June 2010
NRHA Vendor Partners Honored at National Hardware Show®
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The 2010 National Hardware Show® proved to be a success for both the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and many NRHA Vendor Partners. NRHA's annual awards program, the Retailers' Choice Awards, honored 33 products including two products from NRHA Vendor Partner, Hyde Tools, Inc. Each year, a panel of retailers walks the NHS show floor in search of products they think will most likely sell well in their stores, and honors these products at an awards reception held on the NRHA Village stage. Hyde Tools, Inc., received one award for its HYDE® Pivot Nozzle Wands for Pressure Washers and one for its Paint Can Hand Aid.
Additionally, NRHA held the culmination of the 2010 Packaging and Merchandising Awards Program at the National Hardware Show. All entries in this year's competition were displayed in the PMA Expo at the NRHA Village. Gold and silver award winners were recognized during a special Packaging and Merchandising Trends Presentation held on the NRHA Village stage. Seventeen Vendor Partners participated in this year's program and won gold or silver awards:
Packaging Gold Awards
Kapro Tools Inc. Ceramic Hole Marker
Vermont American P2+R2 Combo Bit
Cooper Tools Wiss® Aviation Snips
Hyde Tools, Inc. HYDE® Pivot Nozzle Wands for Pressure Washers
General Tools & Instruments The Seeker™ 300 Video Inspection System
Hyde Tools, Inc. HYDE® Pivot Nozzle Wands for Pressure Washers
Hyde Tools, Inc. Rapid Valve Transfer® Airless Spray System
Honey—Can—Do International Urban Adjustable Shelving Unit, 5 Tier Black
General Tools & Instruments Ultratech Power Precision Screwdriver
One2Products One2flush
Packaging Silver Award Winners
Ali Industries Zip Sander
MSA Safety Works Multi—Position Ear Muffs
Century Drill & Tool Corp. Cobalt Drill Bit
The Monkey Hook, LLC Monkey Hook Value/Variety Pack
General Tools & Instruments The EZ pro Dovetailer Dovetail jig
The Wooster Brush Company Dust Eater™
The Wooster Brush Company Alpha™ Professional Paintbrushes
Vaughan & Bushnell Bear Saw
Merchandising Gold Award Winners
Hyde Tools, Inc. HYDE® Merchandiser for Paint & Pressure Washer Products
Vermont American Self Select Merchandising System
Midwest Fastener Saberdrive
Merchandising Silver Award Winners
DMT — Diamond Machine Technology Magna—Disc™ System Merchandiser
Fenix Manufacturing SmartHook Aisle Violator
The Wooster Brush Company 8' Best of Wooster 3914
Cooper Tools Crescent® 128—pc. Tool Set Merchandiser
The Wooster Brush Company Shortcut® Counter Box
The Wooster Brush Company Pelican® Power Tower RR801
The Monkey Hook, LLC Monkey Hook Counter Top display with virtual header
Louisville Ladder Ladder Merchandising Rack (SRA9)
The Wooster Brush Company Sherlock® GT Convertible™ Combo Display R858
NRHA Announces 2010 Young Retailers of the Year
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) has announced its 2010 Young Retailers of the Year. For the past 14 years, NRHA has hosted the Young Retailer of the Year Program in conjunction with the NRHA Annual Convention. The program highlights young, aspiring hardware retailers and honors them for outstanding achievements as owners and managers of independently owned hardware and building supply stores in the United States and Canada. The purpose of the program is to recognize outstanding performance and encourage talented young people to pursue a career in the retail hardware business. To date, the program has honored 100 young retailers. The program is sponsored by 3M, AHMA, Cooper Tools, Fluidmaster and Scotts.
This year's recipients include:
Less than $2 Million in Sales
Brenton Alexander
Alexander Hardware & Supply
Wiggins, Miss.
Patrick Guilbert
Neepawa Home Hardware
Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada
Chris Hughes
Hardware Plus
Osceola, Ind.
More than $2 Million in Sales
Karen Henderson
Goffstown Ace Hardware
Goffstown, N.H.
Justin Dubois
Quigley's Building Supply
Fort Kent, Maine
Nate Seigel
Mifflinburg Lumber
Mifflinburg, Pa.
Multiple Store Operations
T. J. Comstock
Billings Hardware Company
Billings, Mont.
Bridgett Barnes
Ace Barnes Hardware
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Time Running Out to Participate in the 2010 NRHA Convention
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — There is still time to participate in NRHA's 2010 Annual Convention and All—Industry Conference, both as a sponsor and/or attendee. This year's convention will allow retailers to network and focus on building their businesses while living it up in beautiful, historical Savannah, Ga. From July 19—21, retailers, manufacturers and vendors will come together to provide their insights on the year so far and hear from some of the biggest names in the industry on what to expect for the rest of 2010.
Join other Vendor Partners such as Century Drill & Tool, Channellock, Eazypower, Hyde, Hy—Ko, Intertape, Jack Link's Beef Jerky, Liquid Nails Adhesive, Louisville Ladder, Midwest Fastener, Rayovac, Vermont American and The Wooster Brush Company in helping retailers make the most of this educational and practical experience by becoming a sponsor today.
Make sure to act quickly — sponsorship opportunities for the 2010 Convention end next Friday, June 4. For more information on how to become a sponsor or attend, please visit the Convention page on the NRHA website or contact Diane Allen at 317—275—9430 or via e—mail at dallen@nrha.org.
May Vendor Partner Golf Outing a Success
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Twice each year, NRHA invites Vendor Partners out for a day of fun and relaxation the day before the Do it Best Market floor opens. This month, over 20 NRHA Vendor Partners gathered in Indianapolis for the Vendor Partner Golf Outing, Friday, May 14, at the famed Brickyard Crossing Golf Course.
This year's winning scramble team included:
Dick Wright, executive secretary, Hardware Marketing Council
Tom Taylor, vice president of sales, Fulton Corporation
Bill Lee, managing director, NRHA
Additionally, closest to the pin and longest drive contests were held for Vendor Partners to participate in. The spring 2010 winners were:
Closest to the Pin — Tom Taylor, vice president of sales, Fulton Corporation
Longest Drive — Ryan DeArment, vice president of sales and marketing, Channellock
Originally constructed in 1929 as the Speedway Golf Course, Brickyard Crossing was completely redesigned in 1992—93 by renowned golf course architect Pete Dye, and is notorious for having four holes located inside the famed oval track. NRHA hosts the outing the Friday before each Do it Best Market, weather pending. Make sure to mark your calendars for the next Vendor Partner Golf Outing, which will take place Friday, Oct. 8, 2010, at the Brickyard Crossing. Tee time is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
News from Vendor Partners
Sansin Corporation Donates to Conservation Authority
STRATHROY, Ontario — The Sansin Corporation donated 40 large stock deciduous trees to the St. Clair Conservation Authority to help create a natural canopy and restore habitat and green space in a local park. On Earth Day, representatives from Sansin and St. Clair Conservation met with the Municipality of Strathroy—Caradoc to break ground at Yorkview Community Park. The ceremonial planting was held in conjunction with the St. Clair Region Conversation Authority's Annual Environmental Clean Up Day and a Sansin sponsored Earth Day Challenge, which encouraged local businesses and homeowners to plant trees within the community.
Moen Fixtures Ideal Choice for TravelCenters of America
NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio — In 2007, TravelCenters of America (TA) developed a plan to renovate approximately 60 of their locations' public restrooms and shower facilities. As the United States' largest full—service travel center company, many TA locations service thousands of motorists and truck drivers each day. Such prominent rest stop traffic translates into a high use of utilities, especially water. In fact, the average TA location uses 15,000 gallons of water a day. Therefore, when Pat Jameson, manager of retail design engineering for TA, began his search for new fixtures, he needed something that would last, so he turned to Moen Commercial products.
"At our locations, we run around the clock, 365 days a year," Jameson said. "Since we don't see any down time, we were looking for fixtures that would stand up to an environment where they take a lot of abuse. Moen Commercial's products were our answer." Now Moen's M—Power™ sensor—operated flush valves, sensor—operated faucets, Heavy—Duty faucets and showering systems can be found in more than 60 of TA's restrooms and showers.
Share your Latest News with the Vendor Partners
Is your organization doing something new or noteworthy? If so, the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) would like to write about it in upcoming Vendor Partner newsletters. Take advantage of this free membership perk and inform your fellow Vendor Partners and manufacturers of your most recent developments. With each monthly newsletter, NRHA will publish news both for and from Vendor Partners. Make sure your organization is featured in the next issue by sending press releases and news article to Allison DeWitt at adewitt@nrha.org.