| |
October 17, 2011, Volume xvii, #39
“A budget tells us what we can't afford, but it doesn't keep us from buying it.” —William Feather (American reporter and writer, 1889-1981)
______________________________________________________________________
Home Installs gains ground among dealers
ST. JACOBS, ON — As the importance of services within the retail milieu increases (see, for example, the introduction of garage door and water heater installations by Canadian Tire, as reported in our Oct. 3 edition), Home Hardware has been fine-tuning its own “Home Installs” program. Those enhancements were introduced at Home’s fall market last month.
 According to Murray Cutler, who heads up Home Installs, the number of dealers using the program has almost doubled in recent years, and now 223 dealers – representing almost half of Home’s building centres and home centres – are using the program. And more dealers are signing up every week, he notes.
That growth is coming because the program stays focused on the dealers’ needs. “We now have a nine-member advisory board of dealers from across the country to fine-tune the program and explore ways to grow it among the dealers.”
Project sales through Home Installs can range from $10,000 to $40,000, Cutler says.
Home offers a number of things to support the program for its dealers, including in-store signage (ceiling banners, banner hangers, display decals, and wall murals), brochures and brochure holders, vehicle graphics, and even an eight-foot Home Installs booth rental for dealers who want to participate in local home shows. A series of six optional flyers is designed to generate sales from homeowners as they plan their renovation projects. Topics of the flyers include kitchen and flooring, garage and shed, and windows and doors.
The program also ties in with RBC Royal Bank, which offers a finance program in-store.
back to top 
______________________________________________________________________
TruServ’s new brand gets French-language version
WINNIPEG — The new dealer banner from TruServ Canada, which is rolling out this fall among dozens of existing True Value dealers across the country, has a French-language version, as well. Called “UNIQ,” the name was developed because TRU would not translate well into French.
 TRU and UNIQ were developed by TruServ, in conjunction with its new owner, RONA inc., as an option for independents who want to get their hardware supplied by TruServ, while receiving a level of store support, as well.
The TRU program, which TruServ bills as “proudly using the true Canadian red of our national flag” consists of simple, strong elements that, the company says, “will make it easy for customers to get fast answers, leading to faster shopping.”
UNIQ’s store identification program is, however, in all respects identical to TRU’s. “It is a perfect retail look for a modern Canadian hardware store, adaptable to each dealer’s needs,” says TruServ president Bill Morrison.
back to top
_______________________________________________________________________
Highland TIM-BR MART welcomes Stremecki
PETERBOROUGH , ON — Building a regional lumberyard chain from scratch in a struggling economy, when you haven’t been a dealer before, takes courage. Going from zero to five stores between 2009 and today, in the teeth of one of the toughest economies in memory, couldn’t have been easy. Yet Brian Macey has done it.
His fledgling group, Highland TIM-BR MART, is now one of Ontario’s fastest-growing building supply chains. Starting from a single store in Havelock, ON, in 2009, Macey has since added four other Ontario stores (Harcourt, Gooderham, Kinmount, and Pembroke) which are all in rural markets in south-central and eastern Ontario.
All of this has been quite a leap from working on the wholesale side for many years, for BPB Westroc, where Macey was vice-president of sales and marketing, western operations.
It was during his Westroc days that Macey first met Steve Stremecki. The outgoing and upbeat former vice president at TIM-BR MARTS Ltd. had spent the last seven years helping build that organization into one of the country’s largest building materials buying groups. Now, he’s joined Highland TIM-BR MART as a partner. Macey sees him as someone to share ideas and challenges with.
“Steve’s leadership will raise the bar in marketing and sales,” he says.
back to top
_______________________________________________________________________
Associations tap into Cologne International Hardware Fair
COLOGNE, Germany & CHICAGO — The need to look beyond national borders has caused North American industry associations to step up their involvement in the International Hardware Fair, March 4-7, 2012 at the Koelnmesse Convention Centre in Cologne, Germany.
A number of North American associations have formed promotional alliances with the North American subsidiary of the organizer, Koelnmesse Inc., based in Chicago. Solid industry growth in recent months in Europe and Asia in segments of the home improvement industry has made the international nature of the Cologne event a welcome target for export by North American firms.
Both the International Federation of Hardware & Housewares Associations and the Presidents Council will use this event to hold respective board meetings at onsite conference rooms.
 According to Dr. Jayne Seagrave, president of the Canadian-based Worldwide DIY Council, “Our membership consists of approximately 100 North American companies who are committed to increase their export sales. For 2012 we have entered an agreement with Cologne to sponsor a DIY pavilion. This event always represents a highlight for our members in developing their international business. Nowhere else can they meet an audience from all five continents at such a large scale.”
The North American Retail Hardware Association is offering their members incentives via discounted exhibit rates for a fully furnished and constructed exhibit package at the Cologne event. Veterans in Cologne are the American Hardware Manufacturers Association (AHMA), with a track record of organizing  a USA pavilion at the International Hardware Fair for the last 30 years.
A traditional highlight in Cologne will be the international “Canadian Night” reception sponsored by HARDLINES, celebrating Canadians and international partners abroad.
Space is running out for North American exhibitors, however. Contact Beverly Allen directly here at the HARDLINES World Headquarters to get details on how you can get involved with Cologne next March – either as a vendor or a visiting retail buyer.
back to top
Classifieds
PrimeSource Building Products Canada LTD., a wholesale distributor of building supply products, has an immediate opportunity for an Inside Sales Representative in our Vancouver, BC distribution center.
Responsibilities include developing a pipeline of prospective opportunities; via interaction with an existing customer base and a network of prospects, providing outstanding customer service and the ability to build relationships.
Qualified candidates must be self-motivated and willing to work as part of a sales team. Requires professional and confident telephone skills, computer skills and at least one year of sales or customer service experience and/or college degree. Any experience in the building materials industry is a big plus!
Please send resumes to advinculal@primesourcebp.com
Hardlines Specialist Representative
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Castle Building Centres Group is an industry leader among Buying Groups in the Lumber and Building Materials segment in Canada. Due to the rapid growth of our hardlines solution, we are seeking a candidate in the B.C. region.
You are a highly motivated individual with strong relationship and communication skills that can manage and develop our future hardlines growth. This position requires an individual who is knowledgeable of standard concepts, practices and procedures within the hardlines industry, willing to travel extensively and accustomed to working remote from head office. Qualifications include a minimum two years experience in the wholesale or retail hardware / lumber and building materials industry.
Reporting to the Regional Business Development Manager, you welcome the opportunity to work with a dynamic group of independent LBM dealers while planning and executing our hardlines solution. Providing continual and proactive communication to our members while understanding their needs is fundamental to your success. Sound computer and presentation skills; combined with good administrative qualities are imperative.
Castle Building Centres Group offers a comprehensive compensation package including full benefits.
All submissions will be treated with complete confidentiality. Please forward your resume in confidence to:
Yvonne Patton
Castle Building Centres Group Ltd .
100 Milverton Drive, Suite 400
Mississauga, Ontario
L5R 4H1
E-mail: ypatton@castle.ca
Resumés
Connect with us!
  
back to top
|
