Archive/Subscribe | Printer-Friendly | Send to a Friend | www.wrla.org | YardStick WRLA Weekly ToolBox: April 26, 2012
What's Going On

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by April 30, 2012  in order to be in the new Directory & Product Source Guide.

The WRLA membership year is April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013. 

The WRLA DIRECTORY & Product Source Guide will be updated and distributed to members in July 2012.


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Contact Susan at the WRLA office at 800-661-0253 ext. 0 or slabossiere@wrla.org 


 

   

If you have not yet sent in your Exhibitor Booth Renewal Forms, 
please do so by April 27, 2012

If you choose to cancel your booth space, you must also complete the form and return to ckelly@wrla.org or fax 204-947-5195 
 
Industry News
Home Hardware honored the best of the best from more than 1,080 stores this week by presenting 20 stores with the Proud of My Home Award and the top performing store with the Walter J. Hachborn Store of the Year Award at the annual Home Hardware Spring Market. 

The recipient of this year’s Walter J. Hachborn Store of the Year Award for retailing excellence is Hauser Home Hardware Building Centre in Camrose, Alberta, which is owned and operated by Rob Hauser.
"My staff and I are honored to have been selected as recipients of this prestigious award," said Rob Hauser, Dealer-Owner, Hauser Home Hardware Building Centre. "We take great pride in serving our customers and meeting the needs of contractors, do-it-yourselfers and home renovators with quality products and services."

To receive the Proud of My Home Award, stores must achieve the highest standards in retailing, merchandise presentation, staff performance and overall quality of the store. Recipients demonstrate excellence in staff performance and customer service; interior presentation including clear signing, tidiness, and merchandise presentation and displays; exterior presentation including cleanliness and attractive window displays; staff training; and participation in Dealer network initiatives.
From among the Proud of My Home Award recipients from coast to coast to coast, one store is chosen as the top store to receive the Walter J. Hachborn Store of the Year Award, which was presented by Home Hardware Stores Limited President and CEO, Paul Straus.

"These award recipients exemplify the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit shared by all Home Dealers. These Dealer-Owners and their Staff put in a total team effort to create the best experience possible for their customers," said Paul Straus, President and CEO of Home Hardware Stores Limited. "On behalf of more than 1,080 Home Hardware stores and their Dealers, I would like to congratulate the 2012 Proud of My Home Award recipients and Hauser Home Hardware Building Centre on these worthy accomplishments."

Congratulations to the following stores were awarded Proud of My Home Awards:

· Harris Home Hardware - London, Ontario
· Brantford Home Hardware - Brantford, Ontario
· Smith & Hladil Home Hardware Building Centre - Owen Sound, Ontario
· Keswick Home Hardware - Keswick, Ontario
· Orillia Home Hardware Building Centre - Orillia, Ontario
· Gananoque Home Hardware Building Centre - Gananoque, Ontario
· Timmins Home Hardware Building Centre - Timmins, Ontario
· Wellesley Home Centre - Wellesley, Ontario
· Tracadie Home Hardware - Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick
· Buck's Home Building Centre - Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
· Clarenville Home Hardware Building Centre - Clarenville, Newfoundland
· Kenora Home Hardware Building Centre - Kenora, Ontario
· Richards Home Hardware - Outlook, Saskatchewan
· Home Hardware Building Centre Creston - Creston, British Columbia
· Hauser Home Hardware Building Centre - Camrose, Alberta
· Pioneer Home Hardware Building Centre - Campbell River, British Columbia
· High Level Home Hardware - High Level, Alberta
· Les Entreprises Nova Inc. - Rawdon, Quebec
· Quincaillerie Nouvelle - France - Granby, Quebec
· Quincaillerie Home Hardware - Rimouski - Rimouski, Quebec



The names of the individuals in the photo are as follows:

Terry Davis, Executive Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer, Home Hardware Stores Ltd
Rob Hauser and Angie Arksey, Dealer-Owners, Hauser Home Hardware Building Centre
Vikki Stang, Hardware Manager, Hauser Home Hardware Building Centre
Richard Badke, Area Manager, Home Hardware Stores Limited
Lance Shipley, Director, Retail Operations, Western Canada, Home Hardware Stores Limited
 

Mills Surpass CPA Criteria and Make Green Top Priority!

UNIBOARD®, a North American leader in engineered wood products, announced today that its manufacturing facilities are now ECC (Eco-Certified Composite) certified. This new certification replaces the previous EPP (Environmentally Preferable Product) certification established in 2002 by the Composite Panel Association (CPA).

Uniboard's raw particleboard, MDF and HDF are ECC certified and surpass the criteria required by the CPA. To be certified, each plant must first meet stringent CARB Phase 2 emission requirements and then comply to at least three out of a possible five CPA criteria. Val-d'Or, Sayabec and Mont-Laurier mills meet all five ECC criteria. Uniboard thermofused melamine products will be ECC certified in May.

"We are proud to continue to make green initiatives our top priority and satisfy our customer needs for more ecological products," states Sara-Kim Diotte, Product Manager at Uniboard. "This is not only exciting for us but it is also for our customers. We are honoured to have this certification across our mills and during this transition, we will gradually incorporate the ECC logo on all of our product packaging and marketing tools."

The new ECC standard dovetails neatly with increased market demand for greener options. Uniboard's efforts in complying with and even surpassing the latest industry models demonstrate its deep commitment to that process.

For further information:

Sara-Kim Diotte
Product Manager
Uniboard® Canada
1 800 263-5240
Sara-kim.diotte@uniboard.com 

 
RONA launches new paint and primer in one; invoking the Group of Seven

RONA, the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products, launched its latest home improvement offering - the RONA Collection paint and primer in one. Inspired by Canada's natural beauty, the new shade selection brings together Canada's most iconic natural backdrops including greys from the Canadian Shield, greens from the pines of Quebec, tranquil blues from the Pacific ocean and hues of yellow from the wheat fields of Alberta.

To celebrate this launch, RONA has commissioned seven Canadian interior designers to showcase the RONA Collection paint and primer in one through their respective regional colour palettes. Drawing on talent from across the country, with the original Group of Seven as inspiration, RONA has gathered this elite group of interior designers to create and share colour palettes that capture the unique beauty in each of Canada's diverse regions.

"Canada's natural beauty was the ideal inspiration for our new RONA Collection paint and primer in one," said Marie-Soleil Tremblay, Merchandising Director. "Canadians can now bring the beauty of nature into their home, and be confident that they are using a product that offers high end finish to their décor." RONA Collection paint and primer in one.

The RONA Collection paint and primer in one provides great value, and a fast and easy way to put a fresh face on your home. The new line of paint can be applied to any surface, previously painted or not. The paint eliminates the need for a primer, reducing the number of coats. It is ready to use, with no thinning required. The 100% acrylic latex paint is easy to apply, has minimal odour, dries quickly, and like all RONA products is formulated with the environment in mind.

As a leader in sustainability, RONA has had a used-paint recovery program at its Quebec stores since 1996. The program has now been extended to stores in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and this spring; the Atlantic regions.

RONA's Group of 7
To celebrate the launch of the new RONA Collection paint and primer in one, RONA has brought together seven of Canada's top interior designers to create the RONA's Group of 7; tapping their talent to create custom colour palettes representing the regions of Canada.

Teresa Ryback (Victoria, BC), LeAnne Bunnell (Calgary, AB), Rob Everitt (Winnipeg, MB), Roy Banse (Toronto, ON), Ulya Jensen (Ottawa, ON), Jean de Lessard (Montreal, QC), and Denise Hermanson (Halifax, NS) have selected a rich tapestry of colours from the 1345 RONA Collection shades that will allow do-it-yourselfers to reveal Canada's natural beauty in their home's décor. All shades are available in the RONA Collection paint and primer in one.

Much like the original Group of Seven, RONA's designers looked to Canada's natural areas and architecture to create their colour wheels. Denise Hermanson's brisk shades capture the classic crispness of the Maritimes, while Teresa Ryback's moody tones embody Western Canada's lush temperate forests. Canadians can choose from a variety of palettes, or compose their own colour wheels to capture their favorite region of our vast country. To help customers make their selection RONA has created a selection of 15 trendy shades, 50 neutrals and 10 whites on larger paint selectors. These colours are available in matte and velvet finishes, as well as a special non-toxic formula designed for use in children's rooms.

"Canadians love nature. Renewing your living space with a spring coat of paint is an easy way to capture nature's beauty in your own home", says Roy Banse, owner of Roy Banse Design and RONA's Group of 7 member. "From the dark green cedars of Vancouver Island, to the rusty red dirt of P.E.I., Canada's natural colours are available at RONA this spring."
 

Owens Corning, a leading global producer of glass fiber reinforcements for composite systems and residential and commercial building materials, has been nationally recognized by Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indexes as a leader in the innovation of clean-tech solutions and new products, the mitigation of climate change related risks and the management of carbon emissions.

The Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indexes (CIIs) are comprehensive studies of the country's largest multinational companies and how they manage and adapt to climate change, with a special focus on innovation.

This rating of the 360 largest U.S.-based companies ranks Owens Corning 80th among the top 100 companies with free-float market capitalization of more than $1 billion.

Maplecroft rated each company against more than 100 criteria, including: technological innovation and new working practices to combat climate change impacts; management of climate-related issues; adaption to physical climate-related risks, such as flooding or more extreme weather events throughout the supply chain; and, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

"It's an honor to have earned a place on this list," said Owens Corning Chief Sustainability Officer Frank O'Brien-Bernini. "Owens Corning is committed to balancing economic growth with social progress and environmental stewardship as we deliver more sustainable solutions to our building materials and composites customers around the world.

"We are particularly proud that a special emphasis was placed on innovation, a core value and a practice which Owens Corning has a rich history – and an exciting future," he added.

Other companies who share a place on this list include GE, Alcoa, Johnson Controls, Ford and Intel. According to Maplecroft, Owens Corning is among a list of companies that will enable investors to identify the most resilient and innovative companies with the best long-term growth prospects. Maplecroft believes these companies are best positioned to succeed in the climate-changed, low-carbon environment of the future.

More information is available at
www.maplecroft.com

 
Construction employment will remain at all-time record high levels in Canada for the next decade or so, according to a new forecast of labour supply and demand published by the Construction Sector Council (CSC).

Canada will need an estimated 319,000 new construction workers from 2012 to 2020 to keep pace with increased construction demand and to compensate for the rising number of expected retirements, says the national summary report, Construction Looking Forward, 2012-2020 Key Highlights.

"As the industry enters this second decade of strong growth, stakeholders are drawing on past experience to find ways to meet future demand," says CSC Business Co-chair Tim Flood, President of John Flood and Sons (1961) Ltd. "Recruiting for the projects is the first priority, but there is a second, critical challenge related to training and retaining workers to meet current needs as well as long-term needs."

"The industry is working to ensure that investments in apprenticeships and other types of training and support systems keep pace with demand," he says.

According to the forecast report, the national construction labour force is estimated to rise by 100,000 workers between 2012 and 2020 to meet demand associated with increased construction activity. Much of the expansion will be driven by major projects in non-residential construction and, more specifically, by large industrial and engineering projects. With the exception of a few provinces, residential construction markets continue to recover at a slower pace compared to previous peak levels of activity and employment.

Meanwhile, industry faces the added challenge associated with replacing an aging workforce and the accelerating loss of the baby boomer generation due to retirement. Canada wide, an estimated 219,000 workers are expected to retire. This means that construction will need to replace more than 20 percent of its current workforce over the next decade.

"Industry promotion is a high priority, as we will need to tap into all potential sources of labour supply to meet growing needs. Increased efforts will aim at attracting youth, women, Aboriginal people, other industries and immigrants," says Flood.

CSC Labour Co-chair Robert Blakely, Director of Canadian Affairs for the Building and Construction Trades Department AFL-CIO says, "Another major challenge for human resource managers will be in tracking the mobility of the key non-residential trades across regions and potentially from abroad."
This year's forecast highlights a new dimension in the national competition for skilled workers that focuses on specialized labour markets created by the increase in resource projects such as mining, oil and gas, pipelines, electrical generation and transmission.

"Many of these projects are in remote, northern locations," continues Blakely, "but the scale of this work generates significant demand requirements across many provinces." Mapping the proposed start-up of large major projects in some regions and the winding down of projects in others will be critical for assessing the potential for inter-provincial mobility to meet peak demand requirements. Key challenges will be identifying the availability of workers, the portability of skills and their willingness to work in remote areas.

Regionally, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia follow the overall national pattern of recovery and expansion across the outlook period. Employment in some regions grows as much as 20 percent from 2012 to 2020. Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador report very strong employment growth, and at peak times, major resource projects exhaust the available workforce for some skilled trades and occupations in these provinces. Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia report more moderate year-to-year changes in total construction employment.

Each year, the CSC releases nine-year labour forecasts following consultations with industry leaders, including owners, contractors and labour groups, as well as governments and educational institutions.
The national and regional reports will be available online at www.csc-ca.org this spring. Forecast data is also available at www.constructionforecasts.ca. The website allows for instant access to residential and non-residential construction investment data, as well as details on the supply and demand for more than 30 skilled trades and occupations over the next nine years - all broken down by province and region.

The Construction Sector Council is a national industry-led organization committed to the development of a highly skilled workforce that will support the future needs of Canada's construction industry. It is funded by the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program.
 
Calendar of Events

To view the WRLA Education Calendar CLICK HERE

August 16-18, 2012
Orgill Fall Market
Las Vegas, NV

Tuesday, August 21, 2012
WRLA Terry Yates Memorial Golf Tournament
Steinbach, MB

Thursday, September 06, 2012
Calgary Classic Golf Tournament
Sundre Golf Course, Sundre, AB

Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Kenossee Golf Tournament
Kenossee SK.

September 20 - 22, 2012
RONA 2013 Spring Market
Metro Convention Centre, Toronto, ON
www.rona.ca

Sept 23-25, 2012
Home Hardware
St. Jacobs, ON

September 29 - October 1, 2012
Truserv Fall National Buying Market
Winnipeg Convention Centre, Winnipeg
www.truserv.ca

November 2 - 6, 2012
Sexton Member Conference
New Orleans, LA
Contact: callak@sextongroup.com
 
Alliance Designer Products
Westman Steel Industries
Seljax Int'l Inc.
All Weather Windows Ltd.
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