7:00PM  -  Opening Night at The WRLA Saloon

Opening Day of WRLA Buying Show 

12:00PM  -  Annual General Meeting

 7:00PM  -  WRLA's 125th Anniversary Celebration 

Friday Jan. 23, 2015 

Second day of WRLA Buying Show

10:45AM  -  Ladies Luncheon

11:45AM  -  NexGEN Luncheon

7:00PM  -  Closing Night Party Featuring Paul Brandt

11:00PM - WRLA After Party - FREE

Attention 2015 WRLA Buying Show Exhibitors 

Booth invoices are now PAST DUE.  If you have not received your booth invoice or have any questions, or if you wish to cancel, please email Caren at ckelly@wrla.org   

If you would like to pay your booth invoice via Credit Card (Visa or Master Card only), please contact Lannie in accounting at 800-661-0253 ext. 4 or lmertz@wrla.org.

All Exhibitor information is available by following this link www.wrla.org/exhibitors which includes the interactive floor plan.  If the link doesn’t work, copy and paste or type into your web-browser.

Online registration for name badges and evening event tickets are now available on the WRLA website.

"RONA enjoys a tremendous legacy. In honour, we want to work even harder to continue to merit the trust of our customers", said RONA President and CEO, Robert Sawyer. "In the world of retail, there is no status quo. We have to constantly reinvent ourselves to stay relevant, to improve our offering and adjust our strategies. For 75 years, RONA has been doing this successfully and today, more than ever, we are committed to offering a distinctive and complementary customer experience in all of our stores, that is, in RONA big boxes, Réno-Dépôt stores, RONA renovation centers and proximity stores as well in our specialized stores for contractors. I want to take this opportunity to thank the more than 24,000 employees who contribute to RONA's success every day."

In 1939, half a dozen dealer-owners created Les Marchands en Quincaillerie ltée to get around a monopoly that was threatening their supply chain. Their mission at the time is still relevant today: to combine orders to obtain the best prices. A few years later, Rolland Dansereau and Napoléon Piotte took control of the company, and in 1960 they created Ro-Na, a new entity that took its name from the first syllables of their first names. In 1988, Ro-Na merged with Dismat, another group that was working mainly in construction materials, and became Ro-Na Dismat. The 1990s was the era of big box stores, ushering in RONA L’entrepôt. The first decade of 2000 saw meteoric growth for RONA, as it made acquisitions, built new stores and recruited new dealer-owners. In 2002, RONA went public, marking an important milestone when its shares began trading on the TSX. In 2013, to improve the Corporation’s profitability, the Corporation replaced its Board of Directors and made several changes to its senior management. 

This year, with the transformation of all Réno-Dépôt stores complete, a better banner positioning, and as the master licencee for the Ace Hardware brand in Canada, RONA continues to consolidate its restructuring efforts. Today, RONA has a Canada-wide network of over 500 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores of varied and complementary formats. With eight distribution centres, RONA serves its network as well as many independent dealer-owners operating under other banners. The Corporation generates consolidated annual sales of $4.2 billion and has some 24,000 employees who are motivated by the pride of working with Canada's largest distributor and retailer of hardware, building materials and home renovation products. Throughout the month of October, special promotions and activities are planned to celebrate RONA's 75th anniversary in all its stores from coast to coast. 

Over the years, RONA has been a leading partner in its sustainable development efforts. In 1997, the Corporation was the first retailer to pioneer in Quebec the first paint recovery and recycling program in Canada. In 2012, RONA became the first national retailer to recover paint nationwide by offering the service in all its corporate, franchise and affiliate stores. RONA also offers its customers over 2,000 ecoresponsible products, including those of its own private brand, RONA ÉCO. RONA was a partner in the development of the product life cycle approach in 2007, in collaboration with the Montréal Polytechnique's International Product Life Cycle Chair. Since 2011, RONA has been on the Maclean's Sustainalytics list, which recognizes the 50 most socially responsible companies in Canada. In 2013, RONA was again distinguished by selecting lumber suppliers using responsible forest management practices. 

MILTON, ON, Oct. 6, 2014 /CNW/ - 

"At Roxul, we take fire safety very seriously and are proud to offer both residential and commercial products that will act as a fire barrier. Those additional precious minutes a fire barrier offers, can save a life," said David Smith, Residential Segment Manager with Roxul. "To help build awareness of building practices and fire safety, we have teamed up with local retailers to host fire safety community events, as well as support Fire Prevention Canada." 

Roxul insulation is a stone wool product that resists temperatures up to approximately 1177° C (2150°F). It can act as a fire barrier delaying the spread of fire from room to room, creating a few additional moments to safely escape. Roxul products help save people, property and reduce environmental damages. 

Building or renovating with fire resistant materials like Roxul insulation results in fire fighters having more time to help save people and reduce building damages. Roxul insulation may also play an important role in segregating a fire in a multi-family dwelling. Roxul's ComfortBoard IS, a high-density to semi-rigid fire separation board was produced to specifically meet the building code requirements under section 9.10.16.3 (2) and exceeds the minimum density of 45kg/m³. 

Whether you are building a new home or performing renovations on an existing structure, consider installing Roxul insulation. It not only acts as a fire barrier, but is also water repellent; resistant to mold, mildew, rot, and bacterial growth; and is made from natural stone and recycled material. 

Fire Prevention Week 2014 will be observed from October 5th through to October 11th. For more information on how to prevent fires and keep your family safe, please visit Fire Prevention Canada's website at www.fiprecan.ca 

About ROXUL 

ROXUL Inc., is a subsidiary of ROCKWOOL International A/S, the world's leading supplier of innovative products and systems based on stone wool. ROCKWOOL International A/S is a publicly held company, which trades on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic Exchange Copenhagen. Operating 28 factories in 18 countries, the ROCKWOOL Group employs more than 10,000 people and features a global network of sales companies, trade offices and dedicated commercial partners. ROXUL products provide superior thermal and acoustical value and are fire resistant, water repellent, non-corrosive, and resistant to mold. 

For more, visit www.roxul.com

Your customers are always searching for ways to organize their lives and possessions better. Whether simply seeking to decrease clutter or organize items in the "junk" drawer, space is at a premium for most home owners. Use the following tips to make the most of your storage sales: 

 

• Display assembled products. Many customizable storage systems are easy to install, but may not seem that way to a customer when he or she is staring at the box. Dedicate a space to show a sample of that system installed with easy instructions on how customers can design and install it themselves. If you have limited space, use large photos showing installed closet systems from vendors—or from customers who have tried the product already.

• Keep current on style. Instead of white wire racking, you could try displaying brushed steel, chrome or colour, which are popular finishes for shelving units today. Some people might even want cabinets in closets and in the garage, so make sure you can accommodate those requests. To get more ideas for how customers might want to use their storage space, visit department stores and specialty storage retailers.

• Sell the basics. Storage solutions are in every part of the house, including food storage, organizers for the office, modular units for apartments and college  dorms, and baskets for the laundry room. When you offer the latest and most creative designs, your category will stand out from your competitors’.

• Use special orders. Use your storage vendor’s special order capabilities to cut down on inventory, give your customers more options and fetch higher margins. Train all employees on the ordering process so it’s easy and fast for customers. 

The goal of the North American Retail Hardware Association is to help independent hardware and home improvement retailers become better and more profitable merchants through a wide array of educational and training programs, financial management resources, and human resource tools that are all available online. WRLA members get unlimited access to a full range of training and management services when they join NRHA through the WRLA. Visit the WRLA website at www.wrla.org or click here for more information about NRHA.

2014 Hardlines Conference

Sheraton Toronto Airport and Conference Centre
www.hardlines.ca

Manual Estimating Courses

Leduc, AB

Plumbing & Electrical with Bob Sutherland

Winnipeg, MB

www.wrla.org 

Manual Estimating Courses

Winnipeg, MB

Sexton Member Conference

Nashville, Tennessee

Contact:  Callak@sextongroup.com 

Principles of Yard and Warehouse Operations

Winnipeg, MB

17897 Triggs Road

Surrey, BC    V4N 4M8

Phone: 604587-8700

Toll Free: 888-995-8325

Fax: 604-581-4104

Main Contact: Art Barker

(Manufacturer) shakes and shingles, lumber, decking, rough appearance timber