INDUSTRY DISTRIBUTORS SHARE BEST PRACTICES AT DISTRIBUTION CENTER WORKSHOP
Distributor Members representing the Denver, Colorado-based PRO Group, Inc. and Des Plaines, Illinois-based Distribution America shared best practices at a Distribution Center Workshop in Knoxville, Tennessee April 12-14, 2006. Approximately 75 people attended the event, which included tours of the Wallace Hardware Company, Inc. distribution center in Morristown, Tennessee and the House-Hasson Hardware distribution center in Knoxville, Tennessee. Brendan Sullivan, managing director for the FARM MART group and account executive for PRO Group, Inc. said there was a great deal of discussion about utilization of warehouse improvements for efficiency and accuracy. Sullivan said the single largest cost center for many of the distributors' warehouse operations is trucking. The attending distributors discussed how to improve trucking operations for a greater impact on bottom line. "Many of the discussions at the event revolved around human resources issues and issues pertaining to incentifying employees and maximizing productivity in the workplace when managing warehouse personnel," Sullivan said. "We saw a lot of great interaction between the distributors on many levels discussing ideas for operational improvements. The buzz was all about quality control and productivity." Distribution America and PRO Group, Inc. also presented Wage & Benefit Survey Results and the attendees had in-depth presentations on backhaul opportunities and truck/computer communications systems.

Don Hasson; CEO of House Hasson Hardware Company welcomes DC Workshop attendees. Don gave a brief description of the history of House Hasson since its creation in 1906. (click to enlarge)		John Cahill, Vice President of Operations for Wallace Hardware, discusses the benefits of their warehouse management system to Wallace Hardware. (click to enlarge)
Keith Solomon, Receiving Department Supervisor for House Hasson Hardware, discusses receiving and replenishment procedures at House Hasson Hardware. (click to enlarge)		Bill Bollin, CEO of Toledo-based Bostwick-Braun Company (center) listens intently as distributors at the Distribution Workshop discuss their warehouse management systems. (click to enlarge)

AHMA'S HARDLINES TECHNOLOGY FORUM ® ANNOUNCES RETAIL PANEL
At the American Hardware Manufacturers Association (AHMA) Hardlines Technology Forum® (HTF®) interactive retail panel, (April 30 – May 3, 2006 in San Francisco, California) the nation's leading hardware/home improvement retailers will discuss how technology is impacting how they do business in today's highly competitive business environment and the collaborative efforts they expect from their suppliers in the coming months ahead. "This unprecedented opportunity allows conference attendees to hear from influential buy-side companies in the hardlines industry, as they share their technology agendas for the future," said Timothy S. Farrell, AHMA's president and chief executive officer. The retail panel will take place on Monday, May 1 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco in Embarcadero Center, as part of AHMA's Hardlines Technology Forum®. Information on all HTF® sessions is available at www.ahma.org/htf. (Courtesy American Hardware Manufacturers Association - AHMA)

NATIONAL HARDWARE SHOW LAUNCHES HOUSEWARES PLATFORM
The National Hardware Show is introducing a new branch to its event, "The Homewares Show," which will debut at the 2007 National Hardware Show in Orlando, Florida. "We created this event in direct response to our retail customers' purchasing needs," said Rob Cappiello, industry vice president for the National Hardware Show. The National Hardware Show is already held in conjunction with the Gourmet Housewares Show and attracts more than 750 housewares manufacturers, along with the top 25 housewares retail buyers. Lawn & Garden World is also held in union with the National Hardware Show. "The Homewares Show will provide a time-saving, efficient way for manufacturers to connect with their retail buying customers and prospects," Cappiello said. The event is scheduled to take place May 8 to 10, 2007, at the Orange County Convention Center. This year's version of the National Hardware Show and Lawn & Garden World will take place May 9 to 11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

HOME DEPOT CLOSING ALL 10 FORMER YARDBIRDS STORES
Home Depot has announced it will close the ten Northern California Yardbirds home center stores it purchased just last December. Santa Rosa and Petaluma stores will reopen as traditional Home Depot stores. A third store is slated to reopen as a "new format" test store. The remaining stores all will be reopened over time, according to the company, but no firm schedule or format is set.

SURVEY SAYS WOMEN STILL DECISION MAKERS IN HOME IMPROVEMENT
Four hundred ninety homeowners and 485 residential contractors were asked who they thought made the decisions when it came to home improvement projects. According to an online survey conducted by ServiceMagic, only eight percent of female homeowners saw men as the primary decision maker while 30 percent of male homeowners saw themselves as the primary decision maker. In contrast, 25 percent of females cited women as the primary decision maker compared to eight percent of men noting women as the primary decision maker. Sixty-five percent of the homeowners who responded said they make home improvement decisions as a team with their significant other.

 
WOMEN IN HARDWARE INDUSTRY GROUP ANNOUNCES MAY EVENTS
The Women in the Hardware Industry (WIHI) association is planning several activities for women in the home improvement industry attending the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas May 9-11, 2006. The WIHI Member Luncheon and Business Meeting takes place on May 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Other events include the WIHI Motivational Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 10 and a May 10 membership drive and cocktail party from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. On May 11, snacks and beverages will be available for WIHI members during the close of the show. All WIHI events during the National Hardware Show will take place in room N218 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Room N218 will also serve as a lounge available for use by WIHI membership for the duration of the show. WIHI Member Ruth Furman, president of the Las Vegas-based ImageWords Publicity & Writing, said the WIHI organization hosts events at home improvement industry trade shows and also spearheads networking and professional development opportunities. The organization has grown by more than 50 percent over the last 12 months. The membership fee for Women in the Hardware Industry is $90 per year. Current sponsors include Home Channel News, The National Hardware Show/Reed Exhibitions, ImageWords Publicity & Writing Services and Kimberly Clark's DIY Business. To pre-register for events, for membership information or sponsorship information, contact WHII President, Pam Melton, at (615)773-6826 or pmelton@campbellhausfeld.com.

NRHA PAST PRESIDENT CLARK PASSES AWAY
Victor L. "Vic" Clark, a past president of the National Retail Hardware Association (NRHA), passed away March 19. He was 88. Clark, whose family operated Vic Clark Hardware in Wichita, Kansas served as president of NRHA in 1972. In 1939, two years after he started his store at age 20, he joined the Western Retail Implement & Hardware Association, an affiliated association of NRHA. He was elected to the Western board in 1956 and became its president in 1962-63. Clark, whose father was a builder, got started in the business by working in his grandfather's store at age 10. He later took over a bankrupt business and built it up to prosperity, becoming known throughout Wichita for his exceptional customer service. His wife, Jo, ran the business while Vic was in the Navy during World War II, and his daughter, Janet, also got involved in the store at an early age. Both survive him. Clark was active in the Lions Club and in youth work with the YMCA, but loved being a hardware retailer more than anything. "I've never had a Monday I didn't ache to get back to the store," he was once quoted as saying. A memorial has been set up at the Westwood Presbyterian Church, 8007 West Maple, Wichita, Kansas 67209.

LOWE'S CONSTRUCTS NEW COLORADO DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Lowe's is building a new flatbed distribution center in Henderson, Colorado. The project will cost an estimated $10 to $15 million, including land acquisition, construction and equipment expenses, according to Lowe's. The facility, which measures about 200,000 square feet, is located on a 19-acre site. Construction will begin immediately and the facility is expected to begin shipping operations in July.

SCOTTSMIRACLE-GRO NAMES NEW CHIEF FOR SMITH & HAWKEN
The ScottsMiracle-Gro Company named Gordon M. Erickson as chief executive officer of Smith & Hawken, replacing Barry Sanders who has been promoted to senior vice president of North American operations. Erickson has spent the last 10 years with Wal-Mart, where he was senior vice president and general merchandise manager for lawn and garden.

REMODELING HITS RECORD MARK
Americans spent more on remodeling than ever before, breaking the $200 billion mark for the first time, and paying out an estimated $210 billion, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) analysis of recently released third-quarter remodeling spending from the U.S. Census Bureau. The NAHB now forecasts a 13.2 percent jump to $238 billion in 2006, the largest increase in spending in more than 10 years.

SODISCO-HOWDEN ACQUISITION BOOSTS CANWEL IN 2005
CanWel Building Materials income fund based in Vancouver reported fourth-quarter 2005 revenues increased 61 percent to 205.5 million Canadian dollars (US$176.2 million) compared to C$128 million (US$110 million) for the same period in 2004. Full-year revenues increased 68 percent to C$1 billion (US$857 million) from C$598 million (US$513 million) a year ago.

HOME DEPOT TO SELL AUTO SUPPLIES
The Home Depot has begun testing sales of auto supplies in ten stores in the Jacksonville, Florida area. About 500 square feet in the stores is dedicated to the product category, which includes motor oil and fuel additives. The Home Depot is selling the products at about 20 percent less than area auto-parts retailers, according to reports. This could be an interesting development to watch as Depot already has the prime consumer of such products, the male do-it-yourselfer, shopping its stores on a regular basis.

FAMILY DOLLAR ADDS EX-LOWE'S EXECUTIVE TO BOARD
Prior to his retirement in 2005, Pond was employed by Lowe's for 12 years, where he most recently served as senior vice president-merchandising and marketing. During his tenure with Lowe's, Pond was on the executive management committee, the real estate committee, the strategic planning committee and the board of directors for Lowe's Educational & Charitable Foundation. Before joining Lowe's in 1993, he held a series of senior management positions at leading retailers and home improvement companies, according to a release from Family Dollar. Pond currently serves on the boards of directors for Bassett Furniture Industries, a manufacturer and marketer of high quality, mid-priced home furnishings, and the Home Safety Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing home-related injuries.

HOUSING MARKET TO STAY ON HIGH PLATEAU
Home sales should generally level-out and remain at historically high levels, according to the National Association of Realtors®. David Lereah, NAR's chief economist, said mortgage interest rates are trending up but will remain favorable. He expects the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage to rise to 6.9 percent by the end of the year. Existing-home sales are projected to drop 6.0 percent to 6.65 million this year from a record 7.08 million in 2005. New-home sales are likely to fall 10.9 percent to 1.14 million from the record 1.28 million last year – both sectors would see the third best year following 2005 and 2004. Housing starts are forecast at 2.00 million in 2006, which is 3.2 percent below the 2.07 million in total starts last year.

UPCOMING DISTRIBUTOR SHOW DATES
 

Wallace Hardware Company, Inc.  Dealer Market   05/16/2006 – 05/18/2006  Gatlinburg Convention Center  Gatlinburg, TN  peggy.dean@wallacehardware.com   National Hardware Show  05/09/1006 – 05/11/2006  Las Vegas Convention Center  Las Vegas, Nevada   www.nationalhardwareshow.com

H. B. Davis Seed Company, Inc.  Fall/Winter Show  06/13/2006 - 06/14/2006  Lake George, NY  tebp3@aol.com

 

Joy Smith (click to enlarge)		PROfiles: JOY SMITH Joy has been with PRO Group, Inc. since 1995 as merchandise manager over housewares, lawn & garden, and farm & ag supply. Joy first became interested in a merchandising career while working during college for Whites Auto in her hometown, Wichita Falls, Texas. She eventually became a senior buyer there before moving on to other companies. She has been a buyer/merchandise manager for White's Auto, Half Price Stores, Fred's Dollar Stores, Pace Membership Warehouse, Coast to Coast, and ServiStar.

SUCCESS
"Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them."

-Ann Landers