truly against the law. So please, play fair! Call for information on multiple subscriptions or a site license for your company. We do want as many people as possible to read Hardlines each week — but let us handle your internal routing from this end!
______________________________________________
Subscription: $199+$13.93 GST = $212.93 (or $29.85 HST = $228.85) per year (GST #13987 0398 RT). Secondary subscriptions at the same office are only $28 + $1.96 GST = $29.98. You can pay online by VISA at our secure website or send us money. Please make cheque payable to McLarneyCom.
HARDLINES™
Canada’s electronic information service for the home improvement industry
June 25, 2001
Volume vii, #26
Michael McLarney, Editor & Publisher
Phone: 416.489.3396
Fax: 416.489.6154
email: mike@hardlines.ca
hardlines.ca <https://hardlines.ca/>
* * * * * *
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Newest Home Depot features small appliances, etc.
* CHS 2002 will feature décor "show within a show"
* McDiarmid Lumber moves into gypsum supply
* Alliance to hold meetings in conjunction with Hardlines Conference
* Retail sales creep up in April
* Wal-Mart gets hit with U.S. class action suit
* * * * * *
BIG NAMES, NETWORKING, AT NEXT
HARDLINES MARKETING CONFERENCE:
Join Canadian Tire, RONA, Ace Hardware, American Tool, Turkstra Lumber and more. Where? The Sixth Annual Hardlines Marketing Conference — September 13, 2001 at the Four Points Sheraton! I am confident this conference will turn out to be the single best day of education, insights and networking you’ll have all year. Period. Only $389.00 per person — includes continental breakfast, lunch, cocktails, prizes and more! Contact bev@hardlines.ca for more info, or call me direct: 416-489-3396. — Michael
(Some sponsorships still available for the event — call me for details.)
(go to https://hardlines.ca/html/conferences.html)
To get our special hotel rate for the Hardlines Marketing Conference at the Four Points Sheraton, call 1-800-737-3211.
* * * * * *
THE HARDLINES QUARTERLY REPORT
Get the trends. The numbers. The research. The insights.
HQR is a quarterly executive summary of the issues and news driving hardware and home improvement retailing. Each issue is jam-packed with thought provoking articles, in-depth analysis and exclusive survey results of industry performance and benchmarks.
The latest issue includes:
- A store-by-store analysis of big box merchandising strategies
- Benchmarking standards of hardware and building centre dealers
- The incredible Buying Group Org Chart ™
- analysis of the latest housing and building statistics
Get a sharper focus on the industry. Subscribe to HQR today!
Contact: Nancy Wright, Circulation Manager.
Phone: 416-489-3396
email: nancy@hardlines.ca
(or order at https://hardlines.ca/html/order.html
* * * * * *
ARE YOU UP ON OUR DAILY NEWS?
Our website has daily updates on retail and industry news that matter to you.
Keep informed. Visit hardlines.ca <https://hardlines.ca/> every day.
* * * * * *
THE SOFTER SIDE OF HOME DEPOT:
WOMEN, TOWELS AND BEDDING
Home Depot Canada’s 73rd store opened last week in mid-Toronto with a distinctly softer approach in a number of departments. Called the "Yorkdale" store for its proximity to the upscale shopping mall of the same name, it features a more boutiqued approach to décor departments, and more emphasis on installed sales of everything from flooring to window treatments to storage systems.
Those boutiques include towels, bedding, linens and "soft" wallcoverings, indicating a direction toward softer DIY and a more committed focus on the female shopper. Also new for the Yorkdale store: a selection of small appliances. "We had 1.2 million transactions in 72 stores last week," says Home Depot president Annette Verschuren. "This is a captive audience. We want to offer them as wide a range of products as possible."
The 113,000-sq.ft. store sits on 10 acres and has 550 parking spots. It opens into lower sight lines with emphasis on the kitchen and bath design centre in the middle of the store, flanked by blinds and drapes, with floor coverings and lighting to the far right. To the left, the tool corral has been opened up and is three aisles wide instead of two, with a wider, more open looking entrance. Locksets, key cutting and some miscellaneous hardware have all been added to the corral.
Racking is lower at the front of the store in an effort to increase sight lines to the back, with 12-racking the norm for most of the store. Sixteen-ft. racking remains in the back, where commodities (e.g., bagged concrete and insulation) are stacked high.
While vying for the female shopper, Home Depot continues to promote the "harder" side of DIY sales. A tab-sized flyer announcing the grand opening of the new store features a full back page ad promoting installed sales. Verschuren says there’s tremendous potential for this segment of the business, especially kitchen and bath and floorcovering installations, which are not subject to seasonal ups and downs. "They’re going through the roof — and they’re year round," she says.
______________________________________________
ALLIANCE TIES IN BUYER MEETINGS
WITH HARDLINES CONFERENCE
As excitement mounts for the upcoming Hardlines Marketing Conference on September 13, 2001 (who writes this stuff, Mel Lastman? — MM), other groups are turning to the event to anchor their own activities. Alliance International LLC, which comprises Home Hardware, Rona Inc. and Do it Best Corp. in the U.S., has decided to move its semi-annual purchasing meetings to coincide with the Conference in Toronto.
The meetings, involving the Alliance’s senior purchasing management team, were originally going to be held during the National Hardware Show in Chicago in August, but, says Alliance general manager Greg Thomas, the group decided to hold the get together in the day before the Hardlines Marketing Conference.
______________________________________________
CHS INTENDS TO BOOST DÉCOR AND SEASONAL
Next year’s Canadian Hardware Show will build on its partnerships with the Paint & Decorating Retailer Association and the Lumber and Building Materials Association of Ontario to offer more décor and seasonal products — something retailers are demanding, says CHS show manager Joe Edwards.
This will mark the PDRA’s second year affiliated with CHS, during which the association, which represents North American paint and décor dealers, will introduce a Décor Showcase within CHS’s Home Trends & Décor area. This "show within a show" will feature a separately identified area consisting of more than 65 booths dedicated strictly to paint and sundries.
In addition, the LBMAO will run its annual convention in conjunction with CHS for the third year.
CHS runs February 3-5, 2002 at The National Trade Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. To register, visit http://www.crha.com/ or call 1-800-268-3965.
______________________________________________
COMPANIES IN THE NEWS
Sodisco-Howden Group has moved its head office from St. Bruno, QC to: 485 McGill St., 8th floor, Montréal, QC H2Y 2H4; phone: 514-286-8986; fax: 514-286-2911.
McDiarmid Lumber, the six-store chain based in Winnipeg, is increasing its services to the trades with the development of a full-fledged gypsum supply operation. The new operation will include drywall, insulation and steel studs.
Home Outfitters has announced the opening of a new store in Winnipeg later this Summer. The chain, a kitchen and bath concept store operated by the Hudson's Bay Co., has six stores in Ontario and one in Calgary. Expansion plans for 2001 include nine locations in Southern Ontario, two additional stores in Alberta, two stores in Manitoba and four stores in Québec.
Six female employees of Wal-Mart Stores in the U.S. have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the company of engaging in widespread discrimination against women. It demands compensation, potentially running into several billion dollars, for 700,000 current and former female employees of the retailer. Home Depot was similarly sued in the mid-’90s in a case that was settled for US$65 million plus US$22.5 million in lawyers’ fees. Home Depot did not, however, admit any wrongdoing.
Dekor, a four-store chain co-founded by ex-Home Depot exec Jim Inglis, is closing one of its outlets and stalling the opening of a store in Nashville. However, says Inglis, the other stores are performing well. The high-end home décor and furnishings competes with Home Depot’s EXPO stores and features trendy store layouts, selling everything from wood flooring to drawer pulls. Recently Dekor has offered promotions such as two-for-one deals and 50% off certain selections.
Customers who tire of waiting in line will be able to scan and bag their own purchases with Kmart’s adoption of a new technology by NCR. Kmart expects to have the systems in 1,300 stores by year’s end. Other retailers such as Wal-Mart and Safeway are testing the same systems in a handful of stores, but holding off on aggressive roll-outs.
Newell Rubbermaid Inc. has reached a definitive agreement to sell its Anchor Hocking glass business to Libbey Inc. for US$332 million in cash. Libbey will acquire all of Anchor Hocking’s business in both the U.S. and Canada. The US$216 million company employs approximately 1,900 people and was acquired by Newell in 1987.
____________________________________________
CANADIAN STOCK WATCH
| COMPANY |
52-WK HIGH |
52-WK LOW |
CLOSE (FRI) |
| Canadian Tire |
25.20 |
15.05 |
24.29 |
| Canfor |
16.95 |
7.65 |
10.00 |
| Goodfellow |
11.00 |
8.00 |
9.01 |
| Home Depot |
49.74 |
47.61 |
50.71 |
| Hudson's Bay |
17.65 |
12.40 |
17.05 |
| Lowe's |
64.90 |
34.25 |
77.00 |
| Sears Canada |
37.25 |
18.55 |
21.90 |
| Taiga Forest |
10.00 |
6.80 |
9.15 |
| West Fraser |
36.50 |
21.00 |
34.00 |
______________________________________________
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered."
— G. K. Chesterton"
_______________________________________________
MARKET INDICATORS
Retailers sold $24.2 billion worth of goods, up 1.6% from March. This was the strongest gain since December 1999, when retail sales rose 1.8%. April’s increase followed a 0.4% rise in March and a 0.2% decline in February. Since the spring of 2000, Canadian retail sales have advanced at almost twice the rate seen in the U.S. In April, sales in Canada were 6.8% higher than in April 2000, compared with a rise of 3.6% in the U.S. This recent relative strength in the Canadian retail sector follows a decade during which U.S. retail sales growth was generally stronger than Canada’s.
Volatility was still evident in wholesale trade in April, as sales fell 0.9% to $31.9 billion. The drop follows a 1.8% rise in March. With one exception, since October 2000 wholesale sales have risen one month only to fall again the following month. On balance, overall wholesale sales have edged higher since the start of the year, after having levelled out beginning in mid-2000. Prior to this, wholesale sales were generally on the rise since mid-1998.
Preliminary estimates of the composite index released by Statistics Canada show that household demand for big-ticket items remains the strongest sector in the economy. Spending was boosted by gains in disposable income at the start of the year. Housing continued on its upward trend, and falling vacancy rates, especially for multiple units, suggest more gains may be in store. Furniture and appliance sales continued to grow rapidly. Spending on other durable goods rose, as auto sales received a boost from rebates.
U.S. housing starts fell slightly in May as the housing market showed further signs of slowing. The Commerce Department tracked a 0.4% decrease in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.622 million units. Housing starts fell by 28.3% in the Northeast, while they jumped 15.8% in the Midwest. May's decline in housing starts can be partly attributed to a moderate 0.2 percent decline in single-family homes. Multifamily units rose by 0.7%.
______________________________________________
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Westroc Inc. has made changes to its sales and marketing functions. Don Moses is now senior vice-president sales and marketing for North America ... effective July 1, Steve Stremecki will be vice-president marketing for North America, based in Mississauga. Stremecki replaces Doug Kissick, who left the company to pursue his own consulting business ... David Wall is now Western sales manager based in Calgary; he was formerly district sales supervisor for British Columbia. (905-403-2770)
Dave Martin is no longer general manager of Jennseng’s Canadian power tool division, McCulloch Canada Ltd. No replacement has been named yet. (You can reach him at: 519-821-6046)
______________________________________________
NOTED ...
The Retail Council of Canada’s 37th Annual Conference recognized outstanding retail achievement in various categories: Home Depot Canada was awarded Innovative Retailer of the Year for its employee training and for its marketing campaign to launch the company’s entry in Québec. The retailer was also awarded for its costumer service. Sears Canada Inc. was recognized for the redesign of seven eatons department stores, and for its community involvement in heath-related or environmental causes. Zellers received the retail technology award for the implementation of its merchandise system. Canadian Tire Co. Ltd. was awarded for website effectiveness and brand awareness.
______________________________________________
* * * * HARDLINES MARKETPLACE* * * *
Check out Hardlines Classifieds on the web: https://hardlines.ca/html/classifieds_new.asp
______________________________________________
NORAL INSTORE
BOOST your retail profile with instore sales support
for your products and merchandising.
Visit http://www.noralmarketing.com or call 519-439-6800 ext. 201
* * * * * *
WE KNOW THE MARKET AND THE MARKET KNOWS US!
Lenmark offers a wide range of INTEGRATED MARKETING SERVICES … from package design to websites, from trade campaigns to consumer promotions.
Find out how Don Flynn and his team at Lenmark Communications can bring innovative solutions to your marketing challenges. Phone 905-475-5222; Fax 905-475-6369. E-mail to dflynn@lenmarkgroup.com <mailto:mdflynn@lenmarkgroup.comail> or visit: http://www.lenmarkgroup.com <http://www.lenmarkgroup.com/>
* * * * * *
BUILDING MATERIALS REPRESENTATIVE:
Can-Save, a building materials distributor based in Barrie, ON is looking for a building material representative to call on all lumber and building materials retailers in the GTA and Niagara peninsula.
Experience is an asset. Contact Larry Koza or Dan Clements, phone: 800-461-5411; fax: 705-722-1124; email: lkoza@can-save.com
______________________________________________
THE HARDLINES MARKETPLACE: just $16 per line.
A classified ad with Hardlines is the most direct way to industry eyes.
Over 3,000 executives in the industry come in contact with our email and fax publications … and have you seen our Marketplace in our new website? https://hardlines.ca/html/classifieds_new.asp
Publish your ad where it matters. Get industry exposure today.
Contact Eugenia Canas at 416-489-3396 or email: buzz@hardlines.ca
______________________________________________
DOING YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY? PLANNING THE BUDGET?
THEN YOU WILL NEED HARDLINES INDUSTRY REPORT:
"Home Improvement Retailing in Canada" is a comprehensive overview of the size of the market, how many stores are out there, who the key players are, their market position, the size and growth of the big boxes, the trends in housing and renovations, market trends — and much, much more! 120-plus pages filled with charts, graphs and photos. Regular price: $945, only $750 for subscribers! For more information, contact Nancy Wright at nancy@hardlines.ca; phone: 416-489-3396.
(go to https://hardlines.ca/html/industry_report.html)
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Hardlines is published weekly (except monthly in December and August)
by McLARNEYCOM
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© 2001 by Michael McLarney.
HARDLINES™ the electronic newsletter hardlines.ca
Phone: 416.489.3396; Fax: 416.489.6154
Michael McLarney, Editor & Publisher: mike@hardlines.ca
Eugenia Canas, Assistant Editor: buzz@hardlines.ca
Beverly Allen, Marketing Manager: bev@hardlines.ca
Nancy Wright, Circulation Manager: nancy@hardlines.ca
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