HARDLINES
Canada's electronic information service for home improvement
industry
November 12, 2001
Volume vii, #47
Michael McLarney, Editor & Publisher
Phone: 416.489.3396
Fax: 416.489.6154
email: mike@hardlines.ca
hardlines.ca
* * * * * *
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Ace to close western distribution
* Housing starts jump in October
* Canfor plays hardball with U.S. softwood ruling
* CRHA links members to consumers with new website
* Homeless find a habitat on Toronto Home Depot site
* * * * * *
HARDLINES TO SPEAK AT NEXT MEETING OF
THE WOMEN'S CONSUMER PRODUCTS NETWORK -
DON'T MISS THIS EVENT!!!
Beverly Allen, Marketing Manager of Hardlines, will present
an overview of the retail hardware and home improvement
industry, including the size of the market, retail trends
and emerging product categories. Find out the latest on
what's going on behind the scenes with the key players in
retail hardware/home improvement.
WCPN Breakfast Meeting - 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Tuesday,
December 4th, 2001. Loblaws at Heartland Town Centre at the
corner of McLaughlin Road and Britannia Road in Mississauga,
ON. Members only: $10.00
* * * * * *
NEW: POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
ON THE CANADIAN MARKET
A point-by-point illustration of the Canadian market and the
growth of its key players.
Dazzle your bosses and impress your friends with this one!
($179 + taxes for subscribers, $449 + taxes for
non-subscribers.)
Call Nancy Wright at 416.489.3396, email her at:
nancy@hardlines.ca, or go online:
https://hardlines.ca/html/order.html to order any of the
above publications.
* * * * * *
ACE WILL CLOSE CALGARY DISTRIBUTION CENTRE
Ace Hardware Canada will merge its distribution facilities
by closing its retail support centre in Calgary. All
products for the Canadian market will be shipped out of
Ace's Brantford, ON distribution centre. The last shipment
will leave Calgary around the end of this year.
The facility, which employs 22, has been used for shipments
to Ace's Western dealers, including Yukon and the North West
Territories. But despite the closure it will be business as
usual, says Ace, with all orders being processed through its
450,000-sq.ft. Brantford facility.
"We're not going to add any more costs to our western
dealers," says Paul Ingevaldson, vice-president
international for Ace. "Our landed costs won't increase."
The move coincides with renewed attention on Canada from the
U.S. parent. Says Ingevaldson: "I'll be spending more time
here over the next little while." Growing interest from the
Canadian market is driving the decision. "We have so much
going on and we're getting a lot of enquiries." Canadian
operations are overseen by Rob Collins, managing director of
Ace Canada.
The existence of the Calgary distribution centre dates back
to 1995. That's when Ace inherited the 240,000-sq.ft.
facility from Beaver Lumber to take over hardware
distribution for Beaver. Ingevaldson admits the centre never
really carried its weight. "We had trouble getting the
business to justify the site." The loss of the Beaver
business with the sale of that chain to Home Hardware
reinforced the decision.
However, the closing does not reflect any withdrawal from
the West. In fact, this weekend Ace's first two stores in
Calgary will open. Growth will continue, says Ingevaldson,
store by store and through group deals. He expects the
volume of Beaver business to be effectively replaced within
one to two years.
Ace, with 5,100 stores worldwide, has 14 distribution
centres in the U.S.
______________________________________________
HOUSING STARTS DEFY EXPECTATIONS
WITH OCTOBER INCREASE
Residential construction jumped 12.7% in October, despite
indications of economic slowdown in other sectors. According
to the latest numbers from CMHC, housing starts during the
month rose 12.7% to 173,500 units seasonally adjusted, from
154,000 in September. Urban singles rose 7.2% to 84,800
units, the highest annual rate for single starts since March
2000. Multiple starts also increased, bouncing bounced back
20.6% to an annual rate of 67,200 units, compared with
55,700 a month earlier.
In its just-released fourth-quarter housing report, CMHC
forecasts that Canadian housing starts will reach 160,100
units this year and 155,800 in 2002.
"Despite the North American economic slowdown, the Canadian
housing market is expected to achieve levels of starts only
slightly below 2001 levels," the agency said.
Many economists anticipated much lower starts, somewhere
around 154,000 starts for the month. However, continual
drops in mortgage interest rates, high immigration and low
inventories of existing housing have fuelled the growth. In
addition, homeowners are putting renewed focus on cocooning,
say many in the home improvement industry. As people remain
wary of travelling following September 11's terrorist
attacks, more emphasis is being put on staying put - and
either fixing up or moving up.
______________________________________________
CANFOR POISED FOR LAWSUIT IN
SOFTWOOD LUMBER BATTLE
Canfor Corp. has announced that it is filing a Notice of
Intent to Submit a Claim of Arbitration against the U.S.
government for damages under the North American Free Trade
Agreement. The possible suit is based on the allegation that
the U.S. has violated several provisions in the "Investment
Chapter" of NAFTA.
The Notice seeks damages of not less than US$250 million.
Canfor believes that U.S. preliminary determinations -
ruling that a countervailing duty of 19.3% and antidumping
duty of 12.98% be applied on Canfor's softwood lumber
exports south of the border - were made in an arbitrary,
discriminatory and capricious manner.
Spearheading the campaign is Canfor's president and CEO
David Emerson, a 56-year-old economist who is trying to
maintain the shareholder value of Canada's largest lumber
producer and exporter. His company also has contractual
obligations to supply lumber to U.S. home improvement
retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe's.
In late October, Canfor reported third quarter results that
included a net income of $19.6 million. The quarter was
adversely impacted by a $11.5 million after tax accrual for
the potential liability relating to countervailing duties.
Levies imposed thus far in the lumber squabble between
Canada and the U.S. have already resulted in 16,000 job
losses in B.C. mill towns at large. The toll, say analysts,
could rise above 30,000.
______________________________________________
CRHA website creates dealer-to-consumer link
The Canadian Retail Hardware Association has developed a
website that allows consumers to locate information relating
to the hardware/home improvement industry via its member
retailers.
http://www.toolnet.ca/ offers a nationwide listing of
hardware and building supply retailers. Information is
accessible through store, product and services searches that
will direct the consumer to any of CRHA's 1,800 members.
Dealers have jumped aboard by filling out an information
template that includes product and service listings, contact
info, and store hours.
Other informational tools include an interactive message
board that allows consumers to swap hardware/home
improvement tips from the dealers themselves. A DIY project
library will be created from the site's own consumer-focused
stories.
The site is being promoted through the dealers themselves,
who are being relied upon to get the message out to their
own customers.
_____________________________________________
COMPANIES IN THE NEWS
Toronto City council has approved the erection of prefab
houses for 32 homeless people on contaminated land owned by
Home Depot Canada. The land, part of Toronto's derelict
lakefront lands, was sold to Home Depot with the
understanding that environmental cleanup would be long and
costly. But it's also the site of a tent city that shelters
scores of "street people." The $1.1-million housing project,
which would be financed primarily by a $1-million federal
grant, would be built and run by Homes First, a non-profit
agency.
Hudson's Bay Co. has opened its first Home Outfitters store
in Québec. Called Déco Découverte, the kitchen, bed and bath
superstore is in Mascouche and brings this chain's total
store count to 19.
In October, Sears Canada saw total revenues increase 4.9% to
$571.8 million, from $545.5 million in the same period last
year. Merchandise sales increased 5.0% while same-store
sales increased 0.2%. The company announced that its outlook
remains guarded in spite of its strong positioning for the
upcoming holiday season and for Spring 2002.
Do it Best Corp. has signed a membership agreement with The
Handyman, a 31-store retail hardware retailer in the
Philippines. The family owned chain has sales of more than
US$31 million. Do it Best will co-brand all of The
Handyman's stores over the next several months.
House2Home Inc., formerly the HomeBase home improvement
chain, has filed under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for
all of its 42 stores. BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., a House2Home
spin-off store owned by parent-company TJX, has agreed to
share responsibility for 41 of the pending House2Home
leases. The closure process is expected to take about 13
weeks. House2Home has about 4,700 employees.
Premdor Inc. announced results for the third quarter ended
September 30, 2001. The company reported a sales increase of
14% to US$363 million. Internal growth, including the
Masonite acquisition, completed August 31, accounts for
approximately 80% of the increase. Year-to-date, Premdor has
reported sales of US$1.045 billion, a 7% increase over 2000.
For the year ended September 30, Nu-Gro Corp. had total
sales of $166,549, up from $142,710 in 2000. For the fourth
quarter, Nu-Grow reported sales of $31,613, fuelled by the
acquisition of the Vigoro business effective November 1,
2000.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced its net sales in the four
weeks ended November 2 rose 14.6% to US$16.62 billion, from
US$14.50 billion a year earlier. Same-store sales in October
increased 6.7% from a year earlier. Same-store sales at
Wal-Mart stores rose 6.3% last month, while at Sam's Club
sales were up 8%. Last week, the company denied reports that
it was cutting 1,350 jobs from its German unit, Wal-Mart
GmgH, where it has 94 stores.
Sears, Roebuck and Co. has announced that sales at its
domestic stores fell 4.4% in October, as the weak economy
continued to weigh on results. The company said domestic
store revenues for the month totalled US$2.15 billion, a
3.4% decrease from a year earlier. The retailer reported
that full-line stores had strong same-store sales, with
increases in appliances, lawn and garden and fitness
equipment. Decreases across most softlines categories
affected the results negatively.
_____________________________________________
CANADIAN STOCK WATCH
| COMPANY |
52-WK HIGH |
52-WK LOW |
CLOSE (FRI) |
| Canadian Tire |
25.20 |
15.05 |
15.05 |
| Canfor |
16.95 |
7.65 |
7.65 |
| Emco |
7.50 |
2.60 |
2.60 |
| Goodfellow |
11.00 |
8.00 |
8.00 |
| Home Depot |
49.74 |
47.61 |
30.30 |
| Hudson's Bay |
17.65 |
12.40 |
12.40 |
| Lowe's |
64.90 |
34.25 |
18.18 |
| Sears Canada |
37.25 |
18.55 |
12.50 |
| Sodisco Howden |
2.80 |
0.75 |
0.75 |
| Taiga Forest |
10.00 |
6.80 |
6.80 |
| West Fraser |
36.50 |
21.00 |
21.00 |
______________________________________________
"Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you."
- Joey Adams
______________________________________________
MARKET INDICATORS
The value of building permits issued by municipalities
declined for a second consecutive month in September,
according to Stats Canada. Builders took out $3.2 billion
worth of permits, down 1.2% from August. Construction
intentions in the commercial sector hit their lowest point
in four years with a 3% fall to $1.4 billion in September,
after dropping 12.2% in August. The value of housing permits
rose a marginal 0.2% to $1.8 billion; only multi-family
dwellings contributed to this gain.
U.S. consumer sentiment has risen unexpectedly during the
first week of November, market sources said. The University
of Michigan's preliminary November consumer sentiment index
rose to 83.5 from 82.7 in October. That stood in sharp
contrast to analysts' forecasts of a drop.
* * * * * *
INDUSTRY NEWS. EVERY DAY -
OUR WEBSITE HAS DAILY UPDATES ON RETAIL AND INDUSTRY NEWS
THAT MATTER TO YOU. KEEP INFORMED.
VISIT hardlines.ca - EVERY DAY!
* * * * * *
EUROPE IS STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS! CANADIANS SHOULD BE
THERE!
THE COLOGNE INTERNATIONAL HARDWARE FAIR/DIY'TEC:
March 3-6, 2002. For show information, contact: Edel
Wichmann, 416-598-3343; or colognet@idirect.com. To book
your flight and hotel, call Carol-Ann Contact Trade Show
Travel by phone: 1-877-873-7469; fax: 403-247-2448; or
tradeshowtravel@shaw.ca to arrange your trip. Packages
include return airfare and accommodations, as well as
admission to the Exhibition. BOOK EARLY!
Packages also include an invitation to the internationally
famous Canada Night Reception on Sunday, March 3, 2002,
sponsored by Hardlines and Cologne International Trade
Shows. We'll see you in Cologne!
* * * * * *
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Peter Simmons has been appointed manager of procurement with
Shoppers Drug Mart. He is in charge of store planning,
supplies and services for the corporate and retail sides of
the business. Simmons was formerly a senior merchant at Ace
Hardware Canada, and at Beaver Lumber before that.
Canada Wood Specialties Inc. has appointed Blake Kent to its
sales force. He will be responsible for the Eastern Ontario
region, previously represented by Don Sansone, who has left
the company. (705-326-1301)
Pierre Racette, formerly vice-president marketing and sales
and the building materials division of Sodisco-Howden Group,
did not end up in the U.S. as we originally heard. He has
remained in Canada. (514-995-9869)
______________________________________________
NOTED ...
A Calgary judge has ruled in the nine-year-old case
involving a love-triangle and a failed real estate venture
between Canadian Tire heiress Martha Billes and ex-lover
Paul McAteer. The judge came down hard on McAteer, a lawyer
and real-estate developer who had managed to become Billes's
lover and investor in his schemes. The judge ordered McAteer
to pay back a $1.95-million loan guarantee to a company
owned 49% by Billes, with whom he had a 21-month love affair
in the early '90s. McAteer was also ordered to pay $440,000
plus interest and legal expenses to his ex-wife. Billes owns
61% of Canadian Tire's voting shares and is worth about $101
million.
______________________________________________
* * * * HARDLINES MARKETPLACE* * * *
Check out Hardlines Classifieds on the web:
https://hardlines.ca/html/classifieds_new.asp
______________________________________________
NORAL MARKETING:
Representing leading manufacturers since 1986.
We ensure high profile retail presence for a wide range of
product lines.
Why not make yours one of them?
www.noralmarketing.com or call 519-439-6800 ext. 201
* * * * * *
PROMOTE YOUR COMPANY BETTER
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Need help announcing new products, businesses or marketing
initiatives?
McLARNEYCOM brings vendors and retailers the marketing tools
they need to boost sales:
press releases, corporate brochures, customer newsletters,
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Contact us at 416-489-3396; buzz@hardlines.ca
* * * * * *
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... 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 us at 416-489-3396 or email: buzz@hardlines.ca
______________________________________________
Hardlines is published weekly (except monthly in December
and August)
by McLARNEYCOM
542 Mount Pleasant Rd., Suite 302, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M4S 2M7
(c) 2001 by Michael McLarney.
HARDLINES(tm) 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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HARDLINES
Canada's electronic information service for home improvement
industry
November 12, 2001
Volume vii, #47
Michael McLarney, Editor & Publisher
Phone: 416.489.3396
Fax: 416.489.6154
email: mike@hardlines.ca
hardlines.ca
* * * * * *
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Ace to close western distribution
* Housing starts jump in October
* Canfor plays hardball with U.S. softwood ruling
* CRHA links members to consumers with new website
* Homeless find a habitat on Toronto Home Depot site
* * * * * *
HARDLINES TO SPEAK AT NEXT MEETING OF
THE WOMEN'S CONSUMER PRODUCTS NETWORK -
DON'T MISS THIS EVENT!!!
Beverly Allen, Marketing Manager of Hardlines, will present
an overview of the retail hardware and home improvement
industry, including the size of the market, retail trends
and emerging product categories. Find out the latest on
what's going on behind the scenes with the key players in
retail hardware/home improvement.
WCPN Breakfast Meeting - 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Tuesday,
December 4th, 2001. Loblaws at Heartland Town Centre at the
corner of McLaughlin Road and Britannia Road in Mississauga,
ON. Members only: $10.00
* * * * * *
NEW: POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
ON THE CANADIAN MARKET
A point-by-point illustration of the Canadian market and the
growth of its key players.
Dazzle your bosses and impress your friends with this one!
($179 + taxes for subscribers, $449 + taxes for
non-subscribers.)
Call Nancy Wright at 416.489.3396, email her at:
nancy@hardlines.ca, or go online:
https://hardlines.ca/html/order.html to order any of the
above publications.
* * * * * *
ACE WILL CLOSE CALGARY DISTRIBUTION CENTRE
Ace Hardware Canada will merge its distribution facilities
by closing its retail support centre in Calgary. All
products for the Canadian market will be shipped out of
Ace's Brantford, ON distribution centre. The last shipment
will leave Calgary around the end of this year.
The facility, which employs 22, has been used for shipments
to Ace's Western dealers, including Yukon and the North West
Territories. But despite the closure it will be business as
usual, says Ace, with all orders being processed through its
450,000-sq.ft. Brantford facility.
"We're not going to add any more costs to our western
dealers," says Paul Ingevaldson, vice-president
international for Ace. "Our landed costs won't increase."
The move coincides with renewed attention on Canada from the
U.S. parent. Says Ingevaldson: "I'll be spending more time
here over the next little while." Growing interest from the
Canadian market is driving the decision. "We have so much
going on and we're getting a lot of enquiries." Canadian
operations are overseen by Rob Collins, managing director of
Ace Canada.
The existence of the Calgary distribution centre dates back
to 1995. That's when Ace inherited the 240,000-sq.ft.
facility from Beaver Lumber to take over hardware
distribution for Beaver. Ingevaldson admits the centre never
really carried its weight. "We had trouble getting the
business to justify the site." The loss of the Beaver
business with the sale of that chain to Home Hardware
reinforced the decision.
However, the closing does not reflect any withdrawal from
the West. In fact, this weekend Ace's first two stores in
Calgary will open. Growth will continue, says Ingevaldson,
store by store and through group deals. He expects the
volume of Beaver business to be effectively replaced within
one to two years.
Ace, with 5,100 stores worldwide, has 14 distribution
centres in the U.S.
______________________________________________
HOUSING STARTS DEFY EXPECTATIONS
WITH OCTOBER INCREASE
Residential construction jumped 12.7% in October, despite
indications of economic slowdown in other sectors. According
to the latest numbers from CMHC, housing starts during the
month rose 12.7% to 173,500 units seasonally adjusted, from
154,000 in September. Urban singles rose 7.2% to 84,800
units, the highest annual rate for single starts since March
2000. Multiple starts also increased, bouncing bounced back
20.6% to an annual rate of 67,200 units, compared with
55,700 a month earlier.
In its just-released fourth-quarter housing report, CMHC
forecasts that Canadian housing starts will reach 160,100
units this year and 155,800 in 2002.
"Despite the North American economic slowdown, the Canadian
housing market is expected to achieve levels of starts only
slightly below 2001 levels," the agency said.
Many economists anticipated much lower starts, somewhere
around 154,000 starts for the month. However, continual
drops in mortgage interest rates, high immigration and low
inventories of existing housing have fuelled the growth. In
addition, homeowners are putting renewed focus on cocooning,
say many in the home improvement industry. As people remain
wary of travelling following September 11's terrorist
attacks, more emphasis is being put on staying put - and
either fixing up or moving up.
______________________________________________
CANFOR POISED FOR LAWSUIT IN
SOFTWOOD LUMBER BATTLE
Canfor Corp. has announced that it is filing a Notice of
Intent to Submit a Claim of Arbitration against the U.S.
government for damages under the North American Free Trade
Agreement. The possible suit is based on the allegation that
the U.S. has violated several provisions in the "Investment
Chapter" of NAFTA.
The Notice seeks damages of not less than US$250 million.
Canfor believes that U.S. preliminary determinations -
ruling that a countervailing duty of 19.3% and antidumping
duty of 12.98% be applied on Canfor's softwood lumber
exports south of the border - were made in an arbitrary,
discriminatory and capricious manner.
Spearheading the campaign is Canfor's president and CEO
David Emerson, a 56-year-old economist who is trying to
maintain the shareholder value of Canada's largest lumber
producer and exporter. His company also has contractual
obligations to supply lumber to U.S. home improvement
retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe's.
In late October, Canfor reported third quarter results that
included a net income of $19.6 million. The quarter was
adversely impacted by a $11.5 million after tax accrual for
the potential liability relating to countervailing duties.
Levies imposed thus far in the lumber squabble between
Canada and the U.S. have already resulted in 16,000 job
losses in B.C. mill towns at large. The toll, say analysts,
could rise above 30,000.
______________________________________________
CRHA website creates dealer-to-consumer link
The Canadian Retail Hardware Association has developed a
website that allows consumers to locate information relating
to the hardware/home improvement industry via its member
retailers.
http://www.toolnet.ca/ offers a nationwide listing of
hardware and building supply retailers. Information is
accessible through store, product and services searches that
will direct the consumer to any of CRHA's 1,800 members.
Dealers have jumped aboard by filling out an information
template that includes product and service listings, contact
info, and store hours.
Other informational tools include an interactive message
board that allows consumers to swap hardware/home
improvement tips from the dealers themselves. A DIY project
library will be created from the site's own consumer-focused
stories.
The site is being promoted through the dealers themselves,
who are being relied upon to get the message out to their
own customers.
_____________________________________________
COMPANIES IN THE NEWS
Toronto City council has approved the erection of prefab
houses for 32 homeless people on contaminated land owned by
Home Depot Canada. The land, part of Toronto's derelict
lakefront lands, was sold to Home Depot with the
understanding that environmental cleanup would be long and
costly. But it's also the site of a tent city that shelters
scores of "street people." The $1.1-million housing project,
which would be financed primarily by a $1-million federal
grant, would be built and run by Homes First, a non-profit
agency.
Hudson's Bay Co. has opened its first Home Outfitters store
in Québec. Called Déco Découverte, the kitchen, bed and bath
superstore is in Mascouche and brings this chain's total
store count to 19.
In October, Sears Canada saw total revenues increase 4.9% to
$571.8 million, from $545.5 million in the same period last
year. Merchandise sales increased 5.0% while same-store
sales increased 0.2%. The company announced that its outlook
remains guarded in spite of its strong positioning for the
upcoming holiday season and for Spring 2002.
Do it Best Corp. has signed a membership agreement with The
Handyman, a 31-store retail hardware retailer in the
Philippines. The family owned chain has sales of more than
US$31 million. Do it Best will co-brand all of The
Handyman's stores over the next several months.
House2Home Inc., formerly the HomeBase home improvement
chain, has filed under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for
all of its 42 stores. BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., a House2Home
spin-off store owned by parent-company TJX, has agreed to
share responsibility for 41 of the pending House2Home
leases. The closure process is expected to take about 13
weeks. House2Home has about 4,700 employees.
Premdor Inc. announced results for the third quarter ended
September 30, 2001. The company reported a sales increase of
14% to US$363 million. Internal growth, including the
Masonite acquisition, completed August 31, accounts for
approximately 80% of the increase. Year-to-date, Premdor has
reported sales of US$1.045 billion, a 7% increase over 2000.
For the year ended September 30, Nu-Gro Corp. had total
sales of $166,549, up from $142,710 in 2000. For the fourth
quarter, Nu-Grow reported sales of $31,613, fuelled by the
acquisition of the Vigoro business effective November 1,
2000.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced its net sales in the four
weeks ended November 2 rose 14.6% to US$16.62 billion, from
US$14.50 billion a year earlier. Same-store sales in October
increased 6.7% from a year earlier. Same-store sales at
Wal-Mart stores rose 6.3% last month, while at Sam's Club
sales were up 8%. Last week, the company denied reports that
it was cutting 1,350 jobs from its German unit, Wal-Mart
GmgH, where it has 94 stores.
Sears, Roebuck and Co. has announced that sales at its
domestic stores fell 4.4% in October, as the weak economy
continued to weigh on results. The company said domestic
store revenues for the month totalled US$2.15 billion, a
3.4% decrease from a year earlier. The retailer reported
that full-line stores had strong same-store sales, with
increases in appliances, lawn and garden and fitness
equipment. Decreases across most softlines categories
affected the results negatively.
_____________________________________________
CANADIAN STOCK WATCH
| COMPANY |
52-WK HIGH |
52-WK LOW |
CLOSE (FRI) |
| Canadian Tire |
25.20 |
15.05 |
15.05 |
| Canfor |
16.95 |
7.65 |
7.65 |
| Emco |
7.50 |
2.60 |
2.60 |
| Goodfellow |
11.00 |
8.00 |
8.00 |
| Home Depot |
49.74 |
47.61 |
30.30 |
| Hudson's Bay |
17.65 |
12.40 |
12.40 |
| Lowe's |
64.90 |
34.25 |
18.18 |
| Sears Canada |
37.25 |
18.55 |
12.50 |
| Sodisco Howden |
2.80 |
0.75 |
0.75 |
| Taiga Forest |
10.00 |
6.80 |
6.80 |
| West Fraser |
36.50 |
21.00 |
21.00 |
______________________________________________
"Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you."
- Joey Adams
______________________________________________
MARKET INDICATORS
The value of building permits issued by municipalities
declined for a second consecutive month in September,
according to Stats Canada. Builders took out $3.2 billion
worth of permits, down 1.2% from August. Construction
intentions in the commercial sector hit their lowest point
in four years with a 3% fall to $1.4 billion in September,
after dropping 12.2% in August. The value of housing permits
rose a marginal 0.2% to $1.8 billion; only multi-family
dwellings contributed to this gain.
U.S. consumer sentiment has risen unexpectedly during the
first week of November, market sources said. The University
of Michigan's preliminary November consumer sentiment index
rose to 83.5 from 82.7 in October. That stood in sharp
contrast to analysts' forecasts of a drop.
* * * * * *
INDUSTRY NEWS. EVERY DAY -
OUR WEBSITE HAS DAILY UPDATES ON RETAIL AND INDUSTRY NEWS
THAT MATTER TO YOU. KEEP INFORMED.
VISIT hardlines.ca - EVERY DAY!
* * * * * *
EUROPE IS STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS! CANADIANS SHOULD BE
THERE!
THE COLOGNE INTERNATIONAL HARDWARE FAIR/DIY'TEC:
March 3-6, 2002. For show information, contact: Edel
Wichmann, 416-598-3343; or colognet@idirect.com. To book
your flight and hotel, call Carol-Ann Contact Trade Show
Travel by phone: 1-877-873-7469; fax: 403-247-2448; or
tradeshowtravel@shaw.ca to arrange your trip. Packages
include return airfare and accommodations, as well as
admission to the Exhibition. BOOK EARLY!
Packages also include an invitation to the internationally
famous Canada Night Reception on Sunday, March 3, 2002,
sponsored by Hardlines and Cologne International Trade
Shows. We'll see you in Cologne!
* * * * * *
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Peter Simmons has been appointed manager of procurement with
Shoppers Drug Mart. He is in charge of store planning,
supplies and services for the corporate and retail sides of
the business. Simmons was formerly a senior merchant at Ace
Hardware Canada, and at Beaver Lumber before that.
Canada Wood Specialties Inc. has appointed Blake Kent to its
sales force. He will be responsible for the Eastern Ontario
region, previously represented by Don Sansone, who has left
the company. (705-326-1301)
Pierre Racette, formerly vice-president marketing and sales
and the building materials division of Sodisco-Howden Group,
did not end up in the U.S. as we originally heard. He has
remained in Canada. (514-995-9869)
______________________________________________
NOTED ...
A Calgary judge has ruled in the nine-year-old case
involving a love-triangle and a failed real estate venture
between Canadian Tire heiress Martha Billes and ex-lover
Paul McAteer. The judge came down hard on McAteer, a lawyer
and real-estate developer who had managed to become Billes's
lover and investor in his schemes. The judge ordered McAteer
to pay back a $1.95-million loan guarantee to a company
owned 49% by Billes, with whom he had a 21-month love affair
in the early '90s. McAteer was also ordered to pay $440,000
plus interest and legal expenses to his ex-wife. Billes owns
61% of Canadian Tire's voting shares and is worth about $101
million.
______________________________________________
* * * * HARDLINES MARKETPLACE* * * *
Check out Hardlines Classifieds on the web:
https://hardlines.ca/html/classifieds_new.asp
______________________________________________
NORAL MARKETING:
Representing leading manufacturers since 1986.
We ensure high profile retail presence for a wide range of
product lines.
Why not make yours one of them?
www.noralmarketing.com or call 519-439-6800 ext. 201
* * * * * *
PROMOTE YOUR COMPANY BETTER
Want to communicate more effectively to your customers?
Need help announcing new products, businesses or marketing
initiatives?
McLARNEYCOM brings vendors and retailers the marketing tools
they need to boost sales:
press releases, corporate brochures, customer newsletters,
direct mail and more!
Contact us at 416-489-3396; buzz@hardlines.ca
* * * * * *
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?
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Publish your ad where it matters. Get industry exposure
today.
Contact us at 416-489-3396 or email: buzz@hardlines.ca
______________________________________________
Hardlines is published weekly (except monthly in December
and August)
by McLARNEYCOM
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M4S 2M7
(c) 2001 by Michael McLarney.
HARDLINES(tm) 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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