|
September 29, 2014 Volume
xx, #36
“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.” —Frank Zappa (American musician, composer and social agitator, 1940-1993)
______________________________________________________________________
THE HARDLINES WORLD HEADQUARTERS HAS MOVED!
We have moved out of our office at 360 Dupont. Our new office isn't quite ready yet. So, in the meantime we will be working from our home offices and are still available by phone and email. Starting October 6th, the new Hardlines World Headquarters will operate from: 528 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON, M5A 1V2. Our phone number remains the same.
______________________________________________________________________
Trois-Rivières closure marks next step in La Coop-BMR alliance
Trois-Rivières, Que. — La Coop fédérée has confirmed a firm closure date for its hardware and LBM distribution centre in Trois-Rivières. The closure, first announced back in February, and forecast to take up to 15 months, will be completed by January 16, 2015.
The closure plan ties in with La Coop fédérée’s investment in Le Groupe BMR. La Coop assumed 20% ownership of BMR at the beginning of 2014. In recent months, product buying functions have been relocated to BMR’s own offices and that consolidation is now complete.
“BMR is already serving about 20 Coop stores and it’s working very well,” says Claude Sénéchal, general manager of La Coop’s hardware and farm machinery division. “One hundred and twenty-five stores are still served out of Trois-Rivières. With this closing, BMR will be able to take those stores.”
BMR is now headed by Pascal Houle, who is executive vice president there. He stepped in following the sudden retirement of long-time president and founder, Yves Gagnon, who stepped down for health reasons.
The move to buy into BMR, which competes against La Coop’s own Unimat banner, was driven by increased competition in the marketplace, says Sénéchal. However, the hardware and building materials sector is still a priority for its members and La Coop intends to remain as a full player in its own right.
“For many years we marketed the Unimat banner with some success. But to be really successful we need to be allied with a larger banner,” Sénéchal told HARDLINES. He expects both banners to grow under the new arrangement. “There’s room for the Unimat banner to co-exist with BMR.”
back to top
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Healthy dealer sales lift mood at Home Hardware Market
ST. JACOBS, Ont. — Hardware Stores held its fall market last week, as the giant co-op continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. More than 3,000 people—Home dealers, families, and staff—converged on the Mennonite community of St. Jacobs, just north of Waterloo, Ont., where Home Hardware’s offices and distribution centre are located.
The mood among dealers was generally upbeat, all of them reporting a busy latter part of the summer heading into fall, following a very slow first half of the year. Vendors in attendance were likewise positive, with most of them confirming to HARDLINES that day one of the show was especially busy.
Highlights of the market included innovations in the paint department: a new paint colour card for Home’s own Beauti-Tone brand of paint, developed in partnership with Style at Home magazine. “Working with these decorating opinion leaders, the editors of Style at Home, we have developed six new collections,” said Darrin Noble, who heads up the Beauti-Tone business. He calls the soft, warm shades “country friendly,” to contrast with the collection developed for the last market in association with Chatelaine magazine. That one, with its stronger colours, “was more edgy and reflected an industrial chic.”
On the marketing side, Home continues to push e-commerce and social media. Following the launch of an e-commerce initiative in the spring of this year, most of the dealers are on board with the company’s “buy online, pick up in-store” program, said Jack Baillie, Home’s director of marketing.
back to top
______________________________________________________________________
Milot takes over expansion efforts at RONA
BOUCHERVILLE, Que. — In an effort to co-ordinate its expansion and development efforts, RONA has appointed Stéphane Milot to the newly created role of vice president, expansion, development and real estate. Milot has been with RONA for seven years and was previously vice president, finance and investor relations.
This new position will regroup all the strategic development activities driving RONA’s market expansion plans. In his new role, Milot will lead the following functions: real estate development for both corporate and dealer sites, management of existing properties, development of new dealers and corporate opportunities, market intelligence, and acquisitions and sales.
André Lavoie has been promoted to vice president, finance and investor relations, replacing Milot. Lavoie joined RONA in 2011 and was previously senior director, financial analysis.
back to top
______________________________________________________________________
Smaller B.C. show aims for “boutique” quality audience
WHISTLER, B.C. — While the event drew just 400 people, including vendors and dealers, organizers of the BSIA of B.C.’s Westcoast Building and Hardware Show are calling it a success.
“Our whole intention here is to find a place and a venue and mix to host a region—a B.C. show for B.C. people,” says Thomas Foreman, president of the BSIA. He admits that the small size of the show—even a bit smaller in terms of dealer attendance than last year—represents a new era not just for this show but for all trade shows. “For example, we had one person from RONA this year, whereas in years past RONA would bring six, seven, eight people.”
Nevertheless, he stresses that the size of the show was not the main thing, but rather the need for the tight-knit West Coast community of dealers to have a place to gather, complete with an awards dinner and a charity golf tournament. “It was a focused market, with quality customers that the vendors wouldn’t typically get a chance to see.”
back to top
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Super Remover begins construction of new factory
GRANBY, Que.— Super Remover, a division of Distributions J. Des Serres inc., has announced the construction of its new head office on 619 Du Luxembourg Street in Granby. The first phase of the project consists of a 10,000-square-foot industrial head office on 100,000 square feet of land and represents an investment of $1 million. According to the company, the new facility will meet or exceed all standards and regulations for fire prevention and hazardous materials handling, and it will surpass all required safety measures to prevent any environmental spills. The move into the new plant is scheduled to start in November 2015.
An expansion of the warehouse is already scheduled for spring 2016 or earlier following a planned business acquisition.
“We had been searching for a while for the best place to establish our factory,” said Sébastien Plourde, President of Distributions J. Des Serres inc. “The vitality of Granby and its industrial park, plus its proximity to Highway 10, contributed to our choice of the site.”
Founded in 1979, Distributions J. Des Serres distributed its Super Remover brand on a small scale until 2003, when Plourde bought the company. A re-organization and massive investment in marketing and advertising have contributed to Super Remover’s increased brand awareness and the company’s rapid expansion. Today, the company claims to be the largest paint stripper manufacturer in the country, with its products found in nearly every hardware store in Canada.
back to top
______________________________________________________________________
Conference Spotlight: Tony Steier on FCL’s strength and new programs
TORONTO — The enduring power of the co-operative movement is well expressed through the success of Federated Co-operatives Ltd. FCL is the second-largest company in Saskatchewan, and the top non-financial co-op in Canada. Much of FCL’s growing revenue comes from crop supplies, feed, and petroleum, but FCL’s presence in our industry is still extensive, with 235 owner-member retail co-operatives from British Columbia to Northwestern Ontario. FCL also supplies independent members on a fill-in basis, through its ValuMaster banner division.
Those hardware and building supply outlets account for more than half a billion dollars in sales annually. And they’ve been getting a facelift in recent years, with new merchandising and award-winning store design concepts to keep them competitive. To help understand the full scope of FCL’s size and power, Tony Steier, Home and Building Supplies Director for FCL, will speak at the 19th Annual Hardlines Conference, October 22-23 in Toronto.
Learn how the co-op model is providing an important growth vector for the hardware/home improvement industry. Click here to find out more about Steier and his presentation, and about the 19th Annual Hardlines Conference, October 22-23 at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre.
back to top
______________________________________________________________________
Classified Ads
Renin (RedefiningaNdINnovating) is an innovative manufacturer of door systems and hardware for door manufacturers and fabricators. Renin also manufactures and distributes sliding bypass and bifold closet doors, room dividers, fabricated glass and decorative mirrors to the residential construction and remodeling markets. With a recent ownership change, the mandate is to build both strategy and leadership to continue their growth. Wolf Gugler Executive Search has been retained to search out qualified candidates for the following positions:
Director of Sales
Manage the sales execution process and strengthen the current business relationships with assigned accounts such as Home Depot, Lowe’s and Home Hardware nationwide. Responsible for new account acquisitions and selling Renin branded goods to those accounts.
- Work hand in hand with the senior management, especially with the Vice President Sales and Marketing and the Marketing Team, to make sure that the e fforts are being well directed.
- D irect reports include Account Manager s; train, develop and add to headcount as deemed necessary.
- Development of sales, merchandising and assortment planning to assigned accounts.
- Align business plan to achieve budgets while creating and implement ing strategies that help the business grow and surpass sales targets.
- Prepare key account sales plans and account profiles and maintain detailed account management profiles with a thorough understanding of all decision-makers and business strategies.
- Develop and foster relationships with Merchants, M.A.s and associated support staff.
- Build and maintain a ctive market research, analyze trends and develop strategies a ccording ly .
- M anage budgets and sales goals and w ork to achieve monthly, quarterly and annual targets based on corporate sales objectives.
- Maintain complete competitive files including regular ‘comp’ shops.
- Develop new listing items and product demand forecast models.
Qualifications : ten years’ success in a sales management role in the building materials/ home renovation industry. Strong leadership skills including adaptability, creativity, forecasting and budgeting and outstanding customer focus. You may be based in Canada or the US for this role.
To apply, click this link or apply online on the Opportunities page of our web site, www.wolfgugler.com.
Director of Marketing
Based in the Brampton corporate office, this new role will be hired after the Director, Sales. The full position responsibilities and qualifications are posted on our web site Opportunities page.
To apply for this role click here or apply online on the Opportunities page at www.wolfgugler.com.
Wolf Gugler Executive Search, 888-848-3006. Offices in Canada and the U.S. www.wolfgugler.com
back to top
______________________________________________________________________
|
