October 15, 2018 Volume

xxiv, #38

“Only through curiosity can we discover opportunities, and only by gambling can we take advantage of them.”
— Clarence Birdseye (American inventor, entrepreneur and naturalist, 1886-1956)

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With New Brunswick acquisition, Gillfor will become a national wholesaler

WOODSTOCK, Ont. — Gillfor Distribution Inc., parent company of OWL Distribution Inc., McIlveen Lumber Industries Ltd. and Brown & Rutherford Co., is making another acquisition, one that will effectively make the company a national entity.

Gillfor has announced the purchase of Brunswick Valley Distribution Inc., the Atlantic Canadian distribution arm of parent company Brunswick Valley Lumber Inc.

Brunswick Valley Distribution is headquartered in Fredericton, N.B., and operates a distribution facility in Moncton. The deal will be finalized by January 2019, at which point the company will add products found in other Gillfor divisions, including composite decking, aluminum railing and a variety of specialty softwoods.

Gillfor Distribution was created when OWL Distribution in Woodstock, Ont., and McIlveen Lumber, an LBM wholesaler based in Calgary, merged just over a year ago. Both companies have continued to operate under their respective names, as will Brunswick Valley Distribution, at least for now. The latest acquisition also gives Gillfor a strategic distribution location in Atlantic Canada to add to its six existing distribution centres and one reload facility.

“Gillfor Distribution’s vision is to put in place a network of distribution facilities to service the expansive retail network across Canada. With this acquisition, the infrastructure is now in place to allow us to more effectively bring all of our products to market,” says Bob Dosanjh, Gillfor’s CEO.

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Dealers can invest in their rising stars with NRHA’s retail management course  

SPECIAL REPORT ― Training keeps top performing employees growing and realizing their potential. The North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) has developed a program to take key people to the next level.

The Retail Management Certification Program was developed in partnership with Ball State University in Indiana for key employees such as owners, next-generation leaders, managers or directors—anyone who has the potential to excel in an independent home improvement operation.

Joe Chawchka is vice president of operations for Pro Builders Supply in Penticton, B.C. He first heard about the NRHA’s Retail Management Certification Training Program (RMCP) when the company’s president was contacted by their banner, Home Hardware Stores.

The management team at Pro Builders had been looking for training programs that would help prepare their high-potential employees for management roles. The RMCP was the right fit for their needs. The course consists of a six-month class with three multi-day sessions that feature an industry-specific curriculum and a business improvement project. Course work explores leadership, marketing, sales, customer service, human resources management, finance and accounting, applied business strategies and advanced retail operations.

At Pro Builders, the five-store chain has so far sent a total of six employees—two are now general managers, one is a partner in the business and two others have been promoted to retail operations management positions.

Students make three trips to NRHA’s head offices in Indianapolis for three-day sessions, where they build a network of peers as they learn about multiple topics within retail operations that can be applied to business management. Attendees are then challenged to use what they’ve learned to plan and implement a company-wide initiative that will deliver their employers a measurable return on investment.

For Chawchka, what made the program so attractive was not just the content, which he described as “clearly unique from anything else we had seen before,” but the networking opportunity it offered his high-potential employees with others in similar retail hardware and building supply businesses.

“The experience has provided broader exposure for the candidates and allowed us to evaluate their adaptability and resilience, both qualities we require in our management teams,” says Chawchka. (For more info on the program, please e-mail Michael McLarney.)

(The full story on one dealer’s success with NRHA’s retail management training appears in the next issue of our sister publication, Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly. HHIQ is mailed to 11,000 dealers and managers across Canada. For your own subscription, please click here.)

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Home Depot expands same-day delivery in select U.S. markets

ATLANTA — The Home Depot has rolled out express same-day and next-day local delivery for 20,000 of its most popular items to 35 major metro markets across the U.S. The new service is part of the company’s overall five-year expansion of its delivery offerings for DIY and pro customers.

The company is partnering with car and van providers like Roadie and Deliv to offer the new delivery options for smaller items, while continuing to expand its supply chain network for faster shipments of large bulk deliveries.

Delivery options start at $8.99. “This is just the beginning of our expansion of improved delivery options, but it’s a significant milestone in the way we’re serving customers,” said Mark Holifield, EVP of supply chain and product development for The Home Depot in Atlanta.

While the service is not yet available in Canada, the Home Depot Canada does offer some same-day pick-up options for products in-stock at a customer’s local outlet. Right now, deliveries from a local store can also be arranged as early as next day.

The ongoing investment in the U.S. calls for additional direct fulfillment centres and more than 100 new distribution sites to further extend delivery speed and reach. To use the service, customers shopping online choose “Express Delivery from Store”, where available.

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Contractors get more love at latest Home Hardware dealer market

ST. JACOBS, Ont. ― Home Hardware Stores continues to hone its program for contractor customers. As Home’s dealers have been encouraged to grow the size of their stores over the past decade, more and more of them have the broad assortments to cater effectively to contractors and trades. To support those dealers, Home is creating programs and services to help pros do their jobs better.

Not the least of these is Home’s series of regional pro shows, held each spring in a number of communities across the country. That idea, along with some others that are pro-focused, were inherited with Home’s acquisition of Beaver Lumber back in 1999.

Dealers attending the co-op’s latest dealer market, held in September, found some new ways to attract pro customers. Alec Thompson, marketing manager, contractor communications for Home Hardware, explained a new series of e-offers developed for trade customers. “They’re not as fast to adapt as consumers, but now if you’re going to connect with them, online is the way,” Thompson says.

And loyalty has its rewards. The company’s Top Notch rewards program, a loyalty program exclusively for contractor customers, now has 25,000 members across Canada.

Just as Home has been targetting Quebec to add new member dealers, Thompson and his team see potential to work more closely with Home Hardware stores in that province to help them develop their pro business. “Our growth will be in Quebec,” he says.

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CLASSIFIED ADS

The Field Sales Representative (ON) will be responsible for territory sales growth by implementing plans and strategies to create end user demand for the Henkel LePage portfolio. This individual will be the primary contact and responsible for fostering solid relationships within their region.

What We Offer (Position Description)

• Deliver NES and GP1 annual growth per pro sales plans
• Establishes targets, develops and implements sales plans accordingly for achieved results to be measured against.

• Develop and maintain relationships with distributors, dealers, alliance partners, builders, contractors, remodelers, architects, sealant specifiers and Henkel team members
• Conduct jobsite inspections and testing along with education of LePage products.
• Participate in dealer and training events, where business opportunity is identified.
• Assist in product complaint resolution. This may include; jobsite inspection, product complaint form completion and submission in addition to, immediate or suggested resolution.
• Manage and communicate activity and results via CRM tool, meeting calendar, requested reporting and presentations
• Manage special projects and provide market intelligence as requested to include competitive activity and price shops
• Contribute to Henkel’s success by professionally challenging status quo, sharing your ideas and experience.
• Assume responsibility for other duties as assigned by National Sales Manager

Job specification and competencies

• Minimum 5 years selling experience
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in relevant market (residential/light commercial)
• Professional written and verbal communication
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
• Bachelor’s degree preferred

 https://www.henkel.com/careers/jobs-and-application/-/874012

_________________________________________________________________

70 Years of Building Value Into Building Products

OEM Sales Agencies – Quebec, Prairies, Atlantic Canada

ODL Canada, with distribution centres in Vaughan, ON and Calgary, AB is recognized as a leading supplier in Canada’s fenestration industry.  Our products include Door Glass and Enclosed Blinds for doors, patio doors and windows.

See our complete catalogue at https://odl.com/canada.htm.
To support growth with exciting new products, ODL Canada is currently seeking sales agencies to represent our OEM product line for Quebec, Atlantic Canada and the Prairies.  If your agency is a team that calls on door pre-hangers, door component distributors or window manufacturers in any of these market areas, then we would like to hear from you.
Interested agencies should submit a company profile to Tom Newton, Managing Director of ODL Canada at tom.newton@odl.com.

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Sales Territory Managers | British Columbia, Saskatchewan/Manitoba

Regal Ideas is the innovative leader in Aluminum Railing and associated outdoor living products to the Canadian Home improvement Industry. We require experienced Building Materials Professionals to expand our sales team and drive sales growth across British Columbia and Saskatchewan/Manitoba. If you are a motivated and highly organized team player with Building Materials Sales experience on the wholesale side, then we would like to speak with you.

Please send resume and salary expectations to Marketing@regalideas.com and you will be contacted if qualifications are commensurate with our requirements

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October 8, 2018 Volume

xxiv, #37

“Look to the future, because that’s where you’ll spend the rest of your life.”
—George Burns (American comedian and actor, 1896-1996) 

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Home Hardware woos influencers to boost its brand in unconventional ways

ST. JACOBS, Ont. ― Home Hardware Stores is reaching beyond its traditional marketing and promotional channels in its efforts to connect with a whole new demographic. The company has set its sights on new homeowners and young families, recognizing the importance of creating a relationship with a new generation of DIYers and contractors.

One important but little publicized approach has been by working with social media influencers. Going beyond the bloggers of an earlier era, these tastemakers have large followings on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, and dig deep into lifestyle areas that connect to Home Hardware and its wide range of products.

“We’re working with influencers to promote products and projects,” says Jessica Kuepfer, public relations manager at Home Hardware Stores Ltd. Kuepfer says Home Hardware works with up to 20 different influencers in general through the year, and that number can reach into the hundreds. But the co-op retailer focuses closely on just four or five of the more popular influencers, sending them products, often on an exclusive basis, for their review and evaluation.

The online style gurus Home Hardware has connected with include the individuals and teams behind accounts like “Modern Day Wonderland” and “This Little Estate.”

This latest initiative, she adds, shows that Home Hardware is moving ahead to appeal to a new generation.

Home plans to roll out its most cohesive influencers program yet in 2019. “This year was a lot of testing and learning, and next year we’ll be rolling out promotions with our best partners,” Kuepfer says.

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Big box market share slips, but format remains a force in retail 

WORLD HQ, Toronto ― Big box home improvement stores in Canada continue to represent a significant piece of Canada’s retail home improvement market. But they’re not keeping pace with the overall industry.

According to the 2018 Hardlines Retail Report, an exclusive research report on the size and growth of the industry, sales by all big boxes grew by 3.1% in 2017. However this was below the industry average of 5.1%. As a result, the market share of these large format retailers edged down last year, to just under one-quarter of overall sales in the industry.

Nevertheless, the format remains a major force in the industry, especially considering that just two companies, Home Depot Canada and Lowe’s Canada, comprise the lion’s share of the big box market. Kent Building Supplies, which has eight big stores of its own, is the dominant big box retailer in Atlantic Canada.

Home Depot maintained strong same-store growth in 2017 that actually exceeded the industry average. The sector reduction comes from the estimated sales from Lowe’s big boxes last year. Lowe’s same-store sales in 2017 were positive, but not up to the industry average. The company continues to add stores and realign its RONA big boxes under the Lowe’s banner in markets outside of Quebec. Lowe’s is further investing in its Reno-Depot big box banner and, as of mid-year 2018, has 23 stores operating with that banner. It purchased all the big boxes that had been owned by RONA affiliate dealers in Quebec in 2015. All these initiatives, although crucial for long-term positioning, may have impacted the stores’ sales year over year.

The continued strength of the big boxes, as measured by sales and market share, confirms that this format is maintaining its viability and acceptance within the industry.

(The data is from the Hardlines Retail Report. This comprehensive analysis of Canada’s retail home improvement industry is available in either PDF or handy PowerPoint format. It has 200 slides, dozens of charts and graphs, and more photos than ever before. Click here for details and to order your Hardlines Retail Report now!)

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These dealers are helping change perspectives about women in the industry

NATIONAL REPORT ― In the 14 years since Geneviève Gagnon took on a leadership role at her father’s company, Groupe Yves Gagnon, she has been steadily breaking down gender stereotypes. As general manager of the company her father founded, she’s helped grow the business from four stores and 200 employees to six stores and more than 350 employees.

When she started out, she faced some resistance from her male colleagues. Not surprisingly, they don’t dismiss her anymore.

For Jillian Sexton, it wasn’t always a foregone conclusion that she would work for her father’s business. She became COO of Hector Building Supplies in her 20s, when it had two locations in Nova Scotia. She’s since added a third in Prince Edward Island.

Sexton surprised even her own father by following in his footsteps. “My dad had two daughters and building supply is still unfortunately a male-dominant industry,” she says. “I don’t think he thought his daughter who was doing ballet five nights a week would be involved full-time.”

Like Gagnon, she put in the hard work to learn the business. Sexton started sweeping floors at their Stellarton location when she was 15 and worked her way up through store, learning the business inside and out. Her team respects her because she puts in the effort and they support her in everything she does.

She recalls a question her father used to ask her: “Are you going to work hard to make yourself successful, or to make someone else successful?”

As far as the climate for women working in home improvement retailing goes, Gagnon believes the industry has come a long way since she got her start. “The manufacturing industry is still a bit of a boys’ club, but on the retail side I’m seeing a lot more women,” she says.

For Sexton, she says her story is about more than being a woman in the industry. What she has accomplished stems from the same drive and passion that propels independent dealers across the country, regardless of gender.

Still, Gagnon says she’s happy to see things changing in this industry. “There are more and more young women now, in their 20s and 30s, willing to take over the family business, and I see them getting active in industry associations and working for vendors. Slowly but surely things are changing.”

(This story comes from a recent issue of our quarterly print magazine, Hardlines Home improvement Quarterly. If you want to read more content about exceptional dealers and what they’re doing across the country, make sure you’re subscribed to HHIQ. Click here for more information!)

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Home Depot awards innovative vendors, then promotes them to consumers

ATLANTA ― “Make life easier for your customers.” That was the advice Annette Verschuren, former president of Home Depot Canada, gave to an audience of vendors when she was inducted into the Industry Hall of Fame by the Canadian Hardware and Housewares Association in 2011.

It’s a mantra that Home Depot has embraced, regularly awarding select vendors for their innovative practices. However, with the announcement of this year’s Innovation Award winners, Home Depot has developed a promotional campaign to communicate these innovations to its retail customers, as well.

The company has created an official “Innovation Award” seal that will appear on the packaging of these products that Home Depot has identified as “best-in-class”, highlighting their status to customers.

“We appreciate the effort our vendor partners put into innovation each year,” says Ted Decker, merchandising executive vice president for Home Depot. Today, we’re celebrating their work by recognizing the most innovative products and releasing a Home Depot Innovation seal so that our customers can find those products in-store and online easily.”

The company recognized 12 companies in total. Here are the top winners:

• Overall winner: The Makita Sub Compact Program, which runs on an 18-volt battery system and claims to be 25% lighter and smaller than traditional 18-volt tools.
• First runner up: The LifeProof Slip Resistant Tile, which Home Depot says is 50% more slip resistant than ordinary tile.
• Second runner up: The Halo Colour Selectable LED Downlight Retrofits offer five different colour temperatures from warm white to daylight, offering flexibility for both homeowners and contractors.

(Click here to see all of this year’s Innovation Award winners.)

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Terry Davis, president and CEO of Home Hardware Stores Limited, and Stew Gingrich, vice- president, human resources, have been inducted into the Home Hardware Stores Builders’ Circle. The Builders’ Circle program was launched in commemoration of Home’s 50th anniversary in 2014 to honour and recognize retired members of the Board of Directors and corporate officers of Home Hardware for their past service and contributions to support Home Hardware dealers. Davis will retire on October 10 after 48 years of service. Gingrich will retire in January after 46 years of service. 

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CLASSIFIED ADS

The Field Sales Representative (ON) will be responsible for territory sales growth by implementing plans and strategies to create end user demand for the Henkel LePage portfolio. This individual will be the primary contact and responsible for fostering solid relationships within their region.

What We Offer (Position Description)

• Deliver NES and GP1 annual growth per pro sales plans
• Establishes targets, develops and implements sales plans accordingly for achieved results to be measured against.

• Develop and maintain relationships with distributors, dealers, alliance partners, builders, contractors, remodelers, architects, sealant specifiers and Henkel team members
• Conduct jobsite inspections and testing along with education of LePage products.
• Participate in dealer and training events, where business opportunity is identified.
• Assist in product complaint resolution. This may include; jobsite inspection, product complaint form completion and submission in addition to, immediate or suggested resolution.
• Manage and communicate activity and results via CRM tool, meeting calendar, requested reporting and presentations
• Manage special projects and provide market intelligence as requested to include competitive activity and price shops
• Contribute to Henkel’s success by professionally challenging status quo, sharing your ideas and experience.
• Assume responsibility for other duties as assigned by National Sales Manager

Job specification and competencies

• Minimum 5 years selling experience
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in relevant market (residential/light commercial)
• Professional written and verbal communication
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
• Bachelor’s degree preferred

 https://www.henkel.com/careers/jobs-and-application/-/874012

_________________________________________________________________

70 Years of Building Value Into Building Products

OEM Sales Agencies – Quebec, Prairies, Atlantic Canada

ODL Canada, with distribution centres in Vaughan, ON and Calgary, AB is recognized as a leading supplier in Canada’s fenestration industry.  Our products include Door Glass and Enclosed Blinds for doors, patio doors and windows.

See our complete catalogue at https://odl.com/canada.htm.
To support growth with exciting new products, ODL Canada is currently seeking sales agencies to represent our OEM product line for Quebec, Atlantic Canada and the Prairies.  If your agency is a team that calls on door pre-hangers, door component distributors or window manufacturers in any of these market areas, then we would like to hear from you.
Interested agencies should submit a company profile to Tom Newton, Managing Director of ODL Canada at tom.newton@odl.com.

_________________________________________________________________

Sales Territory Managers | British Columbia, Saskatchewan/Manitoba

Regal Ideas is the innovative leader in Aluminum Railing and associated outdoor living products to the Canadian Home improvement Industry. We require experienced Building Materials Professionals to expand our sales team and drive sales growth across British Columbia and Saskatchewan/Manitoba. If you are a motivated and highly organized team player with Building Materials Sales experience on the wholesale side, then we would like to speak with you.

Please send resume and salary expectations to Marketing@regalideas.com and you will be contacted if qualifications are commensurate with our requirements

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October 1, 2018 Volume

xxiv, #36

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”
—George Bernard Shaw (Irish playwright and essayist, 1856-1950) 

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TIMBER MART plans new LBM distribution centre for Ontario

VAUGHAN, Ont. — TIMBER MART is expanding its lumber and building materials distribution network into Ontario with the addition of a five-acre property in Mount Forest. The location was chosen for its proximity to the buying group’s member dealers throughout Southern, Central and Northern Ontario. The new facility will be located within a six-hour radius of many of those stores.

The new DC will offer a wide selection of LBM products and provide weekly deliveries, cross-docking/furtherance service and access for dealers picking up orders. It’s slated to open in January 2019.

“Our new distribution centre in Ontario will offer our members all of the conveniences that our existing facilities provide and that our members in B.C., Quebec and New Brunswick currently enjoy,” says Bernie Owens, president of TIMBER MART.

TIMBER MART has two other DCs. One is in St-Nicolas, Que. When TIMBER MART reorganized its hardware distribution business, Chalifour Canada, in late 2014, it shuttered a hardware distribution centre in Victoriaville, Que. But the LBM facility in St-Nicolas was left untouched, maintaining TIMBER MART’s commitment to the Quebec market. Chalifour Canada was eventually sold to U.S. hardware wholesaler Orgill.

In April 2017, the buying group opened a 27,000-square-foot LBM distribution centre in Langley, B.C. That facility shares space with Orgill, which houses its hardlines products serving dealer customers in parts of the Western market.

TIMBER MART expects to hire about 25 staff for the facility in the Mount Forest area when fully operational.

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Federated Co-op focuses on homegrown hardware products

SASKATOON — Federated Co-op is working closely with domestic producers in a program called “Made by Us.” It’s FCL’s latest marketing campaign to spotlight its private-label product lines created together with small Canadian manufacturers.

This is the second year for the campaign, which proved successful in 2017 as a way to support Canadian businesses and give a major sales lift to the products featured in the campaign.

Last year, the featured product categories were fuel and food. This year, hardlines are being promoted for the first time. The latest TV and social media campaign features FCL’s own Imagine line of paint brushes and rollers. It tells the story of how Co-op makes these applicators together with Bennett Tools in Concord, Ont., which claims to be the only remaining Canadian manufacturer of paint tools.

The family business, run by Henry Silberman and his sons, share FCL’s values of product sustainability, as well as initiatives such as profit sharing and charitable giving. The Silberman family brought production of the company’s paint brushes back to Canada from Asia in 2010.

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Lowe’s Canada showcases Ace growth at RONA Ace buying show

MONTREAL — RONA Ace Buying Show at the Palais des congrès de Montréal in September showcased the integration of the Ace banner with the rest of the Lowe’s Canada family. Bill Morrison, divisional VP for Ace Canada, said that the Ace team, now ensconced at Lowe’s Canada’s Mississauga offices, is “continuing to find ways to leverage the knowledge” of the Boucherville and Mississauga leadership. “We’ve had an incredible year and that’s only possible with Lowe’s Canada’s support.”

Ace and RONA dealer services, including the online Ace Learning Labs adopted from Ace in the U.S., were based in a single hub at one end of the exhibition hall. The Learning Labs feature online tutorials that allow staff to pick up and retain essential knowledge in a short time. Store management can assign specific lessons and track completion.

The more than 1,000 tutorials cover topics from product knowledge to sales skills, to make staff more confident and improve customer experience. “A lot of the time you see new staff run away when a customer comes into the store and wants, say, to get a key cut,” explains Guy Lichter, Ace Canada’s director of operations. The online training lets them lock down those skills. Stores also benefit from a telephone helpline.

Offers from the Craftsman line and appliance selections were geared to allow stores of any size to customize their product mix. Appliances are offered on a modular basis, so that stores can provide a basic selection of the most popular items in as little as 400 square feet. Stores prepared to devote more space to appliances can then add as many modules as they can accommodate.

Regardless of the in-store selection, all Ace stores are linked to the banner’s online channel with its full range of products. Ace’s e-retail system is “happening very fast,” says Morrison, a boon to Ace’s largely rural base.

Likewise, products in the Craftsman display featured colour-coded dots to help dealers tailor their selection to their store without having to reinvent the wheel. One colour marked the best-selling items to allow smaller stores to pick out their must-haves. Another highlighted popular buys for stores with space for a mid-sized range. Products with no dot are specialty items for stores looking to become a “destination,” according to Morrison.

Morrison is confident about the role Ace has to play among Lowe’s Canada’s banners, using the company’s services and resources to support local independent dealers in their own unique contexts. “We don’t just provide the tools, but the training and support from end to end.”

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Home Depot goes after the home décor market

SPECIAL REPORT — Home Depot is moving to position itself as the go-to destination for home décor products, in a shot across the bow of U.S. giants like J.C. Penney and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Declaring that it will become a “favourite décor destination,” the move is an indicator that Home Depot is planning to take advantage of the profile that e-retailer The Company Store, which it acquired at the end of last year, has built up in the upmarket housewares and design business.

At the time of the acquisition, a Credit Suisse analyst found that décor categories alone constituted just 3% of Home Depot’s sales, even though ancillary categories make up about one-quarter. Realtor.com placed home décor on a list of categories for which customers can find better deals elsewhere than home improvement big boxes. Yet an Apex Market Report earlier this summer placed Home Depot among the top players for wall décor.

In a recent promotion, Home Depot features offerings of furniture, linens, bath accessories and table and wall decorations. No fewer than 66 bath towels are available, some bearing the Company Store brand. Apart from area rugs, the retailer is sticking to offering “soft” items online for the time being, but execs will no doubt be watching sales closely. If the category is a success through the online channel, we could be seeing soft home offerings alongside Home Depot’s in-store hardlines.

This isn’t Home Depot’s first foray into home décor. In the ’90s, the company piloted a spin-off called Expo, a store for upmarket home improvement lines along with décor offerings such as textiles and dining ware. The Company Store takeover marks the first time Home Depot has seriously revisited the “soft” categories since it closed its Expo stores around the end of the last decade. With J.C. Penney, Bed Bath & Beyond and especially Sears all facing their own challenges, the timing may just be right.

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Spectrum Brands has announced the departure of two of its top executives. Nathan Fagre is vacating the position of senior VP, general counsel and corporate secretary, which he has held since 2011. Stacey Neu, senior VP of human resources since 2010, is also stepping down. Ehsan Zargar will succeed Fagre and will handle Neu’s responsibilities in collaboration with Executive VP and CFO Douglas Martin.

_______________________________________________________________

CLASSIFIED ADS

The Field Sales Representative (ON) will be responsible for territory sales growth by implementing plans and strategies to create end user demand for the Henkel LePage portfolio. This individual will be the primary contact and responsible for fostering solid relationships within their region.

What We Offer (Position Description)

• Deliver NES and GP1 annual growth per pro sales plans
• Establishes targets, develops and implements sales plans accordingly for achieved results to be measured against.

• Develop and maintain relationships with distributors, dealers, alliance partners, builders, contractors, remodelers, architects, sealant specifiers and Henkel team members
• Conduct jobsite inspections and testing along with education of LePage products.
• Participate in dealer and training events, where business opportunity is identified.
• Assist in product complaint resolution. This may include; jobsite inspection, product complaint form completion and submission in addition to, immediate or suggested resolution.
• Manage and communicate activity and results via CRM tool, meeting calendar, requested reporting and presentations
• Manage special projects and provide market intelligence as requested to include competitive activity and price shops
• Contribute to Henkel’s success by professionally challenging status quo, sharing your ideas and experience.
• Assume responsibility for other duties as assigned by National Sales Manager

Job specification and competencies

• Minimum 5 years selling experience
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in relevant market (residential/light commercial)
• Professional written and verbal communication
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
• Bachelor’s degree preferred

https://www.henkel.com/careers/jobs-and-application/-/874012

_________________________________________________________________

70 Years of Building Value Into Building Products

OEM Sales Agencies – Quebec, Prairies, Atlantic Canada

ODL Canada, with distribution centres in Vaughan, ON and Calgary, AB is recognized as a leading supplier in Canada’s fenestration industry.  Our products include Door Glass and Enclosed Blinds for doors, patio doors and windows.

See our complete catalogue at https://odl.com/canada.htm.
To support growth with exciting new products, ODL Canada is currently seeking sales agencies to represent our OEM product line for Quebec, Atlantic Canada and the Prairies.  If your agency is a team that calls on door pre-hangers, door component distributors or window manufacturers in any of these market areas, then we would like to hear from you.
Interested agencies should submit a company profile to Tom Newton, Managing Director of ODL Canada at tom.newton@odl.com.

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Pioneering Safety

At Allegion, our vision is to make the world safer. As a company of experts, we secure the places where people thrive. Security will always be a top concern, so we are inventing new and innovative technologies to keep people protected wherever they are; anytime, anywhere. Whether at home or school, in a hospital or commercial building, we pride ourselves on providing safety for today and for the future. Spanning across 130 countries, Allegion is committed to the protection of our employees and the public.

Our Values

We are very passionate about our values and live them daily. How do you celebrate your successes? Do you take pride in the work you have accomplished?

Have a knack for curiosity and creativity? How do you live out your passion for excellence? What does living safely and healthy mean to you?

If these are values that keep you motivated, you have come to the right place. Take a look at our available opportunities to join our winning team today!

Channel Marketing Manager

The Channel Marketing Manager will maximize the long-term Schlage brand volume and growth, while delivering short-term volume and sales across the national customer base. This role is responsible for strategizing, creating, communicating and supporting Schlage national initiatives, policies and standards against Distribution, Shelving, Pricing and Promotion goals. Other key responsibilities include identifying, developing and implementing account specific promotional tie-ins. Lastly, communicate our customers’ needs across the Allegion organization to ensure business-building programs are created.

What You Will Do:

• Work closely with the Sales and Marketing team, to identify growth opportunities within National / Key accounts
• Establish productive, professional relationships with key personnel in assigned partner accounts
• Develop account specific programs and promotions that grow our business to new levels
• Proactively lead a joint partner planning process that develops mutual performance objectives, financial targets, and critical milestones associated with a productive partner relationship
• Oversee the planning, production and implementation of the various projects / programs, etc. to ensure that quality and excellence is attained, exceeding our customers’ expectations
• Key link to Marketing and Sales, ensuring that direction, communication and feedback is continual and accurate, ensuring that we fully optimize our effectiveness in the selling process
• Benchmark Schlage in the industry to ensure we are providing sales and marketing excellence to our accounts.
• Work with management, sales and customers to develop and manage annual promotional calendar, evaluate financial impact, execute promotion and track results.
• Lead solution development efforts that best address end user needs, while coordinating the involvement of all necessary company and partner personnel.
•  Manage and execute RSS Merchandising Program targeting channel segments
• Provide sales and market analytics and price execution support

What You Will Need:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Sales, Marketing, Business or equivalent years of experience
• 3 to 5 years’ experience in a channel, product or marketing category management position preferred
• Previous experience with Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Lowes, Amazon and LBM channel would be an asset
• Door Hardware experience; electrical and mechanical door hardware experience would be an asset
• Exceptional computer skills; advanced excel, PowerPoint and data mining skills
• Strong communication and presentation skills all levels of business
• Strong analytical and negotiating skills
• Proven experience with strong account planning that achieved positive business results
• Ability to build strong cross functional relationships with Finance, Marketing and Customer Care
• Bilingualism is an asset

Why Work For Us?

• Rewarding and Challenging Career
• Comprehensive Benefits
• Global Opportunities
• Employee Discounts
• A Culture of Wellness and Balance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Training and Development
• Community Involvement

Apply Today

Join our team of experts today and help us make tomorrow a safer place.

www.allegion.com

We are committed to providing accommodations for persons with disabilities. If you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.

_________________________________________________________________

September 24, 2018 Volume

xxiv, #35

“Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves.”
—William Hazlitt (English writer, literary critic, philosopher and painter, 1778-1830) 

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Behind the scenes: why Rick McNabb really left Home Hardware

ST. JACOBS, Ont. ― “Absolutely, it was his choice.” When asked why Rick McNabb left the organization, Rob Wallace, interim senior director of marketing for Home Hardware Stores Ltd., states emphatically that the former VP marketing and sales left of his volition.

Speculation has abounded over why he left the company so suddenly. McNabb, brought in two-and-a-half years ago, was the architect of sometimes controversial changes at the dealer-owned co-op, including updated branding with the tag line, “Here’s how”, and a new advertising campaign. He was considered by many to be a possible candidate for the role of CEO, and then presumed to have been either fired or pushed out by virtue of being passed over for the top job.

Kevin Macnab (no relation) was named recently as president and CEO, as incumbent Terry Davis prepares for retirement.

Wallace, speaking during the recent Home Hardware Fall Market, says the opposite was actually the case. “He never threw his hat in the ring. He never put forward that position.” Instead, Wallace suggests that McNabb’s role was always considered a fixer role, one which would not necessarily align with longevity at the company or McNabb’s personal ambitions.

Wallace further vouches for the efficacy of Home Hardware’s current ad strategy—considered one of McNabb’s projects. While some vendors have indicated to Hardlines that their sales are down with the company this year and want to blame the advertising, Wallace says, “On the contrary, our research shows that the ‘Here’s how’ strategy is testing really well.” It’s resonating with the campaign’s target audience, young homeowners, he says, as Home Hardware works to develop a new generation of customers for its stores.

“Overall, our retail sales are up greater than plan.”

In the meantime, the company has reorganized to fill McNabb’s duties. “Dunc Wilson, who currently heads up dealer development, is now senior director of sales on an interim basis,” Wallace explains. “We’ll continue that arrangement until Kevin [Macnab] gets settled and is prepared to make some decisions.”

Wallace, who is already director of marketing, was given the senior marketing director role on an interim basis.

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New publication from Hardlines targets dealer issues to help them drive profits

WORLD HQ, Toronto — Hardlines has launched a brand new publication that is targeted squarely at store owners and managers. Hardlines Dealer News is an email newsletter with content designed especially for dealers and owners who are trying to run their businesses at peak effectiveness.

The first issue was emailed out last week, featuring news, tips and trends to help retailers operate more successfully. The content of HDN is focused on store management, competitive trends and operational efficiencies. It’s sent out monthly to stores and retail head offices across the country.

The first issue of Hardlines Dealer News has stories on everything from managing your commercial sales to getting the most out of your endcaps. Future issues of Hardlines Dealer News will continue to carry powerful content for retail owners and managers, including how to maximize online relationships with customers, why buying groups continue to gain ground in this market, ways that big boxes are going after the independents’ key customers and how to hire in a tight job market.

HDN tells the stories of successful dealers of all sizes from every part of Canada, such as the contractor yard in Vancouver that has an engineer consultant on staff, or the hardware store owner in cottage country who shares her insights on how to become more involved in one’s own community.

Hardlines Dealer News is produced monthly by the editors of Hardlines. Dealers who wish to get their own subscription can sign up right here at no charge.

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Changes at Home Hardware’s fall market reflect wider corporate shift

ST. JACOBS, Ont. ― The aisles were busy with dealers, their staff and families from across the country looking for new products and deals at the latest Home Hardware Dealer Market, which was held last week in St. Jacob’s, Ont.

But what was most noticeable about this familiar event, which has been running in Home’s own warehouse since 1979, is how much was different. The layout, which has had a similar format for years, had been altered to emphasize the range of services Home offers to its dealers, while emerging categories were given more prominence than ever.

Dealers entering the show found a showcase of outdoor living products to their right in what appears to be a larger space each show. To the left of the centre aisle, heavy appliances have a place of prominence, a statement about Home’s intention to capture more of this growing market.

Changes on the show floor reflect larger changes taking place currently within the organization itself. In fact, conversations with just about anyone wearing a red jacket at this show would elicit a thoughtful “change is good” response, as everyone from dealers to senior management company-wide are coping with the shift.

Those changes have been reflected in Home Hardware’s ad campaigns, service offerings and, not least, the lineup of senior management. A new CEO, Kevin Macnab takes the helm officially on October 10. He made an appearance on day two of the show to walk through it and get familiarized with Home’s culture.

Other parts of the business getting a push at this show included the Aeroplan loyalty program and Home’s marketing efforts to pro and contractor customers.

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Lowe’s Canada show launches Craftsman, new awards for RONA and Ace dealers

MONTREAL — Lowe’s Canada last week hosted this year’s RONA and Ace Canada buying show recently at Montreal’s Palais des congrès. Beginning on September 12, the show brought together record numbers of participants, including some 300 dealers and 330 suppliers. The show aimed to underscore Lowe’s Canada’s commitment to its affiliate RONA dealers and independent Ace stores.

Highlights included the launch of the Craftsman brand, “something that’s going to be major” for dealers in the words of Annick Day, national director, RONA dealer support, who had been at work on the show for the past six months. The tool line is exclusive to Lowe’s Canada’s banners, which are honouring the warranties on Craftsman products bought from Sears before the sale last year of the line to Stanley Black & Decker.

On the Ace end, Divisional Vice President Bill Morrison hailed Lowe’s Canada’s commitment to the banner: “We’ve had an incredible year, and it’s only with Lowe’s Canada’s support that we could do that.”

Front and centre at the show was a large seasonal section full of lawn and garden supplies and furniture for the spring selection. Power buys exclusive to the show this year featured special deals for larger purchases: buy more, save more. The LBM section offered sit-down booths to accommodate the in-depth negotiations that lumber transactions can entail.

On the first day of the event, dealers had the opportunity to take part in workshops on subjects ranging from merchandising to e-commerce. The following evening brought the annual gala recognizing outstanding local dealers. Three new categories were introduced this year under the “Builder of Success” heading.

This year’s winners in the new category are: Nancy Powell-Quinn, RONA Moffatt & Powell, London, Ont. (Up and Comer); RONA Forget, Mont-Tremblant, Que. (Community); and Bruce Allen, RONA North Vancouver (Lifetime Achievement). Ace dealers in the category are: Chad Camp, Ace County Farm Centre, Picton, Ont. (Up and Comer); Ace Armand Dumaresq matériaux de construction, Gaspé, Que. (Community); and Bryon Calvert, Ace Hardware Beaverlodge, Beaverlodge, Alta. (Lifetime Achievement).

The show closed with a visit from RONA-sponsored NASCAR Pinty’s Series driver Alexandre Tagliani, for a meet-and-greet with dealers and suppliers.

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CLASSIFIED ADS

The Field Sales Representative (ON) will be responsible for territory sales growth by implementing plans and strategies to create end user demand for the Henkel LePage portfolio. This individual will be the primary contact and responsible for fostering solid relationships within their region.

What We Offer (Position Description)

• Deliver NES and GP1 annual growth per pro sales plans
• Establishes targets, develops and implements sales plans accordingly for achieved results to be measured against.

• Develop and maintain relationships with distributors, dealers, alliance partners, builders, contractors, remodelers, architects, sealant specifiers and Henkel team members
• Conduct jobsite inspections and testing along with education of LePage products.
• Participate in dealer and training events, where business opportunity is identified.
• Assist in product complaint resolution. This may include; jobsite inspection, product complaint form completion and submission in addition to, immediate or suggested resolution.
• Manage and communicate activity and results via CRM tool, meeting calendar, requested reporting and presentations
• Manage special projects and provide market intelligence as requested to include competitive activity and price shops
• Contribute to Henkel’s success by professionally challenging status quo, sharing your ideas and experience.
• Assume responsibility for other duties as assigned by National Sales Manager

Job specification and competencies

• Minimum 5 years selling experience
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in relevant market (residential/light commercial)
• Professional written and verbal communication
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
• Bachelor’s degree preferred

https://www.henkel.com/careers/jobs-and-application/-/874012

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70 Years of Building Value Into Building Products

OEM Sales Agencies – Quebec, Prairies, Atlantic Canada

ODL Canada, with distribution centres in Vaughan, ON and Calgary, AB is recognized as a leading supplier in Canada’s fenestration industry.  Our products include Door Glass and Enclosed Blinds for doors, patio doors and windows.

See our complete catalogue at https://odl.com/canada.htm.
To support growth with exciting new products, ODL Canada is currently seeking sales agencies to represent our OEM product line for Quebec, Atlantic Canada and the Prairies.  If your agency is a team that calls on door pre-hangers, door component distributors or window manufacturers in any of these market areas, then we would like to hear from you.
Interested agencies should submit a company profile to Tom Newton, Managing Director of ODL Canada at tom.newton@odl.com.

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Pioneering Safety

At Allegion, our vision is to make the world safer. As a company of experts, we secure the places where people thrive. Security will always be a top concern, so we are inventing new and innovative technologies to keep people protected wherever they are; anytime, anywhere. Whether at home or school, in a hospital or commercial building, we pride ourselves on providing safety for today and for the future. Spanning across 130 countries, Allegion is committed to the protection of our employees and the public.

Our Values

We are very passionate about our values and live them daily. How do you celebrate your successes? Do you take pride in the work you have accomplished?

Have a knack for curiosity and creativity? How do you live out your passion for excellence? What does living safely and healthy mean to you?

If these are values that keep you motivated, you have come to the right place. Take a look at our available opportunities to join our winning team today!

Channel Marketing Manager

The Channel Marketing Manager will maximize the long-term Schlage brand volume and growth, while delivering short-term volume and sales across the national customer base. This role is responsible for strategizing, creating, communicating and supporting Schlage national initiatives, policies and standards against Distribution, Shelving, Pricing and Promotion goals. Other key responsibilities include identifying, developing and implementing account specific promotional tie-ins. Lastly, communicate our customers’ needs across the Allegion organization to ensure business-building programs are created.

What You Will Do:

• Work closely with the Sales and Marketing team, to identify growth opportunities within National / Key accounts
• Establish productive, professional relationships with key personnel in assigned partner accounts
• Develop account specific programs and promotions that grow our business to new levels
• Proactively lead a joint partner planning process that develops mutual performance objectives, financial targets, and critical milestones associated with a productive partner relationship
• Oversee the planning, production and implementation of the various projects / programs, etc. to ensure that quality and excellence is attained, exceeding our customers’ expectations
• Key link to Marketing and Sales, ensuring that direction, communication and feedback is continual and accurate, ensuring that we fully optimize our effectiveness in the selling process
• Benchmark Schlage in the industry to ensure we are providing sales and marketing excellence to our accounts.
• Work with management, sales and customers to develop and manage annual promotional calendar, evaluate financial impact, execute promotion and track results.
• Lead solution development efforts that best address end user needs, while coordinating the involvement of all necessary company and partner personnel.
•  Manage and execute RSS Merchandising Program targeting channel segments
• Provide sales and market analytics and price execution support

What You Will Need:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Sales, Marketing, Business or equivalent years of experience
• 3 to 5 years’ experience in a channel, product or marketing category management position preferred
• Previous experience with Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Lowes, Amazon and LBM channel would be an asset
• Door Hardware experience; electrical and mechanical door hardware experience would be an asset
• Exceptional computer skills; advanced excel, PowerPoint and data mining skills
• Strong communication and presentation skills all levels of business
• Strong analytical and negotiating skills
• Proven experience with strong account planning that achieved positive business results
• Ability to build strong cross functional relationships with Finance, Marketing and Customer Care
• Bilingualism is an asset

Why Work For Us?

• Rewarding and Challenging Career
• Comprehensive Benefits
• Global Opportunities
• Employee Discounts
• A Culture of Wellness and Balance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Training and Development
• Community Involvement

Apply Today

Join our team of experts today and help us make tomorrow a safer place.

www.allegion.com

We are committed to providing accommodations for persons with disabilities. If you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.

_________________________________________________________________

September 17, 2018 Volume

xxiv, #34

“To know oneself, one should assert oneself.”
—Albert Camus (French-Algerian philosopher, author, and journalist, 1913-1960) 

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Home Hardware’s new CEO expected to bring outside expertise

ST. JACOBS, Ont. — Would they hire from within or from without? The mystery was solved last week when Home Hardware Stores Limited announced the appointment of the former head of Toys “R” Us, Kevin Macnab, as president and CEO. His role becomes effective October 10.

Macnab has more than 30 years of retail industry experience, including heading up Toys “R” Us for Canada, then as president of the company’s international operations. His CV also includes stints at Marks & Spencer and the D’Allaird’s clothing store chain.

That outside experience, both nationally and internationally, is apparently just what Home was looking for.

“Kevin brings a combination of global retail experience and a deep understanding of the Canadian market,” said Christine Hand, chairman of the Home Hardware board. “He understands the importance of adapting to the fast-changing retail landscape and has a track record of increasing market share through omni-channel strategies and new store growth. Most importantly, he understands the unique value and potential of the Home Hardware brand.”

Macnab will replace Terry Davis, who has served as CEO since 2014, and as both president and CEO since May. Davis announced back in July his intention to retire before the end of this year. He has been with the company for 48 years. He stated in a previous interview that he would stay long enough to manage a smooth transition of duties. But now, Hardlines has learned, his last day will be October 10, when Macnab steps in officially.

“I am honoured to have been selected to lead such an iconic Canadian retailer with a storied past and strong, dependable brand,” Macnab said in a release. “I look forward to working with the dealer-owners and the entire team at Home Hardware to develop and implement strategies focused on engaging with our customers in new and innovative ways, both in-store and online.”

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Western regional wholesaler continues expanding its ranks and operation 

NANAIMO, B.C. — Coast Distributors is adding to its team and its distribution network as it expands its reach in the West. The Nanaimo, B.C.-based hardware wholesaler has opened a second distribution centre in Surrey, B.C. Both facilities in that community are designed to better serve Coast’s direct import program and its customers in the Lower Mainland. Coast also has two main DCs, in Nanaimo and Kelowna, which serve all of British Columbia and Northern Alberta.

Coast Distributors was established in 1986 by Alex Guy―in his garage. In 1998, Brad McCluskie joined as a sales rep for Southern Vancouver Island and eventually moved into the office as Guy’s second in command. In 2006, McCluskie bought into the company. In 2010, a group of senior employees and managers purchased the final shares when the founder exited. 

The team continues to grow at Coast, as well. Bonnie Kellogg has recently joined as purchasing manager. She will work out of the company’s Surrey office, connecting with Coast’s re-buyers in the Nanaimo and Kelowna branches. Kellogg takes over from Anthony Snell, who has moved to the Nanaimo operation in the role of general manager.

These expansion efforts will, in part, support the push that Coast is making on its own private-label lines. Under the “TerraTuff” name, the company offers more than two dozen lines, including hand tools, paint brushes and paint accessories. Coast’s full range of products also includes electrical and plumbing, garden supplies, automotive accessories and housewares.

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Outdoor trends on display at German lawn and garden show

COLOGNE, Germany — Visitors from around the world gathered at the Koelnmesse exhibition centre in Cologne, Germany, for spoga+gafa, the annual international lawn and garden trade fair. The event, held September 2 to 4, drew 40,000 visitors from 114 countries and some 2,000 exhibitors spread across nearly 2.5 million square feet of floor space.

“Our share of international visitors rose again by 4%, to 64% overall,” says Katharina Hamma, COO of Koelnmesse GmbH, which owns the show. “This growth from abroad underlines the strong international significance of spoga+gafa. Both those in specialized trades and large-scale retailers were strongly represented.”

Visitors could see new furniture designs that responded to consumers’ desire for more sustainable products, while maintaining durability and creative designs. One vendor experimented with polypropylene webbing stretched across a frame to create an ergonomic lounge chair. Another vendor developed an umbrella that easily fit above a narrow balcony, reflecting a move by more designers to offer space-saving solutions to urban dwellers.

Another common theme throughout the show presented sustainable alternatives to common products. Several vendors showed planters made of recyclable materials. One offered fireplace logs made from recycled coffee grounds. For gardeners concerned about the negative impact of peat moss farming on the environment, another vendor offered an eco-friendly alternative.

Urban gardening is a trend that continues to gain steam. Visitors at spoga+gafa saw many options for products that helped consumers grow fruits and vegetables in a small space, whether it was self-watering planters that hung easily on a balcony or a vertical container for growing strawberries. Multiple grill vendors offered portable cooking units designed for balconies or tailgate parties.

Another popular area at the show was Outdoor Kitchen World. Consumers still have an appetite for spending big on outdoor entertainment areas, and that includes a growing trend to create a gourmet experience when eating outdoors. Besides traditional barbecuing, consumers want other cooking options such as smokers and woks.

Consumers also desire to marry form with function when purchasing a grill or fire pit for their yard. While it may be functional, they also want something that makes an artistic statement in their living spaces.

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Legalized cannabis: a potential new niche for hardware dealers?

SPECIAL REPORT — The imminent legalization of cannabis, and the uncertainty attached to just how it will be sold, has put a whole new sector of retailing into confusion. But the opportunities for selling accessories for this industry are more clear cut—and could provide new opportunities for dealers in select markets after legalization takes effect on October 17.

A recent visit to a cannabis trade show and conference in Toronto revealed a lot of optimism about the future of this nascent industry. And while the big focus was on start-ups and venture-capital plays, a number of exhibitors on the show floor were interested in finding new channels for the hardware and equipment that will drive the business.

Dealers in downtown, vacation or university markets may find they can stock up on paraphernalia, including the pipes, rolling papers and various vaping devices for preparing and using cannabis.

But another part of the upcoming legislation involves the ability for individuals to grow up to four plants of their own each year. But the challenge is in developing a healthy yield. And that creates another opportunity for retailers. Makers of soils, nutrients, lights, watering systems, hydroponics and heating units were at the cannabis show trying to find merchants to carry their products.

In fact, some of these items are already finding their way into conventional home improvement channels. At the latest National Hardware Show, held in May, at least one vendor was offering pots specifically designed for growing marijuana plants, while sales of hydroponic planting equipment are turning up at traditional home improvement retailers.

A lot of money will be spent—and made—in the cannabis sector in the next couple of years as legislation is finalized and this market settles out. As popular acceptance of cannabis, both recreational and medicinal, grows, traditional dealers may be able to take advantage of a completely new niche.

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Acceo Profitmaster has made some changes within its sales team. Richard Barker has joined as senior account manager for Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces. Along with an extensive knowledge of the hardware industry, he has 18 years’ experience selling a range of ERP software platforms. He will be based out of London, Ont. Trevor Schellenburg takes over supporting Acceo Profitmaster in the Western and Central Canada regions that were previously under Jason McIntyre’s responsibility.

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_________________________________________________________________

CLASSIFIED ADS

The Field Sales Representative will be responsible for territory sales growth by implementing plans and strategies to create end user demand for the Henkel LePage portfolio. This individual will be the primary contact and responsible for fostering solid relationships within their region.

What We Offer (Position Description)

• Deliver NES and GP1 annual growth per pro sales plans
• Establishes targets, develops and implements sales plans accordingly for achieved results to be measured against.

• Develop and maintain relationships with distributors, dealers, alliance partners, builders, contractors, remodelers, architects, sealant specifiers and Henkel team members
• Conduct jobsite inspections and testing along with education of LePage products.
• Participate in dealer and training events, where business opportunity is identified.
• Assist in product complaint resolution. This may include; jobsite inspection, product complaint form completion and submission in addition to, immediate or suggested resolution.
• Manage and communicate activity and results via CRM tool, meeting calendar, requested reporting and presentations
• Manage special projects and provide market intelligence as requested to include competitive activity and price shops
• Contribute to Henkel’s success by professionally challenging status quo, sharing your ideas and experience.
• Assume responsibility for other duties as assigned by National Sales Manager

Job specification and competencies

• Minimum 5 years selling experience
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in relevant market (residential/light commercial)
• Professional written and verbal communication
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
• Bachelor’s degree preferred

 https://www.henkel.com/careers/jobs-and-application/-/874012

_________________________________________________________________

70 Years of Building Value Into Building Products

OEM Sales Agencies – Quebec, Prairies, Atlantic Canada

ODL Canada, with distribution centres in Vaughan, ON and Calgary, AB is recognized as a leading supplier in Canada’s fenestration industry.  Our products include Door Glass and Enclosed Blinds for doors, patio doors and windows.

See our complete catalogue at https://odl.com/canada.htm.
To support growth with exciting new products, ODL Canada is currently seeking sales agencies to represent our OEM product line for Quebec, Atlantic Canada and the Prairies.  If your agency is a team that calls on door pre-hangers, door component distributors or window manufacturers in any of these market areas, then we would like to hear from you.
Interested agencies should submit a company profile to Tom Newton, Managing Director of ODL Canada at tom.newton@odl.com.

_________________________________________________________________

Pioneering Safety

At Allegion, our vision is to make the world safer. As a company of experts, we secure the places where people thrive. Security will always be a top concern, so we are inventing new and innovative technologies to keep people protected wherever they are; anytime, anywhere. Whether at home or school, in a hospital or commercial building, we pride ourselves on providing safety for today and for the future. Spanning across 130 countries, Allegion is committed to the protection of our employees and the public.

Our Values

We are very passionate about our values and live them daily. How do you celebrate your successes? Do you take pride in the work you have accomplished?

Have a knack for curiosity and creativity? How do you live out your passion for excellence? What does living safely and healthy mean to you?

If these are values that keep you motivated, you have come to the right place. Take a look at our available opportunities to join our winning team today!

Channel Marketing Manager

The Channel Marketing Manager will maximize the long-term Schlage brand volume and growth, while delivering short-term volume and sales across the national customer base. This role is responsible for strategizing, creating, communicating and supporting Schlage national initiatives, policies and standards against Distribution, Shelving, Pricing and Promotion goals. Other key responsibilities include identifying, developing and implementing account specific promotional tie-ins. Lastly, communicate our customers’ needs across the Allegion organization to ensure business-building programs are created.

What You Will Do:

• Work closely with the Sales and Marketing team, to identify growth opportunities within National / Key accounts
• Establish productive, professional relationships with key personnel in assigned partner accounts
• Develop account specific programs and promotions that grow our business to new levels
• Proactively lead a joint partner planning process that develops mutual performance objectives, financial targets, and critical milestones associated with a productive partner relationship
• Oversee the planning, production and implementation of the various projects / programs, etc. to ensure that quality and excellence is attained, exceeding our customers’ expectations
• Key link to Marketing and Sales, ensuring that direction, communication and feedback is continual and accurate, ensuring that we fully optimize our effectiveness in the selling process
• Benchmark Schlage in the industry to ensure we are providing sales and marketing excellence to our accounts.
• Work with management, sales and customers to develop and manage annual promotional calendar, evaluate financial impact, execute promotion and track results.
• Lead solution development efforts that best address end user needs, while coordinating the involvement of all necessary company and partner personnel.
•  Manage and execute RSS Merchandising Program targeting channel segments
• Provide sales and market analytics and price execution support

What You Will Need:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Sales, Marketing, Business or equivalent years of experience
• 3 to 5 years’ experience in a channel, product or marketing category management position preferred
• Previous experience with Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Lowes, Amazon and LBM channel would be an asset
• Door Hardware experience; electrical and mechanical door hardware experience would be an asset
• Exceptional computer skills; advanced excel, PowerPoint and data mining skills
• Strong communication and presentation skills all levels of business
• Strong analytical and negotiating skills
• Proven experience with strong account planning that achieved positive business results
• Ability to build strong cross functional relationships with Finance, Marketing and Customer Care
• Bilingualism is an asset

Why Work For Us?

• Rewarding and Challenging Career
• Comprehensive Benefits
• Global Opportunities
• Employee Discounts
• A Culture of Wellness and Balance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Training and Development
• Community Involvement

Apply Today

Join our team of experts today and help us make tomorrow a safer place.

 www.allegion.com

We are committed to providing accommodations for persons with disabilities. If you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.

_________________________________________________________________

Sales Territory Managers | Ontario, Western Canada and Atlantic Canada

Regal Ideas is the innovative leader in Aluminum Railing and associated outdoor living products to the Canadian Home improvement Industry. We require experienced Building Materials Professionals to expand our sales team and drive sales growth across Ontario, Western Canada and Atlantic Canada. If you are a motivated and highly organized team player with Building Materials Sales experience on the wholesale side, then we would like to speak with you.

Please send resume and salary expectations to Marketing@regalideas.com  and you will be contacted if qualifications are commensurate with our requirements

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September 10, 2018 Volume

xxiv, #33

“Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others.”
— H. Jackson Brown Jr. (American author and inspirational writer, 1940- )

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Peavey Mart stores sell licensed products to aid air ambulance care

RED DEER, Alta. ― Peavey Mart is teaming up with STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society) air ambulance service, selling STARS merchandise both online and in-store at all Peavey Mart and MainStreet Hardware stores. Proceeds from the sales—minus the cost of goods—go straight to STARS. The offerings include more than 20 styles and sizes of shirts, jackets and caps, all exclusive to Peavey Mart and MainStreet. More products will be coming over the next few months.

In a statement on the announcement, Bert Harbour, STARS’ manager of enterprise fundraising, noted that “half of all Western Canadians live in rural areas where emergency ground transportation isn’t always fast enough.”

“With the cost of one STARS mission at around $5,400, every purchase helps keep STARS in the air, ready to serve in the hour of need in rural Western Canada,” added Peavey Marketing Director Jest Sidloski. About four out of 10 Peavey employees know someone who has benefited from STARS’ services.

The relationship between the two organizations began earlier this year when Peavey CEO Doug Anderson participated in STARS’ annual Rescue in the Rockies fundraiser. Anderson was one of a handful of senior corporate leaders who were dropped in the wilderness for several days while money was raised to “rescue” them. His involvement generated more than $230,000 from customers and suppliers, as well as the commitment at the time to further collaboration with STARS.

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Home improvement retailers expected to fare well despite forecasted slowdown 

WORLD HEADQUARTERS, Toronto ― While Canada’s retail home improvement industry grew at a healthier rate than anticipated in 2017, conditions affecting the industry point to a slowdown through the end of 2018. That moderation is expected to continue into 2019, as well.

According to the 2018-2019 Hardlines Retail Report, sales by hardware stores, building centres and big boxes, Canadian Tire, and related sales by Walmart and Costco, were up 5.1% year over year in 2017. But dealers’ sales are forecast to slow down to below 4.5% annually to the end of 2019.

On a regional basis, the greatest growth is forecast to come from the West, particularly Alberta, as the economy there continues to gain steam. That province’s retail home improvement sales are expected to grow by more than 5% annually. British Columbia is close behind, with anticipated annualized sales growth of 4.75% through this year and next. According to the Retail Report, Saskatchewan will also perform well to the end of 2019.

The report also looks at trends affecting home improvement dealers. “Hardware and home improvement dealers represent a significant part of the retail landscape in Canada,” says Michael McLarney, Publisher of Hardlines Inc., which produces the Retail Report. “They represent at least 135,000 direct jobs in this country, many of them in smaller communities. This report analyzes just how their business is evolving and how they are embracing new trends such as smart home technology and e-commerce.”

Offering a complete breakdown and analysis of Canada’s retail home improvement industry, the Hardlines Retail Report features in-depth analysis of the industry’s top players, including the market shares of the top 20 players, and sales and forecasts for Home Depot, Canadian Tire and Lowe’s Canada. This year’s report features expanded forecasts both provincially and by store format. It also looks ahead at anticipated sales performance of the Top Four players.

The analytical data in the Hardlines Retail Report has been carefully researched by the Editors of Hardlines. Available in either PDF or handy PowerPoint format, it has 200 slides, dozens of charts and graphs, and more photos than ever before. (Click here for details and to order your Hardlines Retail Report now!)

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Giant Tiger keeps roaring across Canada, finding new niches

OTTAWA ― As other retailers face closures nationwide, Giant Tiger continues to grow. The Ottawa-based general merchandiser celebrated the grand opening of its Riverview, N.B., store late in July. The 22,000-square-foot location marked the occasion with a day of family events and promotional giveaways. And that’s just one of many that are appearing across the country.

Giant Tiger has been expanding aggressively since Target retreated from this country in 2015. With its broad range of discount merchandise, everything from fashions and work clothes to toys, snack foods and groceries, the Giant Tiger stores fit well into rural communities and smaller towns. The demise of Sears Canada has also opened up opportunities for more sites for the discount retailer.

In April, Giant Tiger opened stores in St. Thomas and Renfrew, Ont., and in Steinbach, Man., in May. In November 2017, openings took place in Brampton, Mississauga and Owen Sound, Ont.; and in Winnipeg—the 11th store in that market. In the summer, outlets under the Tigre Géant banner were opened in Rouyn-Noranda and Anjou, Que.

The majority of the Giant Tiger stores are franchised, with ownership by a member of the local community in which the stores operate. In Western Canada, the retailer has a master franchise agreement with The North West Company, a deal forged years ago that helped Giant Tiger accelerate its expansion westward.

Giant Tiger now has 243 locations, up from 220 just two years ago. The company plans to add as many as 15 stores per year over the next few years.

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Upcoming Home Improvement eRetailer Summit draws key retail groups

CHICAGO — Groupon Goods and The True Value Company are the latest high-profile businesses to confirm that they will be sending their respective e-commerce buying teams to the third annual Home Improvement eRetailer Summit, at the Hotel Monaco Chicago from November 7 to 9.

“The entire Groupon Goods Home Improvement buying team is looking forward to the summit and networking with new and current suppliers, as well as expanding our knowledge of best practices for serving our customers in the e-commerce marketplace,” says Scott Benedict, Groupon Goods’ divisional merchandise manager.

Benedict was on the original team at Walmart that launched the retail giant’s own Walmart.com e-commerce platform.

“This summit focuses on bringing together executives from the entire distribution channel to collaborate and learn how to compete in increasing the sales of home improvement products online,” says Sonya Ruff Jarvis, the summit’s founder.

The eRetailer Summit is attracting the entire buying departments of many key e-commerce players, she notes. “That demonstrates that there is a need for this kind of forum to identify new suppliers and share insights and intelligence on e-commerce, specifically as it relates to home improvement retail.”

Jerry Clasey is president of the hardware division for hardlines distributor Bostwick-Braun Company. He anticipates establishing contacts with other key retailers, with the goal of building longer-term relationships. He says he is also looking to learn what other companies are doing in e-commerce.

In addition to Groupon Goods and True Value, the e-retailers that have committed to attending the summit include representatives from the e-commerce teams for eBay, Sustainable Supply, The Grommet, FireFly, Buys, Sears and Supply Hog. More online retailers are expected to confirm their teams’ attendance in the coming weeks.

(For more information and to register for the third annual Home Improvement eRetailer Summit, contact Sonya Ruff Jarvis at 203-295-3385.)

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Isolofoam has added to its Ontario sales team. Daniel McDevitt was named territory sales manager for the GTA and Central to Northern Ontario regions at the beginning of the year, while Dianne Smith took over in Eastern Ontario in the spring. McDevitt, who has two decades of experience in construction products, spent the last two years as territory sales rep for Sable Marco. Smith, who got her industry start more than 30 years ago, has been a territory sales manager for companies such as Bonneville Windows, Laflamme Doors and Windows and Neos Gordonply (a division of Richelieu).

Saniflo Canada has appointed Alexandra Motts as its new national sales manager, effective July 27. Motts brings some 20 years of industry experience to the role, having previously held top management positions in the HVAC, plumbing and event management industries.

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CLASSIFIED ADS

Positec – Canada 

Customer Development Manger

The Customer Development Manager is responsible for both sales goals as well as product planning and product marketing. This includes gathering and prioritizing product requirements for the market, proposing product assortments that support channel management strategies and working with customers to optimize assortments. This position is responsible for elements of product and sales in customer’s private brands.

This position is also responsible for working with internal teams to manage product roadmaps that meet the customers’ expectations.  The CDM will ensure that the product and marketing efforts support the company’s overall strategy and sales goals through professional sales techniques and good customer service, maintaining quality relations with existing accounts, and providing sales and marketing coverage.

Send resumes to jobs@Positecgroup.com

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Pioneering Safety

At Allegion, our vision is to make the world safer. As a company of experts, we secure the places where people thrive. Security will always be a top concern, so we are inventing new and innovative technologies to keep people protected wherever they are; anytime, anywhere. Whether at home or school, in a hospital or commercial building, we pride ourselves on providing safety for today and for the future. Spanning across 130 countries, Allegion is committed to the protection of our employees and the public.

Our Values

We are very passionate about our values and live them daily. How do you celebrate your successes? Do you take pride in the work you have accomplished?

Have a knack for curiosity and creativity? How do you live out your passion for excellence? What does living safely and healthy mean to you?

If these are values that keep you motivated, you have come to the right place. Take a look at our available opportunities to join our winning team today!

Channel Marketing Manager

The Channel Marketing Manager will maximize the long-term Schlage brand volume and growth, while delivering short-term volume and sales across the national customer base. This role is responsible for strategizing, creating, communicating and supporting Schlage national initiatives, policies and standards against Distribution, Shelving, Pricing and Promotion goals. Other key responsibilities include identifying, developing and implementing account specific promotional tie-ins. Lastly, communicate our customers’ needs across the Allegion organization to ensure business-building programs are created.

What You Will Do:

• Work closely with the Sales and Marketing team, to identify growth opportunities within National / Key accounts
• Establish productive, professional relationships with key personnel in assigned partner accounts
• Develop account specific programs and promotions that grow our business to new levels
• Proactively lead a joint partner planning process that develops mutual performance objectives, financial targets, and critical milestones associated with a productive partner relationship
• Oversee the planning, production and implementation of the various projects / programs, etc. to ensure that quality and excellence is attained, exceeding our customers’ expectations
• Key link to Marketing and Sales, ensuring that direction, communication and feedback is continual and accurate, ensuring that we fully optimize our effectiveness in the selling process
• Benchmark Schlage in the industry to ensure we are providing sales and marketing excellence to our accounts.
• Work with management, sales and customers to develop and manage annual promotional calendar, evaluate financial impact, execute promotion and track results.
• Lead solution development efforts that best address end user needs, while coordinating the involvement of all necessary company and partner personnel.
•  Manage and execute RSS Merchandising Program targeting channel segments
• Provide sales and market analytics and price execution support

What You Will Need:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Sales, Marketing, Business or equivalent years of experience
• 3 to 5 years’ experience in a channel, product or marketing category management position preferred
• Previous experience with Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Lowes, Amazon and LBM channel would be an asset
• Door Hardware experience; electrical and mechanical door hardware experience would be an asset
• Exceptional computer skills; advanced excel, PowerPoint and data mining skills
• Strong communication and presentation skills all levels of business
• Strong analytical and negotiating skills
• Proven experience with strong account planning that achieved positive business results
• Ability to build strong cross functional relationships with Finance, Marketing and Customer Care
• Bilingualism is an asset

Why Work For Us?

• Rewarding and Challenging Career
• Comprehensive Benefits
• Global Opportunities
• Employee Discounts
• A Culture of Wellness and Balance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Training and Development
• Community Involvement

Apply Today

Join our team of experts today and help us make tomorrow a safer place.

 www.allegion.com

We are committed to providing accommodations for persons with disabilities. If you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.

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Sales Agency – Quebec, British Columbia

Briggs & Stratton (NYSE: BGG), headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is recognized worldwide for its strong brand name and a reputation for quality, design, innovation, and value.

The Canadian Products Division, based in Mississauga, Ontario, manages finished goods products including; lawn & garden power equipment, snow blowers, turf care, pressure washers and portable generators, and is currently seeking a Sales Agency partner to manage its Independent Outdoor Power Equipment Dealer business in the provinces of Quebec and British Columbia. Two separate agencies may be selected.

The appropriate partner will support the go-to market sales growth strategy in the associated provinces and cultivate a new Dealer base.  The partner will act on behalf of Briggs & Stratton Canada, managing the Ferris Mowers, Simplicity Mowers and Snow Blowers, Snapper Mowers and Briggs & Stratton Pressure Washers and Generators brands and product lines. The partner agency will be accountable for growing the number of Dealers, market share, and maintaining the end user experience in these markets.

The suitable partner will bring a strong knowledge of, and relationship with, Independent Outdoor Power Equipment Dealers in the assigned provinces. They will also bring a professional Team of sales representatives with full geographic coverage. Strong business leadership and acumen are required to represent, and interact, with the Briggs & Stratton organization.

All interested parties should submit a one page cover letter and organizational overview to Steve Burgess, Country Manager, Briggs & Stratton Canada at burgess.stephen@basco.com.

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Sales Territory Managers | Ontario, Western Canada and Atlantic Canada

Regal Ideas is the innovative leader in Aluminum Railing and associated outdoor living products to the Canadian Home improvement Industry. We require experienced Building Materials Professionals to expand our sales team and drive sales growth across Ontario, Western Canada and Atlantic Canada. If you are a motivated and highly organized team player with Building Materials Sales experience on the wholesale side, then we would like to speak with you.

Please send resume and salary expectations to Marketing@regalideas.com  and you will be contacted if qualifications are commensurate with our requirements

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70 Years of Building Value Into Building Products

OEM Sales Agencies – Quebec, Prairies, Atlantic Canada

ODL Canada, with distribution centres in Vaughan, ON and Calgary, AB is recognized as a leading supplier in Canada’s fenestration industry.  Our products include Door Glass and Enclosed Blinds for doors, patio doors and windows.

See our complete catalogue at https://odl.com/canada.htm.
To support growth with exciting new products, ODL Canada is currently seeking sales agencies to represent our OEM product line for Quebec, Atlantic Canada and the Prairies.  If your agency is a team that calls on door pre-hangers, door component distributors or window manufacturers in any of these market areas, then we would like to hear from you.
Interested agencies should submit a company profile to Tom Newton, Managing Director of ODL Canada at tom.newton@odl.com.

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September 3, 2018 Volume

xxiv, #32

“Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it.”
―Lucy Maud Montgomery (Canadian author, 1874-1942)

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More changes at Home Hardware as Rick McNabb announces retirement

ST. JACOBS, Ont. — Yet another executive at Home Hardware has announced their pending retirement. Rick McNabb, the vice president of marketing and sales at Home Hardware Stores Ltd., will depart effective September 12.

The news was announced by President and CEO Terry Davis, who had previously announced plans of his own to retire, pending the naming of his replacement. According to Davis, “Rick joined Home with a mandate to review and evolve our marketing efforts into a cohesive, integrated approach, a mission that he accomplished. It was a pleasure for me to have Rick on my leadership team and I wish him well on his retirement.”

Home Hardware is also close to naming a replacement for Davis in the top job, just months after Davis, a 48-year veteran of the company, was given the title of president in addition to his CEO role.

To add to the changes, one of the founding employees of the company, Ray Gabel, retired as Home Hardware’s senior merchandise advisor at the end of June. Gabel joined Hollinger Hardware in the summer of 1950 and was present at the landmark 1964 meeting that evolved that wholesaler into Home Hardware.

McNabb, then, is the relative newcomer. He joined Home Hardware two and a half years ago in a move that caused a stir in the industry. Although his family has been involved with Home Hardware—his brother owns a store in Parry Sound, Ont.—he was considered an outsider—virtually the first key executive not to be hired from within over the company’s 79-year history. (The only other exception would be Darrin Noble, hired in 2007 as vice president and general manager of Home’s Beauti-Tone Paint division.) McNabb’s presence resulted in a number of changes, the most visible one being the introduction of a new slogan for the company, “Here’s how”.

Home Hardware was down to a short list of candidates for Davis’s position by mid-August, and the company has been actively seeking a replacement for McNabb. With the company’s fall market just two weeks away, any formal announcements could well be timed to correspond with that event.

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BMR hosts its first-ever summer show to highlight seasonal products

BOUCHERVILLE, Que. — Groupe BMR hosted a new show last week, focused entirely on seasonal products. Unlike the annual dealer show held mid-November in Quebec City, this event was held near the company’s Boucherville headquarters, at the Hotel Mortagne on Montreal’s South Shore.

The creation of a separate show reflects the growing popularity of the seasonal category, and the fact that most groups rely heavily on their own Asian-sourced import programs for products such as outdoor furniture and accessories. At the November show, outdoor living has been growing rapidly in recent years, while the timing was not ideal for lawn and garden buying.

“The main goal of this new formula was to make life simpler for our dealers,” said Martin Menard, vice president of hardware and imports for Groupe BMR. “It’s much easier for them to target their needs in this category during the summer.”

Despite being a busy time for most dealers in their stores, the timing of the new show appears to have worked for them. The company reports that teams from almost all its BMR and Unimat stores, which number more than 300 (source: the 2018-2019 Hardlines Retail Report—your ever-helpful Editor), were in attendance to check out the new offerings on display. Close to 600 people in total walked the aisles of the show.

BMR rounded out the event with booths and information kiosks representing the range of programs and supports it offers, including a service zone where dealers could place orders directly. BMR’s marketing team used the event to map out the group’s media plan for 2019, as well.

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Orgill fall market provides plenty for Canadian dealers, including a get-together

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Orgill’s presence continues to grow in Canada, a fact that was reflected in the large number of Canadian dealers who attended the Memphis, Tenn.-based wholesaler’s fall dealer market in Las Vegas late last month.

The Orgill Fall Dealer Market covered nearly one million square feet over two floors at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. It featured two concept stores, numerous product showcases and workshops about Orgill’s various retail programs and services.

Orgill reports that a record number of attendees from more than 50 countries gathered to see new home improvement products, find great deals and network. They included at least 300 Canadian dealers, managers and family members. The majority were from major buying groups, particularly Castle and TIMBER MART, but delegates from every banner and every part of the country were walking the show floor.

“We’re excited to see so many of our customers here in Las Vegas,” said Ron Beal, Orgill’s chairman, president and CEO. “Our team and vendors have worked hard to put together a show that will deliver on our customers’ expectations.”

One concept store had a distinctly Canadian twist: “Cider Mill Home Centre” was designed to cater to a broad mix of both contractors and DIYers within 11,500 square feet of retail. It featured plumbing, HVAC, fasteners and electrical as dominant departments—all adjacent to the store’s service counter. All products in the store were Canadian compliant and advertised as available through Orgill’s London, Ont., and Post Falls, Idaho, distribution centres.

Elsewhere in the show, promotional areas, which included door busters, coupons, market busters, new items and pallet buys, again proved popular with attendees. All Canadian promotional areas were located on the lower level of the convention centre, so Canadian retailers could find them easily.

Canadian dealers had an additional opportunity to get together, thanks to Hardlines’ own Canada Night reception, which was held at the end of day one of the show at Señor Frog’s restaurant on the Las Vegas strip. Sponsored in part by a dozen exhibiting vendors, the event drew about 350 people to share drinks and snacks and to network.

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Lowe’s new CEO upbeat about Canada despite closure of Orchard Supply

MOORESVILLE, Ont. — While turning in healthy numbers for its second quarter, the news that Lowe’s would shutter its Orchard Supply Hardware chain came as a surprise to many in the industry.

The giant home improvement retailer reported net earnings of $1.5 billion for its second quarter, compared to net earnings of $1.4 billion last year. Sales for the quarter rose by a healthy 7.1% to $20.9 billion, while comparable sales increased 5.2%.

The Orchard Supply Hardware business contributed $600 million in sales to Lowe’s fortunes, but lost $65 million. As a result, the chain, which consists of 99 stores in California, Oregon and Florida, will be closed by the end of the year. That sudden departure from Orchard and its home centre format raises questions about Lowe’s inclination to invest long-term in retail formats outside of the big box footprint.

That investment is a big part of Lowe’s acquisition of RONA in Canada.

Marvin Ellison, president and CEO of Lowe’s, addressed this concern, which was shared by analysts during a call. He remained upbeat about the Canuck experiment. “I would say Canada—and RONA—has been a very positive benefit for the company.”

He added that his team is pleased with the way Lowe’s and RONA are meshing. “The introduction of unique and different categories to RONA, like appliances, has been met with really strong response from the customers. We feel very, very good about the Canadian business performance… and we think that it’s exactly where we want it to be, if not exceeding expectations from the original pro forma.”

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Richard Leclerc has joined Taiga Building Products as territory manager for Quebec. His background in this industry includes a decade at RONA as a dealer development manager and head of an in-store merchandising company, dotmarketing inc. Most recently, he served as director of retail sales for Novik.

Lanart Rug has announced the promotion of Jean-François Roberge, formerly an account manager, to sales director for Eastern Canada. Americo Fernandes has been named national sales director, Central and Western Canada. He was previously a national account manager.

Ventilation Maximum has announced the appointment of Jean-Richard Boulé as national sales director. The marketing grad took over the position last month. His nearly 30 years of experience in the building materials sector include 14 as sales director at Taiga Building Products.

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CLASSIFIED ADS

Positec – Canada 

Customer Development Manger

The Customer Development Manager is responsible for both sales goals as well as product planning and product marketing. This includes gathering and prioritizing product requirements for the market, proposing product assortments that support channel management strategies and working with customers to optimize assortments. This position is responsible for elements of product and sales in customer’s private brands.

This position is also responsible for working with internal teams to manage product roadmaps that meet the customers’ expectations.  The CDM will ensure that the product and marketing efforts support the company’s overall strategy and sales goals through professional sales techniques and good customer service, maintaining quality relations with existing accounts, and providing sales and marketing coverage.

Send resumes to jobs@Positecgroup.com

_________________________________________________________________

Pioneering Safety

At Allegion, our vision is to make the world safer. As a company of experts, we secure the places where people thrive. Security will always be a top concern, so we are inventing new and innovative technologies to keep people protected wherever they are; anytime, anywhere. Whether at home or school, in a hospital or commercial building, we pride ourselves on providing safety for today and for the future. Spanning across 130 countries, Allegion is committed to the protection of our employees and the public.

Our Values

We are very passionate about our values and live them daily. How do you celebrate your successes? Do you take pride in the work you have accomplished?

Have a knack for curiosity and creativity? How do you live out your passion for excellence? What does living safely and healthy mean to you?

If these are values that keep you motivated, you have come to the right place. Take a look at our available opportunities to join our winning team today!

Channel Marketing Manager

The Channel Marketing Manager will maximize the long-term Schlage brand volume and growth, while delivering short-term volume and sales across the national customer base. This role is responsible for strategizing, creating, communicating and supporting Schlage national initiatives, policies and standards against Distribution, Shelving, Pricing and Promotion goals. Other key responsibilities include identifying, developing and implementing account specific promotional tie-ins. Lastly, communicate our customers’ needs across the Allegion organization to ensure business-building programs are created.

What You Will Do:

• Work closely with the Sales and Marketing team, to identify growth opportunities within National / Key accounts
• Establish productive, professional relationships with key personnel in assigned partner accounts
• Develop account specific programs and promotions that grow our business to new levels
• Proactively lead a joint partner planning process that develops mutual performance objectives, financial targets, and critical milestones associated with a productive partner relationship
• Oversee the planning, production and implementation of the various projects / programs, etc. to ensure that quality and excellence is attained, exceeding our customers’ expectations
• Key link to Marketing and Sales, ensuring that direction, communication and feedback is continual and accurate, ensuring that we fully optimize our effectiveness in the selling process
• Benchmark Schlage in the industry to ensure we are providing sales and marketing excellence to our accounts.
• Work with management, sales and customers to develop and manage annual promotional calendar, evaluate financial impact, execute promotion and track results.
• Lead solution development efforts that best address end user needs, while coordinating the involvement of all necessary company and partner personnel.
•  Manage and execute RSS Merchandising Program targeting channel segments
• Provide sales and market analytics and price execution support

What You Will Need:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Sales, Marketing, Business or equivalent years of experience
• 3 to 5 years’ experience in a channel, product or marketing category management position preferred
• Previous experience with Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Lowes, Amazon and LBM channel would be an asset
• Door Hardware experience; electrical and mechanical door hardware experience would be an asset
• Exceptional computer skills; advanced excel, PowerPoint and data mining skills
• Strong communication and presentation skills all levels of business
• Strong analytical and negotiating skills
• Proven experience with strong account planning that achieved positive business results
• Ability to build strong cross functional relationships with Finance, Marketing and Customer Care
• Bilingualism is an asset

Why Work For Us?

• Rewarding and Challenging Career
• Comprehensive Benefits
• Global Opportunities
• Employee Discounts
• A Culture of Wellness and Balance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Training and Development
• Community Involvement

Apply Today

Join our team of experts today and help us make tomorrow a safer place.

www.allegion.com

We are committed to providing accommodations for persons with disabilities. If you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.

_________________________________________________________________

Sales Agency – Quebec, British Columbia

Briggs & Stratton (NYSE: BGG), headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is recognized worldwide for its strong brand name and a reputation for quality, design, innovation, and value.

The Canadian Products Division, based in Mississauga, Ontario, manages finished goods products including; lawn & garden power equipment, snow blowers, turf care, pressure washers and portable generators, and is currently seeking a Sales Agency partner to manage its Independent Outdoor Power Equipment Dealer business in the provinces of Quebec and British Columbia. Two separate agencies may be selected.

The appropriate partner will support the go-to market sales growth strategy in the associated provinces and cultivate a new Dealer base.  The partner will act on behalf of Briggs & Stratton Canada, managing the Ferris Mowers, Simplicity Mowers and Snow Blowers, Snapper Mowers and Briggs & Stratton Pressure Washers and Generators brands and product lines. The partner agency will be accountable for growing the number of Dealers, market share, and maintaining the end user experience in these markets.

The suitable partner will bring a strong knowledge of, and relationship with, Independent Outdoor Power Equipment Dealers in the assigned provinces. They will also bring a professional Team of sales representatives with full geographic coverage. Strong business leadership and acumen are required to represent, and interact, with the Briggs & Stratton organization.

All interested parties should submit a one page cover letter and organizational overview to Steve Burgess, Country Manager, Briggs & Stratton Canada at burgess.stephen@basco.com.

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Sales Territory Managers | Ontario, Western Canada and Atlantic Canada

Regal Ideas is the innovative leader in Aluminum Railing and associated outdoor living products to the Canadian Home improvement Industry. We require experienced Building Materials Professionals to expand our sales team and drive sales growth across Ontario, Western Canada and Atlantic Canada. If you are a motivated and highly organized team player with Building Materials Sales experience on the wholesale side, then we would like to speak with you.

Please send resume and salary expectations to Marketing@regalideas.com  and you will be contacted if qualifications are commensurate with our requirements

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