Building Supply Update
ABSDA Updates

 

 

 

Click on the Image below for the 2018 Golf Registration Form

 

 

  

Congratulations to Keith Palmer of Kent Building Supplies for his correct entry to the ABSDA History Knowledge Contest.

Following a draw which took place on May 28th, Keith has won a complimentary registration for two individuals at the 2018 ABSDA Golf Tournament on July 5th.

 

The Building Material Council of Canada (BMCC), the Association that represent our interests on the national stage, has been busy!

The Leadership Summit last year found that what members most want from their national association is a unified voice on the national stage, one that enhances the image of the industry and helps to address our broad workforce and HR issues. To that end, BMCC decided to embark on a campaign to develop positive relationships with a key stakeholder of our members’ continued success in Canada: the federal government.

BMCC has been putting the building blocks of a campaign to engage with the Government in place. It’s our plan to connect with individual members of Parliament, both government and opposition, in order to ensure that key players understand the importance of our industry as an employer, a generator of economic activity, and as a positive presence in communities across Canada. With 2,400 members that are employers in federal ridings across the country, we have a powerful lever to use when engaging with the federal government!

So, one of the key building blocks we have been working on is a mapping exercise. BMCC has been working with the regional associations to build out our understanding of our political footprint, mapping our stores and employment numbers to political ridings and analyzing where best to develop a caucus of support for our industry.

And, of course, we’ve had to get a website (two in fact) up and running! We recently got our main BMCC website completed (http://www.bmcc-ccmc.ca). It provides a shared platform to present the strong and unified voice of our industry. We’ve also been working on our Building Supply Careers initiative, with its own website, to address the chronic shortage of qualified employees faced by our members.

To this same end, in late 2017, as Sears was beginning to close its stores, the BMCC reached out to Sears Canada’s employees to ask them to consider a career in the building materials industry. Working with the Sears organization’s national HR, the BMCC was able to have a poster put up in Sears stores across the country, letting Sears employees know about the good middle-class jobs we have available, well suited to people who have worked in the retail sector.

Another key building block we are working on is our ‘ask.’ What do we need to take position on as an industry at the national level to advance our members’ interests? How can we best align with the Government, so that they understand that helping our industry helps them to advance their own agenda? We’ve been analyzing the Government’s Budget 2017 commitments with regard to housing affordability, green housing, employment, and tax fairness and will be building national positions on an eco-rebate for green housing; employment in the building material sector; fair treatment of bricks and mortar versus online; and interchange fees.

We would love to hear from you about other national issues on which you think we should be taking position!

 

 

ABSDA Retail Members are reminded there is still time to participate in the ABSDA Business Conditions Survey covering the first 4 months of 2018. The survey closes very shortly. ABSDA respects the confidentiality of all survey data submitted.

To take part, click on the link for your corresponding province below:

New Brunswick   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T2PNMKJ

Newfoundland & Labrador   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TJVN8KQ

Nova Scotia   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TQBMZV6

Prince Edward Island   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TWFRXG9

Tabulated results will will be shared following the close of the survey.

 

 

 

 

Employees of ABSDA Member Firms are eligible for personal Home & Auto Insurance Savings with Johnson Insurance. Some Member employees are already taking advantage of significant savings.

To inquire simply contact Johnson Inc. toll free at 1-877-742-7490 and provide Group ID Code 1E 

 

 

Home Hardware Stores Ltd
Castle Building Centres

 

Mark your calendar for the ABSDA Annual General Meeting

 

June 12, 2018 - 2:00 PM
Delta by Marriott
240 Brownlow Avenue
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

 

    

 

 

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June 12         ABSDA Annual General Meeting         Dartmouth, NS

June 12         ABSDA Board of Directors Meeting    Dartmouth, NS

June 20         ABSDA Forklift Course                        Dieppe, NB

June 21         ABSDA Forklift Course                        Summerside, PEI

July 5           ABSDA Golf Tournament                      Dieppe, NB

 

Industry News

 

Mike Wilson, Dealer-Owner of Wilson’s Home Hardware Building Centre in Barrington Passage, Nova Scotia has been awarded the 2018 Young Retailer of the Year Award by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA).

This national recognition program, now in its 22nd year, identifies and promotes the next generation of aspiring independent home improvement retailers and recognizes individual achievement in the industry by retailers 35 years of age or younger throughout the U.S., its territories and Canada. Selected from different retail categories, honorees are chosen based on wide-ranging criteria such as career accomplishments, community involvement, ongoing education within the hardware industry and extracurricular activities.

Wilson was one of the hardware industry’s eight award recipients and won under the category for annual sales over $2 million. Honorees are recognized in three categories including stores with annual sales under $2 million, stores with annual sales over $2 million and retailers operating multiple stores.

"I am extremely proud to represent young retailers as well as Home Hardware on an international stage,” said Mike Wilson, Dealer-Owner, Wilson’s Home Hardware Building Centre. “I believe you make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give. I am profoundly grateful to have the opportunity to give back to our local community with service and quality advice through our business and family."

The Young Retailer of the Year awards celebration was held at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 7th, 2018.

 

 

Gary Sullivan, Zone Manager – Atlantic Canada for PPG Architectural Coatings will be retiring effective May 31, 2018. Gary has enjoyed an extensive career in the industry spanning over thirty-eight years. ABSDA wishes Gary all the best in his retirement.

Replacing Gary as Zone Manager – Atlantic Canada is John Landry. His appointment takes effect June 1st.

 

Sexton Group Ltd.
TIM-BR MARTS LTD.

Sexton Group is pleased to announce Mike Fraser recently assumed the newly created role of Commodity Wood Products Manager-Eastern Canada. In this role Mike will be responsible for working with Lumber, OSB and Plywood mills to create effective purchasing programs for Sexton Members from Ontario to Newfoundland.

Mike was formerly the Senior Panel and Lumber Buyer for ALPA Forest Products. In total Mike has been in the industry 30 years. His experience and relationships will contribute to creating a powerful business opportunity for both suppliers and Sexton Members.

  

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Home Hardware’s Board of Directors announced that Terry Davis, Chief Executive Officer, Home Hardware Stores Limited, was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer effective April 16, 2018. Davis succeeds retiring President Paul Straus who will remain a consultant to the company.

In his role as President and Chief Executive Officer, Davis will continue to report to the Board of Directors and be accountable for the control of the business and of the general conduct and affairs of Home Hardware Stores Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. He remains responsible for the sound financial control and long-term health of the company. “This announcement is a result of a planned and considered process carried out by our Board of Directors,” said Christine Hand, Chairman of the Board for Home Hardware Stores Limited.

“I am honoured by the confidence demonstrated in me by the Board and proud to carry on the leadership of President that was carried by Paul Straus,” said Davis. “Paul was a visionary who helped build over 50 years of Home Hardware’s history, growing the Dealer-owned network from 122 stores when the company was formed in 1964 to nearly 1,100 today.”

Davis joined Home Hardware more than four decades ago in a junior warehouse position in the Distribution Centre in St. Jacobs, Ontario. In the interim years, he has held increasingly responsible managerial and executive positions accountable for Dealer Support and Dealer Development, Marketing, Information Technology, Dealer Finance and Legal Services, Administration and Strategic Planning. In 2010 he was appointed Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer and became Chief Executive Officer in 2014.

 

 

RONA, a banner of Lowe’s Canada is pleased to become a main sponsor of renowned Race Car Driver Alex Tagliani for the 2018 and 2019 seasons of the NASCAR Pinty’s series.

We’re delighted to welcome Alex Tagliani to the RONA family,” said Serge Éthier, Executive Vice-President, RONA Prox and Pros. “This auto racing veteran has an impressive track record, and we are proud to support him on his quest for excellence. Just like our teams, Alex is always aiming to be number one and his fierce determination really resonates with our values at RONA.”

“It’s a real honour for me to have a partner like RONA,” said Alex Tagliani. “I’m a true home improvement enthusiast, and I consider myself privileged to be able to count on the support of a sponsor that I connect with in a very personal way. I look forward to starting this new season and having the chance to talk with our fans at the various events I’ll get to attend with the RONA team.”

Tagliani’s new No. 18 car with the RONA logo was unveiled at the official opening of the Quebec City Auto Sport Show today at 11 a.m. The driver and his new partner also took this opportunity to reveal the details of a nationwide contest that will run throughout the 2018 racing season and put contestants’ driving skills to the test.

 

Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. hosted an open house recently, in Mississauga, to celebrate the buying group’s 55th Anniversary. The ceremony was held inside the light filled and beautifully decorated “Atrium”, at the corporate head office, which served as the perfect backdrop to commemorate the incredible milestone. The event welcomed guests from across Canada and included Castle Board of Directors, Castle members, vendor partners, as well as Castle employees, both past and present.

The catered affair included gourmet food stations, a live jazz duo, remarkable giveaways and concluded with a special 55th anniversary presentation. Welcoming close to 200 gathered guests, Castle Vice President of National Marketing, James Jones, kicked off the official ceremony followed by warm remarks from Castle Chairman, Keith Richardson, of Keith’s Building supplies in New Brunswick.

As part of the 55th Anniversary presentation, Ken Jenkins, Castle President, unveiled that a commemorative donation of $5,500 would be made to the Hospital For Sick Children Foundation (SickKids) on behalf of Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. Currently on the “Wall of Donors” Castle has been committed to contributing to the cause through their annual vendor appreciation golf tournament for the past 8 years.

In his closing remarks, Ken thanked those in attendance for their contribution to Castle’s success and attributed much of this success to strong partnerships and good people. His take home message to the group was a reminder that “your people are your brand" and to surround yourself with those who take pride in seeing others succeed.

He ended the night with a heartfelt message on the importance of celebrating the memorable milestone with those who have supported and been a part of Castle’s success.

 

Training & Upcoming Events

 

ABSDA offers a series of on-line Training Videos for Members and Staff. This on-line training program is specifically designed to promote sales skills & customer service and is available on the ABSDA Website as a Member Benefit.

The series incorporates five programs listed below, each with a compliment of videos which last between 6 minutes and 15 minutes in length.


• A.C.E.S. – Around Customers Everyone Sells - 14 Videos

• Contractor S.A.L.E.S. – Skills and Attitudes Leading to Exceptional Selling - 13 Videos

• Building A Championship Team - 18 Videos

• On The Bottom Line - 17 Videos

• The Big 8 Most Important Selling Skills - 8 Videos


You and your staff can access these programs on the ABSDA website (www.absda.ca) or by clicking on the following link.

http://www.absda.ca/online-education-program

 

Home Hardware Stores Ltd