Irish Hardware Magazine

Irel and’s Hardware Journal since 1938

Profiling Glanbia And its CountryLife stores

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Volume 74 • Number 3 - December 2012

Letter from the editor...

W

elcome to this issue of Irish Hardware magazine. The budget has come and gone and there has been a range of understandable opinions and reactions in the trade following yet another round of cuts and austerity measures.

One thing is true to say and that is that customers will have less money in their wallets in 2013 and once again the emphasis will be on value and creating footfall.

Here at Irish Hardware we see a continuing emphasis on the repairs and maintenance side of the business. We used to say ‘RMI’ with the ‘I’ standing for ‘improvement’.

However it seems of late that improvement is perhaps a little bit of a luxury where many people are concerned.

Repairs and Maintenance therefore are the most important parts of the equation now. And people are anxious to do their own work nowadays for financial reasons as much as anything else.

Gone are the days of calling in the professionals. Now our readers are at the frontline not just in terms of product supply but in terms of education and information provision.

Seeing ourselves as enablers is a philosophy that will pay dividends.

Of course, most clever operators already know this.

In this magazine we support those who seek to improve their game and to offer the best possible support to their customers. With News, Reviews, Product Items and Features we will be there throughout the coming year as we have been for 75 years.

contents P.5

News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The latest from the Trade

Cover Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Glanbia – CountryLife

On Line Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Another article in our series

Housewares in Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Trends from the US

Trade Counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 The ‘heavy’ end of the business

Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 The latest to catch our eye

Gardening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 With Kevin Waters

P.28

Last Posts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 When all is said and done

P.36 IREL AND’S HARDWARE JOURNAL SINCE 1938

On this month’s cover: The Glanbia CountryLife Team.

PROFILING GLANBIA And its CountryLife stores

Talk to you soon,

EDITOR: Martin Foran COMMERCIAL MANAGER: Dermot Casey DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Paul McCann CIRCULATION Executive: Josie Keane ADMINISTRATION: Josie Keane and Marian Donohoe PRODUCTION MANAGER: Jim Heron MANAGING DIRECTOR: Simon Grennan CHAIRMAN: Frank Grennan Printed by KC Print, Kerry Published by Jemma Publications Ltd, Broom House, 65 Mulgrave St., Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin Tel: +353 1 214 7920 Fax: +353 1 214 7950 Subscriptions Order Line: Tel: +353 1 214 7920. Order Online: www.irishhardware.com Jemma Publications publishes the following titles: Irish Hardware, Hotel & Catering Review, Licensing World, Irish Printer, Off Licence.

ISSN 0790-276X

News Over half a billion in retail stock stolen every year Retail Ireland has published a new retail crime survey that shows how shoplifting, cash robberies and fraud represent major and increasing problems for Irish retailers.

Increased

Over half of retailers have experienced increased levels of crime in the last two years, we see. Over half a billion euros (€512 million) of retail stock is stolen every year.

Retail Ireland called for a more pro-active and collaborative approach from Gardai and retailers and said that those caught shoplifting should bear the full brunt of the law.

The survey of 33 retail companies, which have over 800 shops and employ over 67,500 people around the country, found that: • 52% of retailers have experienced an increase in crime in the last two years • Nearly half of retailers (49%) have experienced theft of cash from their premises • 82% have suffered from shoplifting, with 39% experiencing theft of stock from employees • Over a third (36%) have experienced refund fraud and almost half (46%) have experienced credit card or cheque fraud • Just under one in three (30%) have experienced criminal damage • One in three (33%) intend to increase the

level of security tagging on items sold in their stores in the next 12 months.

Shocking

Commenting on the issue, Retail Ireland director Stephen Lynam said: ‘These findings are shocking, but not surprising. Retail crime has been on the rise since the start of the recession.

‘Research shows retailers’ inventory loss caused by crime in Ireland at 1.43% in 2011, the equivalent value in sales of some €512 million.

‘While this is significantly lower than countries like the United States (1.59%) and the Czech Republic (1.50%), it remains higher than the United Kingdom (1.37%) and Spain (1.4%).

Rank

‘Ireland ranks an embarrassing 11th out of 22 countries in Europe for shop lifting, with employee theft accounting for over a third of the total – the highest rate in Europe.

‘This is a staggeringly high cost, which has to be factored into retailers’ pricing decisions.’

To help combat the problem, Retail Ireland has made a series of recommendations to Government, including:

Opportunity missed in budget says hardware association An opportunity missed to stimulate the construction sector by reducing the VAT rate for construction-related activity, is how Hardware Association Ireland describes the budget.

‘The VAT rate on construction services should have been, even temporarily, reduced to 9 per cent from 13.5 per cent.

Employment

‘This short-term stimulus measure would have helped to create employment and encourage private investment,’ said Jim Copeland the Association’s chief executive.

‘It’s also regrettable that the Minister introduced a Carbon Tax on Solid Fuel before a robust chain of distribution is in existence, this exists in other sectors | December 2012

where this carbon tax has been applied; this coming especially at a time when our economy is in need of stability and assurance of supply.

‘We would also like to have seen the annual winter fuel allowance being ring-fenced. We have concerns that as the allowance is paid by means of a top up, and not exclusively for solid fuel product, and from any source of supply, there is no traceability or recovery for the State.

Dedicated

‘We would still urge the Government to have an officially endorsed fuel voucher system introduced where recipients would have to use dedicated fuel vouchers/ smart cards to purchase

• The full implementation of An Garda Síochána’s Theft from Shops Prevention and Reduction Strategy. The strategy is a proactive, collaborative effort by the retail community and the Gardai to prevent retail theft involving awareness raising, cooperation and specific prevention measures that will, it is hoped, reduce the prevalence of retail crime.

• Local retail theft fora are set up involving local Gardai and retailers to allow for the sharing of intelligence and best practice in tackling retail theft on the ground.

• Retailers should fully inform themselves of the strategy’s recommendations and put into practice those for which they have responsibility, including provisions around appropriate store lay-outs.

• In cases where shoplifting occurs, the full force of the law is brought to bear and adequate penalties are imposed upon those prosecuted.

Irish retailers ‘predict a drop of -0.47% in Christmas 2012 trading’ Irish retailers are predicting a drop of -0.47% in Christmas 2012 Trading, according to a survey published by Retail Excellence Ireland (REI), Ireland’s largest retail industry trade body.

Down

Jim Copeland

fuel product only and from registered retail fuel outlets.

‘This would allow the Government to recoup some of this large fund back through legitimate outlet tax returns,’ said Copeland.

The survey of 173 retail companies, which have over 1,550 stores around the country highlights that predicted retail sales for December 2012 will be down -0.47%, when compared with December 2011, despite retailers offering the best value and service this Christmas season.

The survey also reveals that 60% of retailers feel they will experience growth or like for like parity when compared with December 2011.

David Fitzsimons, REI chief executive officer said: ‘While the expectation amongst a significant cohort of retail companies is for marginal negative growth this Christmas, it is heartening to see that almost 60% of all operators expect to enjoy growth or at minimum like for like parity.’

Influence

Fitzsimons said that while factors including weather patterns over the Christmas period would have a significant influence over the ultimate trading outcome, it was clear that retailers were ‘becoming most bullish about their future prospects’.

News

Let’s spread more sunshine for LauraLynn!

The season of giving is just around the corner, and this year you can give to a charity and help the environment for free thanks to WEEE Ireland and LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice.

green communications including the prestigious EDIE Sustainability Awards where the scheme was the only Irish nominee.

Benefit

Success

Due to the success of last year’s inaugural Spread a Little Sunshine campaign, WEEE Ireland are teaming up with LauraLynn for a whole year to try and recycle as many waste batteries as possible whilst also creating a fund for the children’s charity.

Spread a Little Sunshine was officially launched at LauraLynn by this year’s ambassador, star of the Today show, Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh.

Bláthnaid said: ‘LauraLynn provide families across the country with an amazing service and the team here are an inspiration.

‘Everyone can help these families too in a really simple way – just recycle your waste batteries wherever you see the blue WEEE Ireland battery box in stores, offices and in schools.

‘It’s not always possible for people to financially help charities at Christmas and this is a lovely free way to do your bit.’

Get involved

For consumers: It is really easy to get involved and recycle your batteries!

Step 1. Check drawers, cupboards, children’s toys, schools and offices for all of those old non-rechargeable waste batteries – WEEE Ireland estimates there are up to 15 spent batteries lying around in every home in the country.

Step 2. Bring those waste batteries back to any retail outlet that sells similar batteries – they are obliged to recycle them for free.

You can also pop them in to any blue WEEE Ireland battery box.

Step 3. Alternatively, you can recycle your batteries for free at your local civic amenity site or at a designated WEEE Ireland collection day – check out recyclefree.ie for a list of both.

Step 4. Feel good about yourself - you just helped LauraLynn and did your bit for the environment!

Spread a Little Sunshine was officially launched at LauraLynn by this year’s ambassador, star of the Today show, Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh. WEEE Ireland aim to recycle more than 25 million waste batteries in the next 12 months for Ireland’s children’s hospice.

Thanks

Philomena Dunne, CEO of LauraLynn, said: ‘Thank you to everyone who recycled their batteries over the Christmas period last year – we were amazed at the effort people went to.

‘One school in Dublin recycled almost 10,000 batteries for us! Now that the campaign has been extended we hope that families all across the country will make a continued effort to find those old waste batteries in the home and put them to good use by recycling them for us.’

Elizabeth O’Reilly, WEEE Ireland, said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to get to work with LauraLynn once again this year.

‘As a mum of two I can appreciate how important the work done by the staff here is and how much it helps the families who avail of the service every year.

Raise

‘Last year, we collected the equivalent of approximately 22 million AA batteries for recycling and were able to raise €45,000 for LauraLynn.

‘We want everyone to help us recycle even more this year and help out an incredibly worthwhile cause.’

The WEEE Ireland scheme and its 2011 battery campaign was nominated in several award categories in 2012 for excellence in

The more batteries that are recycled, the more the children’s hospice will benefit. The money raised will go toward the upkeep of the hospice, which requires €1.4 million to operate annually.

WEEE Ireland, the compliance scheme for battery and waste electrical and electronic recycling, ensure that all batteries are recycled safely.

About battery recycling The WEEE Ireland scheme operates on behalf of producers of battery and electrical appliances to encourage people at home and in work to manage their electrical and battery waste responsibly.

WEEE Ireland encourages people to use rechargeable batteries where possible and to use the WEEE Ireland small battery box or other suitable container at home to collect spent batteries for recycling.

Waste batteries can then be deposited in larger WEEE Ireland blue boxes at collection points around the country.

They are sorted at WEEE facilities in Ireland and safely transported to dedicated European battery recycling plants.

Recycling batteries diverts them from landfill and ensures any heavy metals and chemicals they contain are managed in an environmentally responsible way.

Recycling also saves on natural resources as many of the component parts of batteries can be used again in manufacturing. For more information log on to recyclefree.ie, or join the campaign on facebook.com/weeeireland

WeeeIreland

WEEE Ireland (Waste, Electrical and Electronic Equipment) is a not-for-profit organisation, founded by producers of electrical and electronic appliances in order to help them comply with the legal obligations imposed by the WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC. WEEE Ireland manages the collection for recycling of household WEEE, lighting equipment and batteries from authorised collection points, on behalf of its producer members.

Sales increase welcome news for sector – Retail Ireland Retail Ireland welcomed data from the Central Statistics Office that showed retail sales up on both a monthly and annual basis. Sales in September, excluding motor and bar sales, were up 2% on the same month last year and by 0.1% on August. The group said the digital switch boosted television sales.

‘Electrical goods showed the largest increase, in large part due to the purchase of new television sets in time for the digital switch over.

‘Department stores, supermarkets and pharmacy sales were also up compared with September of last year.

Third

‘It is not all good news though. Furniture sales are down again, reflecting the continued depressed state of the housing market.

‘Total retail sales are down about 30% since the start of the recession. While the increase recorded is welcome, we have a long,

Commenting on the figures, Retail Ireland Director Stephen Lynam said: ‘The overall figures represent the third consecutive monthly increase in the value of retail sales and the second annual increase.

long way to go before the retail sector returns to health.

Down

‘Electrical goods showed the largest increase, in large part due to the purchase of new television sets in time for the digital switch over.’

December 2012 |

News ARRO ‘Ghoulishly Good Halloween Recipe Contest’ – Winner Pictured at the presentation of the ARRO ‘Ghoulishly Good Halloween Recipe Contest’ is the winner, Diane Masterson from Enniscorthy. Diane won first prize for her entry ‘Gingerbread Massacre Red Velvet Cake’. We love the title!

Hundreds

Distilled from hundreds of entries, finalists’ recipes ranged from eerie appetizers to creepy desserts.

Diane was presented with the winning prize by Betty Smyth, managing director of Smyth’s ARRO and Sean Ferguson from Kenwood Delonghi who sponsored the event. It took place in Smyth’s ARRO on Saturday, 24 November.

There was great excitement when Diane dropped in to collect her prize and have her photograph taken on the day.

Bringing a small sample of the winning recipe, Diane

| December 2012

informed us that she has been baking since she was a little girl and spends many hours in the kitchen.

The Kenwood Titanium Chef, Meyer Prestige and Kitchen Craft baking equipment will definitely be put to good use!

Impressed

Chairperson of the ARRO ‘Ghoulishly Good Halloween Recipe Contest’, Emer O’Donnell commented: ‘We were impressed with the creativity of the applicants in particular Diane’s Gingerbread Massacre Red Velvet Cake.

‘All submissions were judged anonymously on originality and relevance to Halloween. We invite even more people to get spooky and enter the contest next year!’

Diane comments: ‘To have been the overall winner is

fantastic. Cooking is a passion of mine and I love experimenting with food and making my own creations.

‘Having moved to Dublin my new kitchen was lacking appliances and equipment so it’s great to have won.

‘When I’m home at the weekends Smyths ARRO is

my “go to” for baking accessories, especially their new Sweetly Does It range.’

An image of Diane’s winning entry and her recipe can be seen on the arro.ie news section of their website.

And Irish Hardware would like to join in the congratulations!

News

Retail Excellence Ireland welcomes AIB’s new simplified loan scheme for SMEs Retail Excellence Ireland has welcomed AIB’s announcement that it is launching a new ‘simplified loanapplication procedure for small and medium-sized businesses to boost access to credit for the sector’.

Boost

Commenting on the news, David

Fitzsimons, chief executive, Retail Excellence Ireland, said: ‘While I welcome this initiative from AIB which will hopefully improve credit flow for SMEs and boost economic activity, I would now urge other banks to follow suit and offer greater access to credit for SMEs.’ slight increase in overall global confidence of one index point to a score of 92 (up 4 points versus Q3 2011).

‘Consumers played it safe this third quarter,’ observed Nielsen, ‘especially in Europe, which still faces a grave economic situation despite some recent stabilising policy initiatives by the ECB.’

Ireland Consumer Confidence - Q3 2012 There was some positive news as sentiment rose in Ireland in the last quarter to 67 index points (almost back to Q3 2010 levels). That was according to global consumer confidence findings from Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy.

Increase

Ease

‘A cut in ECB rates likely helped ease some financial pressures,’ said Nielsen.

‘Almost one-third of Irish online respondents indicated they are putting any spare cash into savings this quarter.

There were subdued third quarter results

for Global Consumer Confidence, according to Nielsen.

The latest round of the survey saw a

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Global consumer confidence rose in 52% of global markets measured by Nielsen in Q3 2012, compared to a 41% increase in the previous quarter.

Confidence increased in 30 of 58 markets, declined in 19, and remained flat in seven.

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Call Acheson & Glover now on ROI: 048 8778 4208 or NI: 028 8778 4208 if you’d like to talk with us about stocking our market-leading products. www.acheson-glover.com

December 2012 |

News

SFA Briefs Oireachtas on sick pay proposals

SFA tells Oireachtas proposal to pass on sick pay costs ‘will cost jobs’ The Director of the Small Firms Association, Patricia Callan, informed the Oireachtas at a special briefing on the sick pay proposals, that placing additional sick leave pay costs on small firms would ‘add further pressure and cost jobs’.

Struggling

‘Small businesses are struggling to maintain jobs, and any measures that add directly to the cost of employment will result in job losses; will act as a strong disincentive to job creation and may force employers to revisit any sick pay policies which they offer,’ is the message.

‘Employers and their employees already contribute significantly to the social welfare bill through the PRSI system, and placing social welfare costs onto business is simply an additional cost on employment and is completely unacceptable.’

In 2010, employers paid €5bn or 75% of the total contributions to the Social Insurance Fund.

Survey

A survey carried out in early September 2012 shows the predicted impact that the possible introduction of mandatory sick pay would have on the small business sector. We are told: • 88% would be affected by cash flow • 69% stated it would restrict their future recruitment and

• 61% indicated that it may lead to job losses.

Callan stated: ‘One of the arguments for the introduction of the scheme is to reduce sick leave. The SFA do not believe that the proposed sick pay would reduce sick leave or absenteeism as these levels are at their lowest in small companies.

‘In 2010 an SFA survey showed that absence in small firms was 2.6% or 5 days, compared to 4.9% or 11.3 days in the public sector, which costs the state between €400500m.

‘Small companies already manage absenteeism as they incur significant costs when employees are absent, including voluntary sick-pay top-up where it’s given; the cost of medical referrals; overtime payments or the indirect costs such as the effect on productivity and quality.

‘A statutory sick pay scheme should not be introduced in isolation. It should be part of an overall strategic review into the management of absence and ensuring that individuals are facilitated and incentivised to return to and stay at work.’

Highlighted

odds with the Government’s own Action Plan for Jobs, which states one of the aims is making Ireland more competitive.

‘If the cost of employment to employers goes up, then more jobs will be lost and less will be created,’ she said.

‘Minister Burton may not realise or disregard in the pursuit of balancing her Departmental budgets, the impact this proposal will have on the cost of employment.

‘Everyone agrees that expenditure costs need to be reduced, but cuts need to be made that have the least impact on employment.

Assessment

‘We are calling on the Minister to immediately conduct a regulatory impact assessment to assess the impact of the proposal on jobs and competitiveness and the cost/benefit to small business.’

New Appointment at DS Supplies

Derrick Laing joins the team at DS Supplies Ltd. Derrick brings over 12 years’ experience from within the wood products industry. He is especially knowledgeable on wood profiles and DIY products selling into the Hardware and builders’ merchants nationwide. DS Supplies Ltd distributes a wide range of floor accessories under the Trojan brand and Eureka Fasteners & Fixings. You can visit their website at www.dssupplies. com or Phone: 01 4011666.

Callan highlighted that the proposal is at

Keep warm this winter For more information contact your Draper representative or call Sales tel: 0044 23 8049 4333 Sales fax enquiries contact either/or: 0044 23 8049 4201 / 0044 23 8049 4209 General admin fax: 0044 23 8026 0784 email: sales@drapertools.ie

www.drapertools.ie | December 2012

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News

Company News: ‘Handling the best’ Toyota is commonly associated with manufacturing cars and light commercials but this is not the only area where they are leaders in their field of expertise. They are also manufacturers and suppliers of world-leading material handling products.

This includes a wide range of forklifts.

Base

Toyota’s base in Ireland is situated on the Killeen Road in Dublin 12. Toyota Ireland and Toyota Material handling are 100% Irish-owned having been set up in 1973 by the Mahony family.

Six years before this Toyota had established its first forklift dealership and sold its first forklift in the US. Over the years Toyota has continued to evolve its Lift Truck product line and global distribution.

Toyota Ireland distributes motor vehicles and forklift trucks to the Irish market.

Over the years Toyota Ireland has firmly established the Toyota brand as a household name here.

Full range

Toyota Material Handling Ireland’s managing director Terry O’Reilly, told Irish Hardware: ‘Toyota material handling Ireland brings to the market the full range of Toyota and BT products – offering the customers a one-stop-shop for all material handling needs.

‘From hand trucks, pallet trucks, reach trucks and stackers to gas, diesel and electric counterbalance trucks, we offer the widest product range in the business.’

Terry stated that the Toyota brand ‘gives customers peace of mind’ that they will be

French Corner at the Hardware/DIY Home Garden Show The French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE will add a French touch to the next edition of the Hardware/DIY Home Garden Show with its French pavilion: ‘The French Corner’!

French companies

‘The French Corner’ will present a number of French companies to the Irish market during the two day trade show which will take place in Citywest on 17 and 18 February.

For more information about ‘The French Corner’ you can contact: christel.roche@ubifrance.fr and vimla.hunt@ubifrance.fr

looked after in all aspects – before and after the sale.

‘Our service offering is top level too’ Terry says. ‘From forklift maintenance by expert technicians to business solutions such as rental, financing and fleet management – not to mention our genuine parts, driver training courses, financial solutions and more.

Benefits

‘All the benefits, peace of mind and value for money that Toyota provides to make it the number one seller of motor cars in Ireland are also available in its material handling range,’ points out Terry: Last year Toyota’s success was recognised when German material handling magazine DHF Intralogistik named Toyota industries Corporation (TICO) the global number one in handling material equipment for 20102011.

DHF Intralogistik named TICO the sector leader in its world ranking list, 2010-2011, based on sale of material which amounted to E4.172 billion.

Strength to strength

The company has gone from strength to

Terry O’Reilly

strength over the years. In Ireland there are 56 main car dealers while there are five dedicated dealers looking after the material handling products.

These are located in Kilkenny, Sligo, Cork and Dublin – where there are two dealers.

‘Our dealers have over 30 years’ knowledge and experience selling Toyota products,’ says Terry.

‘In a market where there are over 30 different brands, Toyota has been a consistent leader and trusted partner for many customers over the years.’

Toyota is the best selling Material Handling Equipment in the world and is famous for its reliability, technological advancement and overall value for money, points out Terry.

‘Being part of Toyota Group undoubtedly brings strength to our organisation with Toyota R+D capabilities, financial resources and proven work methods – as exemplified by the ‘Toyota Way’ and the Toyota Production System.

New exhibitors sign up for PATS Sandown With still four months to go before opening its doors to visitors, PATS Sandown was already promising to be one of the most successful pet trade exhibitions ever, said organisers.

Busiest

Following the busiest and biggest PATS to date at Harrogate in September, 102 exhibitors had already snapped up their stands for Sandown at time of writing.

The show takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday, 19 and 20 March, 2013.

There will also be an impressive line-up of new faces too, as 12 companies so far had signed up to exhibit at Sandown for the first time with a further two returning after a year’s break.

The PATS website can be found at www.patshow.co.uk and the PATS hotline is +44 (0) 1892 862848. Companies wishing to exhibit should call Annie Dyke on the same number.

December 2012 |

THE IRISH COMPLIANCE SCHEME

FOR WASTE ELECTRICAL AND BATTERY RECYCLING For further information please call us on 1890 253 252, log on to weeeireland.ie or find us on

BUSINESS AND ASSETS FOR SALE FINN MCCARTHY & SON LIMITED (IN RECEIVERSHIP) TRADING AS “MC CARTHY’S HARDWARE, DIY & GARDEN CENTRE” On the instruction of Mr Liam Dowdall and Mr Seán McNamara of Smith & Williamson, the Joint Receivers and Managers of Finn McCarthy & Son Limited (In Receivership), offers for sale the business and assets of this specialised building providers located in Prosperous, Co. Kildare. Finn McCarthy & Son Limited provides building materials, DIY equipment, fishing and hunting equipment.

The Principal Assets Include: •Trading business to be sold as a “going concern”.

•Large leasehold property (72,000 sqft) with substantial yard. Total site is 5.2 acres.

•Fully fitted shop space.

•Skilled and experienced staff.

•Well established local reputation and customer base (trading since 1954).

The Joint Receivers and Managers are seeking expressions of interest in the business and assets of the Company. There is also an opportunity to purchase the business along with a lease on the property.

For further information please contact: Liam Dowdall or Seán McNamara Smith & Williamson Freaney, Paramount Court, Corrig Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18 Telephone: (01)6142500 / Email: liam.dowdall@smith.williamson.ie or sean.mcnamara@smith.williamson.ie

10 | December 2012

News

JB Key promotion

Intact Software moves into North American market Business management software developer appoints third international partner in one month

JB Key recently ran a promotion where customers who spent over E250 were entered into a draw for a two night break with breakfast. After the draw the winner emerged as Centenary Thurles.

Michael Ryan is on the left of our picture receiving the voucher from Joe McShane.

Exclusively Housewares For the second year running, the organiser of Exclusively Housewares, Brooke House Exhibitions, was able to publish its full exhibitor list (for 2013) exactly four months after its last show closed.

Market

‘This is no mean feat in the current market conditions,’ commented show director Simon Boyd.

‘The whole show team would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all those companies who continue to support the show, or who have signed up for the first time to be part of the 2013 show. We are looking forward to it!’

This year’s show theme ‘Design, Colour And Function For The Home’, and a new show logo, reflect the diversity of styles, materials and thinking that housewares suppliers put into their product offering.

‘Our exhibitors bring flair, originality and a clear understanding of what the public want in their kitchens and dining rooms,’ commented Simon Boyd.

‘They are trend setters in terms of colours and style and the show is a great place to see what is, and what will be, happening in the heart of the home.’

Irish technology company Intact Software, no stranger to Irish Hardware magazine, recently announced further international growth with the appointment of North American partner, TNG Virtual Office Services (VOS) Inc.

Third

The announcement was the third in a series of international partner agreements, with partners in Africa and Australia being named recently too.

‘The expansion is designed to drive global sales for Intact Software’s flagship product, Intact iQ,’ we are told.

With dedicated resources in these new markets Intact Software can now grow its international presence and serve larger mid-market companies with sites in multiple countries.

Intact iQ is ‘a highly adaptable business management software solution that allows organisations to maximise their productivity, pro-activity and profits by eliminating the need for numerous isolated systems and support providers and ensuring accurate, up-to-date information is available at all times’.

Flagship

This latest partner agreement will see Intact iQ becoming the flagship software product for TNG. Headquartered in Toronto,

and with bases in Chicago and New York, the company has been delivering IT, software and development solutions to end users across multiple industries in North America since 1994.

Intact iQ will facilitate significant growth for the company, allowing it to expand its current key markets of advertising, professional services and retail, as well as further growing its market share in other vertical industries.

Intact Software and TNG will closely collaborate to ensure maximum effectiveness and ‘a productive response from the market is ensured,’ we are told.

Increase

Stephen Simmons, founder and CEO of TNG VOS Inc., commented: ‘With Intact iQ, not only have we found a new flagship product which is going to dramatically increase TNG’s market share, we’ve found a revolutionary system that will allow us to confidently provide our valued customers with a solution that we are 100 per cent confident will meet all of their individual needs as well as offering the comfort of longevity and scalability.

‘Intact iQ is the solutiondriven software that will allow TNG to dramatically grow across multiple market verticals and across North America.’

Looking for the right business management software?

www.intact.ie

Buy Irish. Choose Intact. Specialists in trade counter, EPoS & business systems for Builders Merchants/Hardware Stores. Customers nationwide

BUSINESS SYSTEMS

TAILORED SOFTWARE FOR SMART BUSINESS

042-9331742 December 2012 | 11

News UK Bathroom market ‘dampened by economy’

‘Consumer confidence index edges up to a 15 month high, but the bathroom market remains in the throes of recession’ GfK report that value sales of bathroom suites declined by -9% from the year ending July 2011 to year ending July 2012.

Economy

This decline can be attributed to low consumer confidence and the beleaguered economy, which is experiencing the worst double dip recession since records began.

After three stagnant months, the consumer confidence index has edged up one point to -28 in September.

It is, however, uncertain if this slight rise is a precursor for future trends or just an end of a summer blip.

The GfK consumer confidence index highlighted that, in August 2012, 52% of consumers felt that the economic situation would get worse over the next 12 months.

Similarly, 45% of consumers felt it would get a little or a lot worse in terms of their

household financial situation.

As a result, consumers have continued to tread cautiously with regards to big ticket purchases.

Buffer

An additional buffer to the growth of the bathroom market is the decline in property transactions.

In 2011, there were 866,000 property transactions compared to over 1.6 million in 2006. (UK) As the numbers of sellers and buyers dwindle, the impetus to renovate bathrooms is increasingly lost.

Cosmetic improvements have proved a popular substitution, with 23.6% of all value sales in the bathroom markets stemming from bathroom accessories and cabinets for July year-to-date 2012.

Sam Kelly, TSR Director, comments: ‘The

File Picture

bathroom market has been challenged due to certain economic factors, which impact the sales of big ticket items within bathroom.

These factors include consumer confidence, property transactions and unemployment.

Fresh up

‘It would seem that consumers have turned to buying quick fix products to freshen up the look of their bathroom instead of replacing their bathroom suites.’

Micro enterprises casualties of ministerial ‘turf-war’ ISME, the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, has called on the Government to reverse its decision to place the County & City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) under the control of Local Government and the Department of the Environment.

Assistance

‘At a time when entrepreneurs need all the assistance they can get, this government is upsetting the whole infrastructure, people, advisors, management, creating mini-turf wars in the boards and uncertainty among the clients,’ it was claimed.

The Association has demanded that any changes to the CEB network structure must keep the needs of the client at the core of any such deliberations and, in that context, it says a locally-based, flexible, client-focused system under the control of ENTERPRISE will undoubtedly have most merit.

Commenting on the move, ISME CEO Mark Fielding said: ‘It is absolute madness the way they are doing it. They are cutting the 35 organisations that are actually making a difference to micro-businesses in Ireland.

Fearful

‘I’d be very fearful of the boards operating under the wing of the local authorities, as 12 | December 2012

they do not have the ethos or experience of dealing with small business.

‘At the moment, the boards are independent and flexible and there is a real chance this will be lost.

‘We welcome the potential reduction in overheads, only if that money is ploughed back into supports for local business and not put into central coffers to fix potholes.

‘Another worry is what happens where a business owes money in local authority rates and is then receiving a grant or financial assistance.

‘Will the authority try to grab the finance or just make it more awkward for them?

Concern

‘The announcement has sparked concern and confusion among many micro businesses. There has been no mention of changes in the range of services that CEBs provide by way of business supports and the budget line available.

‘As yet there is very little detail on matters such as reporting responsibilities, levels of autonomy, advisory structures and staffing levels. We have not seen a cost/benefit analysis or savings breakdown.

‘In one fell swoop, this Government is interfering with the organisations that are

actually making a difference to micro-businesses.

‘The CEBs were always the first place of call for new entrants, where they received initial encouragement and support.

Potential

‘This move has the potential to set Irish entrepreneurship back decades and should be resisted,’ continued Fielding.

‘Small and micro businesses will become the casualties of the turf-war between ministers Hogan and Bruton.

‘The sad fact is that this move will strip away the seed bed for entrepreneurship from the relevant department and shoehorn it in under Environment.

‘Placing the support services for micro business under the Department of Environment and Local Authorities is a wrong move, it will stunt growth, it will delay revival.’

COVER STORY ®

Dove Hill

‘Right product, right place, right time!’

Senan Foley is no stranger to the pages of Irish Hardware. The last time we spoke to Glanbia’s Head of Retail it was at Dove Hill, County Tipperary and he was showing us around what was then a fairly new location for CountryLife.

Flagship

Dove Hill was quite a departure for the organisation. It demonstrated how Glanbia had a firm handle on what was still a relatively new part of their business.

Since we last met, the store has gone from strength to strength, as have the other stores in the branch network. So what is the secret?

Ownership

For starters there’s a real sense of ownership in Glanbia. This pertains to floor staff, to management and indeed to customers who have shown – and continue to show – great loyalty to the brand.

Among the staff, there is a

real sense of everyone being in this together – of everyone buying into a common philosophy which places the customer firmly at centre stage and where there is a real connectedness to local communities as well.

This connectedness can be seen right through the chain of command.

In touch

No one here loses sight of the fact that the customer is at the centre of this entire world. Take Senan Foley, for example.

As the Head of Retail, Senan is very much in touch with what is happening on the shop floor as are all the management team.

Senan caught the retail bug

Senan Foley Head of Retail

Robert Kehoe Operations Manager for Retail December 2012 | 13

COVER STORY ®

Glanbia - background

In the late 1990s Avonmore and Waterford co-ops came together in a merger to form Glanbia Plc. Glanbia Plc Ireland has three divisions: • Agribusiness • Dairy ingredients (Milk processing plants – Ballyragget is the biggest in Europe) • Consumer foods (e.g.

Kilmeaden cheese, Avonmore milk) Also, there is a significant Cheese Business and a large Sports Nutrition Business in the US. Optimum Sports Nutrition is one of the biggest brands in sports nutrition there.

The Plc business has grown from strength to strength over the last decade or so. It has been a big Irish success story for sure.

When it comes to the ‘agri’ business, this consists of a core business of feed and fertiliser and ‘agri’ inputs.

‘We have a strong team of business sales managers on the ground dealing directly with our farm customers,’ explains head of retail, Senan Foley ‘They are providing a technical service to farmers as well as one-to-one sales – going directly to the farmers.’

In all there are 52 stores comprising both the traditional ‘agri’ and the newer, CountryLife stores. It is the latter that we concentrate on here in our feature.

early on in his career and learned the ropes in Atlantic Homecare prior to arriving at Glanbia. He came on board here seven years ago with a remit to develop the retail arm of the business.

‘Our stores were very “agri”focussed,’ says Senan. ‘There was a good retail business in the ‘90s under Home and Farm but in 2005 it was decided to build up the retail arm.’

Simple idea

That was how CountryLife was conceived: A simple idea to expand the offering. And its success, it would seem, lies in keeping it simple.

For example: One of the key aspects of the CountryLife expansion was the addition of garden centres. This of course was a natural addition to the existing ‘agri’ formula.

‘The general idea was to bring a more comprehensive retail offering on board, to give our customers a wider selection and to bring in more modern retail principles,’ Senan explains.

‘Our Kilmuckridge store was our first pilot store to come on board,’ recalls Senan. ‘Over the next few years we spent a lot of time developing stores and continuing the transformation.

‘The idea was to have an offering for the whole farming family and non-farming customers too.’

In addition to gardening the team looked at product ranges like Lifestyle and Pets and Clothing – all applicable to the general public and to getting more retail customers through the door.

‘We now have 52 stores of which 17 are CountryLife stores,’ explains Senan. The rest remain ‘agri’-focussed.

Team building

With the development of the new stores there was an emphasis on best practice in modern retailing. Internally this involved building a team.

There are now two Operations Managers, two Buyers – one for Retail and one for ‘Agri’, two Category Managers – one Retail and one ‘Agri’,

and a Marketing Manager.

Robert Kehoe is Operations Manager for Retail and as such he is wellpositioned to comment on the development of that side of the business. Robert started in 2008 after coming from Wallace’s in Wellingtonbridge.

The stores that Robert is responsible for include a mix of pure ‘agri’ with no Gardening and also CountryLife branches such as those at Ashford, Ballyhale, Castlecomer, New Ross and, of course, Dove Hill.

Natural fit

‘It was a natural fit for me here,’ says Robert, who is a farmer’s son. ‘When I came to Glanbia

Staff in New Ross CountryLife Store

There are eight full-time staff and three or four part-timers throughout the year working in Glanbia CountryLife in New Ross. These include Fergal the Horticulturalist and David the ‘agri’ Lead. ‘We also have a lot of general staff with a huge knowledge,’ says manager Brian Molloy. ‘One staff member has been here 27 years. They are all “key”. If someone is gone for a couple of days they are missed.’

December 2012 | 15

® COVER STORY Brian Molloy: Store manager, New Ross, County Wexford

New Ross store manager, Brian Molloy, started with the organisation in 2008. It was during the re-build of the New Ross store that he actually came on board.

The result was a complete change from what had gone before, Brian says.

Looking around, it has clearly been successful by any calculation. We enter a bright, spacious store with clearly-marked

departments, wonderful displays and a truly captivating garden centre.

Staff are friendly and welcoming and clearly happy in their work.

In short, it is all of those things we were led to expect – just like a big family really where all visitors are warmly greeted and professionally treated and most are on first name terms.

So, in terms of the product offering what was added when the store was rebuilt? ‘The biggest expansion was the garden centre,’ says Brian who worked in the grocery business before joining the organisation.

Prior to this however, his background was horticulture.

So, this was clearly an advantage in CountryLife.

‘I came in here as retail manager,’ Brian tells us. ‘Then the branch manager moved on and I moved up to that position,’ he explains.

‘There’s a great atmosphere here,’ adds Brian. ‘There is a

I had farming sales experience too as I had spent time on the farming side in Wallace’s.’

In fact, Robert had the combination of Farming, Hardware and Garden Centre experience as well. He had also worked in the Hardware side of the business – including the Garden Centre – at Wallace’s.

‘In CountryLife stores I have seen a huge transition since I joined in 2008,’ says Robert.

‘I have seen a natural growth in gardening which has been phenomenal.’

What about the mix of customers now? ‘There are a lot

of female shoppers now, says Robert. ‘Particularly on the gardening side.

‘They come in for the gardening and then they see other things in our stores that interest them. Predominantly gardening is a driving tool for the retail customer and female shoppers.

‘Once inside, they pick up Pet items, Clothing, Footwear and items for the house. Fuel is another very important area for the stores at this time of year of course.’

‘It is all predominantly driven by the gardening.’

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very progressive attitude from Head Office right through to the shop floor.

‘There’s a great chain of command and we meet on a regular basis. There are good lines of communication.’

Brian refers to how each store in the branch network is a big part of its community. His store is certainly no exception.

‘You are on first name terms with people,’ he says of his customers.

But it goes much deeper than that. The store is actively involved in areas like fund raising for the local hospital.

They support local clubs and churches and if there are events like field days they are there for those too.

‘Great loyalty comes back to us from customers,’ says Brian.

‘Customers will generally talk with their feet if they are not happy,’ notes Brian. ‘However, the difference here is that – with the great sense of loyalty that has been built up – if things

Relevant

Senan agrees here. ‘We explored differing ranges and went through different phases but when we hit on the Garden Centre concept that was when we became most relevant to the general retail customer,’ he says.

On this note, Senan recalls how the team carried out surveys and looked for feedback from the general public. The results were illuminating.

‘In the early days, people were saying that they thought our outlets were for farmers only.

They thought that they’d be

aren’t right they’ll tell us about them rather than walking away somewhere else.’

Meanwhile the breakdown between farming and retail customers is around 60:40 here – 60 per cent being ‘agri’.

‘We are dealing with the farming family as a whole but we have also picked up many other customers,’ says Brian.

So what is important to customers here? ‘Availability, range and expertise,’ says Brian mentioning just a few examples.

Price, he says, isn’t always top of the list.

‘Cheapest isn’t always the best value,’ points out Brian.

‘That is something the staff are able to get across here.

Their huge store of knowledge is invaluable.’

As to the flexibility of the Glanbia CountryLife model, Brian explains that this works well for his store. ‘We are able to tweak the formula towards what we find works well here in our store,’ he says. intimidated perhaps and they thought that you had to have an account to shop with us.’

‘So, our job was to give an offer that was relevant to those customers – to make it an environment that they were comfortable to come into and to shop in.

Softened

‘We softened up the appearance of stores,’ says Senan. ‘We brought in modern retailing principles. For example, everything was priced and we made sure to have good lighting and so on. We built on all of that.’

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COVER STORY ®

Other key elements were introduced.

A loyalty club was set up for example. It now has over 30,000 members.

‘Meanwhile we had to bring experts into the garden centres,’ says Senan. ‘We invested in horticulturists.

‘These horticulturalists have been a huge part of our success of course. The majority of people are not gardeners – many of them are probably overwhelmed and they need advice.’

True to form, the garden centre offering is quite a simple model. ‘We focus

strongly on having the best quality plants,’ says Senan. ‘Get the plant offer right and the rest will fall into place.

‘You need to be an expert at what you are doing,’ says Senan, reflecting the philosophy at work here. Do it well 100 per cent of the time.

‘In today’s environment it is tough in retail and retailers are, naturally, interested in trying new lines but you can’t take your eye off being good at the core areas – keep it simple.

‘At the end of the day, it is about being

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COVER STORY ® Peter O’Donovan Purchasing Manager – Retail

the best at what we do.

It’s why we brought in people like our category managers Jason and Nigel.

‘We want to know what our return per linear square foot is.’

Customer service

A lot is made of customer service in modern retailing practice but that is also one of the most traditionally important areas of retailing. It may have suffered in some stores during the boom years but not here.

‘One thing I would say is that our customer service has ALWAYS been second to none,’ says Senan.

‘If you walk into any store of ours you will see that our people know their customers by name – there’s that local feel.’

The point being made here is that when Glanbia started with CountryLife as a brand, customer service was already at a very high level.

Invested in people

‘Sure there were departures from what people were used to in moving towards a new model and change brings challenges. However we have invested heavily in our people and we have put very solid training plans in place,’ says Senan.

‘There is a part of our training that we call “speed training”. Small groups of people get half an hour with a supplier, get to ask questions and learn about the products.

One common saying we hear at the Glanbia head office as well as in their stores concerns having the ‘right product, at the right time, at the right price’. It’s something that they work hard to achieve here.

When it comes to sourcing and acquiring the ‘right products’ to sell in stores, much of the responsibility falls on Peter O’Donovan who is the retail buyer here.

Of course no one operates in a vacuum, especially not in Glanbia, and Peter benefits from constant feedback from the shop floors in the branch network and from his other colleagues when it comes to the word on what customers are looking for and what might go well in- store.

This is the benefit of working within a system which places a huge emphasis on communication.

Those working on the shop floors are the main points of contact with customers on a daily basis. The relationships that they form with customers at local level are seen as hugely important when it comes to the success of the organisation.

Not surprisingly, they are facilitated and encouraged when it comes to feeding information back along the chain of command and this is something they do constantly.

It is, says Peter, very advantageous to know your customers so well and to know what might be well-received, or otherwise, with them.

It is perhaps even more important nowadays. Business has changed a lot in recent years and it is important to be in touch with the latest trends, tastes and requirements when it comes to making decisions on new products.

When trying new lines, risks can of course be minimised by putting items into a select few outlets to see how they go. Again, the feedback from stores will indicate which are the most appropriate.

With such a vast network of stores Peter relishes the challenge of his work.

He adds that the team are keen to work with Irish suppliers wherever possible. This is something that is reiterated throughout our conversations with the Glanbia management team.

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COVER STORY ®

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‘Then we switch around. This way we can cover off around eight suppliers in a morning.

‘We have done the classroom work and the “talking at” people thing,’ says Senan. ‘The feedback says that it doesn’t register as well.’

Robert Kehoe is in agreement with this: ‘The interaction with suppliers is great for staff members,’ he says. ‘Our customer service is all about building relationships and that goes for relationships with suppliers too.

Supporting local

‘Meanwhile there is a great sense of support from customers,’ says Robert. ‘The whole recession challenge means that people are looking to support local.

‘It is a huge strength to have this local support. Our staff are all involved in local pursuits: clubs, Tidy Towns organisations and churches for example. They meet their customers socially as well as professionally.

‘If something is wrong you’ll be told quickly. You get very honest feedback.

‘If something is done well you

get to hear about it too,’ says Robert: ‘I think the single biggest challenge is to continue to make ourselves relevant to what people are looking for. We must continuously evolve and keep relevant.

‘I think we have done so and the challenge is to keep doing so and also to keep fresh and in tune – and to be able to adapt where necessary.

‘It is a difficult environment out there and you need to compete and be the best at what you are competing on.’

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‘We also have a huge input from horticulturalists and staff at branches,’ says Robert. ‘Horticulturalists say they’ve been asked for certain plants. They ask – as will staff in other areas – “can we try this product?”.’

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COVER STORY ® James Byrne - Retail Marketing Manager

James is a newer recruit to what is, relatively speaking, a young team. He has been working with Glanbia for over six months now as retail marketing manager.

James’s work spans the entire 52 branches in the network. His responsibilities cover everything from in-store point of sale materiprocess. There’s a great buy-in too from them.

‘Our staff will be first to tell us that a certain range is not working.

‘It is important to pull that knowledge together from branch staff. They are at the coal face getting feedback each day.

Senan takes up the point: ‘A major advantage is that we are deeply-rooted here. It comes back to buying right. I would say around 95 per cent of our retail product range is sourced from Irish suppliers.

‘It is important to give local people and businesses a chance.

We all are responsible for driv-

als to online work and the provision and monitoring of social media content for the organisation.

James has been making a real mark in the area of social media and online communications.

Work on Facebook for example would represent an important part of James’s job.

This is where many customers are nowadays, and so Glanbia engages with them here.

This has been an important tool for Glanbia. However, James is acutely aware that it is not for ‘hard selling’.

It has to be done very well, says James. ‘It is a crowded space on Facebook so we have put a lot into making our page worthwhile,’ he adds.

‘We have gone from zero to over 13,000 fans as a result.’

Glanbia concentrates on CountryLife Gardening on Facebook. It has to be said

that this makes for very attractive and colourful content.

‘The Facebook page features advice from the CountryLife horticulturalists,’ says James.

‘We also advertise events and share our gardening videos.

‘You get a lot of good feedback and it is very fast moving. It is very interactive.’

This says James is all very similar to what happens in the local branches in so far as the staff are interacting in the same way and giving the same quality advice at local level each day.

There are also channels on Youtube and Twitter is used for example. And they have a very big Loyalty Club too with over 30,000 members.

‘They are very active and get monthly emails with gardening tips and advice,’ says James.

Meanwhile there are constant promotions taking place.

‘We do monthly promotional

cycles,’ says James. ‘On “agri” we run six big promos a year.

‘We do a lot of local promotions like local press and radio too and we do a lot of charity work as well with local charities and our charity partner, Barretstown.

‘We also do seasonal promotions such as our Winter Fuel promotion. We have a number of Christmas stores and events.

‘Here in marketing we see ourselves as a support function to the stores,’ explains James. A lot of the work has to do with nurturing existing relationships. It is very localised.

‘We meet with the branch managers regularly and we see what they think about a variety of issues.

‘For a big organisation we respond quickly and it is all led by the customers in the branches.’

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COVER STORY ® Jason O’Neil, Category Manager - Retail

we don’t look abroad but the vast majority is sourced through Irish suppliers.’

Line in the sand

Not surprisingly, everyone here is optimistic about the future.

‘Our overall business is doing very well but gardening has had a tough year,’ says Senan.

‘The weather has a bigger impact on gardening than the economy.

‘The industry is generally back 25 – 30 %. However, I think you have to draw a line in the sand on 2012 and move on.

‘I am optimistic about next year in general and about gardening in 2013. We are looking at growth.

‘Meanwhile, “Agri” is buoyant and has a bright future ahead of it. Garden retail will settle down over the next three years, I think.’

Social media / ecommerce

Still looking to the future Senan is clear on one thing: E-commerce is going to fundamentally change the market over the next five or six years.

‘In that time it will be unrec-

As category manager Jason O’Neill’s work involves a lot of merchandising as well as designing planograms and floor plans, as one might imagine.

‘I have been with Glanbia for about a year and a half,’ Jason says, describing a company that mixes the best qualities of a traditional organisation with the sophistication of one that is at the forefront of its sector.

By way of explanation, ognisable,’ he says of the retail landscape. ‘I absolutely believe that what is taking place will change retail as we know it today.

‘Shops will be more about theatre.

‘There will be more and more purchases on line. It is going to grow and grow. That will lead to a fundamental change.

‘If you are not working

Jason says that, through the use of the latest IT systems they can quickly check on what is happening in stores by product, by shop and by day.

‘It is a great advantage to be able to see what is going on in such detail,’ says Jason. ‘In my role, I take the information and interpret it in order to check that we are on track with the market.’

As with everything else here all of this work goes towards ensuring that customers have the best possible shopping experience in store.

At the end of the day this is what is at stake and the staff and management do not lose sight of this goal at any stage.

‘Customers are customers and want to be treated in a certain way,’ says Jason. ‘Sure, a farmer on a tractor coming in looking for fertilizer probably has a different mindset from someone looking for dahlias on a Sunday but it still comes down to certain fundamentals: ‘The right product at the right time at the right price.’ towards building an online platform now, you are in trouble, says Senan, going on to discuss how he is seeing that more and more consumers prefer to research their purchases online before buying the product in a bricks and mortar store.

Social media

‘We launched our social media strategy over the past year,’

December 2012 | 25

® COVER STORY

Senan adds. This is something that the team put a lot of thought into. True to form they watched others and kept it simple.

‘A lot of people got their strategies wrong,’ says Senan, referring to what they themselves learned in the course of their research at Glanbia.

‘They were promoting product instead of building relationships,’ he says of those who have made common mistakes in the use of social media in their businesses.

‘On Facebook we don’t promote product. We talk to people. It’s about information and about engaging with people there.

‘Facebook is important in terms of talking to your customers and interacting with them,’ he adds. ‘If we have an event coming up we tell people about it on Facebook. It’s about information.

It’s perhaps not surprising that they currently have over 13,000 fans (and rising!) on Facebook. Meanwhile the website is bright, colourful and engaging too. (For more see our panel featuring James Byrne, marketing manager).

Future

‘The future is ecommerce,’ Senan tells us. ‘That is the biggest challenge to all retailers today.

BEST WISHES AND CONTINUED SUCCESS TO GLANBIA

FROM

Ballinanima, Kilfinane. Co. Limerick.

Tel: 063 91035 | Fax: 063 91500 email: info@youngnurseries.com | www.youngnurseries.com 26 | December 2012

‘It’s both an opportunity and a threat of course. There are no more geographical boundaries.

‘From an Irish point of view we might get others retailing into Ireland but also it’s an

opportunity for the Irish to do the same in reverse!’

It’s an approach to the future that is typically upbeat: no less than we have come to expect from Glanbia and CountryLife.

Glanbia – useful addresses www.countrylife.ie www.glanbiaagribusiness.ie www.facebook.com/countrylifegardening www.twitter.com/countrylife100 Best wishes and continued success to Glanbia from Hughes Roses

HugHes Roses Ltd Hughes Roses is Ireland’s Premier Rose Grower, established over 50 years.

We are family owned and operated and are holders of a Special B.A.R.B. Licence for Ireland.

We also hold the exclusive Licence in Ireland for the world renowned David Austin Roses.

These Licences permit us to grow and market the varieties introduced by the leading world Rose Breeders.

We have built up our reputation by introducing tried, tested and reliable varieties, suitable for our Irish Gardening conditions and we are the major suppliers of top quality roses to the Independent Garden Centres, Multiple Retailers, County Councils, Landscape Contractors, etc.

Hedge Road, Garristown, Co. Dublin Phone: 01-8354533. Fax: 01-8354688 email: hughesroses@eircom.net

Online MARKETING @

‘Businesses need to take online reputation management seriously’ - free tips Negative mentions about a business or its products on the internet could hit a company in the balance sheet, and once a company has a poor online reputation, it could spread like a virus. Companies need to take ownership of their online reputation to avoid potential disaster.

Over 85% of purchasers research the web for reviews and feedback before making a purchase and 70% of potential customers will not make an inquiry if they read negative mentions of a brand or company, we are told.

Vital

Only 5% of purchasers look beyond the first page of search results, showing how vital it is to ensure that bad reviews and mentions are kept to a minimum.

Mark Hall, managing director of the online reputation management company Gotjuice.co.uk, says: ‘Every business should be in full control of their online reputation. When a customer searches for a company’s name or brand, the first pages from the online search results should show nothing but positive mentions.

‘If this isn’t the case, then the business will be losing out on new sales.

‘Quite often we work with companies faced with disgruntled former members of staff, unprofessional competitors or – in extreme cases – ex-partners who post unjust and fake web content in the form of reviews or blog posts,’ says Hall.

‘These may go unnoticed by the company for quite some time and have a devastating effect on new sales.

‘It is important that you search for your company name and brands on a regular basis, and respond with the right action where appropriate.’

Gotjuice.co.uk recommend the following tips to ensure any business or individual can stay in charge of their online reputation:

Always be prepared for the worst

This could be as simple as creating profiles on all review and social platforms such as LinkedIn, Google+, TripAdvisor, Twitter, Yelp, Qype and sites relating to your industry. This will ensure you can respond quickly by putting in a process before any negativity gets out of control.

Ask for reviews

When asking for a review it’s important that you do just that and ask for a review.

Don’t ask for good reviews and don’t ask until you have completed the transaction with your customer, otherwise you may appear too ‘needy’.

Let the customer know that the company takes their opinions and feedback seriously and that you constantly monitor your progress to improve customer satisfaction.

Become a Guest Author

Create relationships with industry sites and become a guest author. Ideally, the site would feature your author biography and company name, and the higher quality the website the better the chances will be of the content appearing on the front page of search results.

Get your name out there with interviews

Have someone ‘own’ your online reputation in house

Allocate responsibility to a team or individual within your business. If you are a larger organisation it may be necessary to have a dedicated spokesperson who has undergone media training so that they can respond to any questions with confidence.

Identify all possible risks

It is good practice to identify all possible risk scenarios that your business could face in times of a reputation crisis.

Identify your brand ambassadors

Having a list of brand ambassadors is a very effective tool for when you need a friendly face to help seed positive press, this could be bloggers, journalists, industry thought leaders and happy customers.

Always be listening

You must always have an ear to the ground to listen out for both negative and positive comments. Visit review platforms, search on Google News, results from major search engines, as well as analysing the latest content from Twitter. This can be timeconsuming.

Budget for your reputation

Seek out interview opportunities or if asked say ‘yes’! Any time you have an opportunity to mention your company name in a positive light is worth the while.

This could be a blog post, newspaper article or even a podcast, which all stand a good chance of appearing in the search results pages.

You may need to issue press releases, pay for advertising or engage with an online reputation management company should a serious negative issue arise.

Bad press, a damning newspaper article, or one-star rating on page one of search results can really harm your business. Negative reviews are difficult to remove, so it is well worth preventing these before they happen.

Publish a Book on Kindle

Run a good business

This is a little more time-consuming but well worth the effort. Not only will you and your business be seen as an authority which will result in new sales, but thanks to Amazon’s authority, your author page and your book for sale page should both rank well in the search results.

The easiest way to ensure you don’t receive negative mentions is to simply run a good business and ensure you have a process in place to gain new reviews.

By offering high quality, great service and good value, customers will promote you, and you will reap the benefits.

December 2012 | 27

@ Special Report - HOUSEWARES Housewares represents a major area of growth for Irish hardware retailers these days. With the fall off in the ‘heavier’ end of the business, areas like this have very often been turned to in order to fill some of the gaps. Faced, as we are here, with a challenging economic climate, American housewares retailers are successfully using innovative techniques, both in-store and online, to increase their customer base as well as their bottom line. Special events, cooking classes, tips and demonstrations, celebrity chef appearances, and social media are some of the tools housewares speciality stores are using to draw customers in.

US Housewares Market Trends – Innovative Retailers Create Experiences Lessons to be learned for Traders?

‘Consumers are being conscientious about what they are spending their money on,’ said Doug Huemoeller, president of Kitchen Window, a Minneapolis-based housewares speciality store, gia (Global Innovation Award) USA winner and Global Honoree in 2001-2002, which has been in business for 27 years.

‘It’s about creating a lifetime experience. We want them to come back and enjoy the level of service we provide.’

Special Events

Coffee Fest, an annual Minneapolis event in which Kitchen Window participates, draws between 3,000 and 4,000 people.

For only $10, attendees receive a limited edition coffee mug and access to sample a large variety of coffee and teas, breads and desserts.

Admission also provides an opportunity to attend education-

Coming up with ideas How do you come up with the innovative ideas that set your store apart from the competition?

All retailers of course have their unique strengths, and depending on the location of the store, there might be special opportunities which can be tapped. Benchmarking, learning from your international peers and picking up ideas from what you see and experience when travelling is also often a very successful approach, we are told.

28 | December 2012

al seminars and to participate in special offers. A portion of the attendance fee is donated to charity.

In the spring, Kitchen Window features its Grill Expo – which offers a vendor showcase, free grilling seminars and demonstrations on grilling and outdoor cooking.

Some prior expos have featured seminars on grilling techniques, learning about outdoor kitchen design or understanding charcoal grills.

Demonstrations have included making pizza on the grill, plank cooking and rotisserie and vertical roasting.

Topics and trends

‘We do a tremendous amount of event-based marketing,’ Huemoeller says.

‘Each month we feature a different topic or trend to help educate the consumer and the public.’

Some other events Kitchen Window has offered included a Riedel Wine Tasting Event with George Riedel and a Knife Event, which showcased different knives and demonstrations in store, such as a one-hour free seminar on knife skills.

‘It’s a great way to get people into the store,’ Huemoeller said.

Independent

Pittsburgh-based In the Kitchen, an independent cookware store, offers an annual Wusthof Knife Sale. The sale runs every year from September 1 through January 31 of the following year.

The store advertises the event in newspapers – once in September and once the day before Thanksgiving.

During the event, special sales are offered on a variety of products.

‘During the event, the store has a permanent sales person at the knife case who conducts demonstrations every day with different knives using available fruits and vegetables,’ said KC Lapiana, owner of In the Kitchen.

Demonstrations

At its second annual Vendor Expo in October 2011, In the Kitchen offered complimentary demonstrations, giveaways, raffles and specially-priced items.

During the event, consumers had an opportunity to meet with dozens of representatives stationed throughout the store to demonstrate their products themselves.

In the Kitchen also offers free cooking demonstrations on Saturday, which vary from using food products and/or vendor products.

‘These demonstrations provide an immediate surge in sales, especially if the items are under $25,’ Lapiana said.

If the store is demonstrating more expensive items, the demonstrations are more for educational purposes and to ‘plant seeds’ for a possible future purchase.

Gourmet store

The Cook’s Warehouse, an Atlantabased gourmet

store and cooking school, gia USA winner in 2007-2008, also features in-store product demonstrations on the weekend and sometimes during the week.

‘We also do holiday-related wine tastings in the stores,’ said Mary Moore, founder and CEO of The Cook’s Warehouse.

Cooking Classes

Cooking classes are another method of reaching and teaching customers. By offering classes, the stores are providing education to consumers but also are creating future sales opportunities.

etime eating a lif r c t u o ab ’s ‘It em We want th . e c n e ri e xp e the k and enjoy c ba e m o c o t e provide.’ w e ic v r e s f level o

Special Report - HOUSEWARES @ base. Several speciality stores, including Kitchen Window and In the Kitchen, have created online newsletters that provide recipes, cooking tips, featured products, coupons and a schedule of upcoming events.

Facebook and Twitter are additional methods savvy retailers are using to provide customers with advance notice of special events or opportunities.

In the Kitchen also features a daily blog to inform customers and followers of special events

and sales.

What is common to the featured outlets here is that they thrive to provide their customers with something new and different – unique experiences and superior service – resulting in stronger, more personal customer relationships.

Which is what it’s all about these days.

This keeps the customers wanting to come back, instead of just going after the lowest prices.

Visiting the International Home + Housewares Show are responsible for the more than 400 cooking classes offered a year, ranging from basics to gourmet.

Some classes are Fundamentals of Cooking, Baking Seminars, Global Cuisine and Market Tours. Most classes cost between $60 and $85 each.

Restaurant chefs

This is something that has a parallel in DIY-related courses that we have witnessed at Irish stores over the past few years.

The reason for the latter often lies in the fact that DIY skills were on the wane during the socalled ‘boom’ years.

The legacy of those times is that young people often do not have the skills that their parents and grandparents had. Definitely there are similarities when it comes to cooking and housewares.

The Cook’s Warehouse offers more than 800 classes taught annually by renowned chefs.

School

Kitchen Window features a cooking school with three classrooms located on the second floor directly above its retail store.

The store’s three full-time chefs

The store also offers classes with restaurant chefs in store as well as its Celebrated Chef classes, which take place offsite in the kitchens of some of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities.

According to the company’s website, the goal of the cooking classes is to ‘go beyond teaching a recipe’.

The company strives to teach consumers about the tools, skills and techniques involved in the cooking process so the knowledge learned in the classroom can be applied to cooking as a whole.

‘For us, it’s about creating a fun experience for our customer,’ Huemoeller said. ‘It’s a great benefit. We can create lifetime customers. People are excited about what we do.’

Scheduling appearances by professional chefs are another way to draw customers to the store. Chefs Anupy Singla and Lidia Bastanich recently appeared at the In the Kitchen store for demonstrations and book signings.

These free events allowed customers to purchase books and have them autographed.

Social Media

Social media is another way to develop a strong, loyal customer

Visiting the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago offers you unique opportunities for benchmarking with the world’s best home and housewares retailers.

At the Show, you can learn from the gia Global Innovation Award winners - over 25 innovative award-winning retailers from around the world, whose unique store design ideas and examples of innovative displays and exquisite visual merchandising are showcased in the Hall of Global Innovation.

In addition, in downtown Chicago, you can visit some of the finest US retailers, including Crate and Barrel, Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma and The Container Store – stores that international retailers refer to for inspiring ideas and innovative new concepts.

For information about the unique concept stores and housewares retailers in Chicago and for detailed Chicago housewares retail maps, visit www.housewares.org/show/attend/nonUS.aspx.

For more information about the International Home + Housewares Show and the gia program, and to pre-register for the 2013 Show, taking place in Chicago on March 2-5, 2013, please visit www.housewares.org and www.housewares.org/gia Retro-chic fashion has been on the rise in recent years as seen in shows like Mad Men and Desperate Housewives. Pauline Herbst investigates.

Post-2000 Housewives Do It in Style The post-2000 housewife is a little different from her ’50s counterpart. She’s sassy, independent, often runs a company as well as a home and wants to bake her cake and clean up in style.

Stylish

This domestic goddess scorns boring plastic chore facilitators — she wants a broom as stylish and design oriented as the sculpture in the entry hall. And she wouldn’t be seen dead in a drab housecoat.

If she had a name it would be something like Jessie Steele.

That’s what vintage apron gurus Helena and Claire Steele called their company.

The name came easily to the mother-daughter duo as it originally belonged to Claire’s greatgrandmother.

It’s been a decade since Jessie Steele launched its first ‘crossgenerational’ vintage apron designs.

Nostalgia

But why the nostalgia? According to the Riedel Marketing HIPsters panel, we’re not so shallow as to be led by television.

Rather, this mid-century retro trend is prompted by three key sentiments: • a longing for simpler times • nostalgia for the good old days (fuelled in part by the poor economy) • the increasing power of baby boomers.

Often people are seeking a simpler way of life – looking back to how things used to be in the 50s, which seems calming.

December 2012 | 29

THE

TRADE COUNTER

It’s Double Gold for Accoya® Wood Accoya® Wood Takes Gold for Second Year Accsys Technologies, manufacturer of Accoya, ‘the world’s leading high technology wood’, is pleased to announce that McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) has awarded Accoya wood and Accoya Alder a gold standard in its Cradle to Cradle® certification program.

Second year

This is the second year running that Accoya wood products have received this prestigious recognition.

Cradle to Cradle Certification is a rigorous and comprehensive certification program that evaluates products and materials for human health, environmental health and recyclability.

Products are analysed within the confines of five stringent categories: Material Health, Material Reutilization, Renewable Energy Use, Water Stewardship

and Social Responsibility.

Criteria

Accoya wood and Accoya Alder have been given the Gold Certification as they successfully met all the criteria.

These include no trace of problematic chemicals, the use of over 50% renewable energy during the manufacturing process and a material reutilisation score of over 65; this score reflecting that the product contains renewable materials that are designed to be recycled as technical or biological nutrients in the future life cycles.

Paul Clegg, CEO at Accsys Technologies, said: ‘It’s fantastic that once again Accoya products have been ranked as Gold Standard in the C2C scheme.

‘As a company we are committed to manufacturing in a socially responsible and eco-friendly way

and this award is a further validation of our sustainable products and processes.’

Accoya wood is created by using a proprietary non-toxic modification process on sustainably sourced, fast-growing woods.

‘The end product is a new and beautiful wood that matches or exceeds the durability, stability and beauty of the very best tropical hardwoods whilst retaining the very best environmental credentials.

‘Being high performance, sustainable and low maintenance, Accoya wood is suitable for windows, doors, decking, cladding/siding and glulam structural beams and many other uses.

‘Accoya Alder is a recent addition to the Accsys product range.

Like the original, award-winning Accoya wood, Accoya Alder undergoes a proprietary modi-

Project used Accoya modified wood A restoration and conservation project in Co. Cork, which used Accoya modified wood, has been named The Irish Georgian Society Conservation Awards Winner 2012.

The awards recognise Ireland’s building heritage and celebrate the conservation and restoration work that has breathed life into many architecturally significant buildings.

Three glasshouses in the world renowned gardens of Fota House, Co. Cork were restored under the plans of John J. O’Connell Architects who selected Accoya wood as the preferred product both to support the salvaged remains and replace rotting splices. fication process that improves its durability, hardness, water absorption and dimensional stability, all whilst retaining its natural strength and beauty.’

Rate of decline in activity slows, but remains sharp - PMI Another sharp fall in Irish construction activity was recorded during October as new orders declined further.

Reacted

Companies reacted accordingly, lowering purchasing activity, employment and the use of subcontractors. Meanwhile, business sentiment deteriorated, and was the lowest in nearly two years.

The Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®) – a seasonally adjusted index designed to track changes in total construction activity – posted 42.6 in October, up from 41.9 in the previous month.

Although the rate of contraction in activity slowed to the weakest in five months, it was still marked. Respondents highlighted a lack of confidence within the sector.

Economist

Commenting on the survey, 30 | December 2012

Simon Barry, chief economist Republic of Ireland at Ulster Bank, noted that: ‘The latest reading of the Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index highlights that the Irish construction sector continues to experience recessionary conditions.

‘A slight increase in the overall PMI to a five-month high points to a slight easing in the pace of contraction in activity last month.

‘However, the rate of decline remained sharp last month, with the index at 42.6 still way lower than the expansion threshold of 50.

‘Furthermore, the latest survey results confirm that widespread weakness remains a feature of the Irish construction landscape, with large-scale declines still evident across Housing, Commercial and, especially, Civil Engineering sub-sectors.

‘New orders continued to

decline in October so activity and employment trends are not likely to show much improvement in the nearterm.

‘Adding to the woes of the sector, firms also reported rising input costs for the third consecutive month reflecting higher energy and fuel costs as well as some upward pressure on import costs from recent euro weakness.

‘A paucity of new business and rising cost pressures looks to be impacting on confidence among respondents as they look ahead, with sentiment falling to its lowest level in two years last month.’

little-changed from September.

The slowest decrease in activity was on commercial projects, although the rate of decline accelerated. Meanwhile, the pace of reduction in housing activity slowed over the month.

All three sectors post declines in activity

Further sharp reduction in employment

All three monitored sub-sectors posted falling activity again in October, led by civil engineering. The reduction in activity on civil engineering projects was substantial, and

Tenth successive fall in new orders

New business declined for the 10th successive month in October. Respondents linked the latest reduction to strong competitive pressures. The pace of reduction was sharp, albeit the slowest in three months.

With workloads declining, construction firms lowered their staffing levels in October. The rate of job cuts was considerable as close to onein-five respondents reduced employment.

Siteserv Launches Northern Ireland office Part of expansion and diversification strategy Infrastructure and utilities support services group Siteserv has officially launched its operations in Northern Ireland. Siteserv currently employs 200 people at its base in Belfast Harbour Estate, and is planning to expand its operations next year.

Launch

Commenting at a launch event at Belfast’s Merchant Hotel, Siteserv Northern Ireland chairman Ronnie Foreman said: ‘Siteserv is an ambitious and fast growing company and our expansion in Northern Ireland is part of the company’s wider strategy to diversify into new geographies and business areas.

‘We plan to build on the strong Northern Ireland presence forged by our subsidiary Sierra and engage with a wide range of new partners in 2013.’

Through its subsidiary Sierra Support

Services, Siteserv has been operating in Northern Ireland for the past two years in the telecommunications sector. Now Siteserv is launching a wider service offering of its other subsidiaries including: • Holgate: a leading provider of Motorway Crash Barriers, Bridge Parapets and Environmental Safety Barrier solutions.

• Roankabin: a manufacturer of modular and portable building solutions for sale or hire • Eventserv: a specialist in the hire and sale of staging, seating, and crowd control solutions to the event sector • Siteserv Access and Formwork: a provider of scaffolding, fencing and general access equipment to the construction industry The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alderman Gavin Robinson, said: ‘I am delighted that Siteserv is committed to expanding in Northern Ireland and wish them every success.

Pictured at the launch of Siteserv’s Northern Ireland office (l-r): Brian Harvey, CEO, Siteserv, The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alderman Gavin Robinson and Ronnie Foreman, chairman, Siteserv Northern Ireland.

‘It shows confidence in our local economy that Siteserv sees opportunities to grow its business here.’

Energy Skills Workshop For Irish Construction Sector Builders, renovators, contractors and other stakeholders involved in the Irish construction industry were recently invited to participate in a series of free energy workshops throughout the country

Purpose

The purpose of the workshops, entitled Energy in Buildings: Preparing Construction Workers for the Future, was ‘to support the training and up-skilling of construction workers as part of wider efforts to create employment in the sector and to assist Ireland in achieving the EU 2020 energy efficiency targets’.

Under the National Energy Retrofit Programme (NERP), more than one million buildings nationwide must be retrofitted by 2020.

Build Up Skills Ireland (BUSI) Project was hosting the workshops as part of its development of a Roadmap for the upskilling and training of construction workers in Ireland, we were told.

Locations

The workshops took place in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dundalk, Limerick Institute of Technology, Tower Hotel in Waterford, Maldron Hotel in Cork City, DIT Offices in Grangegorman, Dublin 7 and the Clarion Hotel in Sligo.

BUSI Project coordinator Seamus Hoyne of LIT and The Tipperary Energy Agency commented: ‘The Roadmap for Ireland will seek to outline actions that will provide construction workers with skills and knowledge

necessary to build highly energy efficient buildings, while at the same time ensure their better career prospects in Ireland and abroad.

‘To secure industry input into the Roadmap we are conducting a series of six consultation workshops around Ireland.

‘Discussions at these events will focus on overall strategy for fulfilling the training needs, more specific issues like course content and qualifications and barriers for the implementation of the roadmap.’

Endorsed

Mr Hoyne noted that the Roadmap must be endorsed by key strategic National stakeholders by April 2013 and will set the platform for revision of existing programmes and development of new programmes.

He explained: ‘Energy use in buildings accounts for over 40% of total final energy consumption in Ireland.

‘The National Energy Retrofit Programme (NERP) sets out a target of 1 million Irish buildings to be retrofitted by 2020 in an effort to reduce the country’s total energy

consumption by 20%.

‘With the high contribution to energy savings expected from the retrofitting of existing dwellings, there is a need for competent contractors and supervisors to oversee works and technicians with an indepth knowledge of heating system design, integration and control.’

Workers

Recent figures show there are approximately 70,000 workers currently still operating in the Irish construction sector.

The residential sector accounts for 68% of the value of building construction output with approximately 80% of this activity in repair, maintenance and improvement.

‘Outside of the continued downturn in the Irish construction industry, one of the biggest challenges facing the sector is that many of those operating within it are not sufficiently trained in how to build highly energy efficient buildings,’ stated Mr Hoyne, who added: ‘The rapid evolution of the building standards for energy performance has resulted in a skills gap across the current workforce.

Gaps

‘The challenge of deep retrofitting also presents knowledge and skills gaps. At present there is limited coordinated effort nationally to address these gaps.’

Mr Hoyne said that at operative and craft level, all workers involved in building construction and renovation will require training.

December 2012 | 31

Knauf Insulation urges installers and contractors to thoroughly consider the insulation products they are specifying on projects, to ensure they match up to manufacturers’ environmental claims.

‘Has your insulation got something to hide?’

With tightening demands placed on contractors and installers for improving the energy and thermal efficiency of buildings, it is said that ‘a fabric first approach is crucial to reducing carbon emissions’ and insulation certainly has a critical role in creating a sustainable built environment, says Knauf.

Responsibility

‘At the same time though, insulation manufacturers have an important responsibility to ensure that insulation products and their manufacture becomes even more sustainable.

‘Never has there been a more significant time for suppliers to offer the very best low embodied energy insulation products to the market.

‘For contractors and installers though, it is paramount to specify insulation solutions that deliver tried and tested thermal, acoustic and fire performance along with a reduction in their impact on the environment.

32 | December 2012

‘Therefore, partnering with a manufacturer that has a policy of being transparent on all aspects of its manufacturing and environmental claims ensures that the most beneficial environmental solution is specified.’

Proud

As such, Knauf Insulation is proud of the fact that it is ‘the first manufacturer of mineral wool insulation that uses a truly formaldehyde-free binder technology, based on rapidly renewable materials instead of petro-based chemicals - the revolutionary ECOSE® Technology’.

The company’s Earthwool®, mineral wool products, are ‘free from acrylics and no artificial colours, bleach or dyes are added – reducing the impact on the environment through lower embodied energy’, we are told.

ECOSE Technology enhances the already outstanding thermal, acoustic, fire performance of Earthwool glass and rock mineral wool products resulting in a new

generation of insulation with unprecedented levels of sustainability, is the message.

Natural

ECOSE Technology is also ‘up to 70 per cent less energy intensive than traditional oil-based binders – producing a “super-soft” and easier to handle wool, with a natural brown colour’.

All Earthwool glass mineral wool products ‘achieve an A+ Generic BRE Green Guide rating’.

In addition, Earthwool products are manufactured in accordance with BS EN 13162: 2008 ‘Thermal insulation products for buildings – Factory made mineral wool (MW) products – Specification’ and also comply with the voluntary EUCEB certification.

Also, Knauf Insulation’s Earthwool products using ECOSE Technology were the first in the world to receive EUROFINS Gold Certificate for indoor air quality, we are told.

Certification

The company has certification for its management Standards for sustainability, namely ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), EN 16001 (Energy Management) and OHSAS 18001 (Health and Safety Management).

Chris Witte, marketing director at Knauf Insulation Northern Europe comments: ‘There is nothing to hide in Knauf Insulation’s Earthwool glass and rock mineral wool insulation products and everything to shout about.’

For more information on Knauf Insulation’s Earthwool products visit www.knaufinsulation.ie

PRODUCT NEWS @

McCulloch introduces ‘the next generation’ of consumer garden tractors Improved safety and ergonomics, seamless car-quality transmission and an updated sporty exterior: The 2013 consumer garden tractors by McCulloch are about to change the game, we are told.

‘Safer, smarter and a lot smoother,’ is the description.

Remarkable

‘To those used to regular hydrostatic transmission the difference will be truly remarkable,’ says Andy Walsh, head of service and warranty for McCulloch Ireland.

As McCulloch gets ready to launch their updated fleet of garden tractors, nothing has been left to chance.

The new range will cover seven side-ejecting models and just as many grass-collecting versions.

All are draped in a revitalized take on the classic McCulloch design with bright yellow accents on a pitch-black foundation, highlighting the grill, steering wheel and hood logo.

Taking in the design of the new tractor range, the mind easily wanders to sporty hot-rods. And, in fact, that’s not the only connection to the car industry.

‘Influenced by some of the major automobile brands we’ve also added another significant feature to all models with cutting decks wider than 77 cm,’ Irish Hardware is told. ‘It is called CVT, and it will change everything,’ says Pontus Petersson, global business manager for McCulloch Tractors.

Smooth handling with CVT

CVT stands for Continuous Variable Transmission and will affect every part of the riding experience.

As opposed to manual or hydrostatic transmission, this enables seamless movement between gears: ‘Thus eliminating the jumpy start found in many alternatives on

the market today.’

The new garden tractors are pedal-operated and let users move softly into, and between, any preferred speeds.

And, as the system continuously calibrates according to change in workload or ground inclination, the CVT makes the engine operate at optimal power at any given time.

In addition, the oil-free solution generates basically no friction at all – which means minimized heat loss, more operating power and a machine that requires extremely low maintenance.

‘Unlike competing solutions, the CVT is made out of composites, making it not only lighter – but also much more durable. Nothing gets in, which means that nothing can get stuck.’

motion.

In such situations the tractor is automatically forced to stand still before pushing on, which makes it a much safer ride.

Also, lifting your foot from the pedal in that, or any, situation will automatically activate the brake.

The ergonomic enhancements are even easier to spot with, for instance, an updated driver’s seat and a convenient thumb grip on the steering wheel to

Enhanced safety and ergonomics

Two other main aspects of the coming models are, as always, ergonomics and safety.

The new quick inversion feature comes with the CVT and eliminates the risk of losing front wheel traction in slopes, if one tries to go directly from a backward to a forward

About McCulloch

‘The McCulloch brand is owned and developed by the Husqvarna Group, the world’s largest producer of outdoor power products including chainsaws, trimmers, lawn mowers and garden tractors. The Group is also the European leader in consumer watering products and one of the world leaders in cutting equipment and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries.

The product offering includes products for both consumers and professional users. The Group’s products are sold via dealers and retailers in more than 100 countries. Net sales in 2011 amounted to SEK 30 billion, and the average number of employees was approximately 15,700.’

facilitate handling in demanding situations.

The new garden tractors by McCulloch will be available nationwide in hardware and DIY shops.

For more information: Liffey Distributors Ltd on 01 824 2600 or info@liffeyd.com

Facts & figures

• ‘Combining power and comfort – with perfect results.’

• Cutting widths from 77 to 117 cm – with a choice of sideejecting or grass-collecting.

• Sporty hot-rod design with a new grill and steering wheel.

• The ground-breaking Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) – making the ride smoother, the product life longer and the need for maintenance virtually obsolete.

• The new quick inversion feature: Adding extra stability when working in slopes.

‘Rising central heating costs will fuel demand for Superser heaters’ The weather is getting increasingly colder as we write, and, as central heating costs continue to rise, retail customers will be urgently seeking cost-effective solutions to control their home heating bills.

‘Superser heaters offer your customers the opportunity to spot-heat a room quickly and cost-effectively,’ we are told.

‘We are urging retailers not to be caught out and stock up on Superser heaters to meet the potential demand,’ says Eoin O’Flynn of Flogas Ireland, the exclusive distributor for Superser in Ireland and the UK. Retailers who want to stock up on Superser mobile heaters should contact Flogas on 041-9831041 or www.flogas.ie December 2012 | 33

PRODUCT NEWS

Safety starts with an ‘S’ but begins with ‘U’ – Mascot Boilersuits were first worn by workers maintaining coal-fired boilers – one-piece items that avoided the potential problem of loosened soot entering the lower half of one’s clothing.

Preparedness

Perhaps less widely known is the fact that Japanese politicians have used boilersuits to convey an image of preparedness.

The fact is that they are now used across industry and for a variety of job functions.

High-Vis boilersuits in particular are used by those working on roads, near railways or in the night where visibility is a concern.

Certified

MASCOT® SAFE range does what it says, we are told. ‘It keeps you Safe. All clothing in the SAFE range is certified to EN471, the European Norm for high-visibility warning clothing.

‘Ideal for winter and the long, dark nights, the MASCOT® TOMBOS winter boilersuit from the SAFE ARCTIC range comes in fluorescent orange or yellow with vertical and horizontal

reflective tapes.

Additional reflective tapes on the shoulders ensure visibility even when bending.

The MASCOT® TOMBOS is certified to EN 471 - class 3/2, EN 343 - class 3/2 and EN 342 - class 3/2 meaning it is breathable and is wind and waterproof.

This product is made from Mascotex®, a waterproof laminate that is placed inside the polyester outer of the garment.

‘It is this laminate that provides the waterproofness to the fabric,’ we are told. ‘The Mascotex® logo assures you of 100% waterproof protection which is ideal for those working in harsh, extreme weather and winter environments.’

Numerous

The MASCOT® TOMBOS has numerous inner and outer pockets and comes complete with a detachable lined hood with adjustable drawstring.

The zip and storm flap on the legs allows the wearer to remove footwear more easily.

The MASCOT® TOMBOS has a warm pile lining in the body and quilt lining (which is welded and not stitched – for extra durability) in the sleeves

Weschem’s ‘I love birds’ nuts During winter months food resources become low and birds need our help to survive. These Weschem Birds’ nuts are formulated to attract most small birds to your garden. This product contains a variety of high energy peanuts and this will provide most common birds with the energy they require to survive the harsh winter, we are told.

and legs, for extra protection – promising to keep you warm and snug and well protected.

Solar powered bathroom scales Offering ‘outstanding accuracy combined with a sleek, contemporary design’, Brabantia’s new solar-powered Bathroom Scales are ‘perfect for anyone watching their weight as well as their impact on the environment’, is the message.

Powerful

Thanks to two powerful integrated solar cells, the scales are always ready for use and can be powered by both natural and artificial light.

‘So there’s no need for batteries, saving you money and providing a real eco-friendly solution.’

In stylish black and strengthened glass, the scales have a large weighing platform, builtin handle for easy carrying, extra large display showing either kilograms or pounds and stones, and auto-on/off function.

Accurate

The scales are accurate, providing gradations of 0.1 kilograms, and have a large capacity – up to 160 kilograms, 352 pounds or 25 stones.

Brabantia’s solar-powered Bathroom Scales come with a five-year guarantee.

34 | December 2012

PRODUCT NEWS @ Am-tech wins Silver for ‘best security product of 2012’ Am-Tech has been awarded a Silver position for best security product of 2012 for the T1985 Security Chain. The award was presented at the DIY Week awards ceremony in Manchester in November.

Clever

Keep warm this winter!

The new range of convector heaters and oil filled radiators from Draper Tools are ideal for home or work use, we are told.

Three heat settings

The convector heaters can be wallmounted or floor standing and are fitted with integrated thermostats and three heat settings. Model HEAT5T also features a turbo fan for rapid heat output.

The four oil-filled models range

from 450W to 2.5kW heat output and are sealed units, pressuretested to prevent leakage.

Two models feature adjustable power settings and are fitted with smooth running castors for easy mobility.

To find out more about these products, contact your Draper representative, telephone the Sales Desk on 0044 23 8049 4333 or go to www.drapertools.ie

The clever new Am Tech chain has a ring on one end that simply slips over the door handle, giving you the same security level as a conventional door chain. Comes complete with wall fixing kit. Packaged in attractive double blister pack.

Curust Industries Ltd Curust Industries Ltd continues to expand its new Douglas Professional Range. Designed specifically for the hardware retailer. All products are professional strength.

Scheduled

In addition to the new revamped Oven Cleaner, the latest items which are scheduled for the New Year include a septic tank reviver, liquid caustic, pine disinfectant and a stainless steel-friendly toilet cleaner/descaler, we are told.

‘Bright outlook for Team P R Reilly and OSRAM LED Replacement Bulbs’ Now available from Team P R Reilly: ‘the high light output from the new OSRAM LEDs gives better lighting for numerous applications such as reading, vanity mirror lights, foot-well and boot illumination etc.’

The advantages of OSRAM LED bulbs, we are told, include the following: • Emits light 360 degrees around the bulb - unlike many LED bulbs • Low power consumption - up to 80% lower than standard bulbs • ECE-compliant caps means that they are interchangeable with normal bulbs • Long operating life - compared to other LED bulbs • Diffused material - giving a more even light distribution • Two colour choices - Warm White or Cool White • Sophisticated heat management - LEDs operate within temperature limits • Operate either way round - makes installation easier For further information on the full Osram programme contact: Team P R Reilly on (01) 8320006 or www.team.ie December 2012 | 35

At the time of writing this, holed-up in some dingy hotel in the Black Country, I am touring the midlands area in the UK judging the Garden Centre Association Christmas Display Competition. On my travels throughout the week it has occurred to me that some of the principles of merchandising employed are not always utilized to the same extent in our plant areas and may be worth exploring, writes Kevin Waters.

Turning Christmas into Horticulture Before the time when garden centres realized that they had acres of under-utilised space and a team of talented staff to depend upon in the winter months, buying Christmas trinkets and glitz was a much more mundane affair than it is today.

Baubles

There was usually a pile of very plastic looking artificial trees on the end of the aisle in somewhere like Woolworths and a rack of gold baubles next to some silver, red, blue and green ones plus a few fairies and that was about your lot.

It didn’t get any more inspiring than that (and I suspect the majority of it was used in an equally uninspiring way at home too) which was fine except that the market was nowhere near the proportions of what it is today.

Due to this ever increasing reliance upon the Christmas market within our sector to generate turnover during the winter months, it seemed appropriate

is that the baubles for example are not all displayed together or even split up into big baubles and little baubles.

Instead they are displayed along with co-ordinate figures, icicles, parcels etc which all look good together and make a high impact.

These are usually then given a theme name in order to describe it (and presumably to help customers associate themselves with a particular image).

Associated with this there is usually a decorated tree which displays exactly how they can be used in the home along with a table laid with runners, place settings, crackers, even glassware cutlery etc which will coordinate and create a complete package.

Style

This is a style of merchandising which is not too far removed from that of probably the two most successful retailers in recent years, Ikea and Next.

Both of these companies don’t

‘The customer is given the confidence to buy a range of plants and materials on the basis that they will look good together and also create a particular image or look…’ to look at the merchandising techniques and at ways in which these could be translated into our core spring products such as plant material and garden care products.

Impact

The first thing that strikes me 36 | December 2012

merely sell a range of products whether it be bedroom furniture or fashion accessories, rather they sell a look, an image, everything that is needed in one easy carry-home bag or pack.

Equally it is not possible to buy a complete range of bedroom styles from Ikea or

indeed clothing from Next but it works.

The key success here is that they have identified their customers and constructed displays filled with merchandise which will appeal to them and help them create the image they want to around themselves.

Translated

Next have indeed already translated this into gardening in their two new Next Home and Garden stores opened in Shoreham and Ipswich.

In their garden centres they do not claim to stock a complete range of plants be it hardy or otherwise but what they do is to merchandise a range of complementary plants which go together and create a particular look.

The display therefore will contain everything from the shed, the paint, the paving stones, containers and of course the plant material.

In the plant range within a ‘particular look’ there can be a range of trees, shrubs, climbing plants herbaceous perennials, alpines, bedding etc and customers can pick and choose whichever elements they like.

Confidence

The key point here is that the customer is given the confidence to buy a range of plants and materials on the basis that they will look good together and also create a particular image or look rather than any mere horticultural merit thus dramatically increasing the unit spend.

This style of merchandising is also appealing and attractive to the younger gardening customers who perhaps have less horticultural knowledge and are looking for simple solutions to create a look in their garden

that reflects that of their home and fashion styles.

Unless we, as a trade, in both hardware and gardening, start to understand this and to modify our actions to attract this younger customer they may well be lost forever and our business swallowed up in the same

way that a lot of other small sectors have in the past.

The point here is that we are actually responding to this in certain categories but it may well be that we need to fairly rapidly consider ways of integrating this approach to merchandising across the board.

Kevin Waters is an independent garden centre consultant and can be contacted at keVin@thegardenworks.co.uk or on 0044 7768 278163

New gardening product launched by Greenside Up New gift product ‘to encourage people to grow their own vegetables’ Greenside Up, a small business that helps new and established gardeners to grow their own fruit and vegetables in Carlow and Kilkenny unveiled a unique seed gift product at the recent Ireland Blog Awards.

Relevant

Growing your own food has never been more relevant in today’s economic climate when people are watching every cent they spend.

News stories are appearing regularly containing terms like ‘cornflake days’ to describe occasions when parents can only afford to feed their families breakfast cereals.

‘Yet with a small amount of effort, those mothers and fathers could be feeding their families wholesome, home-grown fruit and vegetables and saving themselves up to €500 per year,’ we are told.

Dee Sewell, owner of Greenside Up, is constantly on the lookout for ways to encourage more people to grow their own food having seen first-hand the positive benefits by working with community gardeners in the South East of Ireland from all social economic backgrounds.

Practical

Realising that people would be seeking more practical and low cost gifts for friends and relatives, Dee came up with the idea of the Hand Crafted Seed Gift Cards as a means of addressing this.

‘By tending to their gardens for just a couple of hours a week, less in the winter months, families can provide an abundance of food – so much in fact they’ll be giving some away to friends and neigh-

bours, all for just the cost of a few packets of seeds.

‘Imagine giving somebody a gift of seeds that will offer them this sense of satisfaction.

‘The initial range of seeds has been put together to attract potential new gardeners to vegetable growing as well as to delight old hands.

‘From growing seeds that can be made into country wines, herbal teas, winter and summer squashes that will produce and store for up to six months of the year to several varieties of chilli peppers as well as flowers that

care for, make or cook their seeds or plants.

‘These posts are constantly being added to, giving the owner of the seed packets an on-going gardening experience.

‘My blog was recently in the finalist position of the 2012 Blog Awards Ireland in both the Eco/Green and Lifestyle categories.’ will attract beneficial insects into gardens, many tastes have been catered for.

‘Each of the five packs is available to buy individually or as a collection that would make an ideal house-warming, retirement, birthday or Christmas gift.’

Unique

Dee also mentioned that, apart from being hand-crafted, the cards are unique in that each one contains a link and QR code that directs the holder of it directly to the Greenside Up blog if scanned by a Smart phone.

‘My blog was recently in the finalist position of the 2012 Blog Awards Ireland in both the Eco/ Green and Lifestyle categories.

‘It’s regularly updated with recipes, growing tips, product reviews, interviews, guest posts and video blogs.

‘When somebody enters the link that’s printed on the back of their seed gift cards, they will immediately be directed to a series of posts that explain how to grow,

Questions

‘I’m very active on social media so any questions regarding the growing or caring of their seeds can be asked and replied to on Facebook, Twitter or Google + or Email.’

Plans are already underway to introduce new ranges of seeds in 2013 that will include many of the more popular fruit and vegetables, as well as children’s gift cards and an Irish Organic range.

In 2011 Greenside Up were Finalists in the South East Region of the Women in Business Excellence in Professional Services category, Finalist in the Irish Green Awards and Shortlisted for the Irish Blog Awards.

Dee Sewell set up Greenside Up in 2009 with the aim of teaching as many people as want to learn how to grow vegetables and as well as other projects, is currently teaching vegetable growing to After Schools children in County Carlow and in conjunction with Kilkenny Leader Partnership, to community gardens in Callan and Goresbridge.

December 2012 | 37

LAST NewsPOSTS Antsy’s Anthem resonates with Irish traders

DIT honours ‘outstanding leader in international business and innovation’

The shop local campaign has got something of a catchy anthem in the United States, we hear.

Laments

Antsy McClain and the Trailer Pak Troubadours’ song, Mom and Pop don’t work here no more, champions the unique qualities of small family-run operations and independent traders and laments their continuing demise.

The main thrust of the song is to do with independent restaurants. However, the sentiments are easily transferable to all independent retailers including hardware operators, believes Expert Hardware chairman David Baker.

‘More importantly if the rot is not stopped soon communities all over Ireland will suffer and indeed are suffering,’ adds Baker.

Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) has conferred the award of Honorary Doctorate on Irishman Ray O’Connor, President and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems, a global leader in precision measurement instruments.

Recognition

IBEC, the group that represents Irish business has said that current proposals to reform the school system, including plans to improve literacy and numeracy and replace the Junior Certificate, could prove to be the most important education reform of recent years.

The Award was conferred in recognition of O’Connor’s outstanding achievements in international business and innovation.

Originally from Naas, Co. Kildare and now based in California, Mr O’Connor flew in for the ceremony, accompanied by his wife Nancy. He was also joined by several family members who are living in Ireland and in the UK. In his speech to the Assembly, the President of DIT, Professor Norton, welcomed Ray O’Connor back to DIT, where he had completed his studies in construction in the early 1980s.

He said: ‘Your positive, forward-looking approach to developing new businesses, and your ability to work across geographical and cultural borders, provide a real example to us as educators and to our graduates as young professionals.’

O’Connor travelled to the USA when he finished his studies. He worked for a number of different companies before joining a division of the Tokyobased Topcon Corporation in 1993.

Investment

Citation

Antsy sings

Heart

‘Trouble is people don’t generally realize until untold damage is done. The heart of a vibrant healthy community is people from the community being in business in that community, not just making a profit but with a vested interest in putting thoughts and deeds back in to THEIR community.’ http://www.unhitched.com/

David Baker

Education is most important investment for prosperity

The group said education is the single most important investment for Ireland’s future growth and prosperity and that ‘the decline in education performance in the past decade needs to be immediately reversed through innovative and radical reform’.

The comments were made at an IBEC education forum ‘21st century schools – how can business help?’ at the Clyde Court Hotel in Dublin, which brought together business and education leaders to define a role for business in education reform at a time of very constrained resources.

38 | December 2012

Reading the citation, Dr Mike Murphy, Dean of the DIT College of Engineering and Built Environment, said that amongst his other accolades, Mr O’Connor was also the first person who was not Japanese or of Japanese descent to receive the prestigious Toshiba Business Performance Award, for his superior leadership and performance.

JANUARY 2012

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