The Hardware Journal September/October 2023

Septemper/October 2023

The Official Magazine of Hardware Association Ireland

RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

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COLOUR OF THE YEAR 2024

A Place Where You Belong Sweet Embrace™ is a soft and delicate tone that brings a feeling of positivity to our lives.

Alongside it, we’ve created three easy-to-use colour palettes: Warm, Calm and Uplifting.

ge sa es m construction sector.

How many of these are retired plumbers/carpenters who may wish to work three mornings a week in a merchant/hardware shop?

The Business Index on page 10 is showing a market growth of 3% in value for the first six months of the year compared to the same period last year.

Perhaps this is what a “normal” market looks like – without the upward and downward swings of recent years.

HAI’s Pre-Budget Submission had twenty-four proposals in all largely: Rejuvenating Empty Homes, Improving Affordability of New Homes, De-carbonising our Built Environment and Upskilling the Sector. We will soon see which of our proposals have been accepted and which ones we will have to continue to push for.

Training is a major plus in retaining staff. Our remaining autumn schedule is listed on page 71 and the Certificate in Retail and Merchanting is going well, see page 70. Launched last month, our Education Hub is up and running. Courses can be viewed 24/7 and it is also mobile phone compatible, see page 68.

Patrick Atkinson of Chadwicks makes the case for energy retrofitting on page 41. There is massive potential in this sector, and it can only really become a mass market once the merchant sector with our seven hundred outlets nationwide becomes involved. It is the intent of HAI to forge closer links with SEAI. Lastly planning is well underway for The Hardware Show in the RDS on the 18th and 19th of February, see page 36. There is a great appetite amongst exhibitors for The Hardware Show. At this point 99% of the space is gone and we have extended the amount of space that we take. As well as hundreds of new and innovative products there will be compelling offers and competitions on the day from exhibitors. This is a must-attend show. The President’s Ball will be held on the night of the 18th, so make it a Hardware Weekend in Dublin!

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September/October 2023

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Firstly, thank you to all who took part in our Strategic Review.

The review examined what is happening in the marketplace and the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. In all we had seventy participants, fairly representative of the industry – in terms of size, nature of business and location. The results are being analysed at present and we will have some in the next edition of THJ. The full report will be available to members. While the core finding of recruitment and retention of staff being the most pressing issue for our sector is not a surprise, the extent to which it takes precedence over every other issue is striking.

It is the most critical challenge facing most members. At a recent meeting of small business owners in Waterford, HAI’s Treasurer Lorraine Burnell and I met with businesspeople in other sectors and the challenge is widespread. Likewise, Mike Costello is citing similar problems in the United States, see page 56. So, we are not alone in this – but that is cold comfort.

To a large extent Ireland Inc is facing the problems of success.

Most economic theory puts full employment at 95%. With an unemployment rate of 4.2% (CSO September) we have gone beyond this, and consistently so – below 5% since January 2022.

At this point it looks as though we have three economic sectorsmultinationals, the public sector, and the domestic sector. Most rewards are going to the first two.

This challenge of recruiting and retaining staff is not going away anytime soon. And staff costs are set to increase.

So, what to do? Over the last few editions of THJ, and in this one we have focused articles on automating processes to lessen the time that staff spend on less necessary tasks. We will continue to look at these. In this issue CPM on page 28 and Magico on page 60 look at different ways to outsource functions and to improve business efficiency.

On the 19th of October HAI is hosting a webinar on recruitment and retention with Iseult McLoughlin and Tommy Smyth, see more page 61. It will be recorded for those wishing to see it later.

In September HAI attended World Skills at the RDS, see page 38, to put forward the concept and the benefits of working in the sector. It was very well received, and we have been invited to attend Careers evenings in a number of schools- to talk to school leavers. Are there similar evenings in your area?

Speaking to the Future Building Team at World Skills – there are 8-10,000 people unemployed who gave their previous career as the

Martin Markey Chief Executive Officer - HAI

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contents

Septemper/October 2023

The Official Magazine of Hardware Association Ireland

RecRuitment & Retention

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Visit thehardwarejournal.ie to view digitally

FRONT COVER: Recruitment & Retention.

Blackchurch Business Park, Naas Road, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, D24 C796 t +353 1 298 0969 e info@hardwareassociation.ie w www.hardwareassociation.ie @hardwareassoc ISSN 2009-5481

Dulux introduce their colour of the year.

MEDITE encourage you to innovate, using sustainable MDF for a growing market.

11 Specialist product division appointment at Chadwicks Group.

12 Thompson’s help you protect homes from rain damage with water seals.

14 Kerridge Commercial Systems supports apprenticeship pledge.

16 Octabuild’s partnership with builders merchant sector over 40 years.

18 Intact are turning your data into action.

19 Varo introduces their dual power cordless pruner saw.

21 Unilin Insulation appoint new National Sales Manager.

22 DS Supplies celebrate 25 years in business.

23 Glennon Brothers win the Softwood Trader: Sawmiller of the Year for the fifth time in a row.

27 Retailers’ duties when selling chemical products online and in store from the HSA.

Published by: Hardware Association Ireland Editor: Jim Copeland, editor@hardwareassociation.ie Editorial/Feature Contributor: Aoife Kinsella, Aoife@hardwareassociation.ie

regulars

Advertising Manager: Jim Copeland, jim@hardwareassociation.ie

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Design and Production: Stephen Broad, ConceptRoom, stephen@conceptroom.co.uk Printers: GPS Colour Graphics Ltd, Belfast.

Distribution: MMS Mailing Services, Dublin.

A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO Martin Markey introduces the latest issue of The Hardware Journal.

24 HAI GOLF SOCIETY The results from HAI Golf Society’s most recent outings.

30 CORPORATE PARTNERS A look at HAI’s corporate partners and the services they offer.

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: To advertise in The Hardware Journal and reach the key decision makers in the industry please contact Jim Copeland at 01-298 0969; email jim@hardwareassociation.ie

features 28 INTERVIEW with John Healy, CPM Ireland`s General Manager about hardware brands and boosting sales.

36 THE HARDWARE SHOW 2024 A look at the exhibitors lined up for The © 2023 All editorial contents and all advertisments prepared by the publishers and Hardware Association Ireland HAI can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributors’ articles or statements appearing in this publication and any view or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of HAI, save where indicated. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by HAI, authors, contributors, editor or publishers. The publication of advertisements does not constitute any endorsement

by HAI, authors, contributors, editor or publishers of the products advertised. Readers should take specific advice when dealing with specific situations.

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Hardware Show.

62 LOCAL RETAILING IN THE USA Gina Schaefer recommends ‘Retiring the right way’.

64 A VIEW FROM EUROPE Regular contributor Thierry Coeman visits the

recent DIY Summit in Berlin for The Hardware Journal and has provided some interesting insights and lessons to be learned from the most innovative speakers.

66 STEVE COLLINGE Poses the question,’Are Marketplaces the Future of Retail?’

September/October 2023

Building Materials & Supplies 40 MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Jim Copeland introduces the latest supplement.

41 PATRICK ATKINSON Chadwick’s Group CEO, discusses the Retrofitting Market.

42 DULUX Working to create a brighter future.

44 PIPELIFE Introduce a new product family member.

46 KILSARAN Launch their new updated ESG Strategy.

48 WAVIN Provides extensive solutions above and below ground.

50 COMBILIFT Celebrate 25 years in business with new models.

52 PVC FABRICATIONS Tell us why the water pipe is all about the internal bore.

54 CEDRAL Cedral launches new facades collection.

56 profiles 34 SUPPLIER PROFILE: B&G 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION

The B&G Leadership team outline what they have been doing for the past 50 years, including building a business to serve over 500 trade only clients across seven categories with one customer centric focus.

56 STORE PROFILE USA: COSTELLO’S ACE HARDWARE

CEO Mike Costello talks to The Hardware Journal about what makes his family owned company one of the best hardware retailers in America.

72 SUPPLIER PROFILE: JOHN RIDDEL & SON

Celebrating 220 years in business, John Riddel & Son in Lisburn, share with readers their long history of proudly serving their customers through centuries of change, World Wars and the Titanic era. New owners the Sanbra Group believe they are well positioned to continue to grow in the years ahead.

training 70 HAI CERTIFICATE IN HARDWARE RETAIL AND

MERCHANTING The HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail and Merchanting returns for its third year, welcoming a new tranche of students and mentors commencing their studies.

71 HAI TRAINING A look at HAI’s upcoming Autumn

training courses, all tailored to the needs of the hardware/DIY industry, with some returning to its Dublin-based offices.

business support 60 MAGICO Unlock online growth with effective fulfilment options.

61 TACTICAL TALENT Ask ‘Are you thinking of working with a Recruiter?`

classified ads 91 A SELECTION OF CLASSIFIED ADS September/October 2023

COMMERCIAL FEATURES 75 WORKWEAR This issue looks at the latest innovations in workwear from the most progressive companies in the sector.

From farming to construction, there are always options for customers to consider when choosing what suits them best.

82 DOORS & FLOORS A look at the latest products and industry trends in the Doors & Floors sector. Included is advice on how to encourage customers to consider upgrading their floors and doors when renovating. Also, new training programmes allowing knowledge to be shared in the sector and passed on to customers both trade and consumer.

86 FUEL Big changes in the solid fuel industry over the past year have seen new regulations taking effect and some companies exiting the market. Those that remain have continued to invest in the industry with renewable and smokeless options offering consumers plenty of choice.

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News & Products

SWEET EMBRACE™ DULUX COLOUR OF THE YEAR 2024 Each year, Dulux Global Trends Research looks to the future to pinpoint what is to come in terms of overriding consumer trends.

For 2024, indications point to the fact that people are looking for a ‘sense of belonging’ in their homes. A sense of belonging that gives a comforting feeling; that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves, whether that’s our family or our community.

In times of change and instability, it’s more important than ever to create spaces that share a person’s own personal narrative; somewhere we feel completely at home.

Sweet Embrace™ Dulux Colour of the Year 2024 is a soft and delicate tone that brings a feeling of positivity to our lives.

Alongside it they’ve created three easy to use colour palettes to help your customer create their colour scheme. www.dulux.ie

INDOOR AIR QUALITY THE FUTURE - A NEW INDUSTRY PureAir air purifiers transform stale indoor air into fresh, purified air for you and your customer’s family to breathe. Using active purification technologies, PureAir personal air purifiers, room air purifiers, and whole home air purifiers reduce odours, such as those caused by bacteria, mould, pets, and smoke, as well as removing irritants, such as pet dander, dust, and other allergens from your customers breathing space. Easy to set up and use, these air purifiers are ideal for those sensitive to odours and allergens.

The PureAir range is being exclusively launched to the Irish Market by Joseph Murphy Ballina Ltd (JMBL). They are hosting three events this November. Speaking to MD Lorraine Burnell she explained “This is your opportunity to learn about this fast-growing industry and your opportunity to enter the market before your competition. You need to be there on the day!”

living and working environment. With PureAir solutions, you and your customers can breathe clean and fresh air all day, every day.” states Lorraine.

PureAir Active Indoor Air Purification Irish Launch Dates - see, smell and breath the difference! Choose the event location that suits you from the list below & secure your FREE ticket on www.josephmurphy.ie/pureair today!

Nov 6th - Radisson Hotel, Sligo Nov 7th - Longcourt Hotel, Limerick Nov 8th - Lucan Spa Hotel, Dublin Find out more information and see the vast array PureAir Products available visit www.josephmurphy.ie/pureair or email info@josephmurphy.ie for your ticket!

The Exclusive Trade Only Irish PureAir Events offer: • • • • • • •

Networking Breakfast Talk by Industry Expert - Padraig O’Hara, Director - US Market Leader Competitor Analysis in the Irish Market Opportunity to be ahead of the curve for Christmas Trade Industry Insights, Data & Stats for Sector Growth Launch of Exclusive Fridge Air Purifier - Christmas Gifting Ideas Competition & giveaways at event

“At JMBL, we are committed to offering products that create a healthy environment for everyone. The PureAir products are designed to improve the quality of air indoors and create a healthy

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PureAir Indoor Air Quality Purification Range.

September/October 2023

News & Products

ETAG WELCOMES TONY TAYLOR AS NEW GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Etag would like to announce the appointment of Tony Taylor as CEO of Etag Fixings UK & Ireland. Tony has had a very successful career within the construction industry over the last 20 years, mainly with Saint Gobain Building Distribution where he held several roles, most recently Managing Director of their Local Merchant group in the UK. With the retirement of Shirley Bowman as MD, the Board of Management and all the Etag team would like to welcome Tony to the company.

Tony said, “I feel extremely privileged to be taking up the role of CEO for Etag, the business has great roots, amazing colleagues and a very loyal customer base, the perfect ingredients for our ambitious growth plans across Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe.”

Etag are a specialist construction supplier in the UK and Ireland. Supplying leading brands from general site supplies to a wide range of fixings and fasteners.

Tony Taylor, Etag Group Chief Executive Officer.

INNOVATIVE, SUSTAINABLE MDF FOR A GROWING MARKET According to a new research report, the global MDF market is anticipated to grow significantly between 2023-2028 and one of the major market trends is an increasing demand for furniture in the residential sector. Demands for ready-made, low-maintenance furniture continues to grow, and because MDF has many attractive traits such as a smooth finish, strength and easy machinability, it’s a popular material to make cabinetry and furniture. MDF can also be laminated for decorative purposes.

So, what can MEDITE SMARTPLY offer? Their extensive range of MDF products offer standard, speciality, and technical variants, to meet a multitude of specifications.

MEDITE MDF is made using wood fibres which are pressed with resin to make a homogeneous panel. This makes it easier to machine and creates a smooth surface, providing far fewer imperfections. The smooth surface on MDF is beneficial when applying paint and can be easier to paint than some other wood-based panels.

Sourced from sustainably managed forests in Ireland, the MDF range is FSC certified. It is also CARB2 compliant. This offers great peace of mind to furniture makers and fabricators.

The exclusive MEDITE MDF community site, www.meditemakesitreal.com, is the place to be for MEDITE MDF inspiration. Those who join can share work, gain inspiration, and win prizes that will enable the user to build bigger and better with MDF. Receive a free gift when you sign up. For more information on the MEDITE MDF range, visit: https://mdfosb.com/en/products/medite-mdf

Specialisms include MEDITE PREMIER, a multi-purpose MDF ideal for furniture, shelving and domestic applications, and for applications where flame retardance is required, there is MEDITE PREMIER FR a Euroclass B panel. For the ultimate moisture resistant MDF panel, there is MEDITE OPTIMA – MEDITE’s latest product innovation. It is suitable for a wide range of interior applications. OPTIMA’s exceptional machinability, reduced sanding time and smoother surface elevates the performance and quality of projects – big or small.

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September/October 2023

Market Intelligence

BUSINESS INDEX Q2 2023 RESULTS The year-on-year increase for the sector as a whole in Q2 is 2% with a YTD increase of 3%

The year-on-year increase in Q2 is largely consistent across all member groups.

The year-on-year increase in Q2 is largely consistent across all member groups.

The year-on-year increase for the sector on the whole in Q2 is is 2% with a YTD increase of 3%.

Business Index Annual Review 2021 - 2023 Total Market (All Categories) Month on month comparisons* – Seasonality (2021 in blue, 2022 in red, 2023 in green)

The Business Index is collecting and analysing data at category level.

If members would like to contribute and benefit from category data please contact Martin at 087 2226532.

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September/October 2023

News & Products

SPECIALIST PRODUCT DIVISION APPOINTMENT AT CHADWICKS GROUP Chadwicks Group is pleased to announce the appointment of John Paul O’Reilly as the new Managing Director of the Specialist Product Division.

In this newly established role, John Paul will assume responsibility for overseeing the growth and development of specialised brands within Chadwicks Group, which includes Heiton Steel, Morgans Timber, Proline, The Panelling Centre, and Sitetech. John Paul’s responsibilities will involve close collaboration with managers across Chadwicks Group’s specialist brands, ensuring the efficient and seamless operation of their business units.

A key focus of his role will be to drive and facilitate necessary change within the organisation, with sustainability and digital transformation as top priorities. With over two decades of commercial experience, John Paul brings a wealth of expertise gained from working with some of Ireland’s largest retail organisations, including Tesco Ireland as Commercial and Multichannel Director, Maxol as COO, and Brown Thomas Arnotts as Commercial Director. His extensive background encompasses both physical and digital retailing, bringing the expertise and experience to take the business into the future.

John Paul holds a Bachelor of Civil Law from University College Dublin and is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants of Ireland. In 2001, he was awarded an MBA in Retail from Stirling University.

CHADWICKS NAVAN BRANCH CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

John Paul O’Reilly Appointed Managing Director, Specialist Product Division at Chadwicks Group.

Speaking on the appointment, Patrick Atkinson, CEO, Chadwicks Group, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome John Paul to Chadwicks Group. He joins us at a time when we have big growth ambitions across all brands and categories, and we welcome the knowledge and expertise he will bring to the company.” the job done. The team at Chadwicks Navan were delighted to celebrate the milestone with members of the Navan community, as well as retired colleague Ann Barnwell who provided expertise and top-tier customer service for 49 years.

Speaking at the event, Chadwicks Navan Branch Manager, Steven Clynch, said: “Our team of 24 colleagues has always prided itself on providing best-in-class customer service, catering to the needs of projects both big and small. We look forward to continuing to work with our local community, and welcoming DIY enthusiasts and tradespeople through our doors for years to come!”

Chadwicks Group celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Chadwicks Navan branch recently.

Pictured are Steven Clynch, Chadwicks Navan Branch Manager, Tommy Mulvaney, local customer, and Colm O’Rourke, Meath Senior Football manager, with an issue of the Meath Chronicle from 1987 featuring a Chadwicks advertising supplement and photo of the Meath senior football team including Colm O’Rourke.

Located at Carriage Road, Chadwicks Navan has served the needs of the community by providing local tradespeople and DIYers with all the tools and materials they need to get September/October 2023

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News & Products

PROTECT HOMES FROM RAIN DAMAGE WITH WATER SEALS Autumn is here and with it comes unsettled weather, with potentially heavy downpours. As such, it’s important to start reminding your customers about protecting their homes from weather damage now – especially in areas that are susceptible to the extremes. Here Christopher Fletcher, Technical Services Chemist at Thompson’s, explains the importance of recommending water seals to customers.

If water seeps into brick, concrete or stone, it can cause issues like damp and mould which, if left untreated, could lead to significant structural damage. Therefore, preventing water penetration and freeze thaw damage is important – and luckily there are solutions available that can prevent it, such as Thompson’s Water Seal.

If this stage is missed, your customer runs the risk of Thompson’s Water Seal not properly adhering to the surface and this may cause it to shift and crack.

Next, advise the use of Thompson’s Advanced Brick and Mortar Cleaner to remove dirt, grime, efflorescence and limescale. After 15 minutes, the product should be washed off and the surface left to dry.

The customer should then wait until the surface is completely dry before applying Thompson’s Water Seal, as otherwise the product will lock in any moisture, and this could cause damp and mould growth. Applying onto a dry surface will also avoid any cracking or flaking and ensure a good quality, long-lasting finish. To apply, use a brush, roller or sprayer and always let the first coat dry completely before adding the second. The good news is that the water-based solution can dry within just two hours - so the second coat can be applied on the same day.

Alternatively, for an even faster solution, Thompson’s One Coat Water Seal can be applied in the same way. As the name suggests, just one coat will offer protection against rain damage – keeping time on site to an absolute minimum. When using Thompson’s One Coat Water Seal, always make sure the entire surface has been coated and no small patches have been missed by mistake.

Thankfully for your customer, cleaning down their tools after application is also quicker and easier with water-based solutions. Unlike solvent-based alternatives, Thompson’s Water Seal and Thompson’s One Coat Water Seal can be washed off the brush or roller by simply using soapy water and any residue is safe to dispose of down the drain.

To find out more about Thompson’s and its wide range of waterproofing products visit: www.thompsonsweatherproofing.co.uk/waterproofing

Thompson’s Water Seal uses a unique micro silicone emulsion to stop water penetration and freeze-thaw damage. It is recommended for use on buildings and other structures, such as low garden walls – and especially on surfaces that are exposed to hard driving rain.

Advise your customers that before applying the water seal, use a stiff wire brush to remove any loose debris such as dust, moss and cement. Alternatively, for larger surfaces, a jet washer can be used.

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Thompson’s One Coat Water Seal.

September/October 2023

WATERPROOFING SEALING, BRICKWORK OR PAVING

BRING IT ON!

For over 40 years, Thompson’s has been paving the way when it comes to water-based waterproofing products – and was the first to develop water-based water seals. Advances in water-based technology mean the Thompson’s range of products can deliver the tough, long-lasting protection needed for a professional finish.

For more info visit thompsonsweatherproofing.co.uk

News & Products

PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSAL FOR A REGULATION ON COMBATING LATE PAYMENT IN COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is seeking the views of stakeholders on the EU proposal for a regulation on combating late payment in commercial transactions.

Planned scope of the proposed regulation The EU is proposing to replace Directive 2011/7/EC on combating late payment in commercial transactions (Late Payment Directive) with a regulation. The proposal is aimed at addressing shortcomings in the Directive that have been identified through studies and stakeholder consultations in the review of the current regulatory framework.

The Commission is proposing this new regulation with the aim of improving the payment discipline of public authorities, large companies and SMEs, while protecting businesses from the negative effects of payment delays in commercial transactions through, preventing late payment from occurring, promoting fairness between parties in commercial transactions, facilitating timely payments and strengthening redress systems.

Key aspects of the proposed regulation The proposal will mean significant changes to the current rules which aim to address shortcomings identified in the Directive: • A maximum payment-term cap of 30 days for both businessto-business transactions and transactions between public bodies and business (Article 3) • Making null and void any contractual terms impinging on rules set out in the regulation (Article 9)

• No right of waiver to payment of interest and compensation for late payments (Article 5) • Late payment interest will remain at the reference rate plus 8 percentage points (Article 6) and a flat fee compensation for recovery costs of ¤50 per commercial transaction (Article 8) • Specifying the nature of implementation and enforcement requirements for member states (for example, designation of specific enforcement bodies (Article 13), mediation options (Article 16) • In public works contracts falling within the scope of the public procurement Directives, the main contractor must provide proof of timely payment to subcontractors (Article 4) • Member states to facilitate availability and access of SMEs to credit management tools, financial literacy training and foster the use by SMEs of digital tools for timely payments (Article 17) Submissions Views from stakeholders and interested parties are requested no later than 5pm on Tuesday, 14 November 2023.

Submissions should be marked ‘Proposal for EU Regulation on combating Late Payments’’ and should be emailed to accesstofinance@enterprise.gov.ie.

Further information is available at: https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/ consultations/public-consultation-proposal-for-regulationon-combating-late-payment-in-commercial-transactions.html

KCS SUPPORTS APPRENTICESHIP PLEDGE In a bid to address the skills gap in the building materials industry, Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), a Corporate Partner of Hardware Association Ireland, is delighted to announce it is committing to take on 70 apprentices across four businesses by 2030.

KCS currently employ 19 apprentices across its Ireland & UK businesses, in a range of roles and levels, including Leadership, R & D, HR, Support, Finance and Marketing. It recognises that apprenticeships provide an effective way to develop skilled and qualified talent, while offering a fantastic opportunity for apprentices to develop their career with hands-on training and experience putting their skills into place in a business environment.

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“We believe our people make a real difference and as a business growing our own talent is an important part of our people strategy”, explains James Mitchell, Managing Director UK & Ireland, “Our apprentice programme provides an avenue for driving talent into and growing it within the business, developing the skills we need for our future success. We all have an important role to play in our industry and the skills it needs to continue to succeed, we will continue on our journey of developing new talent and also upskilling our existing colleagues to ensure our industry’s success.”

For more information go to www.kerridgecs.com

September/October 2023

News & Products

IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH C. DALY Joe was a former council member of Hardware Association Ireland and with his late wife Helen great supporters of the HAI Golfing Society.

Joe began his working life in the late 1940’s under the guidance of his father Joe, Managing Director of J.P. Newsom and Co. of William Street, Limerick, serving in all departments including hardware, plumbing, paint and steel.

In October 1958 he answered his calling to set up his own business directly across the street at 51 William Street, together with his late wife Helen, of O’Neill’s Granary and Grocery Store.

Through the years Daly’s Hardware would continue to grow under their guidance. Joe, always with a keen interest in new ideas and innovation, introduced a paint tinting system in the mid 1960’s, a first for Limerick. A lighting department would soon follow and remains an integral part of the company 60 years later; a testimony to his business acumen.

Sadly, Helen passed away in March 2002, and Joe continued in business with his sons Tony and Roger, and in recent years his grand-daughter Alison. Always interested in the business he loved, he would continue to request, and receive with satisfaction, reports from the shop in the weeks leading up to his death. Joe officially retired from J.C Daly and Co. on the 29th July 2023.

Joe Daly.

Sadly missed by his family, staff, and customers alike. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

September/October 2023

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News & Products

OCTABUILD’S PARTNERSHIP WITH BUILDERS MERCHANT SECTOR OVER 40 YEARS Octabuild and its members have been an important part of the builders’ merchant sector for nearly 40 years. Here its current Chairperson Declan Conlon discusses its ethos and plans for the coming year with The Hardware Journal.

What is Octabuild and what is its main function?

Octabuild was established in 1984 with the objective of promoting the benefits of high quality, Irish manufactured products for the building, construction and DIY sectors.

Octabuild is unique among representative groups in the building and construction industry – its members have a solid manufacturing base in Ireland; operate to the highest technical and management quality standards; are market leaders in their business sectors and use builder’s merchants as their primary sales route to the end-user.

With almost 600 years combined manufacturing experience in Ireland, the eight Octabuild members – Dulux Paints, Etex Ireland, Glennon Brothers, Grant Engineering, Gyproc, Irish Cement, Kingspan Insulation and Wavin Ireland, make a considerable contribution to industry, providing significant employment and contributing substantially to the economic well-being of their local communities.

The combined product portfolio of the Octabuild members represents an impressive range of high quality, Irish manufactured brands, and each Octabuild company is committed to excellence in providing an efficient and reliable service to builders’ merchants.

How important are the Octabuild Awards?

The Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards are central to Octabuild’s purpose and are closely aligned with our core values including excellence, innovation, partnership and sustainability. The awards have evolved significantly over the course of the last 40 years, culminating in the move to the first all-island Awards in 2022. The catalyst for this change was the mothballing of the awards during 2020 and 2021 due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19. After reflection and consultation, it was decided that the evolving integration of the builders’ merchants’ sector across the island, made the move to an all-island format inevitable.

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Octabuild Chairperson Declan Conlon.

The format and types of awards were also amended in line with the overall changing business environment. The aim is to make the awards relevant to every builder’s merchant on the island, large or small, independent or part of a group.

The next Octabuild Awards will be held in 2024, and planning has already commenced. The board is currently undertaking a consultation exercise with merchants throughout the country, to add to the feedback already received after the last awards. I would appeal to merchants to engage with this exercise – the awards can only be improved if constructive feedback is received from merchants.

Finally, I want to reiterate that the Awards judging is totally independent. Our judging team has many years’ experience in the trade and are clear on the criteria and what they want to see. It is not a requirement that a merchant buys from all eight Octabuild companies, and it is not an impediment to winning.

What does its sponsorship of the HAI Certificate mean to Octabuild members?

Octabuild was delighted to sponsor the HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail and Merchanting for the second time in 2023. The Octabuild member companies have welcomed the opportunity to share their expertise and support the nurturing of talent in the builder’s merchant trade through this sponsorship. Octabuild has again agreed to sponsor the Certificate for 2023-2024, see page 70 for more information.

September/October 2023

News & Products

The training and development offered by the HAI Certificate as a whole, and the Product Knowledge modules, in particular, play a significant role in ensuring the future development and ultimate success of the industry.

This is fundamental to Octabuild’s purpose, and we are delighted to be able to bring it to life through this partnership.

As we use merchants as our primary route to market, we are only successful if builders’ merchants are successful, and builders’ merchants can only be successful if they have knowledgeable and talented staff coming up through the business. I want to commend Hardware Association Ireland for organising the Certificate and to thank the tutors and mentors for their work in supporting the programme.

With no awards this year, what is Octabuild planning?

Octabuild hosted an online Webinar - Budget 2024: An economic forecast for the Irish Construction Industry on the 12th of October 2023. Octabuild was proud to present Jim Power and Chris Johns, renowned economic analysts and co-hosts of the engaging podcast “The Other Hand”.

Jim and Chris outlined their analysis of the impact of the Budget on the sector, and shared some interesting perspectives on where we go from here.

to gain wide ranging experience across the entire business.

At one stage I was responsible for the telesales team, marketing and PR, production planning, as well as sales invoicing and reporting. I learned a lot over my 24 years in Glennon Brothers.

In October 2019 I joined Wavin as Sales Manager to oversee key accounts as well as a team of technical sales reps who cover the Republic of Ireland market. My position in Wavin places me in a customer facing role and it is one I am really enjoying. I am also grateful to Wavin for supporting my return to education, as I am currently in the middle of an MSc in Leadership through Ulster University.

I was honoured to take up the position of Octabuild Chairperson this year. I strongly believe in the values of Octabuild, in particular the partnership with builders’ merchants. I believe in partnership and the value of longterm mutually beneficial relationships, which is central to the Octabuild ethos, and I look forward to working with the merchant sector to deliver the benefits of partnership for us all. I believe that the shocks that have been experienced in the global economy over the last three years have reemphasised the value of Irish-based manufacturing and I believe that the Octabuild values of excellence, innovation, and sustainability are as important as ever.

On a personal note, what has your career path in the industry been like?

I have spent my entire working life to date in the sector, beginning my journey in 1995 with Glennon Brothers, having just graduated from the University of Limerick with a Business Studies degree. I became part of the Glennon Brothers growth journey from a single site in Longford when I joined, to six sites across Ireland and the UK by the time I left. Although I started in telesales, I was fortunate

Minister Michael McGrath speaking at the Octabuild Awards in 2022.

September/October 2023

Declan Conlon, Octabuild Chairperson with student award winners: Sarah Day – Student of the Year and Tracy Walsh – High Achieving Student, both from Morris DIY & Builders Providers, and Martin Markey, HAI CEO.

17

News & Products

A WATCHFUL EYE: THE VITAL ROLE OF AI IN CCTV MONITORING In the ever-evolving landscape of security and surveillance, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into ClosedCircuit Television (CCTV) monitoring has emerged as a transformative force.

Traditionally, CCTV monitoring relied heavily on human vigilance, which, despite its merits, was not without its limitations. Prolonged hours of screen observation often resulted in fatigue and human errors. The integration of AI into CCTV monitoring has ushered in an era of intelligence and automation, significantly enhancing operational efficiency.

MYNET Security suggests AI contributes significantly to CCTV monitoring in several crucial ways: Object Recognition and Tracking: AI-powered systems excel at recognising and tracking objects, individuals, and vehicles in real-time. This capability proves invaluable in swiftly identifying and responding to suspicious activities.

Enhanced Productivity: AI not only augments security but also enhances productivity among monitoring operatives.

By automating mundane tasks like continuously watching screens, AI allows security professionals to focus on more critical and strategic aspects of their roles.

Predictive Analysis: Advanced AI models can analyse historical data to predict potential security threats.

This predictive analysis enables us to take pre-emptive measures, thereby enhancing the safety of your staff and your premises.

Automated Alerts: AI systems can instantaneously send alerts to security personnel or when they detect suspicious activities, reducing response times during emergencies.

Reduced False Alarms: Traditional CCTV systems often triggered false alarms due to fluctuations in lighting conditions or non-threatening movements. AI’s ability to distinguish between normal and abnormal behaviour significantly mitigates such false alarms, ensuring resources are allocated more efficiently.

The importance of AI in CCTV monitoring cannot be overstated. It enhances security by providing real-time monitoring and rapid response to potential threats, ultimately making your space safer. Moreover, it streamlines operations, reducing the workload on human operators and allowing them to focus on critical tasks. While the initial investment in AI-powered CCTV systems may be significant, the long-term benefits, including reduced false alarms and enhanced security, make it a wise investment in safeguarding your property.

MYNET Security, contact@mynet.ie, 062 69112.

TURNING YOUR DATA INTO ACTION! In today’s digital age, data is more than just numbers; it’s the key to helping you and your team make smart decisions.

Here’s how a complete business software system can assist you. Intact suggest getting the ‘Most Out of Your Data’ by using these ‘Essential Tools for Success!’

• Speed Up Tasks & Improve Customer Service: Personalise your screens so you and your team can quickly make informed decisions with a clear view of the data you need daily.

• On-The-Spot Decision-Making: Use tools like Intact’s built-in business metrics for smart choices when the information you need is right at your fingertips.

• Stay Ahead of The Game: Keep ahead with real-time automated notifications to address issues and seize opportunities as they arise.

• Boost Remote Work with Mobile Tools: Stay connected and efficient no matter where you work with mobile tools like Intact Access.

• Easy Reporting: Effortlessly save time with on-screen and scheduled reports – the days of running cumbersome, detailed reports are over.

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Streamline Approval Processes: Automate email authorisations to save time and enhance customer service.

Your data plays a vital role in helping you achieve your goals.

You need to be confident your current business software is delivering the real-time data you need, when and where you need it? Contact Intact today on 042-9331742 to learn how they can help you make better decisions and work more efficiently.

September/October 2023

News & Products

DUAL POWER CORDLESS PRUNER SAW Varo, one of Europe’s leading hand and power tool designers and distributors introduces the POWDPG7572 cordless pruner saw. Thanks to its compact design, you can wield this pruner saw with just one hand. Easily manoeuvre the machine in narrow, hard-to-reach areas, e.g. in between branches or bushes. In addition, the 20 V saw is battery-operated. So, no cables that get in the way or accidentally cut, no unpleasant odours either, and minimal noise.

To guarantee your safety, the machine is equipped with a chain protection as well as hand protection. The premium quality bar is 100 mm in length and fitted with a sturdy chain with 14 teeth. At a sawing speed of 6,7 m/s, you can effortlessly cut through all kinds of wood.

What is Dual Power?

Battery platforms have become increasingly popular as users save costs by no longer having to buy unnecessary batteries and chargers. That is why Powerplus developed one battery platform for two ranges of 20 V and 40 V power tools and garden tools.

Dual Power’s range of 100+ tools offers endless possibilities to any DIYer or professional and also provides the flexibility of cordless tools.

For further information, please contact Les Ashley, les.ashley@varo.com or directly on 087 440 8077. www.varo.com

POWDPG7572 cordless pruner saw.

ONE PLATFORM, TWO RANGES, ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

INTENSIVE USE I FLEXIBLE I BATTERY PLATFORM I ECO-FRIENDLY For further information contact Les Ashley @ les.ashley@varo.com or directly on 087 440 8077

September/October 2023

19

News & Products

GUARANTEED IRISH SPOTLIGHTS KEY CHALLENGES IN THE IRISH CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Guaranteed Irish recently hosted their annual construction forum in which a panel of industry experts convened to discuss “Is Construction in Ireland Sustainable? - Can we really ‘green build’ our way out of this housing crisis?”

Opened by the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Dara Calleary, T.D., a panel of industry experts were invited to discuss solutions to housing, national infrastructure, and planning regulations. The panel included Niall O’Connor - Managing Director, Kingspan Insulation Ireland; Lawrence Bowles, Associate Director KPMG, Future Analytics, Patrick Phelan - Managing Director, Ballymore Group and James Nugent - Senior Director, Head of Commercial Agency, Lisney.

Dara Calleary TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, gave a keynote address. He highlighted the momentum in home building and was optimistic in meeting the housing target of 29,000 homes this year. He said that the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in public housing along with R&D will be a game changer for delivering our housing requirements faster.

The event was hosted by Hugh Wallace, Award Winning Architect and RTE presenter. Lawrence Bowles, KPMG, addressed the question on the 2050 Energy Performance Building Directive plans to build a carbon-neutral building stock.

Each building must have an A rating. He said “The real estate industry needs to fully embrace the new reality, which is not just NetZero, but also nature positive. The climate and nature agenda are going to have a very material impact on all future infrastructure including buildings - however a long-term approach for our construction infrastructure with a masterplan beyond successive governments will be necessary.”

Niall O’Connor, Kingspan Insulation, replied to the question saying, “These ambitious targets are absolutely necessary since together, the building materials/construction sector and building operations account for almost 40% of carbon emissions.

They present an enormous opportunity for the sector to raise industry standards, increase collaboration between design and construction, and in particular drive growth in retrofit. However, there is a significant shortage of qualified people in this sector and there is a need to employ over 25,000 people.”

Hugh Wallace asked the panel as to whether we are creating “boring cities” that lead to social problems and how the construction industry aim to eliminate the “the architectural blandness” of our cities.

James Nugent MD, Lisney responded to the question, “I believe part of the problem is that we think too small. We tend to look at an individual planning application for a single site. That building or scheme must comply with planning requirements, sometimes with little regard for the surrounding area. To plan cities or urban areas properly, there needs to be a more cohesive view or vision of what we want the city or urban area to be like.”

Patrick Phelan, Managing Director, Ballymore, gave his

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perspective from those who wish to dwell in these potential new homes. “It is important that in creating buildings, places, and spaces that we consider the people who will use them. Places that have been considered in terms of landscaping, protection from the elements and which have animation at street level – these spaces will be successful and won’t be boring. Buildings, places, and cities should be sociable environments where people want to gather, visit, and stay. This should be the starting point for the industry and where the focus should be. The emphasis should be on cultural and educational facilities, on creating community engagement, not just a design.”

The concept of 15-minute cities was explored noting that Waterford is leading the way with the development of the North Quays. There was a call for additional incentives to do the same at a faster pace to be put in place across the country, especially in higher density locations such as Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Dublin.

Several other issues were also addressed that led to some unanimous suggestions from the panel including: - We need to build up, not out, in our cities; like what is done across Europe.

- We need to incentivise the repurposing of our existing housing in our cities.

- The building of new homes needs to be made up of more recycled materials, preferably supplied by Irish companies.

- Government incentives are needed to develop this sector to help these companies be more competitive.

- We need to significantly increase the pace of the planning process, by reducing the bureaucracy within that process.

Attendees at the event also heard about www.guaranteedIrishHouse.ie, a portal to drive business to Irish manufacturers for specifiers such as architects, engineers and quantity surveyors.

L to R Camilla Cullinane, venue host, KPMG, Dara Calleary, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Brid O’Connell, CEO Guaranteed Irish, Niall O’Connor, Kingspan Insulation, Sponsor.

September/October 2023

News & Products

WAYNE MURPHY APPOINTED NATIONAL SALES MANAGER AT UNILIN INSULATION Unilin Insulation, formerly Xtratherm and one of the largest suppliers and providers of insulation in Ireland and the UK, have just announced the appointment of Wayne Murphy to the role of National Sales Manager for Ireland. Previously Area Sales Manager in Munster, Wayne joined the company back in 2008.

Martin Groome, Director of Sales & Marketing commented “Wayne has worked with the company for over 15 years and over that time as Area Sales Manager he has grown the business both locally and nationally through hard work and dedication, and in doing so has earned the respect of both his customers and his colleagues. We are very much looking forward to seeing Wayne build on his successful track record as he takes on this new role.”

Wayne assumes his new role early in October and will work to continue building the company brand.

On a personal basis, Wayne is actively involved in community and sport. He was part of the winning Cork team in the 2007 All Ireland Junior Football Championship and currently manages his local GAA

team, St Vincent’s.

Unilin Insulation, formerly Xtratherm, is one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of insulation in Ireland. Unique in its recognition of their customers at the core of the business, the company has worked directly with the construction industry to understand and support our stockists throughout Ireland over the past 30 years.

Product innovation and unrivalled customer and technical support are what make insulation manufacturer Unilin Insulation different. This support includes an office-based Technical Team, local account support through Area Sales Managers and dedicated Technical Specification Managers. This encourages product solutions that allow traditional materials, supplied through our stockists, to be used in the most energy efficient ‘A’ rated buildings.

Wayne Murphy, National Sales Manager for Ireland.

For more information, please visit www.unilininsulation.ie

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September/October 2023

19/9/23 10:01

21

News & Products

CKI PROMISES SAVINGS OF UP TO 70% WITH MAGNETIC WINTER DEALS PROMOTION Carl Kammerling International (CKI) has announced the return of its Magnetic promotion, with discounts of up to 70% sure to ‘attract’ savvy electrical and industrial trade customers.

Magnetic 23 launched on 1st September and will offer savings on product lines from brands including C.K Tools, C.K Magma, C.K Classic, Avit and Kasp.

To activate promotion offers, customers must make an initial purchase of ¤350 or more. From that point until 22nd December, all future orders submitted through the promotion will benefit from Magnetic savings. The bigger the purchase, the bigger the savings.

Deals apply to much of the brands’ core range, with eight exclusive multipacks available only through the promotion.

Customers placing high value orders will also be rewarded with exclusive C.K Tools branded clothing, including a new design bobble hat and a Regatta Microfleece with C.K Embroidery.

This year’s C.K bobble hats - back by popular demand - feature a bold new design. The C.K logo is knit into the hat itself and woven into a small label on the front turn-up. Each hat is double layered, making it extra cosy. The brand-new black microfleeces have been selected from Regatta’s Professional line for their highquality and functionality and are available from size M to XXL. Rhiannon Wyn Thompson, Trade Marketing Executive, says: “We’re doing our best to support merchants and wholesalers.

This promotion could go a long way towards getting customers through the doors and enticing them to invest in their toolkits and equipment. Our products are known for their quality, durability

CK Tools selection.

and painstakingly well-informed designs – and now those qualities are available at a lower price.”

Contact the CKI customer services team on +44 01758 704704 to sign up to the promotion today.

DS SUPPLIES CELEBRATES 25 YEARS IN BUSINESS This year DS Supplies celebrates 25 years in business and their category ranges just keep getting bigger with a new product brochure hot off the press!

The new brochure includes, door mats made from recycled car tyres, high performance floor underlays, stair nosings & anti-slip solutions. Bigger 22mm reducing profiles with new Black & Brushed silver finishes along with a wider range of LED wall, ceiling & floor lighting strips. All ranges will be highlighted on Stand B35 at The Hardware Show, RDS, Dublin Feb 18th & 19th 2024.

The DS Supplies new catalogue is now available to download at dssupplies.com or alternatively scan the QR code.

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September/October 2023

News & Products

FIVE IN A ROW FOR GLENNON BROTHERS Glennon Brothers has won the ‘Softwood Trader: Sawmiller of the Year’ Award for a fifth consecutive year, one of the Timber Trade Journal’s (TTJ) most coveted awards. The TTJ Awards are widely seen as the most prestigious in the timber sector and were recently held at the Hilton Bankside Hotel in London.

The Award was once again open to companies across Europe, the UK and Ireland, to vote for their choice of ‘Best in Class’ timber supplier. Glennon Brothers is still the only home-grown timber supplier to have won this award!

Mike Glennon said; “We are delighted to win the prestigious TTJ award for Timber Trader; Sawmiller of the Year 2023, completing a five-in-a-row of triumphs since 2019, despite once again being up against an exceptionally strong list of fellow nominees. To follow up our success of the last four years in the same category is especially pleasing and I’d like to sincerely thank our customers for voting for Glennon Brothers, and for their continued support and faith in us. This year has continued to be challenging for the sector. The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, and difficult trading conditions as the ECB and the Bank of England continue

to raise interest rates to tackle high inflation, have led to a more uncertain trading environment. Throughout the period, we have endeavoured to support our customers as best we possibly can, and their reciprocal commitment to Glennon Brothers is greatly appreciated. Over 900 families in the UK and Ireland, depend on Glennon Brothers, for their livelihood. On their behalf, I would like to say a big thank you for your business.”

Pat Glennon commented; “Picking up this award for a fifth time is another proud moment for Glennon Brothers and will mean an awful lot to our colleagues across the business. To maintain a level of service to our customers that they are willing to acknowledge by way of this award is a fantastic achievement for our entire team, who have continued to work tirelessly throughout this challenging period. Our mantra is ‘from forest to front door, we endeavour to care more’ and we will do our utmost to uphold this in the eyes of our customers in the years ahead.”

www.glennonbrothers.ie

cpm-int.com

If you need a world class partner for sales and brand execution...

Come and talk to us.

In-Store Sales & Merchandising

Product Sampling & Demonstrations

Contact Centre (Telesales)

Technical Sales & Service Solutions

Data Analysis & Insights

Customer Experience & Events

CPM is Ireland’s longest established and largest Field Marketing Agency and is 37 years in business here this year. Part of the Omnicom Group, a global Top 4 media conglomerate.

CPM operates internationally across Ireland, UK, Europe, India & Australia, providing outsourced Sales & Field Marketing Teams.

We grow brands and drive sales for our clients by providing integrated sales solutions that increase profitability. Our client offering is expansive & constantly evolving across sales & merchandising, customer care, experiential, technical service & maintenance, call centre and sampling as we capitalise on new opportunities and the latest technology.

We are ‘People, People’– understanding what makes our team and our clients tick is the key to our success.

Contact our team at sales@cpmire.com or visit us at cpm-int.com

September/October 2023

23

Golf Society

HAIGS TEAM EVENTS AT THE SLIEVE RUSSELL The Hardware Association Ireland Golf Society had their overnight team event in the stunning surroundings of the four-star Slieve Russell Hotel Golf and Country Club in Cavan on Friday 16th & Saturday 17th September. Although a bit inclement on the Friday, it did not deter the brave golfers who enjoyed a scramble team event with great scores being recorded on the day. That evening the group were treated to a beautiful meal and entertainment by Jim & Collette Cuddy at their home.

Saturday was a much-improved weather day and the group enjoyed the course and company of their teammates followed by a lovely meal at the club house which included the prizegiving to the winning teams. The two-day event was very kindly sponsored by Fleetwood Paints, Irish Abrasives and Wavin Ireland.

Friday: 1st place Team; Tim Lodge, Jim Cuddy, Dan Lynch, Hugh Taylor, Score: Nett 58 2nd place Team; Bob Boxwell, Paddy Kingham, Brid Gunn, Marian Kelly, Score: Nett 63 3rd place Team; Tim Burke, Ray Coleman, William Dixon, Bridie Webb, Score: Nett 66 on C/B Saturday: 1st place Team; Tim Burke, Brian Wogan, Brianan Kingham, Score: Nett 60 2nd place Team; Joe Wallace, Jim Cuddy, Dan Lynch, Bridie Webb, Score: Nett 63 3rd place: Team; Bob Boxwell, Jimmy O’Neill, Kathleen Lynch, Dolores Coleman, Score: Nett 64

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Winning Team Friday - Tim Lodge, Hugh Taylor, Jim Cuddy, Dan Lynch.

2nd Place Team Friday - Bob Boxwell, Marian Kelly, Brid Gunn, Paddy Kingham.

3rd Place Team Friday - Michael O’Donohoe, Wavin Sponsor, presenting Tim Burke, Ray Colman, Bridie Webb and William Dixon with their prizes.

Winning Team Saturday - HAIGS Captain Kieran Burke presenting Brian Wogan and Tim Burke with their prize

2nd Place Team Saturday - Jim Cuddy, Joseph Wallace, Bridie Webb, Dan Lynch.

3rd Place Team Saturday - Jimmy O’Neill, Kathleen Lynch, Dolores Colman, Bob Boxwell.

September/October 2023

Golf Society

HAI GOLF SOCIETY DENIS BURKE MEMORIAL CUP A fitting way to end the regular season was had by all attending at the County Meath Golf Club on Friday 25th August to play for The Denis Burke Memorial Cup. Sponsored as usual by our colleagues at Bostik, players enjoyed one of the only dry spots in the country for a lovely day’s golf and a beautiful meal. Our welcome could not have been friendlier by all those at the club and the course was in excellent condition.

In a nice piece of historical serendipity on the day, we were

Mens overall winner Joe Harlin being presented with his first prize, The Denis Burke Memorial Cup, by Peter Morrissey, Sales Director, Bostik with Paul Burke (Denis’s son) who played with the society on the day.

joined by Denis Burke’s son Paul, a keen golfer and member in Rathfarnham GC. Having only recently found out, from his friend Alex Taylor, that this Cup was still a major part of our calendar, Paul was delighted to be part of the day.

Peter Morrissey, Sales Director at Bostik, was delighted again to be the sponsor of this event which holds such a special place in the hearts and minds of our society.

Peter Morrissey, Sales Director, Bostik, presenting Ladies Winner, Brianan Kingham with her first prize.

Mens 2nd place winner Paddy Kelly being presented with his prize, by Peter Morrissey, Sales Director, Bostik.

Class 1 Winner Noel Power receiving his prize from Peter Morrissey, Sales Director, Bostik.

Class 2 Winner Brian Wogan receiving his prize from Peter Morrissey, Sales Director, Bostik.

Class 3 Winner Jim Quinn accepting his prize from Peter Morrissey, Sales Director, Bostik.

Peter Morrissey, Sales Director, Bostik presenting Paul Burke with his first prize for visitors.

HARDWARE ASSOCIATION IRELAND GOLF SOCIETY DENIS BURKE CUP Friday 25th August - County Meath Golf Club OVERALL First place Second place Third Place

Joe Harlin Paddy Kelly Jim Cuddy

39 points 38 points 35 points

handicap 33 handicap 21 handicap 25

CLASS 1 First place Second place

Noel Power Vincent Hyland

33 points 30 points

handicap 17 handicap 18

CLASS 2 First place Second place

Brian Wogan Sean Brennan

34 points 31 points

handicap 21 handicap 22

September/October 2023

CLASS 3 First place Second place

Jim Quinn Paddy O’Leary

34 points 31 points

handicap 25 handicap 28

LADIES PRIZES First place Brianan Kingham Second place Bridie Webb Third place Collette Cuddy

38 points 25 points 17 points

handicap 22 handicap 40 handicap 40

Visitor Prize

35 points

handicap 19

Paul Burke

25

News & Products

WEB HEALTH REPORT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING AND SUPPORTS A Web Health Report produced by .IE, the national registry for .ie domain names, in partnership with Retail Excellence Ireland (REI), has shown that Irish SMEs are falling behind consumer e-Commerce expectation. The Web Health Report analysed the web health and performance of retailer websites across a variety of SME sectors including DIY & garden, fashion and footwear; books and stationery; toys; department stores; and health and beauty.

The Web Health Report is a unique piece of research which focusses specifically on the areas of web analytics, user experience (UX), marketing, security and e-Commerce.

With the retail landscape in Ireland constantly evolving due to changing consumer demands and developments in technology, Irish retailers need to keep pace with this

transformation, prioritising and enhancing their online presence to ensure future success and growth.

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Neale Richmond said, “Having an online presence is vital for Irish retailers to ensure their success now and into the future. Not only does digitalisation improve the service for existing customers, but it also helps attract new customers both at home in Ireland and across the world. It is a complement, rather than a replacement for existing stores”.

Ireland is performing well in this space and is ranked 5th in the EU Digital Economy and Society Index but we must continue to drive the digital agenda and keep pushing ahead with our ambitions for digitalisation”.

More information on the Web Health Report here – www. weare.ie/rei-web-health-report/. Using the list of unique website URLs, .IE analysed each website for web technology.

Data was collected mid-April 2023. The sample size totalled 525 and included a mix of .ie and .com websites.

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September/October 2023

News & Products

RETAILERS’ DUTIES WHEN SELLING CHEMICAL PRODUCTS ONLINE AND IN-STORE Chemical products play an important role in our everyday lives.

These products include detergents, paints, adhesives, cement, polish, oils, bleach and white spirits, used by both professional users, e.g. plumbers, decorators, mechanics and consumers (including DIY). In order to ensure their safe use, it is important that the hazards and risks associated with these products are communicated clearly through the hazard label on the product and/or via the safety data sheet (SDS) accompanying the product.

Retailers sell chemical products, in-store or online, including in supermarkets, discount stores, building providers, hardware shops and motor factors, on websites and on-line marketplaces.

Therefore, retailers play an important role in ensuring that the hazards and risks associated with these chemical products are communicated clearly to both consumers and professional users before concluding the sale in store or online. Certain high risk chemicals are banned from sale to the general public e.g. cancer causing chemicals and this applies regardless if being sold instore or online.

Selling hazardous chemicals to CONSUMERS in retail store or online.

•

•

Selling in Retail Store: Ensure that all hazardous chemical products are labelled correctly as illustrated below before placing them on the shelves. - Ensure that all hazardous chemical products are packaged correctly, i.e. that corrosive chemicals are fitted with a child resistant fastening on the cap and that a tactile warning of danger is on the packaging.

- Ensure that products containing banned or restricted substances are not sold to general public.

Selling Online: Ensure that the consumer is informed of the hazards of the product before concluding the sale online (not applicable to click and collect). - It is excluded as the ‘contract for sale’ is not concluded online exclusively and the customer has the opportunity to see the hazard information on the physical label (in-store) before concluding the sale.

Ensure that online advert includes relevant hazard information such as hazard pictogram(s), hazard statement(s) by either including a picture of the product hazard label with a zoom function or by including the relevant hazard information in the online product description. - Note that it is not acceptable to only provide a link to the SDS when selling to consumers online.

•

Where the retail store has a trade counter or where the professional user has an account with the store, the SDS should be provided proactively by the retailer at first sale.

•

When a new or updated SDS is made available within 12 months of first sale, the retailer must provide the professional user with that version.

•

Where the store does not have a trade counter or the professional user does not have an account with the store, or the professional user buys it at the consumer counter, then the SDS should be provided reactively by the retailer when requested by the professional user.

•

Ensure that the SDS is readily accessible in order to be provided electronically or on paper, as appropriate

For Further Information visit our website www.hsa.ie/chemicals

Selling hazardous chemicals to PROFESSIONAL USERS in retail store or online.

•

Ensure that a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is provided to professional users/tradespersons e.g. to mechanics, builders or cleaners.

September/October 2023

27

Industry Interview

John Healy, CPM, talks to Jim Copeland about hardware brands and boosting sales It will be two years in January since John Healy took the helm at CPM Ireland - and he has been one busy man.

Sitting down with John, I was immediately struck by his energy, quick-thinking and collaborative yet no-nonsense approach, all of this he brings to the role which he says, “Is challenging in a competitive market”, but one which he is thoroughly enjoying.

CPM is one of Ireland’s longest established and largest Field Sales Agencies, established in 1986. Part of the Omnicom Group (a global Top 4 media conglomerate with a turnover of $14bn and operating in 28 countries globally) CPM Ireland is proud to be one of the Group’s leading agencies & top performers. John said that the Irish business is forecast to have grown by over 40% in the last two years, which is significant growth. CPM Ireland was also named number one in the Omnicom companies across Europe for its diversity and inclusion strategy, which is increasingly relevant as sectors such as hardware are focussed on attracting talent, by encouraging more and more diversity in its workforce.

John’s background made him the ideal candidate for General Manager of CPM’s Irish business, given his mix of big brand and retail experience at home and internationally.

His retail experience spans buying/senior management roles in major multiples Dunnes Stores, Superquinn and Musgraves followed by working with Aer Rianta International (ARI) (travelling to places such as Bahrain and Delhi) centralising the buying and supply chain for the duty-free shops that ARI operates on behalf of airports. In this role John was working with international brands across a myriad of sectors – drinks, tobacco, beauty, clothing, accessories and confectionery – experience which would prove invaluable to his role in CPM. One of the best-established Sales & Field Marketing Teams in the country, CPM works in partnership with hardware, FMCG and utility clients across the Island of Ireland. They work hand-in-glove with clients including Diageo, Haleon, Suntory, Britvic, An Post, Samsung, Vodafone, Black & Decker and many others. CPM 28

employs over 500 people full time and another 100 on a flexible or campaign basis. While many leading brands in the hardware sector are aware of CPM and what they do, more often than not their customers aren’t, as CPM is the ‘invisible brand’ behind many of the best brands in the marketplace.

“Our team and staff have very diverse roles. When I think about what a “A Day in the Life” of CPM looks like, our people are everywhere! For example, the mouthwash you bought in the supermarket yesterday was probably put there by a CPM employee, while the call you got about moving your account to Electric Ireland may have been from one of our call centre team…the list is endless” John said.

He added: ‘During the pandemic, one of the biggest trends countrywide was people saving and spending some of those savings on their homes, having spent so much time there and enjoying them again. Hardware enjoyed a big boost while ‘big ticket items’ like televisions, appliances, garden and household tools became ‘normal’ purchases. So, if you go to buy a Samsung television, a Black and Decker appliance or high-end vacuum or coffee machine, chances are CPM will be the brand ambassadors in store, demonstrating how to use the product and maximise the benefits.

CPM can help brands grow their business, as they offer clients the best of both worlds - the benefits of a fully integrated agency, delivering multi-channel thinking & services - combined with the personal touch of a local agency and the scope and power of a global group.

All their staff are fully trained, coached and developed to work as their experienced representatives for their client brands. John explained: We are part of our client teams, wear client brands uniforms - we are the ‘invisible brand’ behind many of Ireland’s leading brands. Our sole objective is to accelerate our client’s sales growth, by producing insightful, creative solutions & campaigns to increase visibility, educate customers and build brand affinity.

September/October 2023

Industry Interview

John Healy, CPM Ireland’s General Manager.

CPM’s work in the hardware sector is varied, mainly in the following areas: • Sales & Merchandising – high impact visual retail & digital merchandising for in-store and online brand campaigns, driving availability, distribution and sales.

• Product Demonstrations – at live events, in store and online – demonstrating how to use client’s products and optimise the benefits.

• Telesales – capitalising on new opportunities.

• Technical support & Service solutions – Customer care for client brands and aftercare service and support.

• Data Analysis and Insights – informing and enabling innovative, different campaigns.

• Customer experience and events – educating and engaging client customers with their brands.

CPM knows that the most successful brands aren’t just in store, they are enhancing and expanding all their channels to augment their in-store presence. Using advanced analytics to combine sources of data with their own insights, CPM help clients make better and faster decisions, devise impactful campaigns, all with a view to building relationships with customers. To that end, CPM International launched its new worldwide website earlier this year, introducing the exciting new CPM concept and developed methodology – LIQUID. John explained: Fundamental to LIQUID is connecting client brands with September/October 2023

customers – where they want, how they want, when they want – be that in store, online or by phone. This investment in sales technology is significant – therefore it is unlikely to be matched by non-specialist sales organisations.

“Those insights enable us to help brands across the hardware sector establish and build relationships with customers, by understanding clearly who they are and what they want. One size definitely doesn’t fit all in this hybrid world; so, while some customers want to go in store to see and feel a product, others will want to buy and get technical support online, or on the phone, 24/7 – whatever works for them. We meet customers where they are; not where they used to be!’ John concluded.

In conclusion John talked about what he described as the ‘CPM culture’ which is embedded across the organisation. “Our DNA at CPM Ireland is all about inspiring and influencing human behaviour, by having an expertly trained and experienced team, working smarter and harder for our clients. We are laser-focused on coming up with solutions that inspire and surprise clients and their customers, by developing the optimum mix of resources to deliver brand sales and growth.

The significant strategic investment we’ve made in our digital capacity, our team and their vast experience and expertise ensures our advice to clients and decision making has a solid foundation, is data led, with an unrelenting focus on quality sales growth.

To find out how CPM can help your business to boost sales contact them at +353(1)7080300, email sales@cpmire.com or visit www.cpm-int.com

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HAI Corporate Partners

C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R

CASH MANAGEMENT

Brink’s Cash Services Customer Services 0818 111 330 nationalservicecentre@brinks.com www.brinks.com

COMMERCIAL PRINT W&G Baird Sam Sharpe +44 (0) 75 8311 9846 sam.sharpe@wgbaird.com www.wgbaird.com

CREDIT & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Credit Risk Brokers James Riordan 01 491 6007 james.riordan@creditriskbrokers.com www.creditriskbrokers.com JPA Brenson Lawlor Ian Lawlor 01 668 9760 ian@brensonlawlor.ie www.brensonlawlor.ie LCMS Ltd Billy Nolan 087 2604625 billy.nolan@lcms.com www.lcms.ie Zero Tax Property Stephen Holmes 01 4584770 info@ztp.ie www.zerotaxproperty.ie

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ECOMMERCE AND IT SUPPORT

Agility Software Ltd David Malcolm 01 253 0282 david@agility-software.com www.agility-software.com Core Tech Geraldine Quinlan Burke 025 41400 geraldine.quinlan@coretechnology.ie www.coretechnology.ie Intact Software Mark Gurney 042 933 1742 mark.gurney@intactsoftware.com www.intactsoftware.com .IE Alan Finneran 01 236 5400 afinneran@weare.ie www.weare.ie Kerridge Commercial Systems Elaine Snuggs 01 5457100 elaine.snuggs@kerridgecs.com www.kerridgecs.com Magico Orla Cooney 065 6864580 ocooney@magico.com www.magico.com Monsoon Consulting Bharat Sharma 01 4750066 bharat.sharma@monsoonconsulting.com www.monsoonconsulting.com

September/October 2023

HAI Corporate Partners

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

INSURANCE

O’Leary Insurance Group David Lombard 021 4730005 dlombard@oli.ie www.olearyinsurances.ie

DCS Group Caroline Sugrue 066 7181836 carolinesugrue@dcsgroup.eu www.dcsgroup.eu

FIELD SALES & MARKETING

CPM Ireland Anne Kelly 01 7080300 akelly@cpmire.com www.cpmire.com REL Field Marketing Paula Lawlor 046 93758 plawlor@relfm.ie www.relfm.ie WASP Technologies Richard Baird 086 2857843 richard.baird@wasptech.com www.wasptech.com

Woodland Group Lee McMullen 01 8111500 lee.mcmullen@woodlandgroup.com www.woodlandgroup.com

MATERIALS HANDLING

Combilift Anthony Rooney 047 80500 anthony.rooney@combilift.com www.combilift.com Henley Forklift Group Ltd Mark Kenny 01 6209200 sales@henley.ie www.henley.ie

HR SUPPORT NEW

LOGISTICS

Peninsula Business Services (Ireland) Limited Michael Gombart 1800 719 215 michael.gombart@peninsula-ie.com www.peninsulagrouplimited.com/ie TSA Consultants Tommy Smyth 021 4634154 tommy@tsaconsultants.ie www.tsaconsultants.ie

September/October 2023

PAYMENT SERVICES

AIB Merchant Services Owen Ball 087 7715973 owen.ball@aibms.com www.aibms.com BOI Payment Acceptance Rory Brennan 1800 806 298 rory.brennan@boipa.com www.boipa.com

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HAI Corporate Partners

RECRUITMENT NEW

Tactical Talent Vinny Kelly 01 9079192 info@tacticaltalent.ie www.tacticaltalent.ie

RECYCLING SOLUTIONS

European Recycling Platform Martin Tobin 01 6624040 ireland@erp-recycling.org www.erp-recycling.ie

SECURITY SYSTEMS

MyNET Security Jack Raeburn 062-69112 jack@mynet.ie www.mynet.ie

SHOPFITTERS / RACKING SYSTEMS

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SALES & INSTALLATIONS

IP Telecom Sales Team 01 6877777 sales@iptelecom.ie www.iptelecom.ie Novatel Communications Ltd. Niamh Cullen O’Reilly 022 23440 niamh@novatel.ie www.novatel.ie

Why become a HAI Corporate Partner?

By becoming a Corporate Partner, you can link your organisation to the pursuit of excellence and quality in the Hardware, Building Materials & DIY sector.

Hardware Association Ireland will help you to promote your company to all key decision makers in the sector with; • A listing on the HAI website, www.hardwareassociation.ie • The use of the widely recognised HAI Corporate Partner logo and a Corporate Partnership Certificate • A free listing with logo and contact details on The Corporate Partners Page in each issue of The Hardware Journal • A preferential member rate for advertising in The Hardware Journal, plus three free classified advertisements

tail

tRe #WeGe

Johnston Shopfitters Shane Brennan 01 4190419 sales@johnston-shopfitters.com www.johnston-shopfitters.com OHRA Racking Solutions Seamus Coyle + 44 28 8224 7858 coyle@ohra.de www.ohra.ie Storefit Shopfitters Limited Eamonn Brien 021 4344544 eamonn.brien@storefit.com www.storefit.com

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• Preferential rates and early access to event sponsorship and networking opportunities • A preferential rate for exhibitor space at The Hardware Show • Positioning your company as a solution-provider for the hardware, building materials and DIY sectors • Access to all the latest industry news via regular emails and updates.

Want to find out more?

Contact us today to become a HAI Corporate Partner info@hardwareassociation.ie or phone 01 2980969 September/October 2023

Supplier Profile

B&G 50 years of innovation If you were to ask the B&G Leadership Team what they have been up to over the past 50 years, “Building a business to serve over 500 Trade Only clients, with a team of 30, across seven categories with one customer-centric focus”, might come the reply.

The year was 1973, Ireland had just joined the EEC, the Godfather won the Best Picture Oscar and as importantly to some perhaps, Slade had the Xmas number 1!

The average house price in Ireland was ¤9,000, the average wage was ¤2,000 per year (¤38 per week) * and mortgage interest rates were running at 8% on average and heading north towards 16% over the coming years - compared to our 4% average today.

On paper, perhaps 1973 might not have been the ideal time to start a DIY and Homewares business - unless of course you were Robert Bell and Tom Glancy the original founders of B&G Limited.

50 years is a long time in business, for context neither Apple, nor Microsoft nor our own Ryanair have earned that honour as yet!

So how does a business keep its’s doors open for 50 years or more?

Alas, there isn’t an instruction manual but there is a set of guiding pillars that are worth exploring in relation to the B&G story.

In Arie De Geus’s book, The Living Company, he tries to make sense of why most businesses had a life span of less than five years, while the oldest dated back 800 years or more. His conclusion was a list of traits the longest-living businesses shared: • • • • • •

Valuing people, not assets - The team and the customers.

Financial Prudence - offering value over the long term.

Sensitivity to the world around them - what got us here, won’t get us there - sustainability.

Innovation - encouraging of new ideas, in fact embracing them as the lifeblood of the business.

Learning Culture - continual encouragement to embrace and share new ideas.

Scenario Planning - taking the time to constantly plan ahead, through all scenarios, good and bad.

In B&G these traits or principles take on an everyday appearance.

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Valuing people: The core team are working in B&G a long time, which is a key indicator of a strong supportive culture.

Mary Mitten, head of client services describes it as “People who work here like what they do. There is still a human touch and, while we have totally embraced digital, it’s not at the expense of the personal service, so yes you can still call us and we answer, and we probably know your account number by heart”, she says smiling, “so of course does our system!”

Financial Prudence: “Not always spoken about as a core success factor in the top selling business books, but it underpins everything we do,” says CFO Patrick Maher. “It is really about offering long-term value to our customers, so if you work with B&G your business will prosper. For us that means buying smart, running a lean operation and finding value price points that work for our customers and their customers - that as we know is ‘the secret sauce’ “.

Sensitivity To the World Around Us - “We remain a profitable growing business because we remain relevant to our customers” - says Hugh Healy Sales Manager.

“The largest trend happening around us all at the moment is our impact on the climate. In B&G we have set up a sustainability working group, which can be a resource challenge for a smaller business.”

Tom Cleary CEO - “We are reviewing everything from packaging, product design, transport and logistics, energy consumption, waste management, the whole lot - it’s both challenging and exciting and we believe the decisions we are making now will ensure the relevance of the business for the next 50 years”.

Innovation- What have we got that’s new? - “That’s the question I get asked, as does all our frontline sales team, by our customers daily, so it’s in our culture to innovate, we hardly think about it as innovation,” says Michael Maher, Marketing Manager.

Simon Malone, Digital Lead, agrees, “With the way the internet has sped up communication and changed the way consumers interact with brands across all channels, there is an expectation that just to survive you have to innovate.’

September/October 2023

Supplier Profile

“And that’s not only the product, but the service delivery,” adds Matt McCormack, Head of Logistics. Will B&G be one of the first vendors in Ireland to introduce drone deliveries?

“Maybe, we will leave that step to the bigger guys and keep a watching brief for now”, Matt continues, “but our logistical systems are continuing to evolve and the innovation in this space keeps it all interesting.”

We like to learn, we like the challenge, and we like to compete, and now we have our strongest ever management team designing the way forward, that’s a great feeling.” Tom continues, “It’s a reason to get up in the morning for sure and maybe for the next 50 years of mornings as we drive onwards”.

Learning Culture - Adrian Carolan, Operations Director - “The reach of what we do has been truly international from the day I joined B&G - the different cultures, the different markets, the different approaches force a more open mind on a business like ours. We may be based in Walkinstown, but our products are made all over the world, we search for trends, and we build invaluable trading partnerships with highly innovative manufacturers. All that demands an open and inquisitive mind and underpins the baked-in learning that is required just to survive. No resting on any laurels around here!”

Rolling the crystal ball forward another 50 years, what will the business look like?

Tom says “Well, we will have mastered the sustainability challenge, if we are around in 50 years! And we will have remained relevant for our customers and our team, so that is the win/win goal worth working towards, and everything else is part of the adventure.” We are sure the industry will still be buzzing, with or without drones!”

Scenario Planning - This learning and the 50 years of innovation hasn’t happened by accident. Led by Tom Cleary CEO, the company works on rolling 5-year cycles of strategic planning. Tom says “We are in the middle of a total root and branch review of what we do, where the trends are leading us and where our customers need us to be in five years’ time. With the everyday demands of operations, it can be hard to make time for the ‘working on the business’ bit, but for us it is essential.

* cso.ie

September/October 2023

What will the business look like in the year 2073?

For more information visit www.bghome.ie.

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The Hardware Show

ADDITIONAL STANDS ADDED TO THE HARDWARE SHOW DUE TO DEMAND The Hardware Show, www.thehardwareshow.ie, is delighted to announce we have added additional stands to the show floor due to overwhelming demand from exhibitors. The show, which attracts visitors from all over the country and beyond, is the must-visit event for anyone in the hardware, building materials, DIY and garden industries.

With 99% of space already sold, despite not taking place until February 2024, the decision to add more stands was made to accommodate the many requests from new companies wanting to showcase their products & services at the RDS show.

The Hardware Show has always been a hub for innovation in the industry, and next year’s event promises to be no exception. Continuing with the Innovation Awards, attendees can expect to see a wide range of new and innovative products.

By exhibiting at The Hardware Show you will be joining industry stalwarts, including: Arc Building Products Ard Ri Group Ashtown Trading Axus Decor Ltd Blaklader Workwear BMW Agencies Ltd t/a Synergie Futureproofing Solutions Bluewater Filtration Ltd Bobby Bolle Safety Bolton Adhesives Bostik Brett Martin Ltd Burg-Wachter BW Hardware Ltd Camsaw Central Key & Hardware Co. Colm Warren Polyhouses Combilift Coolrain Sawmills Ltd Credit Risk Brokers Crown Paints Dargan Tools DFE Ltd Dosco Draper Tools Ireland Ltd DS Supplies Ltd Dulux Earthridge International Ltd ECC Timber Elite Fence Expert Hardware Group Feedwell Dog Food

Finn Design Originals Fleetwood Paints FlowerGro Galco Glennon Brothers Ltd Graf Ireland Graham & Brown Growmoor, Better Growing Guardian Distribution Henkel Ltd Hightower Painting Products Ltd HMB Developers Hultafors Group Ireland Hygeia Group Limited IE Domain Registry IITC Intact Software International Tool Industries Irish Cement Limited Irish Wire Products JB Key Ltd Jefferson Professional Tools & Equipment John Stafford & Sons (Dublin) Limited Joint-It Joseph Murphy (Ballina) Kärcher Ireland Ltd Kerridge Commercial Systems Kilsaran Knauf Insulation Kore Insulation Larsen Building Products

So, whether you’re a seasoned industry professional or just starting out, The Hardware Show is the place to be to showcase the latest hardware trends and innovations.

To book your stand today to exhibit at The Hardware Show 2024 - RDS Simmonscourt - February 18th and 19th 2024, contact:

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Laydex Building Solutions Liffey Distributors Ltd LMA Workwear Lebeurre SAS Locks and Hardware Luceco Group Magico Software Ltd Mannok Build Mark John Ltd Mascot Workwear International Limited McLoughlinsRS Mirka UK Mullinahone Co-Op Natural Stone Ireland OHRA Regalanlagen GmbH O’Neill Wholesale Origo Ox Tools OZX Group Pipelife Ireland Solutions Ltd Portwest Power Providers Ltd Profile ERP Business Managment Software PSW Home Textiles PVC Fabrications Ltd Radius Wholesale Readydoor Regatta Professional Reisser Crate Mate Reisser Ireland Relay Global Rene’s Innovations

Resto Rhino Distribution Safety Solutions Limited Saint-Gobain Shop Equipment Ltd Sika Ireland Ltd Sioen Apparel Solus Lightbulbs Solvall Soudal Ire Ltd South Coast Sales Sterling Safety Workwear Stiga Store 2000 Storefit Shopfitters Ltd Tec7 - Contech Building Products The Sanbra Group Timber Ireland Timco Tippland Horticulture Tradex Unilin Flooring Unilin Insulation United Hardware Uppercross Enterprises Limited Vendek Ltd t/a Powerline Vink Holdings Ltd t/a Access Plastics Ltd Wavin Ireland Ltd Westland Horticulture Ltd Whiteriver Group Seadec Wood Mouldings Ltd

Margaret Andreucetti, Sales Manager Phone: +353 (0) 1 846 0020 Mobile: +353 (0) 86 0554181 Mail: margaret.andreucetti@eventhaus.ie Web: www.thehardwareshow.ie

September/October 2023

New venue New opportunity 18th & 19th February 2024 RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin 4

Supported by

Book your stand today!

Margaret Andreucetti T +353 (0) 1 846 0020 M +353 (0) 860554181 E margaret@eventhaus.ie

Una Geraghty T +353 (0) 1 846 0020 E una.geraghty@eventhaus.ie

Scan me to learn more

Recruitment and Retention

HARDWARE JOBS AT WORLD SKILLS IRELAND 2023

Leaving Cert School students were looking at options for weekend, summer holiday and full time careers .

Bricklaying competitors at World Skills National Competitions.

Hardware Association Ireland was delighted to attend this year’s World Skills Ireland careers fair under its Hardware Jobs banner to celebrate and promote career opportunities in the hardware/DIY sector.

Worldskills Ireland is a partnership between enterprise, industry, education, training and government that raises the profile and recognition of skills and apprenticeships and prepares the talent of today for the careers of the future.

This year’s event took place at the RDS Simmonscourt in Dublin over three days in September. Over 8,000 students visited each day, which gave HAI a great opportunity to showcase and promote career opportunities in retail hardware & builders’ merchanting and distribution /manufacturing to secondary school students in Transition Year and upwards and their guidance counsellors.

The Hardware Jobs, www.hardwarejobs.ie, stand was present in the Careers Zone, along with other skills-based employment representatives, such as engineering, motor factors and IT/Cyber Security.

This year the stand was visited by a large number of students, teachers and guidance counsellors interested in finding out more about career options available, such as work placements, apprenticeships, and part/full-time work. Visitors were excited to hear about the benefits of careers in the sector, such as on-thejob training and career progression, while getting experience

Students talk to Aoife from HAI about career options in the hardware sector.

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Lots of students look at career options.

complementary to their studies (whether Business Studies, Construction Studies, Interior Design, etc.), or to start something new. HAI member employers interested in working with their local centers of education are encouraged to make the first move by contacting the careers guidance counsellors in their area and offering to present their job and career opportunities.

HAI Members Flying the Flag The HAI team was delighted to be joined by a number of its members who flew the flag for the sector, sponsoring/supplying the World Skills championships. This included: • Chadwicks - Sponsor of the Heroes Stage • Crown Paints - Sponsor of the Painting & Decorating competition • Saint-Gobain - Sponsor of the Plastering & Drywall competition • Unilin Insulation - Sponsor of the Bricklaying competition Employers: Contact HAI to get involved!

Following the event, HAI has been contacted by a number of schools, students and other employment groups looking for further information and with offers of opportunities to present to groups interested in hearing about the sector.

If you are an employer in the hardware/building materials industry and would like to share work experience/career opportunities with students, graduates and employment groups, please contact aoife@hardwareassociation.ie or call 01 2980969.

HAI CEO Martin Markey talks to guidance counsellor about career options for students.

September/October 2023

Building Materials & Supplies

Building Materials & Supplies

e g a s A mes

r o t i d E e from th

Welcome to the Building Materials & Services Supplement 2023.

Full of products, services and inspiration that will help guide you through the remainder of 2023 and into 2024. First up we have Chadwick’s Group CEO Patrick Atkinson, who responds to our question; What can we as a sector do to grow the retrofitting market?

In a very comprehensive response Patrick outlines several issues that need to be addressed including educating homeowners on the benefits of retrofitting. This will empower them to take the necessary steps towards proposed action by our sector imparting knowledge, guidance and the support they need to make the correct decisions. This he states, can only be achieved if we well-equip our customer facing colleagues by investing in and providing training, education and knowledge to bring customers on Ireland’s journey towards a more sustainable future.

Our colleagues at Dulux are continuing to point the way towards environmental excellence through innovative solutions with the launch of their Dulux AquaMax Satinwood and Primer Undercoat 2023. This water-based solution for both interior and exterior wood and metal surfaces gives your customers amazing value for money and ultra low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) making them better for the environment and a more enjoyable decorating experience.

They also have the professional decorators onside with a plethora of testimonials available for all to see.

Pipelife have a new product family member to introduce!

The new Qual-Press ML Pro Aluminium Pipe System is their latest addition to their renewable heating solutions family. By managing the manufacturing process from start to finish every coil of their Qual-Press ML Pro Aluminium Pipe is guaranteed from concept to delivery. A testament to their confidence and pride in their own manufacturing processes it comes with a market-leading 50-year guarantee. Pipelife also offer free initial advice and bespoke design with technical support to both your staff and customers, a one stop shop of knowledge.

Outlining their company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, Kilsaran have just recently published their ESG strategy under four pillars, Planet, People, Solutions and Performance. Under the guidance of their new Group Head of Innovation & Sustainability, Ken Mulkerrins, they have formalised their sustainability policy in alignment with the United Nation’s 17 sustainable development goals and the recommendations of The Paris Agreement. Kilsaran’s long standing commitment of a proactive approach to innovation

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ideally position it as a pioneer in the construction sector’s sustainability efforts.

Wavin, since it’s establishment in Ireland 65 years ago, have been a leading innovator in the building materials sector.

Their extensive range of above and below ground plastic drainage systems for industrial, commercial, and residential requirements have solutions for soil and waste, sewer systems, roof drainage, and stormwater management. With Environmental Product Declarations (EPD’s) available for the majority of their product ranges, Wavin continues to develop innovative solutions to help build healthy and sustainable environments to help create future-proof cities.

Monaghan based Combilift are confidently predicting that their new Combi-CB70E model will be a popular addition to their growing portfolio of industry lifting applications. As they celebrate 25 years in business, they are launching a series of new models in 2023, adding to their growing electric powered range. These electric models offer our industry sector powerful performance, extensive battery life and unrivalled ergonomics.

The Combilift designers have ensured that the latest generation of machines are kitted out with top quality components for a stress free in cab environment and experience.

PVC Fabrications tell us why the internal bore of a water pipe is so important to your customer. It’s simple, the uniformly smooth internal bore gives premium performance and maximum flow returns. They say that this is the number one consideration in long run pipe systems. In fact, pipes having a smooth bore is up to 50 times more important for flow over a long run water pipe system. Their Gripmax Hydrodare pipes only use pure highgrade virgin LDPE as it guarantees extrusion uniformity which guarantees a smooth internal bore that eliminates vortices, eddies and cross currents maximising flow efficiency.

One of Ireland’s leading providers of fibre cement cladding Cedral have just recently launched ‘The New Collections’.

This is a new and refreshed range of 21 façade colours arranged in four inspiring collections each reflecting a different homeowner lifestyle and aesthetic. Cedral facades fibre cement cladding offers a resilient, low maintenance and sustainable option for domestic building projects that is designed for and perfectly suited to Ireland’s climate.

The factory applied colour and UV resistance means colour remains true.

Jim Copeland Editor – The Hardware Journal September/October 2023

Building Materials & Supplies

The Hardware Journal asked Patrick Atkinson, Chadwick’s Group CEO, What can we as a sector do to grow the retrofitting market?

The SEAI recently disclosed that 21,727 home energy upgrades, supported by Government funded SEAI grant schemes, took place in the first half of 2023. They also announced Solar SV property upgrades were up 231% and reported 31,500 new grant applications across all schemes. This is fantastic progress.

New grant options and increased grant values appear to have made a marked difference in demand from homeowners.

However, Ireland’s ambitious goals to retrofit 500,000 homes to a BER of B2 and install 400,000 heat pumps by 2030 under the National Retrofit Plan are still some way off. The stark reality is we have a long way to go.

In speaking with industry colleagues, I’m often asked what can we do as an industry to grow the retrofitting market?

Although retrofitting costs undoubtedly pose a challenge to achieving higher national numbers in Ireland, another significant hurdle lies in educating homeowners about the process.

We as an industry must recognise that homeowners are not just passive participants in this journey; they are the driving force behind it.

To empower them to take the necessary steps towards retrofitting their homes, we must provide them with the knowledge, guidance, and support they need.

Recent research from the SEAI outlined the behavioural barriers which exist among homeowners to begin retrofitting their property. These included lack of awareness of the retrofitting process and a difficulty in navigating the large number of options and decisions.

Chadwick’s Group research tallies with the SEAI’s findings. Our research has found that 42% of homeowners who are considering retrofitting their homes are either unsure what would deliver the best impact for their home or don’t know where to start.

Overcoming this educational barrier is vital to realising the potential of retrofitting and expediting Ireland’s journey towards a more sustainable future.

At Chadwicks, we take pride in supporting our customers throughout their retrofitting journey.

To ensure our customer-facing colleagues are well-equipped to provide guidance, we have made significant investments in their education regarding the retrofitting process.

More than 40 of our Chadwicks Group locations nationwide have seen our branch advisers’ complete courses at The National Construction Training Centre, including training on Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) and Retrofitting.

Our commitment extends to demystifying the product purchasing process, helping customers select materials that best align with the specifics of their projects.

In branches across the country, we have installed ECO Centres: a dedicated space within the branch showcasing the latest in sustainable building materials including insulation, airtightness, ventilation systems, heat pumps & controls, solar energy, and watersaving products.

Furthermore, we have partnered with the online platform YourRetrofit.ie, which empowers homeowners to explore the possibilities for their homes at no cost.

YourRetrofit.ie is a user-friendly platform designed to provide clear and concise information tailored to each property’s unique requirements. It eliminates the psychological barrier associated with September/October 2023

retrofitting by offering consumers a free, fully costed, step-by-step personalised home improvement plan.

The plan includes an independent cost estimate for each stage, details on relevant SEAI grants, contact details for SEAI registered contractors, and projections of potential savings on various expenses.

Crucially, YourRetrofit.ie allows homeowners to engage with the retrofitting process without any upfront costs or registration fees.

By presenting the process as a series of manageable milestones, we enable homeowners to approach their projects with enhanced clarity and confidence.

I believe that informed homeowners are better equipped to make sustainable choices and contribute to Ireland’s transition to a more energy-efficient future.

Consumers should view home retrofitting as a gradual and manageable journey. This approach allows individuals to spread the associated costs over an extended period, making it less daunting than a one-time transaction that needs to be completed within a matter of weeks.

New technologies are emerging all the time to help customers along this journey. One such example is the Hybrid Heat Pump.

These cutting-edge devices are remarkably efficient, capable of generating up to three times more heat output compared to the energy they consume. This translates to substantial cost savings on energy bills, regardless of the home’s BER. They work very efficiently with existing efficient boilers, provide most of the energy except in extreme temperatures, and the boiler is only then used to top up when necessary. However, there are no grants available for these units yet.

As an industry, it is our responsibility to ensure that consumers are well-informed about the new technologies and various stages involved in retrofitting their homes. There should be no mystery surrounding how homeowners approach their retrofitting process.

Empowering consumers with a clear understanding of the retrofitting process is crucial to encourage them to embark on this journey.

While we may not have control over which grants are awarded to whom and for what type of product, we can provide guidance to individuals, steering them in the right direction to start their retrofitting journey. This guidance is a powerful tool that can inspire positive action and contribute to a more sustainable future for all consumers.

Patrick Atkinson, Chadwick’s Group CEO.

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Building Materials & Supplies

Dulux Paints working to create a brighter future Dulux continues with their vision of driving environmental excellence through innovative solutions with the launch of Dulux AquaMax Satinwood and Primer Undercoat in 2023.

Dulux AquaMax range includes a Satinwood and a Primer Undercoat. Both are water-based for use on interior and exterior wood and metal surfaces, giving end users amazing value for money. In addition, the Satinwood and Primer undercoat have Ultra Low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) compared to traditional paints, making them better for the environment and consumer’s health. It has low odour too, for a more enjoyable decorating experience.

Available in Satinwood Pure Brilliant White and Primer Undercoat across a range of sizes, Dulux AquaMax products go on smoothly and have excellent coverage, so your customer gets a beautiful finish every time. In addition, it’s easy to apply and fast drying, meaning they can complete their project without any fuss and get on with the rest of their day.

Both are Ultra Low VOC independently tested in accordance with ISO 11890-2-2013 and are approved to air Comfort Gold standard for emissions including formaldehyde, TVOC, TSVOC and Cat 1A & 1 B carcinogens. Compliant with the emissions limits criteria in Bream New Construction 2018 and LEED by the British Coatings Federation, and minimising impact on indoor air quality.

For further information on this new product and to see what decorators are saying visit www.duluxtradepaintexpert.ie/ en/dulux-aquamax For further information on the Dulux Trade product portfolio and how they can support you, please contact the Dulux Technical Advice Centre on tel: 021 422 0222 or visit www.duluxtradepaintexpert.ie * Based on in-can VOC content, measured in accordance with ISO 11890-2:2013

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September/October 2023

Turn it to the

duluxtrade.ie

Try new Dulux AquaMax Satinwood for a smooth application and excellent coverage.

In stores now.

750 ML | 2.5L |5L

750 ML | 2.5L |5L

EXCELLENT COVERAGE

SMOOTH APPLICATION

INTERIOR & EXTERIOR

DRY IN 2-4 HOURS

2-4h

Dulux AquaMax Wood Primer Undercoat and Satin, suitable for Interior and Exterior Wood and Metal. Both are Ultra Low VOC independently tested in accordance with ISO 11890-2-2013 and are approved to air Comfort Gold standard for emissions including formaldehyde, TVOC, TSVOC and Cat 1A & 1 B carcinogens. Compliant with the emissions limits criteria in Bream New Construction 2018 and LEED by the British Coatings Federation, and minimising impact on indoor air quality.

Building Materials & Supplies

Meet the newest member of the Pipelife family!

Introducing The New Qual-Press ML Pro Aluminium Pipe System.

Pipelife is delighted to announce the newest addition to their renewable heating solutions family: the Qual-Press ML Pro Pipe.

To keep installers supplied with the right top-quality products, the range includes: • Pipe sizes of 16mm x 2mm, 20mm x 2mm, 26mm x 3mm and 32mm x 3mm.

• Plain white and red or blue insulated coils.

• 25m, 50m, 100m and 500m coils.

Manufacturing Insights Pipelife manufacturing process from start to finish, means that every coil of their Qual-Press ML Pro Pipe is guaranteed from concept to delivery! Each aspect of the pipe is manufactured under the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and their quality assurance team stringently tests performance throughout production. As a testament to their confidence and pride in their manufacturing processes, the new Qual-Press ML Pro Pipe comes with a market-leading 50-year guarantee.

Each pipe is made of a layer of aluminium, sandwiched between two layers of Pert. The metal layer cleverly serves as an oxygen barrier and stops oxygen diffusion through a polymer matrix. This means that oxygen cannot dissolve into the water in the tube and corrode the metal components of the system. As well as offering optimum durability, the Qual-Press ML Pro Pipe bends more effectively than conventional piping as the shape memory of the Pert is offset by the aluminium.

Compatibility Of the Qual-Press ML Pro Aluminium Pipe System The innovative Qual-Press ML Pro Pipe is ideally suited for all domestic heating systems including underfloor heating and can be used with any suitably approved or certified Press fitting.

Pipelife ML Pro - This is why.

• This is a more cost-effective pipe system when compared with conventional piping systems • All the combined advantages of metal and plastic pipes • Lightweight, flexible and maintains its shape after bending • Cost effective - requires less fittings than traditional methods • Frost resistance - Due to their flexibility, our new multilayer aluminium pipes will simply expand in the case of frost.

This reduces the break risk that may be posed by standard metallic pipes.

• Low thermal conductivity - The multiple layers of the new aluminium pipe system offer low thermal conductivity, reducing heat losses to produce energy savings.

• Lightweight - With a lightweight and flexible construction, handling, transport and installation of the Qual-Press ML Pro Pipe is a breeze.

• Noise reduction - Whereas metallic pipes can produce significant noise at any water speed exceeding 1m/second, our new aluminium pipes stay quiet up to speeds of 2.5m/ second.

• Corrosion resistant - Multilayer pipes contain a great number of chemical agents including acids and bases that are resistant to corrosion.

• Longlife - Even at high temperatures and pressure, the lifetime of the new Qual-Press ML Pro Pipe can reach 50 years.

• Suitable for drinking water - the pipe’s multiple layers retain the organoleptic properties of water, ensuring its use is allowed by European Union authorities.

Your One Stop Shop Innovation is at the heart of everything they do at Pipelife, which is why Pipelife believe in providing their customers with a one-stop shop for complete package solutions. From free initial advice and market-leading products to bespoke design, installation, final commissioning and technical support, your customer can purchase with confidence with Pipelife. Over 50 years of proud Irish manufacturing & supporting Irish jobs.

To get more information and talk to their friendly and expert team, simply call them on 021 488 4700 or email us at ireland@pipelife.com

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September/October 2023

MEET THE NEWEST MEMBER TO THE PIPELIFE FAMILY...

Qual-Press ML Pro Aluminium Pipe

ML PRO

Aluminium Barrier Pipe

ANOTHER GAME CHANGER FROM PIPELIFE. For more information please visit our website at

www.pipelife.ie or Email ireland@pipelife.com Call the Pipelife sales office on 021 4884700

Aluminium Barrier Pipe

Building Materials & Supplies

Kilsaran launch updated ESG Strategy with Ken Mulkerrins appointed Group Head of Innovation & Sustainability Following his recent appointment as Group Head of Innovation & Sustainability, Ken Mulkerrins, has published Kilsarans ESG strategy, outlining the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability under four pillars: Planet, People, Solutions, and Performance.

In 2022, Kilsaran formalised its sustainability policy, aligning it with the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals and the recommendations of the Paris Agreement.

Under the Planet pillar, Kilsaran aims to reduce energy consumption and associated emissions by closely monitoring its processes and investing in research and innovation labs to develop carbon-reducing technologies. The people pillar emphasises the importance of sustaining the workforce and providing educational opportunities for employees. The solutions pillar is dedicated to developing products that lower the embodied carbon of the built environment, while the performance pillar focuses on the company’s financial sustainability and its contribution to local employment and communities.

Kilsaran, one of the largest independent producers of concrete and building products in the country, has established a strong reputation for its commitment to sustainability. With a track record of environmental responsibility dating back to its founding in 1964, the company has consistently prioritised green initiatives before sustainability became a widespread concern.

Kilsaran has set a scope one and two intensity reduction target of 37% by 2030, which is aligned with the SBTi. The company have recently calculated and verified their scope three emissions associated with its supply chain and will soon be setting targets for same. Transparency is key when reporting emissions and targets and Kilsaran are delighted and proud to be part of the CDP Network in 2023 where they disclosed their emissions data for the first time. The company also prioritises environmental monitoring and responsible land management, ensuring that pollution is prevented, and quarries are restored once work is completed.

Kilsaran continues to play a crucial role in supporting the construction industry’s goals, including the construction of up to 33,000 new houses per year until 2030. The company’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and proactive approach to innovation position it as a pioneer in the construction sector’s sustainability efforts.

Ken Mulkerrins, Group Head of Innovation & Sustainability.

For more information, please visit www.kilsaran.ie

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September/October 2023

Building Materials & Supplies

Wavin provides extensive solutions above & below ground Since its establishment in Ireland 65 years ago Wavin has been a leading innovator in the building materials sector.

It manufactures an extensive range of above and below ground plastic drainage systems for industrial, commercial and residential requirements. Wavin solutions include soil and waste, sewer systems, roof drainage, and stormwater management. Here is a summary of the range: Wavin Tigris K5/M5 is a new range of 16mm to 40mm pressfit fittings. The fittings unique design with Acoustic Alert is the first to enable testing with air (as well as water) to detect unpressed fittings, streamlining the overall pressure testing process. The other benefits include In4Sure 360° which gives installers a quick visual check of the pipe insertion prior to pressing. Tigris K5/M5 fittings have a Multi-Press profile feature and are compatible with U, Up, H, TH and B profiles, ensuring installers do not require investment in any additional tooling.

Wavin Push-fit Hep2O is a flexible push fit plumbing system suitable for hot and cold water and central heating systems.

Offering In4Sure joint recognition and a 50 year guarantee, it’s a reliable choice for installers. Available in imperial and metric sizes.

Wavin Underfloor Heating Wavin also offers various underfloor heating systems suited to new build and retrofit applications.

Soil and Waste Best known for their PVC-U Black and White push-fit soil range, Wavin offers a comprehensive choice of systems and products for managing wastewater. Where space is at a premium the Wavin Compact Soil PVCu system offers greater design flexibility with tighter connections to waste. Where reduced noise levels are required such as in multi-occupancy developments, Wavin AS+ is the ideal solution. Wavin HDPE and Wavin Push-fit PVCu soil systems are also available, complimented by a choice of ABS or PVC-C waste systems.

Wavin HepvO is an innovative waterless trap alternative to conventional water traps and is suitable for use on a range of sanitary appliances. HepvO uses a soft silicone rubber membrane to create a seal, instead of “trapped” water. As it doesn’t rely on water, the seal can’t fail due to evaporation, siphonage or movement making it ideal for use in holiday homes or even mobile homes. It can be installed vertically or horizontally, and its slimline profile means it is perfect when space is at a premium such as under showers or vanity units.

Rainwater - The Wavin rainwater range is available in six profiles for domestic and industrial requirements, meeting the varying aesthetic, performance and installation requirements for all types of buildings. Features include hydrodynamic running outlets that can handle 30% more rainwater than other similarly sized competitor systems. Using specialist seal technology, the wide, retained seals provide a secure, watertight fixture with the flexibility to allow for thermal expansion. For residential properties, Wavin Deepline is now available in Anthracite Grey to match this increasingly popular colour scheme for external windows and doors.

Stormwater - Wavin’s range of AquaCell units deliver a tried and tested modular technique for managing excessive rainfall for landscaped and trafficked installations. These units can be assembled to create an underground structure for either attenuation or infiltration/soakaway.

Below Ground Drainage - Wavin Sewer PVCu underground gravity drainage system is available in 110mm to 500mm including a wide range of fittings, SN4 and SN8 pipe options and Wavin chambers for domestic and public sewerage and drainage. RootSeal technology is now being rolled out to repel roots to help prevent them damaging the pipe system. Fittings with RootSeal are easily identifiable by their green seals.

WAJ - The independently certified Wavin Access Junction (WAJ) was developed by Wavin Ireland in 1978 and remains the leading product in its category across the Irish market. It provides access from surface level to Wavin below ground gravity drainage and sewer systems.

Sustainability - Wavin continues to develop innovative solutions to help build healthy and sustainable environments and by creating future-proof cities. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are now available for the majority of Wavin product ranges. Customers in the construction sector are increasingly asking for EPDs, and Wavin is one of the first companies in the sector to be able to provide these.

For more details on the full range of Wavin solutions see wavin.ie

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September/October 2023

Building Materials & Supplies

New! The Combi-CB70E As Combilift celebrates 25 years in business, the company is launching a number of new models in 2023.

The Combi-CB70E is a further addition to Combilift’s growing range of electric models which offer powerful performance, extensive battery life and unrivalled ergonomics. It boasts the distinction of being the shortest 7t capacity counterbalance truck on the market whilst also benefitting from multidirectional ability, enabling the versatile space saving handling of both long and bulky loads such as packs of timber, even in very confined spaces.

Combilift’s designers have ensured that the latest generation of models is kitted out with top quality components for an ergonomic and stress-free in-cab environment. Features in the spacious cab include generous glazing for excellent all-round visibility, the tilting steering column, hydraulic steering and the Grammer MSG65 seat.

The newly developed Auto Swivel Seat is an optional feature which automatically engages and swivels the seat and armrest 15° to the right or left to accord with the direction of travel selected by the operator - reducing driver strain, particularly when travelling in reverse.

What sets the Combi-CB70E apart is its gas strut suspension cab, which uses components such as those found in large scale industrial machinery with cab suspension. Combined with the super-elastic tyres this guarantees the smoothest of rides over uneven or less than perfect ground conditions such as those typically experienced in builders’ merchant & timber yards.

The internationally patented and Red Dot awarded independent electric traction provides all front and rear drive wheels with 100% traction control. This negates the need for differential lock on slippery surfaces and significantly reduces long load momentum twisting when travelling sideways.

Combilift CEO and Co-Founder Martin McVicar said: “The increased capacities that we are offering in our electric range will answer the demand for ever more powerful products which at the same time help companies to achieve their aims for more sustainable operations. We are confident that the Combi-CB70E model will be a popular addition to our portfolio for many industry applications.”

For more information see https://combilift.com/ combi-cb70e/ and https://youtu.be/2145QeN85BY or visit www.combilift.com

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September/October 2023

Your Partner for Sustainable Construction We collaborate with our merchant partners for a better understanding of energy performance beyond building regulation standards.

Technical advice and information is available from our Ireland and UK Discovery Hub Innovation Centres or online at: unilininsulation.ie

Building Materials & Supplies

Why is the internal bore of a water pipe so important?

A uniform, smooth internal bore, gives premium performance and maximum flow returns.

In fact, PVC Fabrications say that this is the number one consideration in long run pipe systems. Usually, the number of fittings used per metre of pipe, is so small in agricultural applications, that the type of pipe fitting used has very little effect on overall flow rates. In fact, pipe having a smooth bore is up to 50 times more important for flow over long run water pipe systems!

Why do Gripmax Hydrodare pipes only use virgin LDPE? The answer is twofold, pure high-grade materials guarantee extrusion uniformity. Which in turn guarantees PVC Fabrication’s hydrodare pipes have a smooth internal bore.

Thus, eliminating vortices, eddies and cross currents, maximising flow efficiency.

It also guarantees an equal wall thickness around the diameter of the pipe. This eliminates any possible weak spots / thin spots in the pipe wall. Uniform wall thickness allows them to guarantee pipe spec and performance. Giving the Retailer & End user peace of mind, knowing that the product is sound and fit for purpose.

Gripmax Hydrodare premium products made from premium raw materials.

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For more information see www.pvcfabrications.ie

September/October 2023

Irish Standard IS134

Heavy + Normal Gauge

www.pvcfabrications.ie info@pvcfabrications.ie

Building Materials & Supplies

Cedral launches new facades Collection - a refreshed, simplified and inspiring range for Europe Cedral, one of Ireland’s leading providers of fibre cement cladding, has launched The New Collections, a new and refreshed range of facade colours. Comprised of 21 colours arranged in four inspiring collections, each reflects a different homeowner lifestyle and aesthetic.

Following extensive and in-depth consumer research, Cedral has streamlined and refreshed its facades’ palette in line with consumer tastes and to bring significant supply chain benefits for professionals. The New Collections will support professional partners in assisting their customers and means being able to stock more of what customers want. Cedral has retained 75% of the existing range – including best sellers – and introduced nine exciting new colours. Less popular finishes like lap smooth have been discontinued allowing the number of SKUs in the range to be reduced by 60%.

Discussing The New Collections, Dan Frith, Product Manager for Cedral Ireland & the UK said, “The new colour collection has been two years in the making and marks the first time Cedral will have a unified range across Europe.

“Cedral has always been at the forefront in offering homeowners inspiration and flexibility to personalise their home facades. In building The New Collections, we’ve put the customer at the centre. We wanted to help installers and homeowners make more informed decisions in choosing the right look and colour. Developing The New Collections has involved our largest research project to date, looking at colour and lifestyle trends and identifying tones that are popular with specific groups of homeowners.”

Talking about Cedral facades, Irish architect, Denise O’Connor said: “As someone who values quality and sustainability, I’m a big fan of Cedral’s cladding products. Not only are they durable and sustainable, but they also offer a wide range of colours and textures that can completely transform the look of a home”.

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“With so many options available, creating a truly unique and distinctive home that stands out is easy. The colour palette works brilliantly with the soft Irish light and the colours in the Irish landscape. Whether you’re advising a client on a renovation, extension, or new build, Cedral’s cladding products offer a range of colours and textures that will help them create a one-of-a-kind home. With your own expertise and Cedral’s range of products, you can help your clients create a unique and distinctive home that reflects their style and personality.”

Alexandre Roux, European Brand Manager for Cedral said, “The New Collections and presentation of colours gives good guidance to customers and will help them in the customer journey making their choice easier and playful.”

Cedral’s New Collections, curated across four distinct ways of living, are: • The Design Collection – A monochromatic palette, curated to highlight the lines of the home and make bold design statements.

• The Natural Collection – a colour palette guided by nature to build homes in harmony with their surroundings.

• The Classic Collection – a harmonious colour palette selected to create a calming atmosphere.

• The Expressive Collection – a rich palette designed to complement and contrast with existing materials. Ideal for those renovating or extending an older property.

Cedral facades fibre cement cladding offers a resilient, low maintenance, sustainable option for domestic building projects that is perfectly suited to Ireland’s climate. Factory applied colour and UV resistance means colour remains true.

The New Cedral Collections are available now. See more at www.cedral.world or email info.ireland@cedral.world September/October 2023

TILE ADHESIVE

THERMAL CONSTRUCTION BOARD

WATERPROOFING KIT

Store Profile

Mike Costello, CEO and Jamie Costello Maloney, President, Costello’s ACE Hardware.

Costello’s ACE Hardware Interview with CEO Mike Costello In our last issue we introduced you to Costello’s ACE Hardware, one of the top ACE Hardware retailers in the USA operating in five states. Following is an in-depth interview with CEO, Mike Costello, about what continues to make this company one of the best hardware retailers in America.

Mike, I notice that you call your Store Leaders, Managing Partners. What is the difference between a Managing Partner and a Store Manager?

It speaks to our culture of autonomy within the stores. It’s a way of looking at the role and recognising monetarily each individual’s performance, as they share in the profits of their store. We offer opportunities to share in the success of the store and to think and act like store owners.

What are the most important qualities you look for in a Managing Partner?

To Be Smart – to think and act like an entrepreneur - to have the ability to handle difficult situations as appropriate and to see problems, prioritise and solve them.

I think it’s the most difficult position that we have in our company.

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We are looking for leaders, those who embrace technology and the processes that are going to help them to run the store efficiently.

We want people who believe in the values of the company. In a perfect world we would promote from within the company so that they already have a sense of what we do and how we do it. However, our growth path does not always allow that. We have acquired some managing partners through the acquisition of stores, we always try to take that team on board and not lose their skill set.

What financial information do you share with your Managing Partners?

Full visibility of P&L statements each month, they see every line that I see, both controllables and non-controllables. This is so that they know what issues are impacting the business, September/October 2023

Store Profile

even if it’s out of their control! For example, did Costello’s negotiate a favourable lease for that store in the first place?

The outside economy? The more information we give our Managing Partners the better position they are in to make good operational decisions that affect us favourably financially.

I see the P&L as a history lesson, did our actions throughout the month achieve the desired results? Financial statements don’t make a lot of sense on their own or at the beginning of a new project. It is only when you run the numbers on a regular basis that patterns emerge and you start to connect the operational activity with the financial results and the impact of same. When we sit down and look at a P&L statement all of our conversations are about operations, processes and efficiency, the numbers prompt these vital touch points.

We obviously look at sales every day and most importantly our margins.

We look at breakdowns by our strong brands, categories, and sales by market segment including Trade / Pro sales, DIY / Consumer and increasingly our online business.

We not only compare a store’s performance with its own figures from a previous period, we actively compare stores with each other. Taking into account each store’s uniqueness, we look to find patterns for what is working well and also how to fix problems by the experience gained in other stores. We look to take successes from our best performing stores and use that knowledge in our existing and new stores.

An obvious example is making sense of expenses, it’s easier when you have several sets of expenses to see where the best value is. We have the data available to make comparisons and good decisions. We share a lot of data within the greater ACE Hardware network to understand what the common matrixes are within the business.

Please tell our readers what the most important daily activities your Managing Partners ‘MUST DO’ to create success in their business.

The first thing is communicating to, training and coordinating their store team. We are in a people business and there is no way one person, no matter how good they are individually, can get something done better or faster than by including their team.

We need team leaders who delegate and not individual doers!

Everything we do should be about getting the store ready for business or serving customers, that’s it.

We need to establish on a daily basis, that we have a good in-stock position.

Do we have the right quantities, of the right items in the right spots in the store? Are we organised as a team so that we can help customers? We want to spend as much time as possible interacting with customers. As an independent hardware retailer up against competition that is larger than we are, it’s all about putting our people in front of customers and letting them be the differentiator. The primary enabler of helpful, attentive service is efficient processes for staying in stock, well merchandised, and ready for business. If we are ready for business, the process of helping customers takes us less time and delivers a high level of conversion and satisfaction. If we aren’t ready for business then serving is more cumbersome for our team, and less satisfying for our customers.

There was a time when our job descriptions weren’t very clear and we didn’t stress having a lot of defined processes.

September/October 2023

Mike Costello, CEO Costello’s ACE Hardware.

We stressed autonomy and allowed our leaders to get it done “their way.” That was a time when we had a lot more experience across the company. We were running on “institutional knowledge” which is a great thing…until it runs out. What’s happened over the past several years is more experienced team members retiring and being replaced with folks that are new to the hardware business.

We now believe that for the most part the days of finding an experienced, seasoned hardware store recruit from the outside are pretty much a thing of the past. This lack of available experience and the increase in the turnover of staff have caused us to really hone in on the processes and technology.

We need to be efficient in being ready for business, receiving and putting away deliveries, merchandising, handling overstock, housekeeping, and maintaining inventory accuracy.

It doesn’t take years of product knowledge to do these things; only efficient processes, a dedication to training, and lots of discipline. We used to think that giving autonomy across the board was what our leaders wanted, but what they really want is to do things efficiently. They would prefer not to have to figure everything all out for themselves.

What are your Non – Negotiables at Costello’s Our values are non-negotiable regardless of your position in the company, and that includes me. I had the privilege of working with our founder (and my father), Vinnie Costello and observing firsthand what it means to be driven by values, every day, every customer, every time. Even though he was the owner, he acted more like a caretaker, making sure that the decisions he made were the right decisions-right for the customer, right for the team, right for the success and growth of the company. We want our leaders to understand and lean on our values in their decision-making, just like Vinnie did.

Two other non-negotiables: (1) We are ready for business with a superior in- stock position; and (2) We are prioritising service and building strong relationships with our customers. We can schedule any task within a store, but we can’t schedule when a customer is going to walk into one of our stores. Tasks need to get done, but when customers are around, we give them our full and undivided attention, that’s non-negotiable!

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Store Profile

How is Costello’s adapting to the changing economy?

During covid we, like most of our competitors, were in crisis mode.

We had a glut of business; our top line sales were very strong and we weren’t focused on our expenses. Now post-covid and with the supply chain challenges and price inflation at store level, it’s about cutting out waste. Being efficient with our payroll and balancing that by not losing sales that we should be getting. We need to keep stock levels correct, we like to keep a pretty healthy stock level, we don’t want to lose the easy sales by not having the item in stock.

Also, is there a category, a brand or a segment in which we could outperform our competition and on a percentage basis outperform our overall sales performance. If overall, we are down 5% and DIY is down 10% can we drive sales in Trade / Professional to increase it by 10%?

How is Costello’s adapting to the changing buying patterns of your customers, most importantly the impact of online retailing?

The demand for online is increasing, it spiked in 2020, it was strong in 2021 with a small dip in 2022. If you look at it over several years, it’s a much bigger slice of the pie than it ever was before.

Initially online for us was customers searching and learning about products online and then coming to the store to buy.

Today, they are still searching online but expect to be able to buy at that point. They also expect inventory transparency-live stock levels and to be able to go instore to access that product without having to ask any of our team members to check.

It puts a lot of pressure on our operations because the numbers have to be right. If not, we lose a sale and now we upset a customer!

We also need to treat our online customer the same way that we treat a customer in-store. We need to process the order quickly and let them know their purchase is ready for pickup.

About 90% of our online sales are buy online and pickup in store or at the curbside, we also have delivery options.

The biggest issues for our customers are accuracy of stock and quick turnaround. Our standard at present is that every online order gets a response within 15 minutes. Our online customers are probably more focused on service than on price, our instore and online prices are the same.

An interesting stat is that 28%-30% of our online sales are happening when our stores are not open! The priority for our teams the next morning is fulfillment of those online sales.

What are the biggest challenges that Costello’s faces as you move into 2024?

We have the sense that we have lost some of our momentum, which is probably not that uncommon. And if we are aware of it, we can fix the issue. Again, it comes back to the basicsbeing in stock and ready for business. Efficiency is top of mind; we need effective processes that allow store associates with less product expertise to maintain high standards.

Consistency is also crucial; we can’t have a lot of different ways of getting the job done, there should be only one way.

External issues are also impacting like minimum wage, six years ago in New York, it was $10 per hour, now it’s $15

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going up to $17. The onus is on us owners to help make our people more productive by offering better training, improved processes and by putting technology into their hands that help them do their jobs more efficiently and to a consistent level.

Will you describe your planning process for 2024.

Can you give us an overview of how that planning process will be structured?

The first thing is having a good memory for the current frustration points we are having right now. It’s an ongoing process, our management team have a constant individual priority list in their heads and are setting the groundwork in getting their ideas out there for what they will bring to table when we sit down to plan for next year. We don’t start with a blank sheet of paper; we will have had informal discussions that will be thought about and considered well before final decisions are made at the end of the year. A struggle we have had in the past is “too many priorities.” We need to do a better job at focusing on what is most important and also deciding on what will no longer be a priority. We never prioritise something that is not important, but sometimes we have so many things we are trying to get done that we lose focus. We need to line them up, fix one area, and move on to the next one.

Finally, Mike, regarding 2024 tell us one thing that if you can wave a wand and fix, what is it that can REALLY move the needle and could improve Costello’s business significantly.

I would like every associate that comes into our business to get exactly the same training for the first 30 days that they work with us.

The same training, same oversight and same coaching. If we were able to do that, we would put them in a much better position and they would want to stay with us long term. If we were able to make that sacrifice on behalf of our people early on in their journey with us, we would help them gain confidence and in turn make them more productive. A win win for all.

The biggest frustration for me as CEO is speaking to our associates that are frustrated with their job, whether that’s dealing with a difficult or unclear process, a lack of training or communication, or dealing with a poor result. This is a rewarding business. Solving customer problems, making friends in the community, our people should feel good at night knowing that they are making a difference. When our people are frustrated they are asking for something: more training, more communication, a better process, more technology, something that will help them to be more efficient or more effective. It’s our job as leaders to figure out what needs to be fixed and how to do it.

I am heartened to know that our staff churn is well below the industry standard and we are in the top twenty Fortune Best Workplaces in Retail™ 2023 *. It tells me we are doing a lot right, but as Vinnie Costello would remind us, there is always room for improvement! *https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/7026133

In the Nov / Dec issue of The Hardware Journal, we will have the third and final article where we will get a boardroom view of the Costello’s ACE Hardware planning process for 2024.

September/October 2023

Cut Risk Environments Oily & Wet Environments

Cold & Wet Environments

General Handling Dry Environments

keypoint.ie

Business Support

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Unlock online growth with effective fulfilment ORLA COONEY Chief Operations Officer, Magico.

“I don’t have capacity to grow my online sales”, is a common challenge amongst online retailers. You worked hard, invested in paid advertising, converted sales and built a loyal customer base but now you don’t have the capacity to increase your daily orders because you don’t have an effective order fulfilment process.

Your online success and growth potential depends on providing a smooth and effective order fulfilment process.

What is eCommerce Fulfilment? eCommerce fulfilment is the backbone of every online store, from collecting orders and controlling stock to picking, packaging, and shipping items.

Customers expect fast and dependable delivery, putting pressure on businesses to get items out the door promptly and properly.

Customer satisfaction and loyalty will be influenced by the speed of delivery, how the product is packaged, the accuracy of shipping information, and the condition in which products reach the customer’s doorstep.

Common e-Commerce fulfilment models In-House Fulfilment: In this model, the online store manages its own fulfilment operations. They typically own or lease warehouse space or dedicate space in their bricks and mortar store, hire and train their own staff, and handle all aspects of order processing, packing, and shipping. This is the most common model amongst Irish online retailers.

Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Providers: eCommerce companies can outsource their fulfilment operations to third-party logistics providers. These companies specialise in handling warehousing, packing, and shipping of products on behalf of the online store.

Dropshipping: In the dropshipping model, online stores don’t hold inventory. Instead, they partner with suppliers or manufacturers who ship products directly to customers when orders are placed.

Hybrid Models: Some online stores opt for a combination of fulfilment models. For example, they might use in-house fulfilment for their most popular products and partner with a 3PL for overflow or seasonal items. In-house and hybrid are the most common eCommerce fulfilment models for Irish retailers and increasingly these online stores who wish to scale and improve overall efficiency are looking to automate eCommerce fulfilment.

Why Automate eCommerce Fulfilment?

Speed and Efficiency: Time is money! Automation can significantly speed up the fulfilment process, this is crucial for meetings today’s customers fast shipping expectations. Research shows that offering slow shipping is one of the top reasons for customers to abandon the shopping cart.

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Reduce Errors: An error in the fulfilment process could turn a loyal customer into one that will never shop with you again.

Coupled with potential for poor reviews and the cost of returns and compensation, errors can be very costly. Automated eCommerce fulfilment, however, allows you to minimize the risk of mistakes by reducing manual data entry.

Scalability: Automated eCommerce fulfilment will help you scale to handle increased order volumes without the need to hire and train more staff. This scalability is crucial during busy periods like holidays or sales events.

Focus on Value-Added Tasks: By automating routine tasks, employees can focus on more value-added activities, such as customer service, marketing and product mix.

Customer Satisfaction: Faster and more accurate order fulfilment leads to improved customer satisfaction. Happy customers will convert into loyal customers and more likely to provide positive reviews.

At Magico we are delighted to have partnered with Irish owned Wave OMS to provide automated eCommerce fulfilment services to our clients.

Wave Order Management System fulfils eCommerce and B2B orders with maximum speed and minimum cost per order, supercharging Pack, Pick & Ship capabilities for retailers of all shapes and sizes.

For example, leading Irish hardware retailer Topline Heavins, www.Heavins.ie are enjoying significant benefits after integrating their Magico AB Commerce online store with Wave OMS. The speed and accuracy of their online deliveries is having a hugely positive impact on their reviews and hence their customer retention.

The previous chaos of a busy team tripping over each other to fulfil orders has been replaced with a streamlined organised process that has allowed resources to be redeployed to more value adding tasks.

The shipping accuracy produced by Wave OMS is also delivering substantial savings in costs of returns and replacement products.

According to Paul Heavin, “The integration of Wave OMS with our Online Store has been a game changer and has allowed us at Heavins to scale our online business with confidence”.

Improving your eCommerce fulfilment process is crucial to achieve online growth. You can boost order fulfilment speed and accuracy, customer happiness, and ultimately business development by choosing the appropriate eCommerce fulfilment model, putting effective procedures in place, and utilising technology and data.

This will eventually lead to more satisfied customers and less workload, unlocking the possibility for rapid and long-term online growth.

For more information, please visit https://magico.com September/October 2023

Business Support IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

ISEULT MCLAUGHLIN Director, Tactical Talent Recruitment.

Are you thinking of working with a Recruiter?

It’s no secret that the candidate market is a challenging one right now with employment levels at a record high. Companies are finding it more and more difficult to secure the candidates they need to fill their vacancies. Many companies choose to enlist the help of a Recruitment Agency to help them find the best talent.

If you are thinking of using a recruitment agency, here are our top tips to make the most of the relationship.

Choose the right recruiter for you We would be delighted if you choose to work with us at Tactical Talent, but depending on your hiring needs, there are different recruitment agency types you can choose from.

You can choose to work with a more generalist recruitment agency who recruit across multiple sectors, or a specialist recruiter, who specialises in either one industry, or one type of profession.

A generalist recruitment agency will have a broader view on the market as a whole, they will also tend to have much bigger teams spread across different industries or professions. You may be dealing with different recruiters for different vacancies with a larger agency.

A specialist recruiter will not only be well networked in your industry, but they will be able to offer you insights on the market in your industry, such as, what skills are in demand, what candidates are looking for in an employer, and what the market salary rates are. You will usually be dealing with the same recruiter all the time.

How many recruiters should you work with?

You might think, that since you don’t pay unless you successfully hire a candidate from a recruitment agency, that the best approach is to get as many recruiters as possible working on your role. It sounds logical, but often it is not the best approach.

We would caution against using more than two agencies. First of all, there are a limited number of candidates that are going to be right for your role. If you have lots of agencies working on the role, the likelihood is that they will all be contacting many of the same candidates. When a candidate gets contacted by different agencies about the same role, it can be damaging to your employer brand, creating the impression that you’re having difficulty hiring, rather than presenting an exciting job opportunity to the market.

September/October 2023

You may also choose to just partner with one recruitment agency exclusively. Working exclusively with one agency means that you will get their full attention as they know they are more likely to be successful. Sometimes, there is the opportunity to negotiate a discounted rate if you give an agency exclusivity on a role. Working exclusively with one recruiter also has advantages in the long-term. Your recruiter will become more invested in your business and often when they meet excellent candidates, will bring them to you first.

Give as much detail as possible Both you and the recruitment agency have the exact same aim, to find the right candidate for your company, as fast as possible.

In the pursuit of finding the best candidate, as quickly as possible, the more information you give your recruiter, the better. A clear and detailed job description is the best place to start, but we always recommend that you have a call with the recruiter to talk about the role. First of all, this builds the relationship between the client and the recruiter, it allows the recruiter to ask you questions that you may not have thought of in relation to the ideal candidate, and it allows for a discussion around aspects that may not be detailed in the job description, such as cultural fit, challenges of the role, team dynamics etc. In our experience, a quality initial phone call regarding the job always enhances the search from the very start.

Communicate regularly When you first start working with a new Recruitment Agency, we advise being as detailed as you can on why you may not be progressing with certain applications. Finding the right candidate is a continual process of refinement, figuring out why one CV or candidate is more suited than another.

Spending some time on giving that feedback to your recruiter, will save time in the long run. It is also important to let the recruiters know as you move through the stages of the recruitment process and if you have filled the role.

We’ve been specialist recruiters working with the Hardware, DIY, KBB and Home retail sectors since 2015, across all roles and professions. For more information about us or to chat to Vinny or Iseult, visit www.tacticaltalent.ie, call 01 9079192 or email info@tacticaltalent.ie

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Local Retailing in the USA

Retiring the right way Retirement is a strange word that means different things to different people. For some, it means stepping down from their current role and moving onto other pursuits, a time to build that second career they’ve thought about for a long time perhaps. For others it might be an opportunity to move onto volunteer roles, other civic duties or long dreamt about hobbies.

In the mid 1970’s my grandfather retired after spending 30 years as a milk man. He came home on his last day, sat in his recliner in front of the TV and didn’t move again.

He was done moving anywhere, having believed he had paid his dues to society.

Regardless of what your dreams are, there are some steps to take before introducing yourself as a retiree.

I stepped down from my role as CEO of A Few Cool Hardware stores in June after a two-year planning period that set me up for transition success (at least I hope it did).

I separated my preparation into two key buckets – professional and personal.

Professional Separation: My Role as CEO I had the privilege of watching CEO transition plans unfold while sitting on boards of two multi-billion dollar companies. These are the kinds of folks that have resources and knowledge about how to do things the right way. My front row seat gave me a great deal of insight that I infused into my own plan.

The teams at these two organisations were methodical in their planning; they crafted a strategy for hiring and/or promoting an incoming CEO that included benchmarks to measure success. They documented a period of overlap between the incoming and outgoing executive, and finally, they made detailed communication plans for how all their stakeholders would be informed along the way.

In modeling their behaviour, I created a list of possible successors, both internal and external. This was followed up by the pros and cons of each candidate, interviewing questions, and a timeline for how and when the interviews would be conducted.

In the process, we hired an executive leadership coach

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to help with the transition. Her role was to guide the communication plan to our team as well as ensure that any holes in the skillset that my exit would cause were considered when choosing the new CEO. Hindsight is always 20/20 and I learned a very interesting lesson in this process. I was advised to be as transparent as possible with my leadership team, to give them updates along the path of choosing the incoming leader.

So that is exactly what I did. I provided periodic status reports regarding my successor, my departure, and any other part of the process that seemed pertinent.

Unfortunately, what ensued was a level of anxiety on the part of the team that I had not anticipated. While I had hoped my transparency would provide comfort and time to prepare for the pending changes, it seemed to do the opposite for some in the group.

Somewhere along the process, I met a neuroscientist who studies how human beings react to things. We were having a casual chat and I explained this dilemma to her to which she almost wryly responded, “If you had told them one day before you left, they would have been stressed out for a day, not two years”. I’m not sure I would do it differently if I had to do it all over again, but geez, she made her point loud and clear.

Professional Separation: Selling the Business While preparing for my successor, we simultaneously worked on how the business would be sold. We had settled on a solution unique to the United States, an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). At its most basic, an ESOP means a trust buys the business and holds it on behalf of qualifying teammates. Much like a certified retirement plan, employees qualify after 1 year of service and 1,000 hours of work.

The day we announced the sale of the business to the entire team was also the day we announced that I would be leaving in approximately two years.

September/October 2023

Local Retailing in the USA

The Bottom Line Once the professional plan is on track and satisfactory, you can begin to prepare yourself personally for the transition. To do this, there are a couple of subcomponents you should consider that include mental and financial preparedness.

Personal Separation: Financial Preparedness My father retired at age 55 and had no intentions of spending his golden years like his father had. He hoped to live another 40 years (he’s 75 now!) which meant he had to be able to finance his non-working lifestyle for almost as long as he had been alive. While I have heard him say way too many times “I’m on a fixed income”, he also taught me the value of hiring a good financial planner, having a solid budget, and documenting contingency plans.

Before you leap into retirement, take a good hard look at your finances. Better yet, have a professional do this with you. Be realistic about what you want to do with the rest of your life, especially if you’re not planning on working any more. It was also important during this portion of planning to include my spouse because our household earning level would be changing.

Personal Separation: Mental Preparedness Assuming now that you can financially retire, can you honestly answer whether or not you mentally can?

If you’re like me, and your identity is tied up in the title you hold or the position you fill at your company, leaving that role can be a big emotional step.

One day, I had a friend ask me what my post-retirement support system was going to look like. I was then shocked when she advised me to get a personal coach, a retirement “advisor” or a therapist. Woah! Weren’t these supposed to be the days that I could fill anyway I wanted? My golden years? Did I really need to pay someone to tell me how to do this?

I realise now that she had my best interest at heart and knew that not everyone could transition into this next phase in life without a well thought out plan.

There have been copious studies done about how friends and hobbies help with this kind of major life change and each of the three professions my friend mentioned would likely have asked me questions about the status of said requirements prior to my stepping down. Did I have some activities that I was itching to do? Did I have friends I could call if I was bored and wanted to try new things with someone?

Despite my husband hoping that I would spend several months with no commitments or meetings, I started a seemingly endless list of things I wanted to try in retirement which I broke into three buckets; fun, September/October 2023

Gina celebrating their 20 years in business.

educational, and revenue generating. On any given day I can pick and choose from these buckets to ensure that I am stimulated. Not all these pursuits have a friend associated with them, but I made sure that many of my activities were not solitary ones.

This is all fresh in my head right now, so I can’t stress the importance of each one of these steps enough. If you’re uncomfortable or unsure about when and how to start, I highly recommend consulting a coach or professional who can help brainstorm and document your ideas and thoughts. Be honest with yourself. And don’t let the options and steps become so overwhelming that you craft a poor plan or worse yet, that you don’t do anything at all and get stuck in a rut.

The beauty of having it all behind me is that I can now answer the most oft asked question for someone who has retired - “So what are you going to do next?”

Sometime around 2016 one of my teammates came to me and said, “You know Gina, this place is known as ‘Recovery Hardware’ in the community”. That little phrase jumpstarted a book by the same name that tells so many beautiful stories of the people that helped grow our business. If you’d like to read more about them, you can order the book Recovery Hardware by Gina Schaefer at www.waterstones.com

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A View from Europe

Visions for secured paths Our colleague and friend Thierry Coeman visited the recent DIY Summit in Berlin on behalf of The Hardware Journal and has provided some interesting insights and lessons to be learned from the most innovative speakers.

The 9th Global DIY-Summit’s theme of ‘ Visions of DIY in the age of uncertainty’ greeted the 1,000-plus conference attendees that had travelled to Berlin with the hope of hearing encouraging messages in an era where the DIY consumer appears to be keeping a tight rein on the purse strings. Of course, there are no more certainties in a world that is constantly turned upside down because of social, economic, political and climatic turbulence.

Nevertheless, decision-makers are only too happy to invest some time and energy to gain insights into the ins and outs of the profession, in addition to relevant networking opportunities. It is always a matter of choosing and sharing when you are presented with a programme with a variety of speakers and topics.

For the organisers in charge of compiling the programme, they resisted the temptation to capitalise on past successes and fill the poster with the same names over and over again. They understand that audiences are looking for in-depth reflections and practical cases that allow them to question themselves fundamentally, and above all to reinvent themselves with refreshing inspiration. Three speakers at the event this year met this assignment with flying colours by focusing on two challenges in the near future: on the one hand, thoroughly scrutinising the classic and historic DIY business model and, on the other, embracing tomorrow’s technology from now on, in order to seamlessly adapt customer and store processes to the acceleration of change.

When the growing gets tough It was not Billy Ocean who suddenly entered the main stage of the Estrel conference room, but the energetic Belgian, Erwin Van Osta, CEO Hubo Group, chairman of Bricoalliance and President of Comeos, the Belgian Retail Association.

He initially impressed with a smashing projection that took up the entire width of the 32-metre screen. The approach was a deliberate choice because of the core of his speech, which he kept extremely excitingly contained until the third part of his presentation.

Erwin Van Osta earned his spurs during the past thirty years as top manager of Hubo Belgium, a retail chain that grew practically from nothing to a top position in the Belgian DIY landscape with 160 stores. He also exudes this dynamism internationally as chairman of Bricoalliance, the European buying grouping, www.bricoalliance.eu. Bricoalliance has nine active international partners operating in 12 different countries. Their total turnover is over ¤2.0 billion with more than 1,000 stores.

The keynote was presented as a Netflix screening in four episodes with two guiding principles: • How do you steamroll an organisation from a challenger position into market leadership?

• How do you underpin that organisation to weather all

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storms and still remain profitable when margins are eroded?

The first episode explained how Hubo made the transition from the pandemic period over to the current crisis by repeatedly drawing lessons from success stories and setbacks.

The H-A-A-S Model Episode Two explained in great detail how the Belgian retailer is gradually evolving from a product-centric organisation to a service model.

Erwin dissected the concept of ‘Service’ as a three-dimensional contribution to customer focus: availability of assortments, availability of qualified staff and anticipation of expectations (predictive service) by, among other things, expanding the concept of ‘do-it-together’.

To this end, Hubo made the acquisition of service online platform Solyd www.solyd.io earlier this year and works closely with the Benelux service company All Fields to implement that service model (Do-It-Together Home Installations).

Erwin calls this triple service demonstration, the H-A-A-S model: Hubo as a Service.

Episode Three was the highlight of the presentation where the audience immediately understood why the Netflix metaphor was used: Hubo a Subscription.

Erwin’s train of thought was simultaneously extremely surprising and also contagious: once a retailer has fully mastered the three-dimensional service offering, it shifts from a customer-centric organisation to a customer-binding organisation where customers express a form of preference, likeability so to speak. Hubo aims for an even higher level where customers will be willing to subscribe to a subscription model on an annual basis at a fixed fee for that blind trust.

With this formula, the DIY customer becomes part of the Hubo community, with the convincing guarantee that they will always get the best price for the most extensive service. Erwin Van Osta prefers the term ‘implicity’ here, an unconditional form of trust.

This service level is groundbreaking because it frees the retail-customer relationship from the negative price spiral and the weekly promotion wrangles.

Episode Four anchors the previous three in a people-orientated organisation where team building, team spirit and team work are part of the Hubo DNA. For this, the Hubo top executive uses the slogan ‘Hubo as a squad’.

It goes without saying that Erwin Van Osta received a sky-high score at the Berlin Global DIY Summit. Thus once again it demonstrates the need for vision rather than entertainment on such stages.

September/October 2023

A View from Europe

Embrace Technology in DIY Erik Cuypers, Group CIO/CDO Maxeda DIY with headquarters in Amsterdam, is one of a select group of top experts who, from a retail DIY perspective, wants to accelerate the need to embrace the available high tech that can facilitate quite a few activities on the DIY store floor. Erik has been working on the digital transformation process of Brico (Belgium) and Praxis (the Netherlands) for several years. Among other things, he makes a point of banishing the term “omnichannel” once and for all and replacing it with the term “omni-consumer”.The high tech expert rightly proclaims that there is no separation between online and offline, which requires a ‘Single View’ (a holistic approach to retailing) across all processes (single view on SKUs, single view on the store shelf, stock management, ordering process and service delivery).

Digital Transformation needs to be driven by the corporate culture because technology simultaneously drives retail processes (data analytics and CRM), facilitates the customer experience (configurators for customised ordering) and finally changes the entire business model (from a purely transactional model to a service model).

Maxeda appears to be pioneering in high tech today with several experiments running at Praxis (close to 200 stores in the Netherlands) in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are concretely applied. Heatmaps are a good example of navigation systems driven by AI. This technological application enables retailers to monitor customer flows in store aisles thanks to data analysis for both geographical localisation and user behaviour. Heatmaps are also useful to make accurate decisions for the optimal placement of Sku’s, gondola arrangements and displays in general and by extension to determine the impact of promotions. Finally, heatmap technology is also applied at the checkout to reduce waiting times, among other things.

For many, AI and ML still seem like ‘far-off’ ideals, while Erik says that this technology will drive our retail processes very soon and at an astronomical speed. Therefore, we should embrace AI and ML as soon as possible.

Data Decoded The American Professor, Dr Christina Stathopoulos is an international data specialist and gave a brilliant presentation on this subject in Berlin, entitled ‘Data Decoded, the lifeblood of your business’. Brilliant because for over a thousand listeners, the academic made that rather complex subject matter about AI and ML accessible in a crystal-clear way in just thirty minutes. Among other things, she explained that AI provides three types of intelligence using data management: • descriptive (understanding patterns from the past to distill correlations from them) • predictive (identifying patterns from the past to determine the predictability of purchases, maximising chances of success) • prescriptive (formulating advice towards the next concrete steps the customer will take).

During the subsequent networking events it became abundantly clear to most attendees what constitutes the cocktail of ingredients to weather the current crisis: • political responsibility to rebalance the economy (the eternal dilemma of inflation versus deflation) • a communication policy that, once again, boosts consumer confidence • an innovative business model from the industry (from products to services) • a new profile of leadership in which purchasing processes are not driven solely by the price factor

Dr Christina Stathopoulos, International Data Specialist.

Erwin Van Osta, CEO Hubo Group.

September/October 2023

‘Visions for DIY in the age of certainty’ Using the above subtitle and based on the essence of the message from the DIY Summit review, we can adopt the conference theme with the knowledge that fundamental and positive change processes always have a catalysing effect on all stakeholders in the Home Improvement industry. And as always, only the tough exit each crisis as winners thanks to the positive energy they transmit, the insights and the foresights. * Images supplied with the kind permission of Karina Kulichenko, DIY Summit

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Steve Collinge

Are Marketplaces the future of retail?

Since Amazon first came into our lives, we’ve been aware of the term ‘Marketplace’ being used for something far more than just an open square or location in the centre of our towns and villages where the public gather to buy and sell produce.

Today, marketplaces are e-Commerce websites that connect online customers to a broad range of products and sellers, all in one location. It’s their convenient nature that’s meant marketplaces have quickly become a consumer favourite and consequently, have exploded. In the UK, as well as Amazon, the best examples of pure marketplaces are eBay, ManoMano, Wayfair and OnBuy. According to The Edge by Ascential, third-party online marketplaces will be the largest and fastest-growing retail channel globally over the next five years, accounting for as much as 59% of all global eCommerce by 2027.

Over the last 20 years, hardware retailers, builders’ merchants and suppliers in the Home and Garden Industry have had an interesting relationship with marketplaces. For a decade, they seemed more or less irrelevant to our industry, focusing on completely different categories, from books and CD’s to clothing, second hand products and homewares.

It’s only been in the last ten years that Amazon has seriously begun to turn its attention to the important categories that directly impact on our industry. Initially, it was down to the significant margin opportunity for Amazon, created by the fact that so many of the established retailers were making enviously high margins from the Home and Garden Categories.

As Amazon started to loom in the rear-view mirror, retailers and merchants began to get nervous, whilst suppliers were divided into two categories. The forward-thinking supplier businesses took the approach that if their end customers, whether consumers or tradespeople, wanted to buy their products and brands from a marketplace, then what right did they have to stop them?

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The majority of businesses maintained their 100% wholesale only strategy and nailed their flags to the mast of their traditional bricks’n’mortar customers, refusing to work or even engage directly with marketplaces.

As time passed, and when it became obvious that these brands were missing out on incremental sales and profit, they soon found alternative ways to take advantage of the rapidly growing channel and began by working with trusted partners or eCommerce retailers who understood how marketplaces operated. Some went to the stage of launching new brands and even companies of their own, to exploit the opportunity, whilst trying to (often clumsily) disguise the fact they were selling through the marketplace channel.

Covid Unleashed Demand And then Covid arrived, and just about everyone in the western world focused on improving their homes and gardens, and in the process spent hours searching online for products that had never been in such high demand. This online demand woke up many of the marketplaces to the true scale of the Home and Garden opportunity. This was partly down to the word search demand data generated by their businesses, which is reviewed on a regular basis. They can quickly and easily identify unfulfilled demand that arrives on their marketplace and use this data to take steps to meet it.

And yet at that time, the weight of the strategic challenge of marketplaces wasn’t just being felt by suppliers. eCommerce businesses, as well as established retailers with a nationwide network of stores and even trade merchants, were beginning to feel the heat. Amazon had taught the UK population that when searching for and choosing products, the key factors to consider were choice, breadth of range, the selling price and how fast they could get it.

September/October 2023

Steve Collinge

In 2021 as an experiment, I went onto Amazon and typed ‘Kitchen sink’ into search and the page told me that they had around 1,000 listings at that time on their marketplace. eBay had over 61,000 sinks and Wayfair 1,241. If you did the same experiment on DIY.com, the results told you that B&Q had just 78 kitchen sink products, whilst the other retailers had the following - Toolstation (132), Screwfix (109), Wickes (83), Homebase (25).

If the key levers of online retail were now Price, Range and Delivery, the established retailers at that time had a fairly bleak future.

If you can’t beat them, join them!

The stark and painful reality for many UK retailers in 2020, was that despite them being ‘so-called’ specialist Home & Garden retailers, compared to marketplaces, their range was small, they were generally uncompetitive on price, and they were unable to deliver the product anywhere near as quickly as Amazon Prime.

Under those circumstances and if you can’t beat them, what do you do? Yes, you got it, you join them.

It all started in a big way with Toolstation in 2020, who were persuaded to begin selling their products and ranges on eBay. It was a risk; it was a completely new channel to market for them and they had to work through the complicated challenges of retail pricing, drop shipping and delivery costs versus their own branches and website.

A year later and it worked, and it worked really well. Because their customers were all on account, it was easy to see if by selling on eBay, they were attracting completely new customers and as a result incremental sales and profitability.

The Cafe Table Analogy I’ve spent time with the CEOs of a wide range of retailers over the last three years and in conversations with them, I often use the analogy of a café. If I’m sitting in a retailer’s café, I explain that the table we’re sitting at is their business, it’s their website and stores/branches and sitting around that table are their customers. Over the years, they continue to invest in their stores and website, basically ending up with a better, smarter table and continued high investment in Google brings some new customers to their table.

And then I point to all the other tables in the café and explain that all these other tables are the different marketplaces full of customers, millions of customers. Those customers are choosing to buy their Home Improvement and Gardening products from that marketplace (those tables) and yet, whatever the retailer in question does to improve their table, or try and attract them through investment in Google, due to either the customers marketplace or channel loyalty or maybe their age or the fact they don’t own a car, they are never, ever going to visit that retailers websites and never cross the threshold of one of their stores.

The only way to reach those incremental customers is to begin selling products on each of those marketplaces, which is exactly what Toolstation began to do. And here’s the thing, on-boarding and selling on the marketplace’s costs very little, with the commission only being paid when an actual sale is made. Incremental customers, sales and profit and all selffunding.

September/October 2023

And this argument didn’t just convince Toolstation, they were quickly followed by Wickes, Homebase, Ironmongery Direct, The Range, Wilko, and many others.

The B&Q Marketplace Kingfisher and B&Q decided to take a very different approach to the marketplace opportunity. Rather than begin selling on other established marketplaces, they partnered with a business called Mirakl and launched their own marketplace, integrated within their existing website DIY. com. They weren’t the first in our industry to make this move, Leroy Merlin launched their European marketplace in December 2020 and at the time, their Director of Omnichannel was quoted as saying: “The marketplace model will allow us to go well beyond the 60,000 products that we offer on average in our stores. By expanding our offer and improving the shopping experience, our objective is to strengthen and consolidate our position as the leading home improvement website.”

It’s a well-known fact within retail, that one of the easiest ways to increase revenue and profitability is to sell more to your existing customers. It’s more cost effective, they’re already loyal and choosing to shop from you and they’re often excited and interested when new products are offered, it’s the easiest option.

The B&Q marketplace went live in March 2022, initially providing customers with access to an additional 100,000 products, including an expanded selection of wallpaper, lighting, and power tools, as well as a new range of small domestic appliances. Eighteen months since launch, the results have been impressive.

Their marketplace now boasts over 700,000 products, across 23 categories, from 750 individual merchants/sellers.

In their half year results to 31st July 2023, B&Q’s total eCommerce sales (including marketplace) increased year on year by 18.5%, driven by the continued success of B&Q’s marketplace, with 30% of marketplace customers being completely new to DIY.com.

In the month of July 2023, marketplace delivered one third of B&Q’s total eCommerce sales, which in turn grew to 12% of their total company sales, compared to 11% for the same period in 2022/23 and just 5% in 2019/2020.

Are Marketplaces the Future of Retail?

Back to the title of this article – Are Marketplaces the future of Retail? With so many retailers and merchants realising that they can no longer solely rely on their stores, branches, and website to grow their business, marketplaces are looking like a very good and relatively easy way to access new customers and generate incremental sales and profit.

And if you decide not to do it, just be careful, as your competitors are probably already there.

Steve Collinge is an international speaker, influencer, retail commentator and executive editor of Insight DIY. You can follow Steve on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Training

HAI Certificate in Hardware and Merchanting This August the HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail and Merchanting returned for its third year, welcoming a new tranche of students and mentors commencing their studies.

Once again kindly sponsored by Octabuild, the nine-month long mentor-based programme is designed to equip those new to the hardware retail/builders merchanting sector, and those in need of more structured training, with a knowledge and skills base that will enable them to contribute to the business of their employer. It will also help employees build a career in the sector.

This year’s programme was kicked off with an Introductory session delivered via Zoom, where students got a chance to meet each other virtually, get an overview of the programme and meet their main contact for the programme, HAI’s Aoife Kinsella O’Reilly.

The students’ learning commenced in early September with the first Zoom-based module, covering Communication Essentials, which was delivered by Noel Davidson from the Entrepreneur’s Academy. Noel put students through their paces with a highly interactive session involving group exercises and discussion to bring them out of their shell and explore how best to communicate in their role.

The session was followed by a highly comprehensive Product Knowledge module on Garden & Outdoor Products delivered by Niall Nugent from Ames True Temper. The session covered key technical and market FAQs students might face from DIY and trade customers, looking at some of their key products, pricing queries, and other key trends and points of information.

The next session was Selling Skills, delivered

by Terry Harmer in late September. Terry’s highly interactive workshop also used break-out rooms and discussion to help students

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think differently about their day-to-day interactions with customers, with a lot of link-backs to Noel’s Communications module.

This session was followed by a Product Knowledge module in Hand Tools, presented by Mark Devane from Toolbank.

Octabuild Members sharing their Product Knowledge HAI is delighted to be working again this year with Octabuild and its members (Dulux Paints, Etex Ireland, Glennon Brothers, Grant Engineering, Gyproc, Irish Cement, Kingspan Insulation, and Wavin Ireland) to deliver a series of Product Knowledge modules, giving students a fully rounded perspective of the industry. The remaining modules to be covered are: • • • • • •

Cement Products - Irish Cement and Gyproc Heating Products - Grant Engineering Insulation Products - Kingspan Insulation Paint & Décor - Dulux Paints Plumbing Products - Wavin Ireland Roof and Timber Products - Etex and Glennon Brothers

Octabuild Chairman Declan Conlon, Wavin Ireland, comments on the group’s involvement this year: “Octabuild is delighted to sponsor the HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail and Merchanting for the third year. We very much appreciate the importance of growing talent in the merchant trade and value the knowledge that this programme offers to participants. We look forward to sharing our own expertise in industry specific product knowledge modules for participants and working with them as they progress through the programme.”

HAI looks forward to working with Octabuild in sharing their Product Knowledge and experience with students in the coming year.

For more information about the HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail and Merchanting contact Aoife at aoife@hardwareassociation.ie or call 01 2980969.

September/October 2023

Training

HAI Training Schedule Autumn 2023 Hardware Association Ireland (HAI)’s Autumn training is well underway with a number of courses having taken place in recent weeks both online and in HAI’s classroom.

HAI was pleased to welcome a number of attendees to workshops in Credit Control, Consultative Selling Skills for Suppliers, and Leadership & Communication Skills (the latter two which took place in HAI’s offices in Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, for the first time in over three years.

Date

Oct 18th

Oct 25th

Oct 26th

Nov 8th

Course Title

Stock Control

Merchandising

Digital Marketing and Social Media

Performance Managing the Sales Team

Trainer

Padraig Cronin

Padraig Cronin

Greg Fry

Terry Harmer

The next issue of The Hardware Journal will feature more detailed coverage of recent training activities.

The remainder of our Autumn training schedule can be found below. All workshops are tailored specifically to the needs of the hardware/DIY industry.

Location

Zoom

Zoom

Zoom

HAI Offices

Course Duration

Who should attend?

What will they get?

Half Day

Owner/managers of hardware retail stores, builders’ merchants or agri-stores.

The skills and tools to manage stock and resulting costs more effectively.

Retailers/ merchants and suppliers.

A detailed look at the techniques and strategies for successful instore/display merchandising.

Half Day

Hardware retailers/ merchants and suppliers.

A detailed look at latest digital marketing trends, tools and tips, and how to approach marketing strategy.

One Day

Sales/store managers in hardware retail/ builders merchant businesses.

The frameworks and skills to effectively deliver the sales performance management process.

Half Day

For more information about all our courses visit www.hardwareassociation.ie/training-and-development.

To book places or for queries about any of our upcoming training courses please contact Aoife Kinsella O’Reilly at aoife@hardwareassociation.ie or call 01 2980969.

September/October 2023

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Supplier Profile

Looking to the future for 220-year-old firm John Riddel & Son was established in High Street, Belfast in 1803 and is one of Ulster’s oldest family firms. Originally the company traded in iron steel and tinplate before expanding into machinery hardware.

This was the beginning of the Riddle brand and business which has flourished over the past 220 years.

The past is a huge source of pride for John Riddel & Son. This year the Lisburn company marks 220 years in the hardware business. Thriving through centuries of change, world wars and the Titanic era. And during it all, remaining a family firm with a distinctive culture. An achievement well worth celebrating.

Step inside the Dagger Road site and the customer visitor centre is a homage to the great Riddel family and business, with tools and historical documents spanning two centuries.

A tool nerd’s dream, featuring Riddel implements that helped build the Titanic and supplied armies through two World Wars.

By the time of his death, John has overseen three businesses.

The original firm, John Riddel & Son Wholesale, Musgrave Engineering (established in Belfast in 1843), and Riddel Ltd., the retail arm, which was founded in Belfast in 1851.

The Riddel legacy

Henry Musgrave, John’s nephew, was left in charge of all three. Henry travelled widely in Europe and South America, developing markets for farm equipment and heating stoves, with showrooms in Dublin, Paris, Bonn and Frankfurt.

John Riddel & Son was established in High Street, Belfast, initially trading in iron, steel and tin plate. After diversifying into machinery and hardware the firm needed more space to accommodate expanding demand.

The company’s extensive involvement in Belfast’s docks was reflected in the naming of part of the shipping lane as the Musgrave Channel.

In 1867, William, John’s eldest son, built the Riddel Warehouse on Ann Street, in its day a spectacular state-of-the-art distribution centre.

John died in 1870, having lived a long life by Victorian standards. He was, and still is, an extremely important figure in the history of Belfast during its heyday as an industrial powerhouse.

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The founder spearheaded the growth of the firm, which continues to this day through diversification into manufacturing and retail across multiple premises serving national and international markets.

At the 1887 and 1900 Paris International Trade Shows, the Musgrave Stove won a gold medal, outclassing international competition. This advanced design was an astonishing accomplishment. Victorian Belfast was a recognised centre of engineering and manufacturing innovation.

September/October 2023

Supplier Profile

Colum Murphy, Director, Brian Murphy, Chairman Sanbra Group, Stephen Murphy, Director.

Philip Ranken, Area Sales Representative Northern Ireland , John Riddel & Son, and Robert Sheridan, Dowlers Ltd. Fermanagh.

Change and continuity

10,000 sq. ft. of offices, meeting rooms, product showrooms and the customer visitor centre.

Jump forward more than a century and John Riddel & Son Ltd. relocated to a larger, also historic, industrial building at 1 Dagger Road, Lisburn in 2007. Since moving here the former tannery has been transformed into a state-of-the-art warehouse with modern offices, enabling the firm to provide exceptional service.

And uniquely, their own 5-acre ash woodland for the team’s recreational use, complete with Riddel’s beehives – yet another family inheritance.

Brand building

The building today still showcases its own and the Riddel heritage with pride. Notably, the personal office desk of John DeLorean, from the famed car factory just up the road in Dunmurry.

As Northern Ireland’s original and oldest hardware distributor, experience and reliable service have been core business values from day one, together with quality products.

In 2018 John Riddel & Son were bought by another Northern Ireland family, Brian Murphy, Chairman of the Sanbra Group and well known businessman with roots in engineering in Portadown for over 70 years.

The current offer encompasses over 52,200 hardware, agricultural and garden products available to trade merchants in Northern Ireland and beyond.

For the Murphy family, the goal was to keep a focus on the future while maintaining the Riddel tradition for quality, service, and expertise.

Securing supply The unpredictability of the last few years underscored the importance of managing supply chains carefully and intelligently to be ready for anything.

In particular, Covid reinforced the need to invest in securing a robust supply chain for the business, Stephen Murphy, Director explains, “Since covid, we have undergone a major transformation in our logistics and warehousing operation. We added new IT systems, additional racking and extended the warehouse to 120,000 sq. ft” “The investment allows us to bring stability to our supply chain and manage price fluctuations.”

Today the firm sits on an 8-acre industrial site comprising: 120,000 sq. ft. of warehousing, 10m to the eaves, and September/October 2023

The brand line-up includes Workman Tools, Core, Herdguard, Hozelock, Hotline, Plasson, and Estate Wire, amongst many more leading names.

Riddel’s R&D and purchasing team spend much time working on the design, engineering and quality control of these brands.

Care that is recognised and appreciated by today’s more discerning buyers and their customers.

“Developing a great range of brands is an important strategy as it allows us to design, engineer and create brands for our customers. We support these brands in the market through a comprehensive programme of sales and marketing supports including in-store point-of-sale,” notes Stephen.

Team spirit Riddels is most fortunate to have a very experienced team with knowledge across all key operations, together with technical expertise, to provide a best-in-class service to customers.

19 staff look after sales, marketing, logistics and supply chain management under the leadership of Colum and Stephen Murphy, Brian Murphy’s sons.

73

Supplier Profile

Extensive warehousing.

Alan Ferguson, Area Sales Representative Northern Ireland, John Riddel & Son, with Shelley Teggart, Teggart & Sons, Downpatrick.

The company takes pride in its loyal and dedicated employees.

Indeed, its people are at the heart of Riddel’s ethos and success, Stephen asserts. “Our staff have a great work ethic and commitment to our customers. While it’s true that the customer is king, we believe our people are our most important asset, and must be valued. We place a huge emphasis on developing our family culture and values so that people want to work with us and stay. Get this right and it translates to providing the right product range and excellent customer service.”

“We are working hard to be agile and keep up with the pace, to provide excellent technical product and aftersales support.”

Riddel’s website is easily accessible to all customers: www.riddel.co.uk. In addition to product information, it’s a fast and easy way for customers to get information on products.

What’s more, several employees have been with the firm for nearly three decades, for example Liz McMullan, whose experience is greatly relied upon. But the prize goes to Sam Nelson who only recently retired after 49 years, one year longer than his brother Ivan worked for the company.

Investment in people According to Stephen, “We are strong believers in teamwork across all areas and empowering people to do their jobs. We realise how important it is to invest and train our staff.”

Riddels conduct monthly in-house product training to make sure everyone is up to speed with the products. This approach is embedded in the business, Stephen says “we are constantly striving to make improvements so that the next generation wants to work with us and in turn, we can meet the needs of our customers of the future in the hardware industry”.

Centuries of customer loyalty

Greenways Sustainability too has become a key factor in day-to-day operations. Because it covers all aspects of business, the firm is currently appointing Sustainability Leaders. Initiatives already rolled out include 100% cardboard recycling and electric company vehicles and chargers.

But many more changes are underway as the company continues to grow on its sustainability journey. As in everything Riddels do, the commitment to continuous improvement applies here also.

Well-placed for 2053 The Murphy sons feel upbeat about the outlook for John Riddel & Son, thanks to smart futureproofing investments. Since its transformation, the premises now has the capacity to serve as Distribution Centre for the wider Sanbra Group.

As Stephen Murphy sums up, “220 years on, we are proud of the history that got Riddel & Sons here and believe we are well-positioned to continue to grow with the help of our team and support of our customers.”

It’s the rare business that can claim having plenty of customers who have been trading with them for over 200 years.

Loyal and newer Riddel customers represent a diverse base. As a leading supplier to retailers, the market includes Hardware Stores, Agricultural stores, Co-ops, Garden Centres and Homeware shops.

While some customer names may stay the same, the industry is changing at an exciting pace, and businesses must adapt to new demands, observes Stephen, especially in e-Commerce.

People now want to research and buy products at the click of a button.

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John Riddel & Son celebration of their 220 years in business, Customer Appreciation Day in September 2023.

September/October 2023

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Multiple factors will contribute to sustained growth in Workwear Sales of workwear and PPE, which saw a remarkable surge during the pandemic, have continued to stabilise. In 2023, the sector achieved consistent growth, and this upward trend is expected to extend into 2024. Multiple factors will contribute to this sustained growth, including the government’s projection of constructing over 33,000 houses in 2024 and the positive influence of the vacant property grant on construction activity.

The persistent skills shortage in the construction sector remains a significant challenge, acting as a substantial barrier to growth.

With more women entering the construction workforce than ever before, workwear companies are adjusting and expanding their product lines to prioritise the comfort and safety of female construction workers.

While inflation is still high the pace of growth has slowed down.

There has been a growing emphasis on sustainability and environmentally friendly practices in the construction industry and construction retail in 2023. Sustainability in workwear continues as a pivotal trend as companies rapidly develop

product ranges to meet the growing demand from environmentally conscious consumers.

The most notable shift in the sector is the rising demand for premium, stylish workwear products. Tradespeople are seeking comfortable, sports-inspired attire that they can proudly wear both during and after work, while ensuring their safety on the job and comfort all around.

In the Agricultural sector, weather has the most impact with very strong sales reported in September due to a drop in temperature and heavy rainfall recovering the sales lost from a milder first half of the year.

All these factors contribute to an increasingly intricate consumer demand landscape. For retailers and manufacturers alike, it continues to be a period of growth and transition. Despite strong demand, there’s a potential impact as consumers face reduced disposable income due to the cost-of-living crisis. Brands must take care to diligently manage their inventory, respond to the evolving needs of the customer, and set themselves apart through exceptional service and robust branding strategies.

Information kindly supplied by Rachel Davoren, MD Portwest Ireland and images supplied by Portwest.

WX2™ Range WX2™ by Portwest is an eco-conscious collection using GRS certified recycled fabrics and trims. The collection is manufactured with minimal impact on the environment and all products are constructed using a streamlined design to minimise waste during production which has the added benefit of delivering exceptional value. WX2™ has been developed to meet the specific needs of craftsmen and other industrial workers. Distinctive multi-functional pockets and chunky and robust zips, complement a slim and low-profile design.

September/October 2023

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WATERPROOF

BREATHABLE

WINDPROOF

ANTI-FUNGAL PROTECTION

CHEMICAL RESISTANT

RECYCLED PACKAGING

Ireland’s Newest Agri Protective Clothing Brand.

Coming this October!

For more information please contact: info@portwest.ie

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Introducing Agrishield: a revolutionary rainwear brand, engineered for Irish weather, inspired by Irish farmers Portwest are delighted to announce the launch of Agrishield, a premium Rain & Dairywear brand specifically crafted to meet the needs of Irish farmers. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by the agricultural industry, Agrishield aims to provide durable, comfortable, reliable Rain & Dairywear to ensure optimal protection in the harshest weather & working conditions.

Agrishield is proud to be an Irish-owned brand, with a strong commitment to supporting local farmers and sustaining the agricultural heritage of Ireland. Agrishield is deeply rooted in the core values of hard work, resilience, and innovation which are found within the farming community.

Research by Agrishield showed the importance of staying dry and comfortable throughout long hours in the field & the Parlor, while breathability in the product was ranked as a must have by farmers. Agrishield Rain & Dairywear is tailored to withstand the unpredictability of Irish weather. Products are designed by integrating cutting-edge waterproof technology and breathable fabrics, so farmers can focus on their work without compromising on protection or comfort. With 78% of farmers surveyed saying they would prefer an item that could be repaired, the fabrics repairable nature is advantageous for farmers who rely heavily on rainwear for their protection. This aspect of the design is cost effective and reduces waste which makes it a more sustainable choice.

The Agrishield range is currently being made available in leading agricultural stores and hardware shops nationwide, ensuring easy accessibility for farmers across Ireland. The range includes Overcoats & Trousers, Smocks, Sleeves and more! This strategic distribution network has been established to ensure that Irish farmers can easily acquire the quality rainwear they need, hassle free.

Agrishield is an Irish-owned and operated rainwear brand developed by Portwest specifically for the needs of Irish farmers. With over one hundred years of experience, Portwest is committed to supplying innovative, high-quality products that protect workers and enhance their performance in diverse industries.

For more information or any further quotes, please contact commercial@portwest.ie

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September/October 2023

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

TIMCO launches extensive workwear range TIMCO, a leading supplier of essential construction products, extends its promise to provide the essential products that trade professionals rely on every day, by including the clothes they wear too, following the recent launch of its first workwear range.

The comprehensively branded TIMCO range includes workwear for every role and task, and includes trousers, shorts, overalls, fleeces, rain jackets, waterproof trousers, soft shell jackets, and padded bodywarmers.

In time for Autumn, it also includes accessories such as beanie hats and adds to the range of Hi-Vis Clothing launched last year.

The clothing has been specifically designed by TIMCO to suit a variety of jobs, so for example there are Craftsman Trousers made from heavy duty breathable, 4-way stretch fabric, with nine different pockets to store tools, tape measures etc, plus an adjustable hammer strap. In contrast, the Yardsman Trousers are made from lightweight, sturdy fabric and provide all-day comfort.

The premium rain jackets and trousers are made from heavy duty, high stretch nylon fabric, for enhanced movement and comfort, which are 100% waterproof yet breathable, easy to clean and stain resistant.

All photography that features in the TIMCO brochures, merchandising solutions, and on the TIMCO website, has been taken in-house and features TIMCO colleagues modelling the clothing.

John Mackin, General Manager for TIMCO Ireland comments: “We’ve always pledged to provide every type of tool, building supply and equipment that construction and industrial workers might need throughout their working lives, and to guarantee outstanding quality, and now we’re delighted to be extending this to the clothes they wear too. We’ve spent 36 months in R&D to ensure a robust and comprehensive product range at value for money prices, which we are confident will be a big hit with our customers.”

Whatever the job needs, trust TIMCO.sales@timco.ie, IRE: 047 63538 NI: 048 90992305 www.timco.ie

September/October 2023

79

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

LMA reinforce their workwear message Workwear means many different things to many different people.

The workwear associated with firefighters is very different to that used by medics and doctors.

Company uniforms need to double as workwear according to their industry, some will be flexible, needing stretch elements, allowing movement while other might prioritise flame resistance.

With so many options, how does a builders merchant know what to stock for their individual customer base? Knowing your customer base is the first and most obvious starting point. You don’t necessarily stock painters’ clothes if you don’t sell paint!

But with so many different customers with such different requirements how can you cover as many bases as possible?

Here are some handy hints from LMA: Don’t necessarily just buy what you would wear What type of work are my customers doing? Do they need to do tough physical work? Do they need to carry a block or length of pipe? There may be an option for you to stock different types of products, to suit your own specific customer demographic.

Consider it from your customer’s viewpoint: Your customer will have different considerations that they are looking for in features and benefits. Is it warm, dry, hard wearing, high viz elements etc? All these things will be of interest to your customer as well as those who like the look of the product. If you don’t have a choice on the shelf, they can’t make that decision.

Think like your customer: When in your workwear section approach it as different tradespeople, ask your staff to do the same. What does a plumber want? Is it the same as a brick layer? Do they work inside or outside? Are they carrying and lifting? Do they need external pockets is that a hazard? Do they kneel, crawl, and or climb? Do they work near sparks/grinders etc?

To help cover as many trades as possible, LMA have reviewed their range for winter 23/24 and added reinforced 300D Oxford to the more vulnerable areas, the areas that take the wear. They now have a range of upper garments with 300D Oxford reinforcement on the arms/cuffs, shoulders and stomach.

What is Oxford D300?

It’s a light fabric, waterproof, resistant to tearing, good softness, good pull resistance, and also has the advantages of fire resistance and abrasion resistance.

The Quebec, for instance, is the hoodie people love, the pockets at the front, the sleeves and shoulders all having this extra reinforcement.

The Erable is a very warm shirt/jacket idea for the winter but has the added benefits of waterproof Oxford 300D on the shoulders and elbows.

The Mire is a high viz quarter zip hoodie with reinforced kangaroo pockets at the front.

These are just a few of the reinforced garments LMA has to offer.

They have an extensive range of workwear to offer that will match most of your customers’ requirements. Contact the LMA Country Manager Peter Dunican on 087 9660561 or peter.dunican@lebeurre.com for more information.

Quebec.

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Mire.

Erable.

September/October 2023

Trousers that work as hard as you

Hultafors Group Ireland

Unit B5, Calmount Business Park, Ballymount Dublin 12 Tel: +353 (0)1 409 8400 | Email: Info@hultaforsgroup.ie

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Opportunity knocks When it comes to home make overs, the opportunities for our industry are endless. Homeowners tend to view projects based on two main principles – what they want and what they can afford! In the current climate, a cost-effective renovation can be a simple lick of paint or a few rolls of wallpaper. If the budget can be stretched, a change of floors, doors, furniture and appliances can be brought into the mix.

Depending on how much your customer has spent on a new floor, the commitment can either be medium or long term. A reasonably priced good quality laminate can be swapped out and possibly re-laid in a different room a few years down the line, if your customer fancies a change. An engineered or solid floor is more of a long-term change given the higher cost and potentially more permanent installation method.

A change of joinery (doors, skirting, architrave, staircase) can truly transform a room, hallway or entire home. Take the humble 4 & 6 panel Pine doors for example, there are many hanging in homes around the country which is reflective of a time when people wanted real change to traditional tastes.

While the Pine look may still suit some, many are crying out for change. Pine, Oak and even Walnut doors can be changed with multiple coats of paint if your customers are willing to put the effort in, however the style of door will remain the same.

If the budget stretches to a change of joinery, nothing beats crisp white doors and mouldings – they are easy to maintain and do not influence or dictate the rest of the room’s décor.

Seadec Doors are part of the Whiteriver Group and have been the chosen brand of interior doors for designers, architects, and homeowners for many years. The Hardware Journal spoke to their Business Manager, Declan Gorman, recently to get the inside track on current trends. Declan told us that the demand for Pine and Walnut has all but stopped while Oak has begun to flatten. Recent innovation has seen the introduction of laminate-faced doors which bring a greater flexibility to colour choice as well as the convenience of being prefinished. Declan says that while new laminate doors have begun to make a real impact, white primed doors remain the most popular and are a key part of the market.

One element of renovations that can be easily overlooked are skirtings and door architraves. While they may be considered mundane and in many people’s eyes just “part of the furniture” they play a key role in complementing the décor in any room as well as framing each door. The experts at Seadec tell us that clean simple lines are the order of the day which is reflected in current new build trends.

So, while your customers are buying their staple paint and wallpaper, be sure to encourage them to consider a change in floors, doors and moldings and show them how they can bring their renovations to the next level.

Seadec offer a bespoke range of doors and mouldings which have been specially selected for the Irish market covering modern, contemporary and traditional styles, both standard and fire rated.

You can view their full range online www.seadec.ie or contact their team in Ferbane, Co. Offaly on 0906 454544 / seadec@wrg.ie

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September/October 2023

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Canadia launch online training through Canadia Academy At Canadia they believe wood is truly the material of choice for creating plush spaces with a warm natural feel. Their collection includes many different types of wood construction, including solid wood, engineered and laminate with herringbone, chevron and other decorative patterns.

They believe floors are a focal point in the home and want to share with your customers, you their partner retailers and merchants, how they have helped customers to perfectly match the style, requirements and budget of their project.

Over the last 30+ years they have amassed a wealth of industry experience with a team in place that has over 100 years of flooring knowledge between them. Their new online training Academy aims to pass on their knowledge through courses, tutorials and videos to help you master the art of wood flooring.

wood flooring, be in a position to guide other staff in your organisation and answer basic questions raised by customers and/or staff.

Whether you have new staff or experienced staff who need a refresher the Academy is the place to go - from a basic introduction to laminate flooring through to floor sales techniques and helping the customer on their wood floor journey. This will be developed over the autumn into an intermediate course for partners who want to specialise in their knowledge or have a Canadia Centre in-store.

Contact marketing@canadia.ie to access your log in details for the Canadia Academy and start upskilling today.

Being specialists in wood flooring, they want to put their partners in a stronger market position by providing easy to digest knowledge consumed at their own pace. Their initial module will allow you to gain a good basic understanding of

EPL067 - Dark Langley Walnut.

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September/October 2023

Making a splash

Our laminate flooring with Aqua technology provides a water-resistant flooring solution and an easy-to-clean, costeffective alternative to tiles. View our full collection at canadia.ie/aqua.

EPL067 Dark Langley Walnut

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Harvest Flame rolling out nationwide from November 2023 Conor Layden, Commercial Director, Arigna Fuels says that “There have been big changes in the solid fuel industry over the last 12 months, with the new solid fuel regulations taking effect and the departure of the BNM briquette and Staffords Coal from the market. Thankfully global coal prices have retracted and begun to stabilise, and consumers should see a reduction in the price of smokeless coal for the coming heating season.”

Despite the changing landscape, Arigna Fuels have continued to invest in the solid fuel industry and have recently completed a substantial upgrade on their new renewable biomass plant, see below, to produce a 100% renewable biomass product Harvest Flame. Harvest Flame has been available in limited quantities for some time. Feedback on the product has been great and they have struggled to keep up with the demand. However after substantial investment they will now be able to supply the market in the required quantities from November 2023. Harvest Flame will be available in 10kg and 20kg bags. The 10kg bag will have a handle on it and is suitable for storing outside, it is an ideal replacement for the BNM Briquette as the product is easy to light and the bags are easy to store and transport.

Arigna are also continuing to offer their market leading smokeless coal products Cosyglo and Ecobrite alongside their range of convenience products. Cosyglo and Ecobrite are the only HETAS approved products on the Irish market and demand for both have increased since the new regulations took effect. To discuss your solid fuel needs for the coming season, please contact them on 071-9646002.

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September/October 2023

New Biomass Product Available in 20kg Bags

Product Benefits: Suitable for all appliances, Open Fires and Stoves Carbon Tax Free Made in Ireland using 100% renewable raw materials

Ashes can be used as a fertiliser on your garden Energy dense product that is very easy to light

Arigna Biofuels, Arigna, Carrick On Shannon, County Roscommon 071 9646002

info @ arignabiofuels.ie

www.arignabiofuels.ie

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Grant’s award-winning HVO biofuel compatible boiler range The Grant Vortex was one of the first condensing oil boilers on the market. This unique product was the catalyst for a sustained increase in boiler efficiencies throughout the industry and reduced running costs for property owners. The higher efficiencies from these appliances have, over the past two decades, contributed to a reduction in carbon emissions on the island of Ireland amounting to many millions of tonnes.

Grant’s dedication to innovation is now more apparent than ever given its move to ensure all new Grant Vortex condensing oil boiler models are now compatible with HVO biofuel, helping to future proof homes. Older Grant condensing boilers can also be adapted to HVO biofuel; these modifications can be carried out by a service engineer during an annual service. This may require a new biofuel burner that is matched with the specific boiler.

Ireland, with a recent announcement of a new facility having just opened in Co Cork by HVO biofuel ‘giant,’ Green Biofuels*.

Grant’s multi award-winning Vortex range has been recognised by many awards bodies over the last few years for its ‘ahead of its time’ innovation. ‘Innovative Product of the Year’ at the NI Plumbing & Heating Awards 2022, ‘Best Renewable Energy Product’ at the SEAI Energy Show 2022 and a Finalist in the sustainability category at Irish Times Innovation Awards 2021.

The Grant Vortex and Euroflame boiler ranges are available to those in the building materials and plumbing & heating trade in twenty-two models with outputs from 15 – 70kW. The Vortex range comes in a range of models including boilerhouse, outdoor, combi and utility variants.

Grant Vortex Module 26kW. Grant Vortex Combi.

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Grant’s innovative range heating technologies continue to drive the heating industry forward towards achieving a zero-carbon future.

The use of 100% HVO biofuel for home heating can result in around 88% reduction in carbon emissions and using this or a percentage blend of HVO with kerosene, will enable rural and hard to heat Irish properties to transition to a renewable green alternative from 100% kerosene at an affordable cost and minimum disruption to their home lives.

Visit www.grant.ie for more information on Grant’s range of innovative heating solutions. Follow Grant on Facebook and Twitter @GrantIRL or Instagram @Grant_IRL.

Think Heating. Think Grant.

While HVO is a relatively new fuel to Ireland, we are now beginning to see more HVO suppliers come to the island of

*https://biofuels-news.com/news/green-biofuels-officially-opens-new-facilityin-ireland/

September/October 2023

Irelands Carbon Neutral Briquette

Blend of 100% Renewable Irish Grown Willow and Biomass.

Can be used in open fires, stoves and outdoor chimeneas.

No Chemical Additives.

Low Moisture Content (less than 10%).

High heat output with a long clean burn.

AUTHORISED DISTRIBUTOR

For Enquiries: Email info@staffordfuels.ie | Phone 0404 67027

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Contact us +353 (0) 1 545 7100 info.ie@kerridgecs.com www.kerridgecs.ie

Fasteners + Fixings

For more information contact

Jim Copeland

087 6671361 Your business. Your way.

jim@hardwareassociation.ie

To advertise to key decision makers in the industry, contact Jim Copeland at 01-298 0969 or email jim@hardwareassociation.ie Classified advertisements (text plus logo) can be emailed to: jim@hardwareassociation.ie and are to be prepaid, at least two weeks prior to publication.

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To advertise to key decision makers in the industry, contact Jim Copeland at 01-298 0969 or email jim@hardwareassociation.ie Classified advertisements (text plus logo) can be emailed to: jim@hardwareassociation.ie and are to be prepaid, at least two weeks prior to publication.

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To advertise to key decision makers in the industry, contact Jim Copeland at 01-298 0969 or email jim@hardwareassociation.ie Classified advertisements (text plus logo) can be emailed to: jim@hardwareassociation.ie and are to be prepaid, at least two weeks prior to publication.

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INTRODUCING THE NEW BASTA SIGNATURE RANGE A new and exciting development in the Basta family, this premium offering will satisfy the most discerning purchaser with its sophisticated and elegant look that will add a touch of class and luxury to any room it adorns.

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