TruServ Market Biggest Ever

With total attendance topping 18,000, TruServ proclaimed its first spring market since the True Value/Servistar/Coast to Coast merger to be "the largest gathering of independent hardware retailers and vendors in history."

Over I 1,000 individual owners and employees attended the April 24-28 spring market in Dallas, Tx., which featured 1,400 vendors and 525,000 sq. ft. of new products and programs.

At the show, TruServ unveiled its new Variable Pricing Program, redesigned Web site, plans for an 800,000-sq. ft. deployment center in Hagerstown, Md., for seasonal and promotional items, and updates on completion of the merger. Fully integrating the buying groups, originally slated to take more than three years, has been condensed into 18 months and is on track to be completed by spring 1999.

The co-op restructured its regional support network into three groups: retail sales, regional merchandising and regional advertising. Ed Giunco Sr. was promoted to mgr. of special assignments, and Tim Babington, group merchandise mgr. Regional advertising mgrs. are Jim Schmidtke in the West, Jim Hughes, Central, and Ken Hutchins, East.

The co-op also rescheduled its fall market to Oct. 30-Nov. 3 at the Astrodome in Houston, Tx., to allow all members to attend the same show, to accommodate more vendors and activities, and not to conflict with the fall selling season. The show had been booked for late September in St. Louis. Mo.. with members to attend in two waves due to limited space at the convention center.

Depot To Test Smaller Stores

Home Depot will test a "hardware convenience-store format" catering to small project d-i-yers and others looking for a nearby location and smaller shopping environment.

The chain expects to open its first neighborhood hardware shops early next year in the Northeast, and will add three more in the region later in 1999.

Leading the experiment is Bob Wittman, senior v.p. of business development, who joined the chain last summer after serving as c.o.o. of Orchard Supply Hardware.

At about 35,000 sq. ft., the as-yetunnamed smaller stores will be about a third of the size of Depot's typical big box and offer 20-25Vo ofthe selection, but likewise be located in "densely populated areas," says Wittman.

Paul Pentz, president of TruServ, believes his 10.500 hardware store members are up to the challenge, contending that Home Depot is "not going to get the same efficiencies out of a small store as they would a large one. I think our stores can compete very effectively with them."

AWP|Goes To Washington

American Wood Preservers Institute plans on becoming even more pro-active in government affairs, outgoing chairman Paul Goydan, Osmose Wood Preserving, told attendees of the group's 43rd annual meeting.

According to Goydan, with increased member participation, AWPI had a "fresh opportunity" to redefine its role, realign its dues structure and reaffirm its basic principles and objectives.

During the April 26-29 conference in Washington, D.C., William Donley, Koppers Industries, was elected chairman; William Baldwin, Hickson, vice chairman; John McGinley, KerrMcGee, treasurer, and M. Agnes Osborne, corporate secretary.

Western Mills Up Production

Surging home construction activity and a steadily growing economy have Ied western lumber mills to increase production in the first quarter, according to Western Wood Products Association.

Lumber production at sawmills in 12 western states rose l%o in first quarter 1998 to 4.15 billion bd. fr. Orders for lumber increased l.3%o to 4.17 billion bd. ft., while shipments rose 170 ro 4.08 billion bd. ft. Mills in the Oregon and Washington coast region led gains, with production rising l.'7Vo, orders up 3Vo, and shipments increasing 2.6Vo.

Mills in the California redwood region matched production volumes from first quarter 1997, but booked 7Vo more orders and shipped 6.87o more lumber.

Production in the Inland region was about equal with the same period last year. Orders and shipments, however, were down about2Vo.

With production outpacing shipments, lumber inventories held at western mills were up 6Vo.

Do lt Best Realigns Millwork

Do it Best Corp. has regionalized its millwork department to provide more personal service to its member retailers, adding millwork account executives who will be based at four regional lumber offices instead of Fort Wayne, In., Hq.

Doug Kelley, who spent the last 1l years as gen. mgr. and v.p. of sales for Tualatin Valley Builders Supply, Lake Oswego, Or., has joined the Woodburn, Or., office. Other offices are in Fort Wayne, Burnsville, Mn., and New Windsor. N.Y.