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livin’ is easyNew products and trends

for taking indoor life outside

Dave GillisGillis Home Building CentreSydney River NS

To find out how you can benefit by joining Home, visit home-owner.ca – or talk to one of us.Dunc Wilson, National, 519.498.1302 Georgette Carriere, Ontario, 519.501.5988 Luc Martin, Quebec, 819.357.0203

Andrew Parkhill, Western Canada, 604.751.3853 Kevin MacDonald, Atlantic Canada, 902.368.1620

“Home Hardware has the complete package. That’s why I joined in 2008 – and it’s the best move I’ve made in almost 40 years. With Home I have a power ful and respected name, a local Dis t r ibu t ion Cent re wi th over 60,000 SKUs and the mutual suppor t of over 1000 Home Owners just like me. I f you’re a dealer who hasn’t considered Home Hardware, take a good look at their program – or just give me a call and I’ll tell you myself.”

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Reply Card #101

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Dave GillisGillis Home Building CentreSydney River NS

To find out how you can benefit by joining Home, visit home-owner.ca – or talk to one of us.Dunc Wilson, National, 519.498.1302 Georgette Carriere, Ontario, 519.501.5988 Luc Martin, Quebec, 819.357.0203

Andrew Parkhill, Western Canada, 604.751.3853 Kevin MacDonald, Atlantic Canada, 902.368.1620

“Home Hardware has the complete package. That’s why I joined in 2008 – and it’s the best move I’ve made in almost 40 years. With Home I have a power ful and respected name, a local Dis t r ibu t ion Cent re wi th over 60,000 SKUs and the mutual suppor t of over 1000 Home Owners just like me. I f you’re a dealer who hasn’t considered Home Hardware, take a good look at their program – or just give me a call and I’ll tell you myself.”

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MAR/APR 2010 3

CONTENTS

Departments

Killer E-Marketing Tools. . .17The latest award-winning apps for Canadian hardware and home centre businesses.

Don’t get stuck. . .19What you can learn from Toyota, and how to apply it to your business.

Door Products. . .20New doors, hinges and locks to help you get in.

4. Comment6. Industry News10. New Products21. Centre Stage22. Out & About

It’s Better Outside

Spring has sprung, and so have our desires to get out and make our yards more than just buffers

between our neighbours.

Features

Cover. . .12

Reply Card #101

Coming next issue...2010 International

Hardware Show Cologne review

RECAL

L

CTR APR 1-24.indd 3 08/04/10 10:22 AM

4 CENTRE MAGAZINE

COMMENT

Front yards are plentiful in North America. There are millions of us who are actively planting, weeding, watering, spraying and mowing millions of acres of lawn. North Americans are pas-sionate about their lawns. In fact the very concept of a yard is such an American social ideal:

every family should have an independent home, consisting of a detached house on a plot of land, and that part of this land should be planted with something, usually grass.

Clearly the majority of homeowners accept this attitude, but few see their yards as more than a buffer between them and their neighbours. Equally few see that the obsession with a beautifully manicured lawn is a major contributor to serious environmental problems facing our planet. While some people recognize the impacts of the built environment itself on the natural environment, many

do not realize the significant role certain vegetation plays on the degradation of nature. Sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? But not everything that is green is green in a good way.

The lawn is the most prominent landscape in residential areas across Canada, and the predominant type in southern Ontario is large areas of Kentucky bluegrass. Unfortunately, this sod scenery is not only aesthetically monotonous, but it also creates environmental chal-lenges such as decreased biodiversity, the elimination of native species in favour of invasive and foreign species, the depletion of water resources for irrigation, a lack of stormwater management potential, and the contamination of groundwater with pesticides.

Statistics are more readily available about American lawns than Canadian, but it is safe to assume the trends are continued north of the border, for example: $5.25 billion is spent on fossil fuel-derived fertilizers and $700 million for pesticides for U.S. lawns; 67 million pounds of synthetic pesticides are used on U.S. lawns; and $25 billion is spent for

the lawn care industry. And it’s not just the grass: based on current calculations, the Environmental Protection Agency

estimates the amount of pollution emitted by a gas-powered lawnmower operating for one hour is equivalent to the amount of pollution emitted by a car driven for approximately 20 miles. And the remains – grass clippings – are often bagged and hauled away by environmentally-unfriendly trucks to landfills where they contribute to the solid waste problem.

Obviously I can’t ignore the popular appeal of a lawn. They increase the value of a property by 15 to 20 per cent, improve curb appeal, and savvy real estate agents will tell you that homes with well-maintained landscapes and “socially accepted turf” – a.k.a grass – sell quicker and for higher values.

But what are woefully under-utilized in front lawns and don’t get much attention on the retail level are native species: plants indigenous to a particular area, have evolved over thousands of years in response to the local climate and in association with other native species, and locally sourced and grown.

The visual diversity provided by native species landscaping is something more and more people are beginning to appreciate – once they actually get to see it, which isn’t too common, especially in urban neighbourhoods where owners are divided on the aesthetics and upkeep of a natural land-scape. The cool thing about native species landscaping is it never looks the same year over year, whereas Kentucky bluegrass – at best – maintains one tediously repetitive appearance.

Another plus is how native species with varying heights and densities provide protective cover and food for wildlife such as birds and insects such as butterflies and bees. Best of all, native species landscaping requires little-to-no pesticides, fertilizers or irrigation, as native species are genetically adapted to cope with local climate conditions and pests. This is a huge environmental benefit as pesticides and fertilizers create a variety of environmental and human hazards such as polluted groundwater. As well, irrigation to keep Kentucky bluegrass alive where it doesn’t want to be is the largest use of potable water in residential areas during summer months (depending on the city, 30 to 60 per cent of urban fresh water is used for watering lawns), a waste that can be avoided with plants that can adapt to dry spells.

This is an industry that, while not exactly in its infancy – native species landscaping is fully en-dorsed by professional landscape architects and designers, and of course conservationists – has yet to be embraced by the hardlines and home improvement industry. In fact, 50 per cent of the known invasive plants in Canada have been introduced intentionally through the horticultural trade, ac-cording to the Canada Food Inspection Agency. It’s tough to change our minds about a billion-dollar industry that is seen as an integral part of home improvement. But billion-dollar industries often need changing, and more importantly, there’s green to be made by endorsing and supporting the development of commercial native plant production and sales.� CENTRE

Volume 34, number 2 www.centremagazine.com

Peter SobchakEditor

416-510-5117 psobchak@centremagazine.com

Mary Peligra Art Director

Jessica Jubb Production Manager

416-510-5194

Phyllis WrightPrint Production Manager

Cindi Holder Circulation Manager

416-442-5600 ext. 3544

Elizabeth CallaghanCirculation Data Services Manager

416-442-5600 ext. 3538

Jordy Bellotto Sales

416-510-6780

Tom Arkell Publisher

416-510-6806

Alex Papanou Vice-president

Bruce Creighton President

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40069240. CENTRE is Published by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers and business-to-business information services. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Circulation Dept. – Hardware & Home Centre Magazine 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 Tel: 416-442-5600 Fax: 416-510-6875.

EDitoRiAl MAnDAtE MEMbER: The Audit Bureau of Circulations; Canadian Business Press; Canadian Hardware/Housewares; Manu-fac turers Association; Canadian Retail Hardware Association. Centre Magazine (USPS 010-724) is published 6 times a year, by Business Information Group, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, North York, Ontario M3C 4J2. US office of publication: 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14304-0357. Periodicals Postage Paid at Niagara Falls, NY. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Hardware and Home Centre, PO Box 1118, Niagara Falls, NY 14304. Subscription rates: $27.95 +GST per year in Canada; U.S.A.: U.S.$51.95; Foreign: U.S. $54.95. Send subscrip-tion orders and address changes to the circulation department; article submissions and any other enquires to the Editors, Centre Magazine 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2.

From time to time, we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-668-2374, Fax: 416-442-2191, E-Mail: privacyofficer@businessin-formationgroup.ca, Mail to: Privacy Officer – Business Information Group, Suite 800-12 Concorde Pl., Toronto, ON Canada M3C 4J2.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program towards our mailing costs.

FoR REPRints CAll: 1-800-268-7742 ext. 5106

ISSN 0847-9968.

A proud supporter of

H A R D W A R E & H O M E

CENTRE

Peter Sobchak, Editor

ARROW® wire & cable tackers

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Arrow Fastener Company, Inc.

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www.arrowfastener.com© 2009 Arrow Fastener Company, Inc. Arrow® is aRegistered Trademark of Arrow Fastener Co, Inc.

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Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40069240. CENTRE is Published by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers and business-to-business information services. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Circulation Dept. – Hardware & Home Centre Magazine 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 Tel: 416-442-5600 Fax: 416-510-6875.

EDitoRiAl MAnDAtE MEMbER: The Audit Bureau of Circulations; Canadian Business Press; Canadian Hardware/Housewares; Manu-fac turers Association; Canadian Retail Hardware Association. Centre Magazine (USPS 010-724) is published 6 times a year, by Business Information Group, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, North York, Ontario M3C 4J2. US office of publication: 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14304-0357. Periodicals Postage Paid at Niagara Falls, NY. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Hardware and Home Centre, PO Box 1118, Niagara Falls, NY 14304. Subscription rates: $27.95 +GST per year in Canada; U.S.A.: U.S.$51.95; Foreign: U.S. $54.95. Send subscrip-tion orders and address changes to the circulation department; article submissions and any other enquires to the Editors, Centre Magazine 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2.

From time to time, we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-668-2374, Fax: 416-442-2191, E-Mail: privacyofficer@businessin-formationgroup.ca, Mail to: Privacy Officer – Business Information Group, Suite 800-12 Concorde Pl., Toronto, ON Canada M3C 4J2.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program towards our mailing costs.

FoR REPRints CAll: 1-800-268-7742 ext. 5106

ISSN 0847-9968.

A proud supporter of

ARROW® wire & cable tackers

make installing a large variety

of cables so fast and easy, you

can do it with one hand. They

shoot a range of fasteners for

3/16” diameter wire to large

insulated cable fasteners for

12/2, 14/2, and other cables up

to 19/32” (15mm) wide.

These rugged tools are easy to

handle and built to last. Just

one of the reasons why Arrow

cable tackers are the preferred

fastening tool of professional

wire and cable installers in

every field.

Arrow tools & staples are

color coded, so not only are

they easy to use, but also

easy to buy.

Arrow Fastener Company, Inc.

USA Tel: 201.843.6900Canada Tel: 514.321.3983UK Tel: 44.208.686.9180

www.arrowfastener.com© 2009 Arrow Fastener Company, Inc. Arrow® is aRegistered Trademark of Arrow Fastener Co, Inc.

AD-0159 REV 1109

Available where fine tools are sold.

Visit us atarrowfastener.com

for more information on theseand other great Arrow tools.

72™

59™

25™

GOT WIRE?Get Arrow®

Reply Card #102

CTR APR 1-24.indd 5 08/04/10 10:22 AM

6 CENTRE MAGAZINE

INDUSTRY NEWS

Ontario contractors anticipate improved business opportunities in 2010 The Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS) released the find-ings of its 2010 Survey of Ontario’s Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) Construction Industry at the OCS 10th Annual State of the Industry & Outlook Conference. This annual survey of ICI construction contractors across Ontario reveals that the sector is set to experience stronger growth in 2010. The survey of over 1000 non-residential ICI contractors conducted by Ipsos Reid for the OCS indicates that half (49 per cent) of ICI construc-tion contractors expect to conduct more (35 per cent) or much more (14 per cent) work in 2010, compared to 2009.

Contractors expect to conduct the most new work in the com-mercial sector (42 per cent), followed by the industrial and insti-tutional sectors (20 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively). Con-tractors in the GTA are the most optimistic for new business in 2010, while those firms in the London area and Northwestern Ontario are the least optimistic.

The positive outlook for 2010 is also expected to translate into more jobs in the ICI construction sector as three-in-ten (31 per cent) firms expect to increase the number of people they employ over the next year.

Contractors’ strong optimism for this year is welcomed as 2009 proved to be a tough year for many firms. Slightly less than half (42 per cent) of firms reported conducting less business in 2009, compared to a record-breaking year in 2008. However, de-spite the tough economic year, three-in-ten (30 per cent) firms also reported conducting more business last year compared to 2008. Those firms located in Eastern Ontario and also larger firms who earn more annual revenue were the most likely to have had a successful year in 2009.

The effects of 2009 are still lingering for many firms in Ontario as more than half (57 per cent) report the current economic situ-ation is having a negative impact on their business in early 2010. Meaning, many firms may be anticipating a rebound in activity later in the year. The fact that only one-quarter (27 per cent) of firms felt that the Infrastructure Stimulus funds had a very sig-nificant (seven per cent) or somewhat significant (20 per cent) effect on their business activity in 2009 points to the slow uptake of these funds. It is anticipated that more firms will benefit in 2010 as two-thirds (63 per cent) believe the Infrastructure Stimu-lus should be extended beyond the current March 2011 deadline.

Despite the tough year for many ICI contractors throughout the province, the majority of firms continue to be in a strong (41 per cent) or very strong (26 per cent) financial position (67 per cent, down eight per cent from the previous year) in 2010, allow-ing these firms to capitalize on any new opportunities that arise in ICI construction this year.

RONA Commercial and Professional Market divi-sion enters Quebec specialized plumbing market with acquisition of Plomberie Payette & PerreaultRONA has acquired, through its subsidiary Noble Trade, the as-sets of Plomberie Payette & Perreault Inc. This company, special-

izing in the distribution and retail sales of finishing plumbing products, has a 20,000-sq.-ft distribution centre in Le Gardeur, Quebec, and two retail outlets operating under Les boutiques Eau-dace banner, one in Repentigny and one in Boucherville, Quebec. Payette & Perreault co-owners Claude Thibault and Alain Payette have agreed to stay on with the company to help develop the Commercial and Professional Market division.

In 2007, RONA acquired Noble Trade, an Ontario plumbing supplies distributor with an experienced management team and now 22 points of sale, in addition to its distribution facilities. RONA later acquired Best-MAR, a plumbing specialist with three outlets in the Ottawa region. Finally, in 2009, the main Noble Trade distribution centre was expanded by 188,000 square feet in order to introduce a complete line of heating, ventilation and air conditioning products, as well as related items to meet the needs of RONA’s commercial and professional customers.

The Home Depot sets energy use and greenhouse gas emissions targets for 2015The Home Depot announced that it has reduced its U.S. store en-ergy use by 2.6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) since 2004 and that it will achieve a 20 per cent reduction in kWh per square foot us-age in its U.S. stores by 2015. Also, the company has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its domestic supply chain by 20 per cent within the next five years. The company is in the process of calculating its comprehensive carbon footprint based on the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development protocol, the emerging standard for government and business leaders to understand, quantify and manage GHGs. The results of the findings will be released in one year’s time.

During the past six years, The Home Depot has reduced its U.S. stores’ energy per square foot consumption by 16 per cent. At the start of 2004, The Home Depot’s energy usage was 25 kWh per square foot. Through a series of operational programs includ-ing the upgrading of store HVAC systems, aligning of stocking hours more closely with store operating hours, use of CFL bulbs and a switch to T5 lighting, the company’s U.S. store energy usage now stands at 21 kWh per square foot. Since these reductions be-gan in 2004, the company has saved 2.6 billion kWh of energy, which is enough energy to power 203,000 homes for one year.

Moving forward and in addition to store operations efforts, the company believes it can reach 20 kWh per square foot of en-ergy usage by 2015, and has set a target to reduce its domestic supply chain greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent from its 2008 levels. As the company continues its supply chain transfor-mation of moving from having predominately supplier-to-store shipments to the utilization of a centralized distribution network, it expects to see an increase in transportation efficiencies.

The reduction of GHGs from the company’s domestic supply chain during the next five years will be largely the result of more efficient routing, scheduling and the consolidation of shipments to stores. Upon reaching the target, the company anticipates a re-duction of 200 million miles driven per year. This equates to

CTR APR 1-24.indd 6 08/04/10 10:22 AM

MAR/APR 2010 7

INDUSTRY NEWS

annual fuel savings of 25 million gallons or 8,000 trips around the earth. The Home Depot received the 2009 Environmental Ex-cellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay Transport Partnership for its leadership in conserving energy and lowering greenhouse gas emissions from its transpor-tation and freight activities.

PARTNERSHIPS

DeWALT partners with NHL players Dion Phaneuf and Luke Schenn

Industrial power tools manufacturer DeWALT has inked a partnership with Dion Phaneuf and Luke Schenn of the To-ronto Maple Leafs for 2010. “Both players continually give 100 per cent night after night with their strong defen-sive plays and hard hits. Our slogan is “Guaran-teed Tough” and like our tools, Dion and Luke

will stand up to anything thrown at them,” said Brett Maves, di-rector of marketing for DeWALT Canada. “This partnership is a natural evolution of our involvement with hockey in Canada.”

An avid woodworker, Phaneuf uses DeWALT tools in his work-shop. “DeWALT is a brand that I personally use and would recom-mend to anyone. The tools can take a beating and never let you down,” said Phaneuf. Playing in one of the toughest hockey mar-kets hasn’t fazed Luke Schenn, who was named to the NHL’s 2009 All-Rookie Team. “I am very happy to have DeWALT as a corpo-rate sponsor,” Schenn said. “They are known for their quality products, which is something I can identify with.”

RONA partners with the Canadian Women’s Foundation RONA has announced a new partnership with the Canadian Women’s Foundation and the Canadian Association of Women in Construction (CAWIC), to help female victims of domestic violence re-establish their independence and rebuild their lives. To highlight this commitment, RONA is launching a fundraising campaign at all RONA stores across the country. The “Help us rebuild lives and end domestic violence” fundraising campaign was launched on March 8th to help victims of domestic vio-

lence that have left abusive situations and are working toward independence, and to help their children too. For every dollar its customers donate to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, RONA will donate the equivalent in labour and building materials to renovate women’s shelters that house female victims of do-mestic violence.

RONA’s goal is to raise $100,000, which will support pro-grams funded by the Canadian Women’s Foundation that pro-vide shelter to women fleeing abuse, teach young people about healthy relationships, support children who have witnessed abuse, and rebuild the lives of women and children after they have experienced violence. RONA will provide the labour and building materials for a number of shelter renovation proj-ects across the country and CAWIC will provide project manage-ment support.

The fundraising efforts will be supported by an advertising campaign consisting of a TV message and in-store signage. The campaign was produced by the BOS agency, RONA’s mar-keting partner, in collaboration with Carat, RONA’s media plan-ning partner.

Moen Canada awarded 2009 Home Depot Partner of the Year Moen, producers of residential and commercial plumbing prod-ucts and the number one faucet brand in Canada, has once again been presented with The Home Depot 2009 ‘Partner of the Year’ Award. Moen Canada first received this award in 1999 and 2009 marks the fifth consecutive win. The award is given annually to recognize the top supplier who has demonstrated a consistent, high level of service over the past year.

“This is a remarkable accomplishment for Moen Canada that speaks volumes about all our employees’ hard work and commit-ment,” said Peter Fealy, vice president, sales and marketing retail, Moen Canada. “We’re extremely honoured to be named The Home Depot ‘Partner of the Year’ particularly in light of the chal-lenges we’ve all faced in 2009.”

Reply Card #103

Your Trusted Building Supply Partner

Some national chains treat local stores like puppets, replacing your knowledge with their head office decisions.At Castle building centres, we’re committed to ‘Freedom of one. Strength of many.’We want you to succeed as an independent.In fact, your success is our only focus.

Are you an independent thinking about joining a national group? Or, are you unhappy with your current partnership and looking to change? If so, call the Castle hotline. We’ll put you in touch with one of our business development managers. He’ll give you the straight goods about Castle. No strings attached.

Call our Castle hotline: 1-877-50 INDEPENDENT (1-877-504-6337)Email: independent@castle.caWebsite: castle.ca/independent

Your trusted building supply partner.

Retail. Commercial. Specialty. Des

ign:

Em

erge

2 D

igita

l

Some national chains treat local stores like puppets, replacing your knowledge with their head office decisions.At Castle building centres, we’re committed to ‘Freedom of one. Strength of many.’We want you to succeed as an independent.In fact, your success is our only focus.

Are you an independent thinking about joining a national group? Or, are you unhappy with your current partnership and looking to change? If so, call the Castle hotline. We’ll put you in touch with one of our business development managers. He’ll give you the straight goods about Castle. No strings attached.

Call our Castle hotline: 1-877-50 INDEPENDENT (1-877-504-6337)Email: independent@castle.caWebsite: castle.ca/independent

Your trusted building supply partner.

Retail. Commercial. Specialty. Des

ign:

Em

erge

2 D

igita

l

www.castle.ca

Bruce HolmanBusiness Development Manager, Central RegionCastle Building Centres Group Ltd.(905) 488-3107bholman@castle.ca

For information please call

CTR APR 1-24.indd 7 08/04/10 10:22 AM

8 CENTRE MAGAZINE

INDUSTRY NEWSPEOPLE IN THE NEWS

WRLA elects first woman president in Association’s 120-year historyThe Western Retail Lumber Association an-nounced the election of Karen Clement, co-owner and controller of Edmonton-based Mission Building Supplies (1985) Ltd., as president of the WRLA Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting during the 2010 Prairie Showcase Buying Show & Con-vention. Clement is the first women to hold the position of president in the Association’s 120-year history. In her first message to the association’s 1,250 members across Western Canada, Clement said her priorities as Board President will be to build on WRLA’s past successes.  “Our association is well posi-tioned for continued growth,” she said. “The building materials industry will play a significant role in building a strong Canadian economy. In terms of the challenges that lie ahead, we will need to place a stronger emphasis on succession planning and educat-ing and retaining the future of our industry.”

IRLY personnel win awardsSusan Robinson, president & CEO of IRLY Dis-tributors Ltd., was the winner of the Surrey Board of Trade’s inaugural corporate Surrey Women in Business Award. Nominations were submitted in three categories – entrepreneur, professional and corporate – and judged on the nominee’s work in Surrey, business acumen, leadership, balanced lifestyle, and community involvement and service.

In addition, Shannon Cupskey of IRLY Dis-tributors was honoured with the CHBA National Awards of Honour in recognition of her “dedica-tion and service to the association at the local level.” GVHBA members were bestowed with prestigious awards at the CHBA National Confer-

ence in Victoria, held on March 6.

Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy receives new EuropeanHome Improvement Lifetime AwardEDRA, the European DIY-Retail Association, fediyma (the European Federation of DIY and Gardening Manufacturers) and the Conference Group announced that Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy would be the first recipient of the new European Home Improvement LifetimeAward. The award will be presented during the fediyma/EDRA Fo-

rum in Vienna on June 10-11. Sir Geoffrey joined what is now Kingfisher in 1982, first as

Group Finance Director, then as Group Managing Director. Dur-ing this time he was instrumental in the reorganization and ex-pansion of the Group and its subsequent major development in the UK and internationally, overseeing an increase in market cap-italization from £105 million in 1982 to over £5 billion when he

stepped down in November 2002. Kingfisher has grown to be one of Europe’s leading retailing groups, with annual turnover of £10.5 billion from 830 outlets in eight countries.

EDRA was founded in 2002 by the French Home Centre Retail Association (FMB) and the German Home Centre Retail Associa-tion (BHB), and became an independent body on January 1st, 2010. The EDRA association today has members from 18 coun-tries operating in 38 countries.

NEW STORES, NEW MEMBERSCastle adds five new membersto expanding national presence

True Value – Neepawa, Manitoba – CastleDarryl & Michelle Gerrard are expanding their Neepawa True Value in Manitoba, which they have operated for the past seven years to include lumber and building materials. 

Canadian Trade International – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – CastleCTI of Saskatoon have supplied and serviced a unique and grow-ing marketplace for the past three years. CTI has just completed a new retail showroom and have joined Castle to add hardware and building material products to offer a complete program to their customers.

Broadway Drywall Distribution – Williams Lake, British Columbia – CBSBroadway Drywall Distribution is a new business in Williams Lake and will specialize in the supply and service of building material products to the commercial and residential construction industry. Major product lines will include lumber, panel boards, engineered wood products, gypsum, insulation, steel and hardware.

Victoria Carpet Shoppe – Victoria, Newfoundland – CastleVictoria Carpet Shoppe started in 1985 as an independent family-owned business retailing flooring, plumbing and electrical products. With the addition of a new showroom in 2008 they expanded into windows and doors.

Maritime Truss Limited – Truro, Nova Scotia – Castle SpecialtyFamily-owned Maritime Truss Limited has supplied prefabricated wood roof, floor trusses and LVL beams to the Atlantic Provinces for over 20 years. MTL felt under the economic conditions of today it was important to diversify and broaden their product offering with related building material products and joined Castle’s Speciality Division to maximize their growth opportunities.

Three new RONA stores open, aim for LEED certification RONA inc. opened the doors of three new stores: one in Sherwood Park, Alta., and the other two in Ontario towns of Aurora and Welland. The new 52,000-sq.-ft. RONA Sherwood Park store repre-sents a $16 million investment in Sherwood Park and 72 local jobs, 40 of which are new positions. Located at 301 Wye Road, the new RONA replaces an older store that was located at 222 Baseline Road

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INDUSTRY NEWSin Sherwood Park and is also twice the size of the former store. The store will be the first under the RONA banner to apply for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification in Alberta. The new TOTEM store in Strathmore, Alta., and the RONA in Saint-Georges, Que, have also applied for LEED certification.

Located at 140 First Commerce Drive, the new Aurora store represents an investment of more than $14 million and provides 150 jobs in the community. At 100,000 square feet, the store features a 2,890-square-foot greenhouse, a 876-square-foot cut shop, a 15,400-square-foot drive through lumberyard and a 11,200-square-foot outdoor garden centre.

RONA Welland, located at 165 Primeway Drive, represents a $9 million investment and provides 65 jobs in the community, and grew from a local family business, Welland Lumber, started by Steve and Grace Tomiuck in 1945. Under the management of their grandson, Jonas Tomiuck, the business grew into a RONA affiliate in 2007. With this new corporate store, RONA is consolidating the market and bringing into its fold the established business volumes of Welland Lumber.

Both RONA Aurora and RONA Welland have adopted several environmentally sustainable building components based on LEED criteria. The sustainable efforts include the use of a white energy efficient roofing system; energy efficient lighting and motion de-

Reply Card #104

tectors for specific lighting controls; use of construction materials with high recycled content; water saving plumbing fixtures to low-er water consumption; timers and controls to regulate air condi-tioning and heating throughout the day; and the use of low-emit-ting materials to improve air quality. Wood from certified forests and locally-manufactured materials were also used in the con-struction of the store. Bike racks were installed to encourage em-ployees to cycle or walk to work. Finally, the light fixtures on dis-play in the store use low-consumption compact fluorescent bulbs rather than incandescent ones.

IRLY welcomes new memberThe IRLY Building Centres welcomes their newest member, Mouldings Plus Building Supplies, owned and operated by Stacey Gunderson in Prince George, B.C. Gunderson bought and sold lumber for 16 years and then decided to start his own business five years ago. He moved into his current 3,000-sq.-ft. location a year ago and plans to gradually expand his store to 9,000 square feet. He currently offers mainly finishing products, but will now ex-pand his hardware line and add lumber and plywood. When asked why he joined IRLY, Gunderson said it was because when he asked others about IRLY, he “heard nothing but good,” adding, “Everything has been great.”

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NEW PRODUCTS

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HAND-HELD TORCHBernzOmatic is introduc-ing Quickfire, a new high-performance hand-held torch that features a new compact profile, a high-in-tensity swirl flame for 30 per cent faster soldering time, Quick-Start instant on/off trigger igniter, and a new canister that fits all torches on the market and provides enough fuel to solder 200 fittings. www.bernzomatic.com

VIDEO SYSTEMSGeneral Tools & Instru-ments’ new video inspec-tion tools are designed to see into hard-to-reach areas and come equipped with a high-strength and obedient one metre (39.4 in) camera-tipped probe with built-in, adjustable LED lighting; a mirror, magnet and pick-up hook that can mount on the end of the probe. Probes start from 9.5mm in diam-eter, are water, oil and dust-proof, and advanced units of The Seeker line allow the user to record and transfer still images and video.www.generaltools.com/camerascopes

WALL-MOUNTED HOOKSStanley Home Designs has added a new series of wall-mounted hooks to their Home Organization product line. Essentials Hookrails are available in four designer combina-tions: white hooks on a white rail; satin nickel hooks on a white rail; satin nickel hooks on a brown rail; or oil-rubbed bronze hooks on a natural rail. www.stanleyworks.com

DEMOLITION BREAKERThe new Hilti TE 1500-AVR Breaker delivers up to 1,950 blows per minute with 22 foot-pounds of impact en-ergy generated by a 1,800-watt motor, efficiently break-ing up floors, slabs or foundations. All that power is tempered by a best-in-class weight-to-power ratio, along with Hilti’s sub-chas-sis active vibration reduc-tion (AVR) system that dra-matically cuts the vibration felt by the operator. www.hilti.ca

AUGER BITBosch Power Tools & Ac-cessories introduces the new Nailkiller Auger Bit, which unlike traditional au-ger bits employs an innova-tive reinforced tip that push-es hidden nails to the side when the bit makes contact and allows a more aggres-sive part of the bit to cut through the fasteners. The result is an auger bit that lasts, on average, nine times longer than the mar-ket leading auger bit. www.boschtools.com

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NEW PRODUCTS

SCREWDRIVER WITH SCREW HOLDER IDEAL has introduced a professional-grade screw-driver featuring its new Grip-n-Twist screw-holding mechanism. This spring-action locking system en-gages and disengages screws with a simple thumb movement, letting the user set, start and then tightly fasten a screw with one-handed ease. www.idealindustries.com

MAGNETIC LED LIGHTTASK TOOLS’ new Light Mine is an innovative mag-netic and compact flash-light that can be positioned into any tight space, 12 “rare earth” magnets allow it to stick to any ferrous sur-face and the unique shape allows it to be pointed in any direction. A powerful LED light is powered by three LR44 watch batteries, which are easily replace-able. www.task-tools.com

PEST CONTROLSEALANTA new instant-cure, two-part foam sealant and copper wire mesh system for rodent and pest control applications is being intro-duced by Todol Products, Inc. The Duo-Fill 400 Two-Part Urethane Foam Seal-ant features a can-inside-a-can package and expands directly in the actuator head of its dispensing tube, and used in combination with their Stuff-It copper wire mesh creates a barrier to rodents and pests by stop-ping heat, light, odours and flowing water. www.todol.com

MAGNETIC JOBSITESTORAGEDEWALT has unveiled the Magnetic ToughCase Con-tainer, a durable, compact jobsite accessory storage solution for bits, hole saws and other common acces-sories. Two magnets on top of the lid secure any ferrous material, the rubber bum-pers prevent the case from sliding, and built-in hooks on the back make it easy to hang from most materials. The Container will be avail-able in a standard 15-piece Fastening Set and the 20- piece Drilling/Driving Set.www.dewalt.com

CHEMICAL ADHESIVESH. Paulin & Co. Limited has launched a new line of ERGO chemical adhesives exclusive to the Canadian market. The line consists of threadlockers, hydraulic and pipe sealants, anti-seize products, super glues, gasketing and retain-ing compounds. A new ad-justable dispensing system prevents clogging of the cap or hardening of the product in the bottle by au-tomatically clearing the nozzle and ensuring proper closure of the bottle. www.hpaulin.com

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COVER STORY

HIt tHe DeCKFiberon LLC is elevating its PVC offering to Fiberon OutdoorFlooring featuring Sensibuilt Lumenite technology, a patent-pending, fusion-bonded surface innovation originally introduced on Sensibuilt PVC decking to reduce fading, staining and mold. Of additional interest to Canadians, Fiberon has formed a distribution partnership with Goodfellow, Inc. to offer a complete portfolio of alternative decking and fencing solutions across Canada. www.fiberondecking.com

AZEK Building Products has several new additions to its AZEK Deck and AZEK Rail

product lines, including two new colors with an enhanced, natural wood-grain look:

Sedona, a medium brown and Tahoe, a gray shade. AZEK Deck also enters the exotic

world of tropical hardwoods with the Arbor Collection. Three new colors with a subtle

wood grain and pattern that resembles tropical woods include Acacia, a rich walnut brown; Morado, a light brown similar to Ipe;

and Redland Rose, with warm reddish hues. These deck boards have the lush looks of the tropics, but are far more workable without the

extreme weight or density. www.azek.com

TimberTech is expanding their DeckLites line by offering

Accent Lights in Coastal White. All DeckLites components are

designed to fit with TimberTech’s RadianceRail, Ornamental Rail and FenceScape systems, and

select components can be used on any decking or railing system.

In addition to the lights, other components sold separately include: UL listed 150W and

300W transformers; wire; wire connectors; wire guides

and replacement bulbs. www.timbertech.com

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COVER STORY

B y J o h n G . S m i t h

There is no escaping the vision of a deck as a simple 16x12 plat-form made of pressure-treated lumber. It is a design that reaches into the back yards of virtually every major subdivision across

Canada. More and more these days, however, decks are being viewed as a true extension of a home’s living space, and homeowners are exploring an array of design and build options. “As the economy starts to rebound, more people are making home improvements they’ve been putting off, and a new or rebuilt deck is often at the top of their list,” says Brent Gwatney, vice president of sales and marketing for MoistureShield. “Many of them want to build green, without sacrificing beauty and with-out breaking the bank.”

Think outside the pressure-treated boxThe use of exotic materials presents one of the best ways to transform any deck into a showpiece. Hardwoods such as an Indonesian Ipe, jatoba or cumaru will offer a smooth, long-lasting surface in addition to an ex-otic look. Tigerwood, meanwhile, can come complete with distinctive brown and black streaks.

Exotic looks are not limited to a choice of wood, either. Composite boards can deliver realistic wood grains and a broader array of colors than ever before. It may seem odd to use something other than wood to create the look of lumber, but this material will also retain vivid colors for longer periods of time and help to resist enemies in the form of in-sects or rot. The added advantage is that composite materials can be easily curved into different shapes using no more than a salamander heater, Sonotube and rebar supports to guide each bend.

Expand the space and define itTrends in raw material sales prove that homeowners are embracing big-ger decks than ever before. The most common composite boards are still those that come in 16’ lengths, but 20’ spans have replaced 12’ lengths as the next most popular option. If builders are ordering longer boards, they are obviously looking to limit the number of joints that would oth-erwise cut through a larger surface.

In addition to creating more space for people and furnishings, a larg-er deck often presents the opportunity to incorporate naturally occur-ring features such as a mature tree or an outcropping of rocks. The lum-ber can easily reach around any features like these as long as space is left for the boards to expand and contract.

A few additional features can transform the larger space into a series of distinct areas. A pergola, for example, can help to establish the loca-tion for a kitchen or outdoor bar. Privacy walls that incorporate decora-

HIt tHe DeCK

CertainTeed Corporation is introducing four new decking and railing products to its outdoor product offering. Through a distribution agreement with Fi-beron LLC, CertainTeed is adding EverNew PT and EverNew 20 decking along with EverNew Spectrum and EverNew 20 railing to its portfolio. Each of the products offers the realistic appear-ance of wood in a durable, low-maintenance mate-rial and is backed by a 20-year warranty. The prod-ucts boast an average recycled content of 25 per cent and are resistant to insect damage, splinters and decay. www.certainteed.com

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COVER STORYtive insets or lattice work can separate a seating area from the walls of an adjacent spa. Rather than using 2x2 pickets to complete a rail-ing, meanwhile, the sleek look of aluminum tubing will help to main-tain the line of sight into a nearby lake or ravine.

The days may be longer in summer months, but extra lighting is being incorporated more and more to extend parties well after dark. Just like a space indoors, homeowners want more than simply flood-ing the space with a single source of light. In addition to some well-aimed floodlights that define the surroundings around the deck, a few low-level lights can accent architectural features such as railings, while others can help to draw attention to toe-stubbing steps. Some options don’t even require any additional wiring, thanks to the grow-ing number of solar powered LEDs on the market.

“With the recent proliferation of decking options, homeowners are placing emphasis on style and aesthetics. They are looking for flooring for their outdoor living spaces the same way they selected tile, laminate or hardwood for their indoor spaces,” says Chris Beyer, vice president of marketing for Fiberon. This is what people must mean when they talk about the great outdoors. An expanded version of this article appeared in the March/April 2010 issue of Contractor Advantage. CENTRE

Demand for wood-plastic composite and plastic lumber toreach $5.3 billion in 2013

Demand for wood-plastic composite and plastic lum-ber is projected to advance 9.2 per cent per year to

US$5.3 billion in 2013, creating a market for 3.3 billion pounds of plastic. Gains will be driven by continued con-sumer acceptance of these products as replacements for more traditional materials, such as natural wood. Com-posite and plastic lumber will increasingly be desired due to their long lifespan, minimal maintenance requirements, resistance to degradation caused by insect attack and exposure to the elements, and ability to be cut and hewn like natural wood. Moreover, the increasing perception of these materials as environmentally friendly products, due to their incorporation of recycled materials, will promote further demand. Gains will also be boosted by the re-bound of residential construction from the low levels ex-perienced in 2008. These and other trends are presented in Wood-Plastic Composite & Plastic Lumber, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based in-dustry research firm.

Decking will continue to be the leading application for composite and plastic lumber. Busy homeowners will in-creasingly opt for these materials over traditional wood decks, as decks made from composite and plastic lum-ber require less annual maintenance and have longer lifespan. While decks made from these materials may cost more initially, composite and plastic lumber decks can cost less in the long term, since they do not require annual staining or insect treatments.

Wood-plastic composite lumber will post more rapid gains than plastic lumber, advancing 10.5 per cent annu-ally to US$2.4 billion in 2013. Growth in demand for plastic lumber is forecast to rise 8.2 per cent per year to US$2.9 billion in 2013.

Through 2013, among the major applications, decking and fencing are forecast to see above-average gains, pri-marily due to rising interest in using alternative materials. Molding and trim will remain a key market for composite and plastic lumber, but will see below-average growth, as plastic lumber has already attained substantial market penetration. Demand for composite and plastic lumber in landscape and outdoor products, windows and doors, and other applications will be promoted by continued consumer recognition of the performance properties of the material, as well as by their image as ecologically friendly products. CENTRE

MoistureShield introduces its new Vantage Collection environmentally friendly

wood-plastic composite decking line. Available in an array of colours (including two new

colours to the MoistureShield line – Walnut and Tigerwood) and

embossed with a realistic wood grain finish on both sides,

making them fully reversible, the Vantage Collection contains

a minimum of 30 per cent post-consumer recycled content and 60 per cent

pre-consumer recycled content. www.moistureshield.com

Trex is expanding its portfolio of outdoor living products with the new Trex Transcend decking and railing system. Engineered with a low-sheen, high-traffic formulation, Transcend decking combines a finish that resists stains, scratches and mold with a proprietary nine-element surface formulation that produces a natural, wood-like grain pattern with a lustrous satin finish. The collection is available in four colours: Vintage Lantern (a deep-bur-nished bronze), Tree House (a warm brown earth tone), Gravel Path (a pris-tine grey) and Fire Pit (a spicy red look that goes well with rustic architec-ture). Transcend decking contains 95 per cent recycled content, and the railing uses entirely reclaimed wood, contributing to the LEED points of any residential or commercial structure. www.trex.com

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Eco-friendly gardening toolsGarant’s new Enviro collection of gardening tools include four gardening tools and a variety of decorative planters that each try to reduce their ecological footprint. The tool’s handles are made of wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and the square point shovel blades, for example, are composed of 20 per cent recycled steel with 75 per cent recycled paint powder. The decorative planters are composed of 80 per cent sustainable materials like rice and bamboo and last at least three years under normal use and then are completely biode-gradable. The new Ames Water Saver has a control valve at the hose spout which allows you to easily change attachments without having to waste water while you walk back to the tap. www.garant.com

Gardening glovesPlanto’s new Flex gloves’ design removes the bulky seam and extra material between fingers to allow flexibility

while keeping a delicate touch. Features include a soft

suede palm that extends to give the wrists protection, reinforced fingertips

and elastic cuffs, and a spandex backing allowing the hands to breathe and

keep cool.

Designed with women in mind, Garant’s nine new scaled-down

Botanica gardening tools are light-weight, with comfort-grip handles and

smaller shovel heads for gardening in tight spaces, perfect for small urban gardens and dense flowerbeds. And Garant’s new Er-goLoop line of hand tools is designed with an ergonomic loop-style grip to prevent wrist

fatigue. Its special drop-down shank extends the user’s reach, helping to prevent back-strain and knuckle-drag. www.garant.com

Steam Weeder The GS5000i Steam Weeder from GreenSteam

Solutions kills weeds growing in long cracks and crevices, but instead of spraying herbi-

cides, the GS-5000i shoots 500 degree Celsius scalding steam, which kills most new growth in one second. The machine burns less than $15 of propane per day and less than three gallons of water per hour. The original version garnered an Innovative Product of the Year Award in 2008

from the Canadian National Research Council (NRC) and the Canadian Manufacturers &

Exporters Association (CME). www.greensteam.com

Chic tools for the savvy gardener

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LAWNS&GARDENS

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ComposterGood Ideas, Inc has modified its popular EZ Composter into the smaller EZ Composter Jr., with a seven cubic foot capacity. Like the larger version, the Jr. uses 98 per cent recycled plastic, a wide 12 inch hard shell injection molded lid, wheels for easier turning, and many aeration holes for quicker drainage and compost making. The new size accommodates retailers that need to ship units one at a time, as it is sized to fit boxes slightly under the oversized shipping dimensions. www.goodideasinc.com

Walk-Behind TrencherToro is extending its line of dedicated walk-behind trenchers with the new Toro TRX-26. Boasting a 26-hp Kawasaki engine and the

patented Toro Dingo TX-style control system that eliminates the “jerk” steering required with handlebar control steering, the TRX-26

is ideal for utility workers, irrigation contractors and plumbers looking for the power of a ride-on trencher, with the manoeuvrabil-

ity and control of a walk-behind. www.toro.com/trx

LAWNS&GARDENS

Finding ‘green’ in greenGreen space can improve property value. This

has been documented in a number of publications and studies including: rSmart Money magazine indicated that consumers value a landscaped home up to 11.3 per cent higher than its base price.rA study by Aspen Environmental Companies found that a landscaping investment is nearly always recov-ered and can help reduce time on the market.rMoney magazine says “attractively landscaping your yard can be one of the most cost-effective ways to boost your home’s curb appeal,” and emphasizes the value added by trees.rIn Canada, researchers at Laval University created a detailed survey study of 760 home sales and found that landscaping attributes (trees, flowers, plants, hedges) can “command a substantial market premium.”

Fast growth, major economic impact. According to a USDA-funded research report, the environmental hor-ticulture industry “is one of the fastest growing seg-ments of the nation’s agricultural economy.” Its eco-nomic impact was estimated to include: r$147.8 billion in output r$64.3 billion in labour income r$6.9 billion in indirect business taxes

r1,964,339 jobs r$95.1 billion in value added

Green space helps decrease air conditioning costs. For example: rAccording to the California Energy Commission: “Planting the correct trees, shrubs, vines and groundcov-er can make your home both warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. In fact, the right type of tree can reduce your summer cooling costs by 20 to 40 per cent.”rComputer models devised by the U.S. Department of Energy predict that the proper placement of only three trees will save an average household between $100 and $250 in energy costs annually.rThe cooling effect of an average size lawn is equal to about nine tonnes of air conditioning.

Quality landscaping means quality goods. A recent study found that consumers would be willing to pay, on average, a 12 per cent premium for goods pur-chased in retail establishments that are accompanied by quality landscaping.

Increases retail activity. Studies have proven that greenery and flowers attract shoppers and residents to urban areas, spurring economic growth. CENTRE

Source: LandscapeOntario.com

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E-MARKETING

Hardware and home centre businesses looking for the top software applications in social media, email marketing, mobile Web and more will want to check out the winners

of the most recent ClickZ Marketing Excellence Awards. A bible for online marketers, ClickZ assembles a crack staff of

the most sophisticated users of online marketing software, who sifts through the countless offerings in e-marketing software packages each year and return with la crème de la crème of Web marketing tools.

Many such packages are already in use by early adopters in the hardware and home centre industry. Businesses like Missis-sauga Hardware Centre (www.mississaugahardware.com) Preston Hardware (www.prestonestore.ca) and Orchard Sup-ply Hardware (www.osh.com), for example, all use some form of Web analytics to study how cus-tomers interact with their sites in an effort to make the shopping ex-perience more user-friendly. And other stores, like The Home Depot (www.homedepot.ca) have begun adding social media to their sites in the form of online review modules, which customers can use to rate products they bought there.

Centres determined to use the most robust and advanced soft-ware packages in e-marketing will want to study the winners for the year 2009 in each category closely, and take advantage of the free dem-os and consultations that most of these winning companies offer to interested parties.

Meanwhile, industry businesses not quite ready for all the fea-tures offered by these state-of-the-art packages will also want to take a close look at the latest-and-greatest, if only for benchmark-ing purposes. Essentially, those in this group may not need every bell-and-whistle offered by these applications. But by studying the packages, they will be fully informed about the ultimate in

what the market has to offer, and then be able to go on to shop for a subset of the state-of-the-art features in those packages that make sense for them.

Either way, here are the packages that rang the first place bell for judges in each category:

Top Social Media Software: Hardware and home centre businesses looking to add or expand a business community on their sites will want to check out Pluck’s Site Life Platform (www.pluck.com), which won first place in this category. Essentially, the package allows a business’ Web designer to add a full spectrum of social networking options to a business website, including blogs, forums, individual user

profiles – all while using basic Web design skills.

The primary concept behind the package is to eliminate all the heavy, under-the-hood program-ming needed to create a sophisticat-ed online community, thereby free-ing a business’ Web designer or design firm to expend resources nur-turing an online community, rather than getting bogged down in de-tailed programming. Pluck accom-plishes this end, in part, by offering the business’ Web designer a raft of templates that can be used as is, or customized for the business’ site.

Pluck also has a special module that enables a centre to customize the company’s social network for visitors accessing the domain via

mobile devices like cell phones, iPhones and Blackberries. “For marketers looking to do more than plug in a tool and live with its native functionality, Pluck offers the flexibility to innovate,” says Ryan Turner, associate director of user experience at Zaaz.

Other finalists in this category were Ominture’s Genesis (www.omniture.com) and Wildfire Promotion Builder (http://wildfireapp.com).

Killer E-Marketing Tools

The latest award-winning apps for Canadian hardware and home centre industry businesses

B y J o e D y s a r t

Mississauga Hardware uses Web analytics to discern the types of browsers customers use on its website, and to stay current about what customers are placing in shopping carts – whether or not those items are actually purchased.

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E-MARKETINGTop Email Marketing Software: Centres searching for a sophisticated email marketing program that can segment email messages based on one or more variables will want to take a look at the winner in this category, ExactTar-get Reseller Edition (http://email.exacttarget.com). Respond-ing to the need for ever more personalized email marketing cam-paigns, ExactTarget is designed to enable a centre to send messages based on a customer’s geographic location, past pur-chasing history, past responses to previous email marketing campaigns, and/or any other marketing variable a business wants to sort by.

The software also offers plenty of graphics-based reports to ease the analy-sis of the results of each email marketing campaign. Plus, ExactTarget is designed to integrate seamlessly with a number of ma-jor website analysis programs, including those made by Omniture, Coremetrics and WebTrends.

“ExactTarget’s Reseller edition not only enabled the end user to see measur-able results of list building and revenue but also enabled the most overlooked component of a strong email strategy: the actual party that implements the pro-gram,” says Aaron Kahlow, founder, On-line Marketing Summit.

Other finalists in this category were BlueHornet eMarketing Suite (www.bluehornet.com) and Responsys Interact (www.responsys.com).

Top Mobile Marketing Software: Businesses dealing with a significant per-centage of customers that are interacting with their businesses via mobile devices will be interested in this category’s winner, Eyeblaster Channel Connect for Mobile (www.eyeblaster.com). The software is designed to enable hardware and home centre marketers to more easily plan, cre-ate, execute and analyze their mobile marketing campaigns alongside more traditional e-marketing efforts.

“Eyeblaster offers a clearly differentiating product that ports a capability that advertisers are already familiar with to the mobile Web,” says Davis Brewer, lead strategist of emerging channels at Spark Communications.

One additional note: even if your store is not currently offering Web pages on its site especially designed for mobile device users, you’ll want to begin watching the mobile Web space carefully during the next few years. The reason: market researcher Gart-ner is predicting that by 2013, the number of mobile phones on the planet with Web access will overtake the number of PCs ac-cessing the Web (www.gartner.com).

The clear message from this finding is that adding a mobile-friendly version of your site – which enables product and images,

text descriptions and other Web content to download easily on the relatively tiny screens of iPhones, Blackberries, Android phones, and the like – will increasingly become an expected op-tion by mobile device users over the next few years.

Other finalists in this category were Textme (www.textme.net) and Ominture App Measurement for iPhone (www.omniture.com).

Top Search Ad Management Software: Centers dabbling in sponsored search ads offered by Google and other search en-gines should take a look at Kenshoo Search (www.kenshoo.com), the winner in this category. This software helps users automate and optimize the search ad bid-ding process. Plus, Kenshoo will also help match the most appropriate ad and/or Web landing page based on the keywords a customer uses on Google and other ma-jor search engines.

“Kenshoo is a robust campaign man-agement tool that saves both time and money while helping companies hit R.O.I. goals,” says Mike Grehan, global KDM of-ficer at Acronym Media. Other finalists in this category were Acquisio Search (www.acquisio.com) and Marin Search Marketer (www.marinsoftware.com).

Top Web Analytics Software: Omniture has enjoyed a reputation for years as an industry standard tool in the field of Web analytics, and the release of its Omniture Online Marketing Suite (www.omniture.com) once again sealed its reputation as tops in the field this time around.

Omniture takes a holistic approach to analytics, bringing in data from customer interactions with a company on the Web, mobile Web, on the company social net-work, as well as any interactions moni-

tored by customer relationship management software, company call centre software and point-of-sale systems.

The result is an extremely in-depth customer profile that en-ables a business to deeply understand each customer, as well as to expertly sift for trends when that data is viewed in terms of cus-tomer groups. “They continue to be the market leader in fully inte-grated online analytics,” says Michael Orlinkski, search marketing supervisor at Overdrive. “Omniture’s suite approach is a flexible package that can integrate fairly easily with their Genesis applica-tion. While previously Omniture required an above-average edu-cation, for the average marketer they have made great strides with creating actionable dashboards for entire organizations.”

Other finalists in this category were iPerceptions 4Q (www. 4qsurvey.com – free); Coremetrics Analytics (www.coremetrics.com) and Webtrends (www.webtrends.com) CENTRE

Home Depot encourages customers to review the purchases they’ve made online.

Eyeblaster enables e-marketers to quickly adapt their sites for users dialling in on mobile devices.

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MAR/APR 2010 19

Toyota is in trouble – with the owners of its vehicles. With a worldwide recall of over eight million vehicles including Camry and Corolla models, Toyota is scrambling to show

the world that it is a responsible company that will do what it takes to make things right. At least that’s what you would believe if you bought into the official release from J.D. Power and Associates. But the fact is that Toyota has had other problems that have also re-sulted in recalls: between 2004 and 2007, Toyota recalled 9.3 mil-lion vehicles for various problems ranging from car mats and seat-belts to electronics.

And while automotive journalists from around the globe have been quick to pump out statistics showing how Toyota is no longer the benchmark company for quality, they have all missed one key point. The joy of ownership.

The fact is that every independent survey taken of vehicle own-ers has consistently had Toyota (and Lexus) at or near the top in customer satisfaction. According to the American Customer Satis-faction Index, Toyota ranked highest in consumer satisfaction, re-ceiving 87 out of a possible 100 points. It also ranked the highest in positive responses from the question “How likely are you to pur-chase another vehicle from the same manufacturer”.

Here’s something else to keep in mind. Toyota does not make the pedals that are the cause of its current recall. Like many manu-facturers, third party companies make a great number of the parts they integrate into their vehicles. In this case, the pedals are made by Indiana-based CTS Corporation, which also happens to make pedals for other auto manufacturers including Chrysler.

The fact is that Toyota still makes great vehicles. They might be a little on the boring side, but they last. The problem is that when a specific part is used throughout many models manufactured all over the world, if that part should fail or be labelled as defective, there’s going to be a big mess to clean up.

As a business owner, it’s important for you to see how all of this is playing out. There’s a chance you may experience something similar at some point, of course on a much smaller scale. So you need to have a plan. Defective products can come from any indus-try at any time. And your ability to handle a mini-crisis is key to not

only making sure your clients are kept happy, but ensuring your long term success (or survival) at the same time.

Here are some key steps to follow if you should ever end up selling or producing a product that becomes labelled as defective:3 Assuming you did not actually manufacture the product, do not accept blame. But at the same time, do not blame others. 3 If you did manufacture the product, take all the blame. Em-brace it. Bask in it. It’s very hard to bag on a company or person that is openly admitting they were wrong. 3 Move quickly. Don’t wait for accidents to happen. Voluntary recalls or replacements are appreciated and only make you look good. 3 Concentrate on the solution, not the problem. Complaining will not help anyone so just do what needs to be done. 3 If need be, work with your suppliers to make things right. If they don’t share your passion for customer service, call up a com-petitive supplier and offer them the opportunity to earn the busi-ness of your clients. 3 Go above and beyond. The rewards for spending a little extra now in order to make your clients happy will come back to you many times over. 3 Follow up. Send an email, make a call, just do something to show your clients that you really care.

Copy this article, keep it in a drawer and hope you never need to refer to it. If you should have to, and follow the steps, then you will be able to say that you provide better customer service than Toyota.

Marc Gordon is a professional speaker and marketing consultant based in Toronto. His firm, Fourword Marketing, specializes in help-ing businesses create a brand identity and developing effective mar-keting campaigns. He can be reached at (416) 238-7811 or www. marcgordon.ca

Don’t get stuckHow Your Business Can Outperform Toyota

B y M a r c G o r d o n

CTR APR 1-24.indd 19 08/04/10 10:23 AM

20 CENTRE MAGAZINE

DOORS

ExTERIOR DOORSSimpson Door Company has added three new lines to their Mastermark Collection of exterior doors – The Pam-plona (pictured), The Em-barcadero and The Queen Anne – that all feature ornate surface molding, Innerbond double hip-raised panels and designer-inspired dec-orative glass. www.simpsondoor.com

POCKET DOORThe primary advantage of pocket door hardware is the ability to reduce the amount of space needed by a tradi-tional swinging door – 8 to 10-sq.-ft. of usable floor space. Johnson Hardware has incorporated several new design innovations that eliminate problems once as-sociated with doors in walls, and accessories include a converging door kit for join-ing two pocket door frames, door pulls and privacy locks that fit standard pre-bored doors.www.johnsonhardware.com

TOUCHPAD ELECTRONIC LEVERWeiser has expanded its keyless, touchpad, elec-tronic lock product offering with the introduction of the SmartCode Lever. Available in three finishes – Satin Nickel, Venetian Bronze and Polished Brass – SmartCode Levers fit all standard door preps with-out requiring new screw holes and operates on four AA batteries so there is no hard wiring required. www.weiserlock.com

BASEMENT DOOR Bilco Company’s Ultra Se-ries Basement Door was developed using 3-D com-puter modeling and stress analysis to ensure prod-uct strength, and features powder-coated steel hard-ware and low-maintenance high-density polyethylene (HDPE) construction that resists weather damage, rust, or corrosion. The door features engineered gas-spring lift assistance for one-handed operation, and interchangeable side panel inserts allow homeowners to add light and/or ventilation to the basement areaway.www.bilco.com

ADJUSTABLE DOOR HINGE The Original Adjustable Door Hinge by Houston, Tex-as-based EGS Hinge, LLC has the ability to adjust a door within the frame, verti-cally and horizontally, using only a pair of pliers. Using a threaded bolt pin instead of a smooth center pin (the knuckles for the leaf of the hinge attached to the door are also threaded) allows the door to be adjusted up and down a quarter of an inch. The knuckles on the frame side leaf are over-bored, which also permits side-to-side movement of one-quar-ter eighth of an inch.

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CTR APR 1-24.indd 20 08/04/10 10:23 AM

MAR/APR 2010 21

CENTRE STAGEAnd the winners are… In this, the 26th year of the Industry Hall of Fame, the Canadian Hardware & Housewares Manufacturers Association (CHHMA) is honoured to continue to serve as the custodian of the Industry Hall of Fame, and Vaughn Crofford, president of the CHHMA, is pleased to announce this year’s inductees: Normand Caissie, founder and president of Imperial Manufacturing Group and Mario Pilozzi, president & CEO of Wal-Mart Canada (retired).

As a young man in his mid-twenties Mr. Caissie established Imperial Manufacturing Group in 1979 in the small fishing village of Richibucto,

N.B. As a manufacturer of sheet metal products he be-gan selling to wholesalers in Atlantic Canada. Today, Imperial Manufacturing Group comprises nine prod-uct lines, employs over 500 people in six locations across Canada and the U.S. Imperial manufactures 7,000 SKUs for the heating, ventilation, air condition-ing and building products industries. Imperial Manu-facturing Group sells into the Hardware, HVAC and Building Products categories throughout North Ameri-ca and OEM accounts in a number of countries around the world.

Mr. Caissie has a hands-on approach and a charis-ma that let him collaborate effortlessly at every level of the organization. One minute he can be looking at im-proving a crimped elbow with a shop employee and two minutes later be having a telephone conversation with the president of a large multi-national retail store. His mind is a manufacturing plant in itself; constantly thinking of new ideas on how to better serve the client and the consumer. These ideas are shared with a pas-sion that often creates a wave of energy within the people surrounding him.

Mr. Pilozzi’s career spans 45 years in the Canadian retail industry starting with Woolworth Canada where he held a number of key positions including

vice-president of Hardlines Merchandise, Administrator of Store Openings, district manager, and store manager over a 30 year period. When Wal-Mart purchased Woolco in 1994 Mr. Pilozzi joined Wal-Mart Canada as vice-president of Hardlines Merchandise, and in January 2002 he was ap-pointed president and CEO. Throughout his career, Mr. Pi-lozzi has been recognized with numerous honours, includ-ing the Sam M. Walton Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2000), which recognizes outstanding retail leadership that exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, and the highest honour awarded by Wal-Mart throughout the world. In 2004, Mr. Pilozzi was inducted into the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame, established by the Retail Council of Canada to honour retailers who have dem-onstrated leadership in advancing retail as a career.

Mr. Pilozzi is also a respected leader in the communi-ty, contributing his expertise to many causes. A member of the Board of Trustees of the Children’s Miracle Net-work, he serves as a member of the Advisory Board of Ry-erson University’s School of Retail Management, in addi-tion to sponsoring and participating in ACE’s Campus Enterprise Challenge.

Normand CaissieIndustry Hall

of Fame 2010

inductee

Mario PilozziIndustry Hall

of Fame 2010

inductee

The Industry Hall of Fame was established in 1984 to recognize the achievements of the hardlines industry’s leaders and pioneers. Over the years such notables as the founders of Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, Revelstoke Stores, RONA and London Drugs from the retail side, along with inventors such as P. L. Robertson and George Cluthé, and icons such as Les Groves and Shelly Lush along with founders and builders like Bill Sparling, Leon Lapidus and Gaetan Martel on the manu-facturing side, have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. To view the entire list of members previously inducted into the Hall of Fame, or the criteria to nominate someone for next year’s award, visit the website at www.chhma.ca.

CTR APR 1-24.indd 21 08/04/10 10:24 AM

ACYAN

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To learn more about how FOAMULAR® insulation can make a positive impact on your business, contact your Owens Corning Area Sales Manager.

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Size: 7.875" x 10.75" Media: Hardware Merchandising, Canadian ContractorSize: 8.125" x 10.75" Media: Construction CanadaSize: 8.125" x 10.875" Media: Centre (Hardware & Home)

22 CENTRE MAGAZINE

OUT & ABOUT

David Bartnik, president of Toronto-based Deck Masters of Canada demonstrates the HIDfast air driven hidden fastener decking system, and Martin Perron of Quebec-based Con-dor Chemicals promotes the new Condor Flex roofing prod-uct, at the 2010 Canadian Home Improvement Show in To-ronto this past February.

A showcase ofwho’s who and where. Send us your shots, be they events in your store or in your community.editor@centremagazine.com

Reply Card #105

Martha Stewart made an appearance at the 2010 Canada Blooms horticulture and garden show in Toronto on March 20th to present her new Martha Stewart Living line of outdoor products carried by The Home Depot Canada, who were also co-sponsors of the fair.

On February 17, Home Hardware Stores Limited held the “Tough as Nails” Contractor Tradeshow in Waterloo, Ont. The “Contractor Skills Competition” included events such as the Nail Driving Contest, Saw by Sight Contest and the Driver Drill Competition.

Around 56,500 trade visitors (down slightly from 2008’s number of 63,000) from 124 countries collected information over four days at the end of February about the new products and innovations in the Tools, Industrial Supply, Fastening & Fittings, Locks & Fittings and Home Improvement sectors from 2,686 suppliers from 52 countries at the 2010 Interna-tional Hardware Fair Cologne.

CTR APR 1-24.indd 22 08/04/10 10:24 AM

ACYAN

MAGENTYELLOWBLACK

NEW MATERIALFile Name: 07-44950-004 OCB-10-0054 Foamular.inddDoner Canada Inc.

Ad No: OCB-10-0054Size: See belowColors: CMYKDate: February 23, 2010

Client: Owens CorningMac Operator: VBJob Ticket: 07-44950-004Version: 4

Media: See below

If any problems contact Doner media at 416-485-9901

ZERO

OZONE

DEPLETION

FORMULA

FORMULE À

APPAUVRISSEMENT

DE L’OZONEZÉRO

THE PINK PANTHER™ & © 1964-2010 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. The colour PINK is a registered trademark of Owens Corning. *The insulation is manufactured with a blowing agent with 70% less global warming potential as compared to Owens Corning previous blowing agents. The GREENGUARD INDOOR AIR QUALITY CERTIFIEDSM Mark is a registered certification mark used under licence through the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. Owens Corning PINK insulation is GREENGUARD Certified for indoor air quality, except bonded loosefill products. © 2010 Owens Corning. All Rights Reserved.

Introducing the new line of FOAMULAR® rigid insulation from Owens Corning.

• Same trusted insulating performance

• Outstanding energy efficiency

• Exceptional moisture resistance and durability

• Versatile application

• Complies with 2010 Montreal Protocol – CFC- and HCFC-Free

• Zero ozone depletion potential

• 70% less global warming potential*

• Minimum 20% recycled content

To learn more about how FOAMULAR® insulation can make a positive impact on your business, contact your Owens Corning Area Sales Manager.

www.owenscorning.ca

Exceed green expectations

with PINK specif ications

Size: 7.875" x 10.75" Media: Hardware Merchandising, Canadian ContractorSize: 8.125" x 10.75" Media: Construction CanadaSize: 8.125" x 10.875" Media: Centre (Hardware & Home)

Reply Card #105

CTR APR 1-24.indd 23 08/04/10 10:24 AM

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