How Big. How Many. How Much
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HARDLINES.CA CONNECTING THE HOME IMPROVEMENT INDUSTRY FOURTH QUARTER / 2015 YEARS PLUS: Q Top Four dominate the market Q Orgill acquires Chalifour. What’s next? Q This season’s paint trends Q HHIQ’s Bill Wilson recognized HOME IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY OF YEARSTHE How big. How many. How much. ALSO INSIDE! SCHERER BROTHERS LEADERS’ LUMBER CO. FORECAST After cutting to the bone, this pro Industry leaders reflect on the dealer empowered its remaining year that was and the kind of employees, and increased its profits year we can expect in 2016 Canadian Publications Mail Agreement # 42175020. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly, 528 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1V2 IT’S MORE THAN A COLOR It’s a way of being, thinking and behaving. For more information, contact Jacques Pelletier, First director — Business development Telephone : 1 800 361-0885 YEARS MORE WAYS BOISE CASCADE CAN HELP YOU WIN MORE HOMEBUILDER BUSINESS. HOME IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY BETTER ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCTS: FOURTH QUARTER / 2015 • VOLUME 5, NO. 4 UÊ ÃiÊ >ÃV>`iÊ>iÃÊÃÌÀ}]ÊÊÊÊÊÊ 528 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1V2 • 416-489-3396 ÊÊÊ}`}Ê«À`ÕVÌðÊÊÊ ÊÊÊÕ«Ê>ÌÊÌ iÊvÀ>}ÊÊ>ÊiÜÊÊ ÊÊÊ iÊ>`ÊÞÕÊà Õ`½ÌÊÊ ÊÊÊÃiiÊÕ}ÞÊ}ÕiÊÃi>ÀÃ]Êi}LiÊÊ EDITOR & PRESIDENT PUBLISHER Michael McLarney, [email protected] Beverly Allen, [email protected] ÊÊÊÃÌ>«ÃÊÀÊÀiÃ`Õ>Ê}Ài>Ãi°Ê MANAGING EDITOR MARKETING DIRECTOR Sigrid Forberg, [email protected] Katherine Yager, [email protected] CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ACCOUNTING DEPENDABLE NATIONWIDE DELIVERY: John Caulfield, Geoffrey McLarney, Margaret Wulff, [email protected] Bill Wilson UÊ9Õ½ÊÜÀÊÜÌ ÊÌ iÊÃÌÊÊ ADMINISTRATION ÊÊÊV«iÌiÊ`ÃÌÀLÕÌÊiÌÜÀÊÊ ART DIRECTION Christine Minnery, [email protected] ÊÊÊÊ >>`>° Shawn Samson, TwoCreative.ca UÊ7iÊÃÕ««ÞÊÌ iÊ«À`ÕVÌÃÊÞÕÊÊ ÊÊÊÜ>Ì]ÊÜ iÊ>`ÊÜ iÀiÊÞÕÊÊ Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly is published four times a year by Hardlines Inc., ÊÊÊÜ>ÌÊÌ i°ÊÊ 528 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1V2. $25 per issue or $90 per year for Canada. Subscriptions to the Continental United States: $105 per year and $35 per issue. All other countries: $130 per year. (Air mail $60 per year additional) Subscriber Services: To subscribe, renew your subscription, or change your PROFITABLE TOOLS AND GUIDANCE: address or contact information, please contact our Circulation Department at 289-997-5408; [email protected]. UÊ iÝÌ}iiÀ>ÌÊÌÃÊÌÊ i«ÊÊ ÊÊÊÞÕÊÀi`ÕViÊÜ>ÃÌi]Ê«ÀÛiÊÊ Canadian Publications Mail Agreement # 42175020 ÊÊÊÌÕÀÃÊ>`ÊVÀi>ÃiÊÞÕÀÊÊ ÊÊÊLÌÌÊi° POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly, 528 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1V2. UÊÊÌi>ÊvÊ } ÞÌiV V>ÊÊ ÊÊÊi}iiÀ}ÊÀiÃÕÀViÃÊ>`ÊÊ All editorial contents copyrighted 2015 by Hardlines Inc. ÊÊÊ>Ài>Ê>>}iÀÃÊ>ÌÊÞÕÀÊÊ No content may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. ÊÊÊ`ëÃ>° www.hardlines.ca EASY TO DO BUSINESS WITH: UÊÌi`ÊviÌiÊ}Õ>À>ÌiiÊvÊÊ ÊÊÊVÃÃÌiÌÞÊ } Ê«À`ÕVÌÊÊ ÊÊʵÕ>ÌÞÊ>`Ê«iÀvÀ>Vi°Ê UÊ7i½ÀiÊÃÌi}Ê>`ÊÜÀ}ÊÊ ÊÊÊÌÊLiÊVÕÃÌiÀvVÕÃi`Ê>`ÊÊ ÊÊÊw`ÊÜ>ÞÃÊÌÊÃ>Þʺ9ið» NUMBERIN THE HOME IMPROVEMENT ONE i>ÀÊÀiÊ>ÌÊÜÜÜ° °VÊÀÊV>ÊnääÓÎÓäÇnn INDUSTRY. ONLINE AND PRINT. Distributed by: HHIQHHIQisonefacetofthe is one facet of the Hardlines Information Network. Since 1995, we’ve been delivering the most up-to-date information directly to you. Find out how you can get your message out with us. Contact Beverly Allen, Publisher: PHONE: MOBILE: EMAIL: © 2015 Boise Cascade Wood Products, L.L.C. BOISE CASCADE, the TREE-IN-A CIRCLE symbol and “Great products are only the beginning.” 416.489.3396 647.880.4589 [email protected] are trademarks of Boise Cascade Company or its affiliates. The best thing about joining Home? More products – and more profits. “When we first joined Home Hardware we noticed the difference right away, starting with the number of SKUs available to us. Anything you want, you can get. From products to profits to the bottom line, everything is better with Home.” Sharon Rumbolt Rocky Harbour, NL To find out how you can benefit by joining Home, visit home-owner.ca VOLUME 5, NO. 4 CONTENTS FOURTH QUARTER / 2015 COVER STORY 29 TWENTY YEARS OF THE TOP 20 DEPARTMENTS EDITOR’S MESSAGE Are you getting the most 7 out of trade shows? BUSINESS CONDITIONS Vendors are much LEADER’S FORECAST 8 more optimistictic FORECAST PREDICTS CLOUDY SKIES, MARKET REPORT WITH A CHANCE OF OPPORTUNITY Canada’s Top What’s in store for 2016? 10 Four Retailers 38 Industry leaders weigh in. PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Ultra Flexible Sandingng 18 Sponges and more 20 YEARS OF HARDLINES NEWS SPOTLIGHT Orgill acquires CELEBRATING 20 YEARS 21 Chalifour Canada NEWSROUNDUP 12 IN THE INDUSTRY HARDLINES has taken on the OUTSTANDING RETAIL AWARDS Lowe’s hires supply chain 23 Celebrating excellence role of not just informing, but 48 in the industry VP, plans DC relocation also connecting members of FERROFORMA Feds promise permanent this industry, through various events and activities. Spanish international reno tax credit 50 hardware fair PrimeSource will shed BUYING GROUPS SHOW REPORT Canadian operations 3rd Global through year-end HOW THE BUYING GROUPS 52 DIY Summit RONA results indicate ARE ORGANIZED ASSOCIATION CONNECTION effectiveness of 36 We break down how they’re Regional roundup of turnaround strategy structured for you. 53 business conditions STORE MANAGEMENT Home Hardware reorganizes SELLING TO PROS merchandise and marketing Where is your UP OFF THE MAT 56 business going? Under new president, After cutting to the Fraser Valley moves to RONA 44 ENDCAP bone, this pro dealer E-retail turns Home TORBSA and Castle empowered its remaining 62 Hardware store around end Epic relationship employees, and increased its profits. Baeumlers champion fundraising campaign FOURTH QUARTER / 2015 5 EDITOR’S MESSAGE ARE YOU GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TRADE SHOWS? What are you looking for in a trade show? It should be about more than just the best price. MICHAEL McLARNEY, EDITOR how season is upon us. While many are looking for good ideas and more Other groups are seeking solutions vendors will measure the success knowledge to make their stores better than of their own. TIM-BR MART Group’s S of their participation solely on the their competitors’. buying show includes dealer meetings number of orders written, more and more In the face of online technology and before the show and a model store right vendors we speak with are focusing on using squeezed margins for products, all trade on the show floor to effectively showcase these venues as a way to strengthen the shows are evolving to become less about vendors’ products and merchandising. larger customer relationships. buying and more about interacting with Castle conducts an annual Buying Expo More and more dealers, as well, are customers and offering new product ideas. in Atlantic Canada, where vendors are admitting that special buys are becoming This is a compelling argument for dealers guaranteed face time with each dealer, who less of an incentive. They talk instead to get out and attend the industry trade can ask questions about products while about the importance of networking and shows, including dedicated banner shows placing their orders. product knowledge in an age when orders and the regional buying shows held by the HARDLINES is in the information can be made online easily and tight margins LBM associations. business and, needless to say, is committed preclude any real deals in many product The notion of a strong in-store experience, to delivering industry news to help with categories. In fact, a survey conducted by which helps make one’s store a destination your business today, and sharing insights the Western Retail Lumber Association for shoppers as well as an alternative—or and trends that will guide you into the indicated that the top reason for attending next step—for customers searching for future. We also believe in the value of the the WRLA Buying Show was for “new products online, is an important message industry trade shows. That’s why we look product ideas.” Special buys rated second. for dealers, and one that savvy vendors are forward to meeting you at your next show While many suppliers, especially of getting behind in their support of their to share ideas and insights. commodities, continue to measure the dealer customers. Home Hardware is one success of shows solely on the volume organization that understands this. TheThe of orders signed, many are emphasizing dealer-owned co-op hosts a pre-marketrket in-store displays and product knowledge conference before each of its own markets.kets. that will help dealers sell their products These seminars introduce memberss to better. Smart dealers, in turn, aren’t new ideas and innovations. While someme ooff [email protected] just looking for ways to put pressure on the sessions educate dealers about Homeome their suppliers for better deals. They’re Hardware’s own services or programs,ams looking for ways to partner with vendors many of them focus on outside trends that to make their stores destinations for their affect home improvement, and retail in product categories and services. They general, in a broader way. www.hardlines.ca Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly FOURTH QUARTER / 2015 7 QUARTERLY BUSINESS CONDITIONS SECOND QUARTER 2015 espite a slow start to the year, following a long, hard winter, the percentage of retailers with a positive perception of what the next vast majority of both retailers and vendors reported business half-year holds dropped 13 percentage points over the year. D was up compared with the same time last year. For the most Long-term, retailer and vendor forecasts of business conditions are part, both groups’ business projections were in line with last year’s overall optimistic. The top issues impacting that optimism for retail- expectations. ers are staffing, training, and customer retention, whereas vendors The only major shift compared to last year at Q2 is that vendors are are concerned about the exchange rate with the U.S.