March 27, 2017 Volume xxiii, #13
“The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next.”
—Mignon McLaughlin (American journalist and author, 1913-1983)
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ABSDA hosts buying show in Halifax for the first time
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Home Improvement Summit: e-commerce “boot camp” for retailers and vendors
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Home Hardware, Turkstra ranked among “Canada’s Best Managed Companies”
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Lowe’s recruits the retail magic that touched Home Hardware
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PLUS: Dave Dingwell honoured, Lowe’s rolls out Holoroom technology in U.S., Nicholson and Cates has distribution partnership with Chemcrest, North Star finalizes deal with TruBilt, retail sales solid, Jacques Gatien and Stew Valcour to be inducted, U.S. housing, and more!
ABSDA hosts buying show in Halifax for the first time
HALIFAX — After 35 years in Moncton, the Atlantic Building Supply Dealers Association (ABSDA), hosted its annual Building Supply Expo in Halifax last week. The move, which was announced at last year’s event, was described by some as a “long overdue change.”
The events, which took place at the Halifax Exhibition Centre from March 21 to 23, got off to a busy start with a meet-and-greet on the first night at historic Halifax landmark Pier 21. Around 500 people showed up for drinks, networking, and entertainment provided by East Coast acoustic rock band Signal Hill.
The show itself got off to a slow start the next morning, but most vendors felt that the first part of the morning was on par with, or even better than, the same period during last year’s show in Moncton. By noon, more dealers had begun to filter in and by the end of day one many vendors were positive about how business had gone that day. One supplier noted that, because it’s one of the last shows of the season, every year ABSDA faces the challenge of dealers who are “showed out.”
The new location, however, was well-received by all the attendees. Besides making travel easier for Newfoundland dealers, the Exhibition Centre offered a smaller, less spread-out option, meaning dealers had to cover less ground to visit all the booths on the show floor. And, of course, the options for after-hours socializing and eating out made Halifax an even more attractive host city.
The first day was capped off by the association’s annual dinner, which attracted more than 700 attendees. ABSDA President Denis Melanson took the opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support of the association and the event, which he touted as “the only show where we have all the buying groups” present.
He also used the time to announce the association’s new online platform, which will launch this fall. Called the ABSDA Marketplace, it will allow users to search dealers and suppliers by province, city, buying group, or alphabetically, and connect with them online. Referring to it as “our own ABSDA Kijiji,” Melanson said the association will run focus groups across the Atlantic region with demonstrations and discussions to make sure it meets all the members’ needs.
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Home Improvement Summit: e-commerce “boot camp” for retailers and vendors
TRUMBULL, Conn. — Getting face to face with top retail buyers is job one for vendors. Hardware, housewares and home improvement suppliers will be able to do just that at the Second Annual Home Improvement eRetailer Summit.
The Summit, being held September 13 to 15, 2017, at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, FL, will provide a dynamic forum for suppliers and retailers to learn from North America’s leading eRetail buyers and executives. The purpose is simple: to help the hardware and tools, home decor, paint, housewares, lawn and garden, outdoor living, and flooring sectors develop winning e-commerce strategies.
The conference portion of the Summit has been greatly enhanced this year, creating an “e-commerce boot camp” for retailers and vendors to learn best practices from leading online retailers. The presenters for this year’s Summit are already being confirmed, and include: Alyssa Steele, Divisional Merchandise Manager-Home and Garden for eBay; Steve Greenspon, CEO of Honey-Can-Do International; Al Meyers, of the world-renowned retail consultancy Kalypso; Paula DaSilva, SVP of Sales for Asia Pacific and the Americas at CitiXsys; and Elizabeth Ragone, SVP, Direct to Consumer for Lenox.
“This year’s Home Improvement eRetailer Summit will be an incredible meeting place for vendors and eRetailers, and a real “boot camp” for anyone trying to understand how to increase their e-commerce sales,” said Sonya Ruff Jarvis, Managing Member, Jarvis Consultants and the event’s founder. “The whole purpose of the Summit is to connect retailers and vendors with great, executable strategies.”
Retailers looking to understand the e-commerce space and vendors who wish to make real connections with leading eRetail decision makers will find this ground-breaking forum a way to meet, share ideas, and develop concrete strategies for growing online sales. To make attendance this year more accessible than ever, Early Bird Pricing until May 31 lets delegates save $100 on their registration, while participating vendors can save $1,500. (For more information go to www.eretailersummit.com or contact Beverly Allen.)
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BMR holds last on-site spring show, will go virtual next year
BOUCHERVILLE, Que. — Groupe BMR held its Great Celebration and Trade Show last week. The celebration, a “happy hour” event in the backyard of the BMR head office in Boucherville, brought together dealer-members for local food and drink, music, and activities.
The trade show part of the event was held at the nearby Mortagne Hotel. In total, 280 dealers visited the show where 80 vendors came to present their Christmas and winter product for the 2017 season. The show was BMR’s last physical spring trade show. In order to make fewer travel demands on dealers, the show will go entirely virtual from next year.
The company says that new technologies will enable it to create an exciting purchasing event for dealers to participate in from their own stores. BMR will continue to hold its annual November trade show in Québec City, where dealers can get to see and touch new products and maintain business relationships with vendors.
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Lowe’s recruits the retail magic that touched Home Hardware
BOUCHERVILLE, Que. — Richard Hill, managing partner for Saffer Retail, has been named marketing director for Ace Canada and will lead the marketing team based in Ace Canada’s new Mississauga, Ont. offices.
Hill, and Saffer Retail chairman Morris Saffer, are experts in retail marketing and bring a proven understanding of the Canadian home improvement industry. Hill was part of that team for two decades and led the advertising and marketing campaigns of such well-known Canadian brands as Home Hardware. In fact, it was Saffer who helped drive Home Hardware’s brand recognition with the famous slogan, “Home of the Handyman.”
After shepherding the Home Hardware brand for 40 years, Saffer lost the Home Hardware account last year when, under Home’s VP Sales and Marketing Rick McNabb, the retailer put the contract up for review. After a lengthy review process that went from 60 submissions to a short list of six agencies, Home finally signed John St. as its new agency of record.
Apparently undaunted, Saffer has managed to stay in the game with the acquisition of the Ace Canada business. “Our goal is to provide attractive product pricing, grow the product offering, and develop strong marketing programs to support dealer sales growth and profitability,” said Alain Brisebois, EVP of central services at Lowe’s Canada. “We look forward to working with Richard and the Saffer team in growing the Ace dealer market in Canada.’’
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DID YOU KNOW…?
...that Hardlines’ 2017 Meet the Buyers Breakfast will feature Lowe’s top buying influences for its Lowe’s, RONA, and Reno-Depot stores? Or that we’ve got a discounted hotel rate for those of you who are flying in? It’s being held at the Hilton Mississauga Meadowvale Hotel on Wednesday, April 26. This vendor-only event will feature: Alan Blundell, Divisional Vice President, Merchandising, Lowe’s; Marc Gingras, Divisional Vice President, RONA Proximity Stores; Christian Dauphinais, Divisional Vice President, Merchandising for Reno-Depot; and Igor Halencak, Vice President National Procurement, Central Merchandising, and Global Sourcing, Lowe’s Canada. (Click here now to reserve your spot – a special discounted hotel rate of $179 is available, but only until March 27! Hey, that's today!)
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RETAILER NEWS
MONTREAL — Groupe BMR is a finalist for the Lowe’s Productivity Award at the 2017 Mercuriades. Created in 1979 and organized since 1981 by the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, the Mercuriades recognize high performance in Québec companies across several categories. The Lowe’s-sponsored category honours companies that have improved productivity, including operational efficiency. BMR’s nomination recognizes its warehouse team, under the supervision of Sylvie Tardif, which has restructured operations to enable the company to serve twice as many dealer-members after the acquisition of Groupe BMR by La Coop fédérée. Contest winners will be announced during the 37th Mercuriades Gala on April 24.
OAK BROOK, Ill. — Ace Hardware has announced that its global store count has exceeded 5,000 locations. “At a time when a majority of brick-and-mortar retailers are facing declining store counts, decreased customer transactions, stalling sales, and massive layoffs, I’m delighted to share that Ace’s global store count has surpassed 5,000 locations,” said John Venhuizen, president and CEO. Ace stores are found in 60 countries, with 207 new locations opened in 2016.
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HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings has reported financials for 2016 that put the company’s future in doubt among investors. In its latest annual report, the iconic department store chain indicates that it is having trouble managing the red ink. It lost $2.2 billion in 2016, and hasn’t turned a profit since 2010. Debt has grown to $4.2 billion, up from $3 billion a year earlier.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe’s is testing the use of its Holoroom technology now in the U.S. to boost customer confidence in DIY projects. The holographic technology was first tested by Lowe’s Canada at one of its Toronto-area stores. Now, “Holoroom How To” follows on research indicating that many DIY customers hesitate to begin projects for want of confidence and the right skills. The “virtual reality skills clinic” allows customers to practice projects in simulation, right down to the feel of a tool in their hands.
SUPPLIER NEWS
BURLINGTON, Ont. — Nicholson and Cates has announced a new distribution partnership with Chemcrest, which manufactures a variety of products including PVC column wraps, shutters, gables, louvres, and brackets. The partnership makes a full line of exterior and interior Architectural Accent products available to the Ontario market.
ST. THOMAS, Ont. — North Star Windows and Doors has finalized a deal to acquire TruBilt, the pre-hung doors business of Toronto-based TruTech. The merger expands North Star’s business while freeing up TruTech to focus on its fibreglass and steel door panels. The doors will continue to be built at TruTech’s Vaughan, Ont., factory.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
Retail sales in January at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers, coming in at just over $2.8 billion, saw no change from the previous month but represented a 5.4% increase from the same time last year. Retail sales rose 2.2% to $46 billion in January, led by four sub-sectors that rebounded from lower sales in December. Excluding sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers, retail sales advanced 1.7%. The increases affected all provinces for the month. (StatCan)
U.S. sales of new single-family houses in February were 592,000 at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, up 6.1% from January, and up 12.8% from February 2016. (U.S. Census Bureau)
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
At the ABSDA annual dinner last week, the association honoured industry veteran Dave Dingwell. Dingwell, who has been in the industry for 50 years and is now TIMBER MART’s regional director of member services for Atlantic Canada, was the association’s first-ever recipient of the ABSDA industry achievement award. He spent 20 years at Cochrane-Dunlop, 20 years at D.H. Howden and Sodisco-Howden, and has been at TIMBER MART for 10 years. In presenting him the award, TIMBER MART President Bernie Owens noted that over his career, Dingwell has been both a competitor and a supplier to him, and now, Owens says, he is lucky to include Dingwell as a member of his team. Dingwell was appreciative of the honour, and joked that he would treasure it “almost as much as my Bobby Orr plaque.”
Jacques Gatien, founder of Atlantic Promotions, and Kent Building Supplies’ Stew Valcour are this year’s honourees to the Canadian Hardware and Housewares Manufacturers Association’s Industry Hall of Fame. They will be inducted at this year’s Spring Conference and AGM, to be held at the International Centre near Toronto Airport. Keynote presentations will address the global financial picture, the evolution of retail trends, and the relationship of digital technology to business. (Click here for details and registration).
Chris Morton has joined Ace Canada as regional business development manager, based in Toronto. He reports to Josée Desrosiers, Ace Canada’s national director of business development.
NOTED
All industry players, including non-members of AQMAT, are welcome to the Quebec hardware association’s Decision-Makers’ Congress, April 11 and 12 at the Auberge Godefroy in Bécancour, Que. Under the theme “Dare to Succeed,” the conference will offer exclusive programs for merchants and vendors; and free 20-minute consultations with experts in areas including leasing-purchase, business transfers, commercial litigation, and voluntary retirement savings plans. Details and registration are online here.
OVERHEARD…
“We figured out a culture that treats our people well, and it’s amazing what a great job you can do when you’ve got great staff.” —Don Humphrey, president of Turkstra Lumber. The retailer was recognized as one of “Canada’s Best Managed Companies” and Humphrey stresses the importance of Turkstra’s staff in winning that award.
OUT AND ABOUT
Our Editor Sigrid Forberg and David Chestnut, our VP Business Development, just got back from the ABSDA Building Supply Expo in Halifax. Next stop: The Home Hardware Spring Market in St. Jacobs, Ont., this coming weekend. Look for Beverly, Michael, and David walking that show on Sunday. Got a hot scoop or a new product? Text Michael at 647-209-5663.