The Hardware Journal March/April 2021

March/April 2021

The Official Magazine of Hardware Association Ireland

Being Local in the USA www.thehardwarejournal.ie

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March/April 2021

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The official figures for 2020 are in and they show that the market grew by 6% in value. This is a remarkable achievement. It is especially remarkable with all that 2020 threw at the sector. We had to contend with lockdowns, supply shortages, a vastly changed working and trading environment and Brexit. Individually any of these challenges would have been enough but when you throw in an unresponsive new build sector and a decline of 20% in existing home sales a growth of 6% shows just how dynamic and resilient this sector is. And, anecdotally, many members in the lighter side of the sector had growth levels that were a multiple of this.

Many would have been happy enough to see that last January and very few in April last year would have predicted that level of resilience. In our final edition of THJ last year we said that “the ladder would be mightier than the crane”. And now the numbers are confirming this. In the last quarter of 2020 planning applications for project starts for new homes are down by 1%, while those for home improvements rose by an astounding 45%. So, the lack of available homes, both new and existing, is leading consumers to extend and renovate. In conversation with a leading home improvement business recently before downing tools in January they had 14 weeks of projects on their books, and the flood of enquiries over the last couple of months is unprecedented.

The main constraint is likely to be a shortage of skilled trade professionals.

What will not be a constraint is cash. At this point consumers have a savings mountain and financial institutions, flush with deposits, are very willing to lend. We know that consumers are sitting on a level of precautionary savings greater than the SSIAs. By the end of 2020 our savings rate was 35%(UK 27% and USA 14%). We now have ¤25 billion more on deposit than we owe to the banks - that is considerable spending power. All of the financial institutions want to turn these deposits into loans and most have a specific offer for home improvements. It may be timely to open conversations with your local Credit Union Manager to see if there may

be opportunities of mutual interest.

With the withdrawal of physical banks from many areas this may be more important as will the services of our Corporate Partners Brinks Cash Services.

It is likely that any home renovation project at this point will have a retrofitting element and with it the opportunity to cross sell and upsell. It is very possible that energy retrofitting will grow and gain momentum not as stand-alone projects but as part of an anticipated spike in home improvements/extensions. HAI has a number of webinars on retrofitting products underway, and we will have a conference on the topic - Rebuilding our Future – Retrofitting - on May 6th with a number of experts in the field, the keynote address by William Walsh CEO of SEAI. Solid Fuel Regulations are again on the agenda and submissions need to be in by 2nd April. It is a complex and confronting issue. HAI will lobby on behalf of the sector and seek member involvement for the submission and subsequent legislation.

As the new build sector trundles along at donkey speed, in this issue we include a report on David McWilliams solution to the housing crisis.

From stateside we have an interview with Gina Schaefer on growing a local hardware from 1 to 13 stores. And Steve Collinge gives us insights on what is triggering demand in GB. Finally, HAI are delighted to welcome Mark Sharkey of Templecrone Co-op to the board. Mark has an impressive career in business and HAI look forward to working with him.

Martin Markey Chief Executive Officer - HAI

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contents Front cover: Being Local in the USA

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

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Published by: Hardware Association Ireland Editor: Jim Copeland, editor@hardwareassociation.ie Editorial/Feature Contributor: Aoife Kinsella, Aoife@hardwareassociation.ie Advertising Manager: Jim Copeland, jim@hardwareassociation.ie Design and Production: Stephen Broad, ConceptRoom, stephen@conceptroom.co.uk Printers: GPS Colour Graphics Ltd, Belfast.

Distribution: MMS Mailing Services, Dublin.

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

© 2021 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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news 6

Hultafors Group completes the acquisition of Fristads, Kansas and Leijona.

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Kilsaran rebrand Dry Products Division to KPRO.

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United Hardware appoint a new Non-Executive Chairman.

12 Three in four unhappy with their current work from home set-up.

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Guaranteedirishhouse.ie offer a free resource to aid construction sector.

15 Massive opportunity for construction business says top economist, David McWilliams.

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Brinks Cash Services Ireland launch a brand-new solution for retailers.

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Wellness in the workplace.

20 Aircrete Walls as a cost-effective, sustainable solution to energy efficient building.

22 Pandemic Prompts “Mass Mobilisation of Digital”.

23 Tec7 launch their new Waterproofing and Protection range.

26 Canadia launch new laminate collection.

March/April 2021

28 profiles 28 Store Profile: ACE HARDWARE

The Hardware Journal catches up with Gina Shaeffer from US hardware retail group ACE HARDWARE for her insights and how her enthusiasm and “why not?” attitude has helped her and her team excel.

business support 40 DECLARON Michael Nolan from Declaron advises readers on how they can save time and money by creating and self-managing their own customs declarations online.

41 KERRIDGE Noel Burke from Kerridge Commercial Systems demonstrates how picking the right Enterprise Resource Planning solution can help future-proof a builders merchanting business.

regulars 3

42 brexit updates From Revenue and NSAI.

A Message from the CEO Martin Markey introduces the latest issue of The Hardware Journal.

24 CORPORATE PARTNERS A look at HAI’s corporate

partners and the services they offer.

training 38 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT A look at HAI’s upcoming Ecological and Sustainable Product webinar series.

features 34 STEVE COLLINGE Steve Collinge from Insight Retail Group offers a thought-provoking look at how recent events have brought about the golden age of home improvement.

36 THE HARDWARE SHOW 2021 With 85% of exhibitor

space sold The Hardware Show 2021 is set to be another sold out event.

market intelligence 18

BUSINESS INDEX Despite the extraordinary public health circumstances the sector has reported a 6% rise for the full year of 2020.

March/April 2021

COMMERCIAL FEATURES 44 bathrooms and showers

The latest trends in Bathrooms and Showers, and how suppliers and manufacturers are innovating to meet consumers needs for a space for wellbeing, relaxation, and recovery.

55 Adhesives and sealants

A look at some of the innovative, high-performance products on offer in the market which is expected to grow to nearly ¤20.4b in 2024.

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News & Products

Dulux Weathershield Colours that Last We all know how unpredictable Irish weather can be, that’s why Dulux Weathershield has been designed in Ireland specially with Irish homes in mind. Dulux Weathershield has been the most trusted choice for exterior paints for many years. Not only does Weathershield have great product qualities - superior dirt and mould resistance, colour retention and fast shower resistance, it also has a beautiful selection of exterior colours chosen specifically by expert colour consultants with the Irish landscape in mind.

For 2021, Dulux will continue to showcase beautiful Irish homes across the country in their new Weathershield colour card. This year Dulux have made some big and exciting changes to their colour card. with lots of beautiful new photography, a new bigger A4 size and the biggest change of all is how they’re displaying their colour chips in the form of colour trios.

All have been carefully curated by their expert colour consultant Cora Collins, which means your customers will find choosing their perfect colour scheme easier than ever before. Keep an eye out for the launch of the 2021 Weathershield colour card from early March 2021.

Hultafors Group completes the acquisition . . of Fristads, Kansas and Leijona Hultafors Group has recently announced that the acquisition of Fristads, Kansas and Leijona is complete. The transaction has been approved by the competition authorities and all other conditions to completion have been fulfilled.

Fristads, Kansas and Leijona are well-known brands in professional workwear for a variety of end-users and have considerable footholds in their respective key markets. As of March 1st, 2021, the brands are part of Hultafors Group’s market leading portfolio in the Personal Protection Equipment segment.

“We are very pleased to welcome Fristads, Kansas and Leijona to Hultafors Group. The combined companies now represent the strongest Personal Protection Equipment offering in Europe and North America. Together, we have access to leading workwear industry expertise and will continue to drive the development of our industry with a focus on customer value, product innovation and sustainability”, says David Macken, Managing Director, Hultafors Group Ireland.

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Fristads, Kansas and Leijona will operate as a separate standalone unit with their own sales force under the leadership of Anders Hülse, currently CEO of Fristads, within the Business Unit Workwear at Hultafors Group. The intention is to further develop the brands with innovation and sustainability as guiding stars.

“Fristads, Kansas and Leijona are on a positive journey where we have made significant investments in product assortment, marketing, IT, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and logistics/ warehouse management, says Anders Hülse, CEO of Fristads.

The acquisition of Fristads, Kansas and Leijona is part of Hultafors Group’s strategy to grow and develop leading brands in the Personal Protection Equipment segment in Europe and North America. Following a number of successful acquisitions, the brand portfolio today consists of several well-known brands such as Snickers Workwear, EMMA Safety Footwear and Hellberg Safety that make the workday safer, easier, and more productive for professional users.

March/April 2021

MEDITE makes it real

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From windows and doors to tables and chairs. To kitchen cupboards, skirting and bespoke-crafted stairs. For dolls houses and toys, putting smiles on little ones’ faces. And planters and baskets in our beloved green spaces. The clocks, the picture frames that adorn living room walls. The desks for home working and learning in schools.

Engineered wood panels for imaginative builds, whether practical or playful, MEDITE® makes it real.

Join the MEDITE MDF community online to receive the latest updates and to be entered into a competition – sign up to receive a free gift.

Visit meditemakesitreal.com for more information.

Dreamers welcome!

News & Products

Kilsaran rebrand Dry Products division to KPRO Kilsaran have announced the rebrand of their Dry Products division to KPRO. The rebrand comes at a time when the company is ramping up production at its plant in Brownstown Co. Kildare with the addition of a second dry mortar production facility with cutting edge manufacturing technology. The new KPRO brand will feature extensively across the range of dry mortar bag and silo products produced by Kilsaran.

KPRO is the overarching brand that sits across Kilsaran`s seven families of dry mortar products which include Masonry, Facade, Street, Floor, Crete, Grout and Repair, each with their own distinctive colour way. Along with the new branding and packaging there will also be some new additions to the Dry Mortar product suite, providing the industry with a vast range of product solutions from a name they can trust.

The second dry mortar plant will significantly increase production capacity with the addition of several new production lines. The plant utilises the most innovative mixing technologies

in the dry mortar industry. Commissioning of this new plant will more than double Kilsaran’s dry mortar production capabilities.

‘Rebranding our Dry Products division to KPRO is an exciting venture for us, the addition of a second dry mortar plant boosts our overall production capacity and demonstrates our commitment to providing quality dry mortar bag and silo products. Our suite of dry products together with technical support and specialist expertise in the industry has driven demand that we are now in a position to fulfil effectively and efficiently.’ Padraic Hogan, Director Kilsaran.

Proud to be a member of the Guaranteed Irish family of brands, the Kilsaran Group currently employs more than 500 people at numerous locations around the country. The addition of the new plant in Kildare secures an additional 25 jobs in the new manufacturing facility.

For more information please visit: www.kilsaran.ie/products/ kpro-facades-mortars/

The benefits of MEDITE MDF MEDITE SMARTPLY has worked to develop its leading MEDITE MDF range to allow architects and designers to make spaces that meet both design and health goals. The result is an innovative, versatile and sustainable product range that offers solutions to an extremely wide range of applications, ten different families of MDF products and many variants, and over 400 possible specifications.

The extensive MEDITE MDF range boasts outstanding machinability, strength and uniformity, allowing fabricators to create bespoke structures to cater specifically to their clients’ needs. A host of creations can be found on MEDITE SMARTPLY’s recently launched members-only community of MDF enthusiasts, giving people a chance to share their work, gain inspiration, make contacts and win industry leading prizes from power tool brand Milwaukee!

The MEDITE MDF range is also consciously developed to allow designers to be attentive to the vitality of the indoor spaces they contribute to offering cleaner and safer indoor spaces for occupants.

Formaldehyde is a substance that occurs naturally in all organic materials, including wood, in very small amounts that may be off-gassed or emitted over time. Most of the MEDITE range is independently tested and shown to exceed the stringent CARB2 standard for formaldehyde content and off-gassing levels. In the cases where they are not, they have been manufactured with guaranteed no added formaldehyde and also exceed the E1 European Standard level.

One such product is MEDITE CLEAR. Specially designed for sensitive interior applications such as hospitals, schools and care homes, it has been proven to have a formaldehyde content of less than 1.0mg/100g even less than the general outdoor ambient level.

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This made it an ideal choice for the refurbishment of Tipperary Museum of Hidden History. It was specified to manufacture components such as display cases and plinths within its interior fit out to protect the museum’s precious artefacts.

MEDITE makes it real. Find out more and join their new and exclusive MEDITE MDF community for inspiration on your customers next project.

Register here: meditemakesitreal.com

March/April 2021

News & Products

New Managing Director at Sanbra Fyffe Sanbra Fyffe has appointed Alan Hogan to the role of Managing Director.

Alan will oversee the company’s operations & provide strategic guidance to ensure that they continue to achieve their missions and objectives.

Alan is no stranger to the plumbing & heating industry, his career first kicked off 27 years ago with Hevac working in sales, and most recently as Managing Director with Heat Merchants Group. Announcing the appointment, Martin Murphy, Director of Sanbra Fyffe, said “We are delighted to welcome Alan to the Sanbra Group and in particular to Sanbra Fyffe. He brings a wealth of industry experience & knowledge and we look forward to working with him.”

Home to the iconic Instantor® brand, Sanbra is a manufacturer and one of Ireland’s largest wholesale distributors of superior plumbing products and heating supplies to the builders merchants trade. Established in 1934, Sanbra Fyffe has over 85 years’ experience in the industry and is renowned for a quality product and service.

Commenting on his appointment, Alan says “I am honoured and excited to join the dedicated and passionate team at Sanbra Fyffe. I am very fortunate to become the Managing Director of such a respected business that prides itself on a long history of “Quality Without Compromise” and excellent customer service. I look forward to leading Sanbra Fyffe in its next chapter of success and growth.”

United Hardware Announces Appointment of Eoin McGettigan as new Non-Executive Chairman United Hardware Limited (UHL), has announced the appointment of Eoin McGettigan as its new Non-Executive Chairman. UHL has a network of over 150 DIY, homeware, garden, and builders’ merchant stores with combined annual retail sales in excess of ¤450 million and 2,000 employees.

Eoin will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of an ambitious new business strategy aimed at growing the Group’s nationwide footprint, strengthening its market positioning, and improving operational efficiencies.

Eoin is currently the CEO of Cork Port and has over 30 years’ retail experience, having previously held Executive Director roles with some of Ireland’s leading companies including Musgrave, Dunnes Stores, and Lifestyle Sports, he was also previously CEO of The Coop group in the UK. Commenting on the announcement, Paul Candon, CEO, United Hardware, said, “We are delighted to have appointed a Chairman of Eoin’s calibre and experience to United Hardware and I look forward to working closely with him to grow the business. Through his deep insight and expertise, we know Eoin will make a hugely valuable contribution to the Board and the business as we continue our journey of positioning Homevalue as one of Ireland’s leading indigenous retail brands and our Group as one of Ireland’s best hardware buying groups.”

Speaking about his appointment, Eoin McGettigan said:

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“I’m delighted to be appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of the United Hardware Board and I am very excited about supporting the business and its members in realising their shared ambitions for the future. While United Hardware and its members face various complex challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and other market issues, the business is well positioned to capitalise on the opportunities that are emerging, and we are positive about the outlook for our members.”

March/April 2021

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P U O R G S R O THINK HULTAF

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HULTAFORS GROUP IRELAND Unit B5, Calmount Business Park, Dublin 12 • Tel: +353 (0)1 409 8400 Email: info@hultaforsgroup.ie • www.hultaforsgroup.ie

News & Products

THree in four unhappy with their current work from home set-up Over three quarters (77%) of those working from home are unhappy with their ‘home office’ set-up and only one in five currently have a dedicated work space at home according to new research by Chadwicks. The survey of 928 people found that while working from home may pose challenges, one in four enjoy working from home while half would like to see a mix of office and remote working in the future.

Room to improve According to the Chadwicks survey, most households do not have a dedicated office space leaving workers to get creative with commandeering other spaces in the home. A quarter say they have taken over a spare room, 17% have relocated to the kitchen, 11% are working from their bedroom while 2% have taken over the garden shed!

Although many of those polled have been working from home for almost a year, over half (56%) say they still don’t have the right office equipment. 72% admit to using common household items to help with their office set up including using their kitchen table as a desk (49%), using a dining room chair instead

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of a work chair (53%) and over a third (34%) using books to prop up their computer. Six people polled even admit to using an ironing board as a desk!

Renovation, renovation With working from home now the ‘new normal’, it’s perhaps no surprise that almost two thirds (65%) intend to create a dedicated home office in 2021.

To help the nation create a home office, Chadwicks Group has teamed up with builder and star of RTE Home Rescue, Pete Finn to provide some top tips on what to consider when creating a home office. Whether it’s a full home office renovation, or simply sprucing up a work from home area.

Pete’s top tips: Location Location.

Think about the space in your home that you want to convert and how much renovation is required. For example, the conversion of an attic space or a garage might seem like a bigger project than converting a spare bedroom but would this be a better long-term solution? Ask yourself how many of you will be working from home? Will an attic or garage conversion allow for two people to work from home comfortably?

No room? No problem!

While having a dedicated office space within the home is the ideal situation, it’s not always realistic. If you’re short on space, think about repurposing a corner in your living room as your work from home area with some shelving and a slimline desk which can be made to fit any space using MDF or OSB products.

Get colourful!

Colour is a great mood enhancer. Nothing transforms a home office quicker than a lick of paint. For a calm and relaxing environment pastels are an ideal choice. Light greens and blue will bring a zen-like vibe to your home working. For those looking to enhance their creativity, go bold and make a statement. Why not try a pop of colour by painting one wall in a vibrant hue.

Key findings • 77% are unhappy with their work from home set-up • Only one in five have a dedicated home office space • 17% say they are working from their kitchen • One in four enjoy working from home but 50% would like a combination of at-home and office working • Over half say they don’t have the right office equipment • 72% have used household items to help with their

office set-up • 65% will consider creating a home office in 2021

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News & Products

GuaranteedIrishHouse.ie offer a free resource to aid Construction Sector Guaranteed Irish recently held its first Construction Forum of 2021 virtually. The forum entitled, GuaranteedIrishHouse.ie, #AllTogetherBetter, was for Architects, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Developers, Interior Designers, and the Construction Industry. The panel discussion was hosted by CEO of Guaranteed Irish, Brid O’Connell who was joined by an expert line-up of industry leading speakers including Paddy Kelly, Managing Director of Etex Ireland and Chairman of Guaranteed Irish, Alan Donohoe, Head of Sales Kilsaran International and Fergal Murphy, Manager at Kingspan Insulation Ireland. The panel discussed the benefits of participating in the Guaranteed Irish House initiative, the onestop-shop for Construction, Retrofitting and Interior Design goods, products, and services produced in Ireland.

The new initiative by Guaranteed Irish offers architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and interior designers a listing

of locally produced building materials and home furnishings for both private and commercial builds with the aim of supporting Irish enterprises, sustaining jobs and reducing the Irish constructions’ sector carbon footprint. The online listing www. guaranteedirishhouse.ie includes all the elements of the supply chain required for a building, from raw materials to final furnishings, that can be sourced locally.

This initiative is supported by Guaranteed Irish construction members, the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI), Engineers Ireland, Construction Industry Federation (CIF) & more. The listing is open to all Guaranteed Irish members that manufacturer and supply products and services that are used in the build, retrofit and design of private and commercial projects in Ireland, at no additional expense to the member.

The webinar was recorded and is available at www.guaranteedirish.ie

POSITION: TECHNICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVES Pipelife Ireland, part of Pipelife International, one of Europe’s leading manufacturer’s of plastic pipe systems is looking for three Technical Sales Representatives to join its existing team in the following areas: North Dublin | Limerick/Galway | North West Pipelife Ireland is the manufacturer of “QUAL-PEX PLUS+”, Irelands leading Plumbing & Heating pipe. Along with QUAL-PEX PLUS+, Pipelife Ireland’s product portfolio also includes, pipe, fittings, underfloor Heating, heat pumps and other associated Plumbing & Heating products.

The role’s entail presenting Pipelife Irelands product range to Plumbers, Merchants, Specifiers, Architects and Consultants, as well as supporting the commercial sales team in a technical capacity.

The candidate will preferably have sales experience in the area of plastic pipe & heating systems for plumbing & heating applications, and must have experience of sales into the construction sector.

An in-depth knowledge of plumbing & heating technologies, standards and work practices is essential.

Excellent communication skills and ability to engage with customers at all levels is essential as sales calls will vary from building site calls to merchants, consulting engineers and specifiers. The candidate must demonstrate an outgoing personality, be self-motivating and be eager to learn.

TO COME

The position is very much target driven with generous basic salary.

A company car, laptop, iPAD, mobile phone and generous pension plan is provided.

Candidate must have: • Full clean drivers Licence • Sales Experience in the construction/Heating & Plumbing industry • Excel Computer Skills • Admirable interpersonal skills • Team player • Optimistic to learn new skills • Natural desire to succeed • Portray a professional image at all times • Strong work ethic Position: Full Time

Salary: DOE plus target driven bonus plus pension Company Vehicle, laptop, iPAD and mobile phone provided.

Please send your C.V to the following Address: Michael Geary, Technical Sales Manager, Pipelife Ireland, Whites Cross, Cork.

Email: michael.geary@pipelife.com

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March/April 2021

News & Products

Massive opportunity for construction business up to 2050 says economist The construction industry in Ireland has a massive opportunity Still on politics he is clearly not a fan of the new Affordable to grow over the next two to three decades as the country Housing Bill, dismissing it with some colourful language. needs 55,000 new homes a year, predicts economist David Housing he said has been a strong feature in virtually every McWilliams. election in Ireland and he believes that the increase in the Sinn He also predicted a very strong recovery at the back-end of this Fein vote in the last election, which he says Fine Gael should year and a period of ‘mad consumption.’ This he said is due to have run-away with, was because they were perceived to be the fact that while income has fallen, savings haven’t. more concerned about housing.

If he is right, the knock-on effect for builders merchants and On his key assumption that the demand for new houses will the hardware trade could be huge. be around 55,000 annually, David said that there are some David McWilliams was speaking at a webinar on 23rd February specific reasons for taking that view. organised by Octabuild.

One is the natural movement within the population, “counting Introducing David the incoming chair of Octabuild, Ray babies and funerals”, as he described it. On that metric we Molyneaux of Irish Cement welcomed the 100+ guests from will need about 18,000 new housing units every year. Then we the industry to the webinar on behalf of his colleagues from have the issue of immigration which could add another 10,000. the other Octabuild companies, Dulux Paints, Etex, Glennon In 2020 we had 29,000 migrants come into Ireland. Add to Brothers, Gyproc, Instantor, Kingspan and Wavin. those the need to catch up on pent-up demand with young Ray said that David McWilliams is considered one of the top people living with parents, divorces and obsolescence. We 10 most influential economists globally. But what makes only built 38% of the number of homes needed between 2011 him different to many other economists is that he presents and 2021. economic issues within a social context and in a way that With Ireland predicted to have a population in the region of just makes economics easily understood. over six million in 2050, David said that it is essential that we “David is also not afraid to put forward new ways of solving avoid a boom and bust situation in the construction industry. political and social issues,” said Ray. “Delivery is crucial no matter who builds, private or state. But And so it proved as David laid out his case for predicting why they must be decent houses at affordable prices and built in he believes that we need 55,000 new houses annually in the the right places at the right time.” coming years. He had strong words about the relationship His overall message was one of confidence and optimism. He between land owners and the construction industry: “We believes that the trauma of dealing with the pandemic throughhave been suckered into the idea that landowners and the out last year and this year will lead to a period of innovation construction industry are on the same side. Land is a cost and similar to a century ago when the Spanish Flu pandemic was should be considered as such to builders just like suppliers or followed by an innovative period in the ‘Roaring 20s’. the banks.”

The owners of land are not on the side of the construction industry but both took the flak, with the banks, for the bust a Breakfast Briefing Webinar decade ago, he said.

He had good news for rural Ireland, which he believes will benefit from remote working, and What’s next for sees an increase in demand for the building industry? office space in small towns.

During a Q&A David was asked if he believed that the Land Development Agency could With David McWilliams deliver. He said that it can deliver Economist, Author and Broadcaster affordable housing but suggested that the state land be given away free to avoid the ‘nod and a wink’ culture that land speculation fosters.

March/April 2021

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News & Products

Brinks Cash Services Ireland launch a brand-new solution for retailers Brink’s Cash Services Ireland, the largest Cash In Transit, CIT provider in Ireland currently services over 3,000 customers throughout the country. Traditionally known for servicing financial institutions, retailers and the hospitality sector, Brink’s also provide the latest in cash handling technology to its wide customer base.

Summer 2021 will see Brink’s launch a brand new range of low cost smart devices that are sure to revolutionise retail banking.

The ‘Brink’s Complete’ smart safe range is aimed towards the small and medium sized business. It is an All in One solution that combines the best in hardware, software and services and is engineered to make accepting cash easier and less expensive and all from one single provider.

How does it work?

Retailers can deposit cash throughout the day inside a small smart safe and Brink’s will credit your bank account the next working day.

Having access to your cash before it has even been picked up will enable retailers to utilise their money for the day to day running costs of their business.

In an era where there is so much uncertainty in the banking sector, this solution will completely eliminate the need for staff to make time consuming and often risky trips to the bank to lodge deposits or collect coin or note floats. Brink’s Complete eliminates in-branch deposits fees and reduces banking costs by having Brink’s electronically credit your bank account instead.

All cash deposited to the device is fully insured and underwritten

by Brink’s both during the day and overnight. All transactions, both lodgements and float orders can be managed via one online portal, Brink’s 24Seven, can be accessed via a smartphone app, tablet, or PC. All transactions can be tracked in real time and custom reports can be created to suit each individual business. This low cost option is designed specifically to improve retail operations.

The Brink’s complete range of tech enabled devices will reduce time spent cash handling while offering an unprecedented degree of visibility into your cash position.

Register your interest and avail of HAI discounted rates by contacting Jim Copeland 087 6671361 or via email at jim@hardwareassociation.ie

40 Years of Service and Counting Tucks Fasteners & Fixings are celebrating a notable achievement. Tony Delaney is celebrating 40 years of service with the company. Tony started with the company in 1981 and has worked in various parts of the business including the warehouse, the purchasing department and in recent times has been part of the sales office team for the last 12 years.

The company say that Tony is a great team player who is always willing to learn and help his colleagues. He is one of the most experienced specialists with a fountain of knowledge in relation to all fasteners and fixings in the Irish market.

Tony joins his colleague Des Moran in reaching this milestone with the company. Des also celebrated 40 years of service in June 2019. He also has a wealth of experience dealing with technical and safety critical fasteners - Possibly the best in the country!

Tucks Fasteners & Fixings are proud of more staff members who have accumulated an impressive number of years` service including Fran Byrne 37 years of service, James Farrell 36 years, Paul Macken 37 years and Ken Branigan 33 years.

All together Tucks Fasteners & Fixings sales office team alone has over 165 years of combined experience in the fasteners & fixings business and is proud to be one of Ireland’s leading independent wholesale distributors of fasteners and fixings.

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March/April 2021

News & Products

Wellness in the Workplace!

When Brian Crooke, www.workwellireland.ie, first started his podcast about a year ago, the idea was to focus on wellbeing in the workplace. Little did he know that the workplace, or at least how we view the workplace, would change so much in just a short period of time. Brian previously provided his insights and advice on the topic in the January/February and March/April issues of The Hardware Journal last year.

The focus of Brian`s podcast, The Work Well Podcast, is still very much on wellbeing and work. Some of the key themes that will be explored throughout the 12 episodes of Season 3 are “the future of work”, “work life blend” and how we support our colleagues and ourselves as we work from home, a hub or HQ. Separately the Healthy Ireland Framework 2013-2025 supports Government’s response to Ireland’s changing health and wellbeing profile.

Healthy Ireland is a collective response to the risks that threaten Ireland’s future health and wellbeing. This new Framework calls for action to improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Ireland over the coming generation.

The Framework draws on existing policies but also proposes new arrangements to ensure effective cooperation and collaboration to implement evidence-based policies at Government, sectoral, community and local levels. It is about each individual sector helping to improve health and wellbeing for all. More information about Healthy Ireland is available at Healthy Ireland - www.hse.ie.

HAI have partnered with the Department of Health to launch a 30 minute Workplace Emotional Wellness Webinar for Employers and Employees. Further information is available from aoife@hardwareassociation.ie.

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March/April 2021

dachser.ie

08.01.2021 07:07:57

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Market Intelligence

Business Index Q4 2020 results

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Year on year comparisons for the quarter are very positive with the sector recording an increase of 20% for Q4.

Despite the extraordinary public health circumstances the sector has reported a 6% rise for the full year of 2020.

Notwithstanding the exceptional times, Q4 exhibits its usual month on month pattern with a sharp retraction in December and a moving average of 94%.

Beyond the understandable volatility of Q2, the monthly moving average throughout 2020 showed a more typical annual pattern.

March/April 2021

Market Intelligence

Business Index Annual Review 2020 v 2019 v 2018 Month on Month Comparisons*- Seasonality(2020 in green,2019 in blue, 2018 in red) 240

195

150

105

60

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

*Preceding month always equals 100%

Business Location

Branches Profiled

192 Member Branches includes in Index

Number of Employees What our members say Eoin Lynch, Owner at D Lynch and Sons Ltd “We find the HAI Business Index a valuable resource in enabling us to benchmark our performance against similar sized stores both within our region and nationally. As a small rural store, it is important to know how we are performing relative to the market and the results of the Index help us set, track and potentially 25% change our KPI’s accordingly”.

Mark Lohan, Managing Director, Brooks Timber and Building Supplies “The Business Index gives us key quantitative data to drive our decisions. It removes hearsay and gives us a reality check of what is happening at a national and at a regional level”.

March/April 2021

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News & Products

Aircrete Walls as a Cost-Effective, Sustainable Solution to Energy Efficient Building The drive to create more energy efficient buildings with lower carbon emissions is gaining momentum as architects, builders, contractors, developers, and selfbuilders all seek the simplest and most cost-effective way to achieve this goal.

A fabric first approach, insulating floors, walls and roofs to a very high standard, is seen by most as key. This however can exaggerate heat loss through thermal bridging at the thermally weak junctions between these elements, which may account for up to 35% of total heat loss in some cases.

Mannok Aircrete blocks (formerly Quinn Lite blocks) are widely regarded as one of the best solutions to tackle heat loss through thermal bridging as they can reduce heat loss by up to 80% compared to dense concrete blocks. Aircrete blocks are commonplace on building sites across the country, most often used in the floor to wall junction to ensure continuity of insulation at this location. This addresses one junction, but it is necessary to apply the same solution to all junctions to effectively combat thermal bridging.

The much more straightforward solution is to simply build the entire inner leaf of the cavity wall with Aircrete blocks. This simple switch addresses thermal bridges at all junctions by default, almost eliminating heat loss through these junctions.

The thermally efficient inner leaf will also reduce heat loss through the wall itself, which can account for up to 35% of the elemental heat loss from the building. In addition, it makes life much easier for the builder, there’s no mixing different types of blocks, no switching from one to another at different locations,

which will reduce the risk of errors or omissions.

In addition to a more comfortable, energy efficient home with reduced heating bills, the homeowner can look forward to a faster heating response which suits modern day living. Thanks to their insulating properties, Aircrete blocks absorb heat from the room at a slower rate than denser materials. This means that when the heating is switched on, the home will reach the desired temperature quicker than if the walls were built with heavier concrete blocks.

The cost difference of upgrading to Aircrete cavity walls will vary by property but is generally a very small percentage of the overall build. This is then offset quickly by the resulting energy savings and added performance benefits. In many cases the net result can be cost neutral. The support of the Mannok Technical team advising on specification and providing relevant calculations, will make it an appealing option for self-builders and developers alike.

Self-builders can also avail of product bundles and discounts thanks to the new Self Build with Mannok packages when using Aircrete blocks in wall construction. The new packages offering is being rolled out across Ireland and Northern Ireland and Mannok are keen to work together with Merchants to promote the benefits of Aircrete as a more sustainable building solution for the self-build market. For further details, Merchants can speak directly to their local Mannok Sales Manager or contact selfbuild@mannokbuild.com

Working Locally to promote Home Improvements Are you as a Builders Merchant or Hardware Store working with your local Credit Union to promote local Home Improvements? If not, why not?

As a local business supplying expertise, information and the ideal products for Home Improvement, Hardware Association Ireland strongly encourages you to engage today with your Local Credit Union to see how you can assist them in their promotion.

Credit Unions are asking their customers, “Are you dreaming of making your nest bigger, brighter or warmer? Well, the answer might be just around the corner! Talk to your local credit union today about our range of home improvement loans. Because for all of your dreams that are big, small, or strange, we’ve got you covered with our monster loan range”.

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Credit Unions make commercial decisions locally so make an appointment today with your local office and offer your services to complement those offered by your local Credit Union.

Your local Credit Union is promoting and offering their customers and yours Home Improvement Loans. www. creditunion.ie/what-we-offer/loans/home-improvement/ They are also offering home improvement loans for those specifically making improvements to increase the energy efficiency of their home with their Green Home improvement loans. www.creditunion.ie/what-we-offer/loans/homeimprovement-green/ March/April 2021

News & Products

Look West for opportunities aplenty!

When you think of places in Ireland bursting with job opportunities, you’d be forgiven for overlooking Westport in County Mayo. The small seaside town is renowned for many other things but perhaps flies under the radar for opportunity in employment in world class companies.

That’s why it was exciting to learn that local company, Portwest, has over 40 new positions on offer. Portwest was established in Westport in 1904 and has grown to become one of the world’s leading workwear and PPE suppliers. It now employs over 4,000 people worldwide and is still headquartered in Westport. Rachel Davoren, MD says, ‘Westport has everything. The beautiful scenery, the historical monuments, the bustling nightlife which will no doubt return as Covid-19 restrictions ease and the quiet, peaceful living that country life offers. I have travelled to many places in my time but there is honestly nowhere else we would choose to operate from.”

On that, Rachel is right. It is a town that has everything. It has won Ireland’s Tidiest Town on numerous occasions and was also awarded the prestigious ‘Best Place to Live in Ireland’ by the Irish Times.

Its pretty streets are lined with award winning restaurants and cafés, many now offering take away solutions in the face of Covid-19 restrictions. Locals have substituted their regular Sunday brunch outings with walks on one of the many blue flag beaches nearby or by exploring the grounds of the historical Westport House, a haven for families with young children especially.

In the town that has everything is the company that offers everything. Portwest has won the ‘Best Place to Work’ award for three years running. Great benefits combined with a friendly and dynamic work environment has ensured that those seeking to leave the confines of the city have found a rewarding place for them to retreat to.

The roles on offer vary across Sales and Marketing, Talent Acquisition, Accounts, Product Management and many more disciplines, those interested can contact careers@portwest.com for more information.

NO

BREXIT TARIFFS March/April 2021

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News & Products

Pandemic prompts “mass mobilisation of digital” The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted a mass mobilisation of digital across the Irish economy and society as businesses, services, and community groups registered the highest ever number of .ie domains according to the new 2020 .IE Domain Profile Report.

65,113 new .ie domains were registered in 2020, the highest ever figure and an almost 30% increase on 2019, according to the latest edition of the report, which explores and analyses the .ie database.

The peak occurred in May, when 7,003 new .ie domains were registered, the highest number ever registered in a single month. This peak began to drop off from June, as restrictions eased, but moved up sharply in October, peaking again in November.

David Curtin, Chief Executive of .IE, Ireland’s national registry for .ie domains, says that the increase demonstrates a “mass

mobilisation of digital in every part of the economy and society” in response to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Businesses migrated online, many for the first time, in direct response to the lockdowns,” he said. “They realised that having an online presence, and in many cases e-commerce capabilities, would at the very least minimise the damage of reduced or non-existent footfall.”

The .IE Domain Profile Report indicates that entrepreneurs and new businesses are taking a ‘digital-first’ approach and ensuring that they secure their preferred online identity with a .ie domain name, before they register their company as a legal entity.

As of end 2020, the total number of .ie domains in the database was 309,853. The .ie domain now accounts for 51% of all domains hosted in Ireland, followed by .com (32%) and .uk (8%).

Carl Kammerling Fusion 21 Trade Promotion Carl Kammerling International, CKI, is launching its exciting new Fusion 21 trade promotion running from 1st February to 28th May 2021. Offering retailers fantastic savings on more than 150 products from all CKI brands including: C.K, C.K Magma, C.K Classic, Avit and Kasp. This great selection of products includes proven sellers, core items, new innovative product launches and great value range deals - all for just a low initial order. Product incentives are available for customers who wish to commit more to the promotion initially, and any of the range deals. This unrivalled package provides customers who sign up with a superb incremental profit opportunity, as well as high margins and great discounts.

Innovative new products in the Fusion 21 range include C.K Sure Drive Socket Sets - combining high quality with high performance, manufactured from forged chrome vanadium alloy steel, making each part rust resistant, as well as providing excellent longevity. C.K Rescue Hex Key Sets, C.K Rescue Nut & Bolt Extractors - the perfect companions for those tricky tasks and the C.K Magma Wheeled Rucksack Plus, an innovative lightweight and compact tool storage solution.

Fusion 21 sees a selection of great value range deals, with free products for customers who purchase a range deal. Highlights of the products available include: C.K Cable Strippers; C.K Redline VDE Combicutters; C.K Sure Drive Sockets and Accessories; and C.K Sure Drive Adjustable Wrenches.

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Additional opportunities within Fusion 21 include Counter box promotions, and a brilliant range of Added Value packs which provide additional items for FREE. Retailers who sign up to Fusion 21 also benefit from an excellent sell out package, which includes eye-catching Counter Mats and Price Stickers, designed to drive sales.

A brand-new product brochure features all the brands and products available in Fusion 21, with a handy content index for quick and easy product selection. Digital consumer brochures can be downloaded using QR codes on printed Counter Mats and Shelf Wobblers. A social media campaign will also figure strongly during the promotion to further increase sales.

To benefit from Fusion 21, customers can simply sign up by contacting their local sales representative, or CKI customer services on +44 1758 704704 / sales@cki.uk.com Don’t forget to mark your order FUS21 to benefit from this superb promotion.

March/April 2021

News & Products

TEC7 LAUNCH their new waterproofing and protection range For almost 20 years, the Tec7 name has become synonymous with quality, service and innovative new products. In 2021, they are still developing game changing products and are proud to introduce their new range of Roof to Basement Waterproofing products. Tec7 Waterproofing, or WP7 for short, are an easy to use, professional and effective range of seven professional products suitable for use by both trades and DIY enthusiasts that cover hundreds of applications from permanently sealing leaking roofs to resolving dampness issues in walls and basements.

TEC7 Waterproofing consists of two subgroups, Roof and Wall & Basement.

The four WP7 Roof and Wall products focus on effective waterproofing, ease of use and long-term UV resistance: • WP7-101 Liquaseal: An innovative liquid MS polymer roof sealer that is completely UV-resistant from a layer thickness of 1 mm.

• WP7-201 Spray + Seal: A High quality rubber spray coating that quickly and efficiently waterproofs and protects. Suitable for use on hundreds of domestic and industrial applications.

• WP7-202 Roof Tape: Top quality butyl rubber roof sealing tape. Never tears, never sags and can withstand wind and weather for years.

• WP7-301 Roof Waterproof: All-weather repair product for roofing, asphalt and other bituminous materials. Even in the rain!

WP7 Basement & Wall comprises of three products that have been tested on the most difficult wet (basement) walls.

They are effective and efficient even with very high levels of harmful wall salts.

• WP7-401 Facade Waterproof: The simple permanent solution to stop and protect against water penetrating exterior walls. Easy to apply with a brush, roller or spray gun. Facade Waterproof goes on white but dries clear and deeply penetrates the surface making it water repellent and vapour permeable for up to 25 years.

• WP7-402 Damp Stop: Professional injection cream for a lifelong waterproof barrier against rising groundwater.

The preferred solution for one of the most difficult renovation problems.

• WP7-501 Wall + Basement Waterproof: The simplest solution for the trickiest basement walls. A high-quality polymer cement coating that also works on wet, weak walls and floors with a high saltpetre content.

For more information, contact your local representative or their sales team on 01 6292963 or visit www.tec7.com March/April 2021

PROTECTION G IN F O O R P R E T A W SEMENT FROM ROOF TO BA

WP7-501

WALL + basement waterproof

polymer cement coating

WP7-101

liquaseal

liquid ms polymer sealer

WP7-402

damp stop

rising damp barrier

WP7-202

roof tape

permanent repair & protection tape

WP7-301

roof waterproof roof repair paste

WP7-201

spray & seal

rubber based repair

WP7-401

facade waterproof

invisible protection & sealing of exterior walls

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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

Denise McCarthy

1890 474 000 denise.mccarthy@brinks.com www.brinks.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@lcms2.com

www.lcms.ie

Contact us today to become a HAI Business Partner. info@hardwareassociation.ie or phone 01 2980969 24

ECommerce and IT Support

Intact Software

Mark McArdle

042 933 1742 mark.mcardle@intactsoftware.com

www.intactsoftware.com

.IE

Alan Finneran

01 236 5400 afinneran@weare.ie

www.weare.ie

Kerridge Commercial Systems

Noel Burke

087 1405 483 noel.burke@kerridgecs.com

www.kerridgecs.com

Monsoon Consulting

Ed Wyeth

01 4750066 ed.wyeth@monsoonconsulting.com

www.monsoonconsulting.com

Profile Technology Ltd

Peter McCullagh

071 9162122 petermccullagh@profteck.ie

www.profteck.ie

Sales-i

John Downes

0044 121 4891070 jdownes@sales-i.com

www.sales-i.com March/April 2021

HAI Corporate Partners

HR Support

Payment Services

AIB Merchant Services

Owen Ball

087 7715973 owen.ball@aibms.com www.aibms.com

TSA Consultants

Tommy Smyth

021 4634154 tommy@tsaconsultants.ie

www.tsaconsultants.ie

Insurance

Shopfitters

Dolmen Insurance Brokers Ltd

John Bourke

01 8022361 info@hardwarestoreinsurance.ie

www.hardwarestoreinsurance.ie

tRetail

#WeGe

Johnston Shopfitters

Shane Brennan

01 4190419 sales@johnston-shopfitters.com

www.johnston-shopfitters.com

Logistics

Woodland Group

Lee McMullan

01 8111500 lee.mcmullen@woodlandgroup.com

www.woodlandgroup.com

C o r p o r at e Pa r t n e r

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.

•

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.

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

•

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

Want to find out more?

•

A Preferential member rate for advertising in The Hardware Journal, plus three free classified advertisements

March/April 2021

Contact us today to become a HAI Business Partner. info@hardwareassociation.ie or phone 01 2980969 25

News & Products

Canadia launch new laminate collection Leading Irish floor specialist Canadia has introduced 73 new laminate floors as part of its Egger flooring collection. Available from 1st April to view at the Canadia Design Showroom in Tallaght and through builders’ merchants and partner retailers nationwide, the new collection is available in a variety of thicknesses, board formats and styles.

Out of the 73 new floors, 54 are new décors across Egger’s PRO Laminate range. It offers an unrivalled range of choice and flexibility, providing a flooring solution for nearly all aspects of interior design. Highlighted styles include: Future Retro, with marble, terrazzo and walnut making a powerful comeback; Pure Nature, offering a series of natural, cracked and knotted oaks; Perfect Imperfection, combining rustic and industrial designs with traditional and herringbone styles to create impact; and Light Urban, providing fresh and light designs that fit with the ever-popular Scandinavian style.

The 73 new floors include upgraded products, realistic textures and a new flexible CLIC it! installation system. They all have bespoke benefits that contribute towards a safe, long lasting, comfortable, and functional floor. This laminate is an all-rounder with key features including easy-care, hygienic, and durability. Available with Aqua+ technology for areas that require water resistance such as the kitchen and bathroom.

All these floorboards are manufactured using sustainably sourced, PEFC certified wood fibres, from timber harvested from sustainable forests, and are 100% PVC-free with no softeners or toxic dyes.

Charlie Hamilton, Managing Director, Canadia comments “We are really excited to hear what our customers think of the new collection. Our laminates are now better than ever with improved benefits and a greater variety of colours and styles to choose from.” Further information at www.canadia.ie, info@canadia.ie and 01 4610997.

LCMS Ltd - Credit Management and Cash-Flow Solutions LCMS Limited is an Irish company based in Naas that provides services in areas of credit control and overdue account collections to individuals, partnerships, companies, and government bodies/agencies. They operate in the most efficient and professional way and this has allowed them to build a portfolio of satisfied clients from a spectrum of industries. They also pride themselves on their ability to maintain a professional and quality relationship between their clients and their clients’ customers. This assures future business and helps their clients to grow by successfully unlocking their money.

LCMS are certified compliant to international standards ISO27001 and ISO9001 so their clients are assured that their data is handled and processed to the highest international standard. They are members of the Credit Services Association in the UK and were recently recognised for Excellence in Credit and Debt Management services for the public sector.

LCMS now offer a highly efficient outsourced credit control service where they can contact your current customers in your company name remotely, using your phone number to ensure efficient payment of your invoices with all the administrative

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pressures taken away. Their friendly and highly trained credit controllers increase your cash-flow while saving you in areas such as staff time, annual leave cover, phone, letter costs and PRSI etc. while allowing your business to expand.

HAI Members are offered an initial free one to one consultation.

You can contact Billy Nolan, Director of Operations at LCMS at 045 431143, www.lcms.ie

March/April 2021

Are you getting the broadest Insurance Cover at the best available price?

Log on to www.hardwarestoreinsurance.ie to arrange an alternative competitive quotation for all your Insurance Needs. www.hardwarestoreinsurance.ie is a Dolmen Insurance brand.

John Bourke ACII Direct Dial – 01 8022361 Mobile – 086 8146236 E mail johnb@dibl.ie

Dolmen Insurance Brokers Ltd. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Store Profile

US hardware at its coolest In 2014, The Hardware Journal talked to ‘rock star’ Ace hardware retailer, Gina Schaefer, (July/August issue), who took her US company, A Few Cool Hardware Stores, from one to nine stores in the Washington DC and Baltimore region in just nine years. We recently reconnected with Gina, now CEO of a 13-store operation, and holder of multiple awards in retail, hardware and business, for fresh insights into embracing ‘why not!’ with enthusiasm.

Our “a-ha” Moment We were living in Washington DC’s Logan Circle neighbourhood which was full of big old beautiful houses starting to be purchased and renovated, including our own condo that needed some love.

We’d joke that “our toilet was always running, we lived in the dark, and our artwork was on the floor” because we were too lazy to drive out of town to the closest hardware store. That was our ‘a-ha’ moment.

Logan Circle had been scary since 1968. After Martin Luther King was assassinated, riots swept through decimating stores.We bought into that neighbourhood because we were young and could afford it, and because we really believed the community could turn around. Today it is one of the most popular places to live in Washington (and expensive!).

When I decided to open our first store, many people thought I was crazy. Logan Hardware was 20 feet wide, 100 feet deep and had three levels, but no parking. Why on earth would anyone open in that location?

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However, I was in love with the neighbourhood and its potential. Wonderful houses ready for renovation, a strong sense of community support and a severe lack of shopping opportunities for the urban dweller.

It starts with Main Street Our philosophy for choosing new locations for A Few Cool Hardware Stores began there. We pick urban neighbourhoods with a strong identity, walkability and sense of shop local, with business or community organisations. Parking isn’t as important when your customers prefer to shop in their immediate area or on their dog walk.

The ‘return to main street’ sentiment is really strong in some pockets of the US; not just big cities but small towns and rural areas. I like to think the neighbours in DC led the charge.

Favourite word: ‘local’ Big box stores have their place but it’s small and local that create uniqueness and character.

March/April 2021

Store Profile

Ironmongery range.

Tool range.

Main streets will be more mainstream when customers realise there is nothing personal about Walmart or Amazon. As a small business owner, I believe we make up the fabric of a community, giving towns and neighbourhoods personality.

Think about places you travel to and really enjoyed. I bet you won’t say, “it was the town with a Walmart or Target”. You’re going to remember a great local bookstore or iconic diner or that one-of-a-kind boutique.

As A Few Cool Hardware Stores grew, we were looking for character, something lacking for a long time in American retail.

We grew organically, expanding as soon as we could afford to and when we found the right space.

We have been very creative in our space-making: multi-level buildings, underground parking garage (great rent) and an old warehouse. We aren’t looking for four walls that all look the same.

• • • • •

Keeping independents growing After starting up in such a ‘dumb’ location, opening store two was a cakewalk.

We currently have 13 A Few Cool Hardware Store locations ranging from 4,000 to 13,000 square feet, expanding from Washington into Baltimore, Silver Spring, Maryland, and Alexandria, Virginia. We purchased four and built the rest from scratch.

In 2018 we closed one store due to underperformance; it wasn’t in a location that had a strong sense of identity.

Our revenue ranges from $1.5 million (¤1.25 million) to $6 million (¤5 million) depending on location. We have 250 employees and will add 50 - 80 more when our spring season starts.

Nine cool values We managed growth by playing on the strengths of our culture. By promoting people from within who best exemplified the values we wanted to portray, we’ve been able to expand our culture in multiple locations.

Our values couldn’t just come from the very top. For many of our programmes and processes, we gathered our managers, assistant managers and back office team and asked what they thought we exemplified.

A business coach helped us identify nine core values we live by: • be helpful • be a good neighbour • create raving fans (who absolutely love us, shout on social media how great we are, send wonderful compliments, shop continuously with us and bring out-of-town friends) • be vibrant and enthusiastic March/April 2021

be an awesome team member communicate respectfully always grow and share embrace and drive change be nice

We have infused these values into our everyday operations. All interviews and counselling conversations start with questions or comments that relate back to our values, as do giving awards and managing underperforming associates.

We teach our team what these values mean to us; how they affect their work and our customers and how they can facilitate moving up within our company or on to better things elsewhere.

One of the hardest things about growing a good culture is finding commonalities and sticking to them. Values must become living, breathing ‘things’. That’s not easy. Owners must believe in them and use them as well as folks up and down the leadership chain.

Be a good neighbour This is at the heart of being a community store. When you treat customers like neighbours, they aren’t afraid to ask for advice, or take your suggestions, or buy the items you say they need to get their project done.

The more we invest in our surrounding streets, the more the community calls us ‘their hardware store’, the more likely they are to support us.

I’ve been passionate about community service since I was in high school. Philanthropy is a big part of our business, within our community and our team.

We’re not just hiring associates; we’re helping remove the obstacles to employment for people who need a chance. Giving people jobs when nobody else wanted to.

Pandemic relief Throughout COVID-19, small businesses have helped keep communities connected and safe.

As local retailers, we’ve been accessible to our customers and enabled healthy shopping without the necessity of going into massive stores and being around dozens of people. I hope we’re perceived that way.

We’re killing it with kindness and camaraderie. Spoiling our team so they’ll be extra nice to customers. And continuing to be all about the community, despite Covid.

We’re helping tell local stories about businesses we love and support. That can mean stocking local products or teaming up with neighbourhood businesses to hold safe community events.

During this crisis, I’m so grateful for my team and all they’ve done

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Store Profile

Product selection is easy. I ask our buyers to go to trade shows outside the hardware channel. I also ask my marketing manager to keep up on developments in many industries. What’s going on in fashion? What are they doing in the financial services world?

Data and diversifying

Associates always willing to help.

to keep each other and our guests, as we refer to our customers, safe. No commerce would have been transacted without their dedication and hard work.

To support our associates, we gave out over $750,000 using US Internal Revenue Code 139 which ensures disaster relief payments are available if a local, state, or national emergency is declared.

Funding went towards PPE purchases since our staff encounters the public all day, help with increased commuting costs (in case of limited public transportation), and cleaning supplies (staff now need to clean at home/do laundry more often).

For many months we also gave every associate $10 each week in the hopes they’d buy food from a local restaurant to help keep others employed. Some used it to supplement increased transportation costs too.

We didn’t require that it be used in any specific ways, but made suggestions about optimising the benefits to our team and the local area.

In addition, we retained our match and management bonus programme for staff pension contributions.

Hey, why not?

In my previous profile, I confessed to driving my leadership team crazy at times. I still do. But if we aren’t changing and innovating all the time, we won’t grow as a business or individuals.

When you say ‘why not’ instead of ‘why’, you never know what you’ll end up with. 18 years ago when nobody thought a woman could successfully run a hardware store in a rundown urban area, I said ‘why not?’

It’s so easy as a CEO to make all the decisions and always say no. I want my team to realise why every opportunity should be evaluated and discussed.

We should be saying ‘why’ and try things more often than ‘no, we can’t do that’, or “no, we tried that once and it didn’t work”.

New teammates might tweak an old idea and magic could happen!

It comes down to everyone’s personality and how they manage change and a fast-paced environment. I don’t think we innovate as much as we should, but we do keep a steady stream of projects going, so there is no time to get bored.

Get outside our walls Hardware is an old-fashioned business; that is where a lot of our charm comes from. But to compete, we can’t think or act like an old-fashioned business. We can keep some traditional values but have to move away from our sector’s narrow focus.

I want my team to know what’s happening in other industries in case there is cross-over or something we can learn.

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We sometimes get overwhelmed by all the numbers to crunch, review, and act on. So we only create reports that we know might move the needle on an initiative or keep us informed on our progress. Data helps us work faster and smarter.

I believe offering handyman services and general services will be a growing revenue stream for hardware stores. Until last year though, we weren’t tracking or making revenue goals for this important line of business. Now we do.

I can tell you how much glass we cut last year, what sales looks like and our 2021 growth targets. This helps our marketing manager create her annual advertising plan and alerts us to which locations are taking the programme seriously or could use help.

Also, we must be willing to report on business aspects outside of sales and inventory.

We use data for the people side of operations. For years I’ve been telling everyone we’re a fantastic place to work. However, retail staff turnover is notoriously high and we weren’t tracking it. We are now.

We have a quarterly strategy meeting just about turnover. To ensure we’re on the right track, we use employee engagement surveys and ‘stay interviews’. People are asked why they leave, but when is the last time you asked someone why they stay?

We track pay equity and diversity metrics too.

‘Cheerocracy’ I was a cheerleader for years in high school, so being cheerful is in my blood. I’ve been accused of ‘leading by cheerocracy’ because I want to create and lead a positive, supportive workplace. I embrace it!

I tell new hires that if I have to be somewhere eight hours a day, I want it to be a happy place and it takes all of us to make that happen.

The downside is that I’ve been told by my leadership team that no one wants to tell me about negative things that happen. I recognise this as unhealthy to our success so I’m working on that.

Keeping independent businesses growing takes one person at a time, one store at a time. Customers and businesses, don’t give up on local!

Gina’s Gems (Unchanged since 2014) • I tell small business groups, particularly women’s groups, that fear can be a powerful motivator, but can also stop us from acting on our entrepreneurial dreams. There is no harm in trying, no shame in failing and no ‘I wish I had’ if you at least try.

• I’m a shameless self-promoter, constantly finding ways to highlight our business to the public. I talk about urban retailing, customer service, our company culture; a whole host of topics that bring attention.

• Consider the lifetime value of your customers. We’ve learned if you upset a customer, she could tell 15 people. With social media, that’s potentially millions. Make sure the experience is good. A customer spending $5 one day may spend thousands over their lifetime with you. Make every interaction count as if $1000 is being spent with you that day.

March/April 2021

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Steve Collinge

A golden age of home improvement?

Written by Steve Collinge - International speaker, thought leader, retail influencer and commentator, MD Insight Retail Group and Executive Editor Insight DIY. 2020 was a tumultuous year for retail, with many sectors decimated by lockdown, forced store closures and declining footfall. However, within the many challenges faced by retailers and individuals last year, there were a few surprising bright spots and one of these was the resurgence of the Home Improvement industry.

Being forced to stay at home and confront the home and garden projects that we’d just been too busy to take on in previous years, acted as a catalyst for growth. Combined with a new found enthusiasm to improve our homes and gardens, a sector which had been in decline in the UK and had witnessed over 250 store closures since 2014, experienced growth not seen since the 1980’s. Trends that had been building over the previous few years accelerated rapidly in 2020 and others emerged for the first time.

So, with 2021 already well under way, which of these trends are here to stay and which are likely to play a key role influencing retailers and manufacturers strategy in the decade ahead?

34

Younger generations enthusiasm for Home Improvement With time on their hands and money in their pocket, the enthusiasm that we have seen for the younger generations to begin tackling DIY tasks is likely to continue. The latest UK lockdown combined with the established retailers’ efforts to engage directly with the under 30’s on platforms such as TikTok will only fuel this further. With four new Home Improvement TV programs all launching in 2021 including the return of Changing Rooms on Channel 4 with Davina McCall and Laurence Llewelyn Bowen and the new series Flat out Fabulous on BBC3, this is likely to have a further significant impact on the overall market and encourage even more younger generation home owners and renters to try DIY for themselves.

On-going Home Improvement Lockdown has taught us that we can make very positive changes to our living spaces, quickly and cost effectively.

March/April 2021

Steve Collinge

Transformative technology has been available for some time, including augmented reality, machine learning and artificial intelligence but retailers have appeared reticent to use or even trial it. For retailers with physical locations, it’ll be even more important to differentiate themselves from online competitors by providing unique in-store experiences. There is a ‘wealth of tech’ available for physical stores as well as digital tools that can be adopted by retailers to deliver a significant improvement in the customer experience and it’s critical that retailers understand the range of technology that is available. I predict that the forward-thinking businesses will be keen to adopt and trial this new technology, both in-store and online, delivering new and engaging experiences for their shoppers, personalised to their needs and their home improvement requirements.

We have seen how decorating our rooms, improving storage or simply creating an organised workspace can have a positive impact on our mental health. As a result, homeowners are now searching for makeover ideas more than ever before and the availability of inspiration and ideas on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest are providing the much-needed trigger to engage consumers.

I predict that whereas pre-pandemic, the inclination for consumers was to decorate or update their living spaces every six to seven years, home improvement is now becoming more of an ongoing process, where we are continuously searching and investing in new ways to improve and update our homes and gardens.

It’s all about the project With a greater number of women and now the younger generation both purchasing and using home improvement products, there is a real need for the established retailers to engage more successfully with these shoppers and move away from the functional retailing of products. All home improvement purchases are project related and it’s critical that the physical retailers understand this and begin merchandising their product by project, with aspirational displays, inspiration and advice, showing what can be achieved. With the very latest format B&Q and Homebase stores moving in this direction, the expected success of these I believe will lead to a significant change in store layouts and ways of merchandising. As the most powerful way to differentiate the physical store from online competitors, I predict that engaging and inspirational instore displays will bring the home improvement categories to life in 2021 and ignite further interest in new ways to improve our homes.

The growing importance of influencers Influencer marketing has grown rapidly during 2020 and we predict further significant development of this in 2021 and beyond. But it’s no longer about edited product images and carefully crafted content. The Home Improvement audience is looking for authentic voices, individuals like you and I, taking on projects in the real world and showcasing what can be achieved. I predict that the retailer and supplier brands that recognise this and prioritise authenticity in their influencer partnerships with unique content will deliver engagement and returns well beyond their competitors.

There’s no doubt that 2021 will continue to provide a set of unique challenges that will test businesses within every sector. But for retailers and brands within the Home Improvement sector, it’s possible that we will look back at 2020 and see it as the catalyst for a golden age of home improvement. A sector revitalised by a new breed of engaged consumers, motivated by social media and influencers and stores completely transformed by project driven, inspirational displays and technology.

The growth in transformative technology In 2020, retailers had to adapt and change their business models rapidly and adopt new and interesting ways to engage with their consumers. A good example is the move to virtual kitchen and bathroom appointments when consumers were reluctant to visit physical showrooms.

March/April 2021

Steve Collinge.

35

Hardware Show

The Hardware Show 2021 looks set to be another sell out show with over 85% of stand space booked to date Rescheduled from February 2021 until November 2021, the official show of Hardware Association Ireland - The Hardware Show 2021 – will now run from 14th – 15th November 2021 at the Citywest Hotel and Conference Centre, Saggart, Co. Dublin.

Industry support for The Hardware Show has been overwhelming, with over 85% of the total stand space allocated to date. There is an obvious pent-up demand from suppliers to have the opportunity to meet face to face with their customers and The Hardware Show offers them this unique opportunity.

Commenting on the importance of the event to suppliers, one exhibitor, Niall Nugent, Sales and Marketing Director for Ames True Temper says, “The Hardware Show has become the single most important event in our calendar. Since its creation in 1971, The Hardware Show has become the single biggest and best event offering exhibitors the best possible opportunity to stage their products and meet with both existing and new potential customers.”

Government clarity has now been secured by The Irish Exhibition Organisers Association (IEOA) which outlines that trade fairs and exhibitions may run under levels 1 and 2 of Covid-19 Government guidelines. This is an important milestone and signals that planning can re-commence for the organisation of the event.

Robert Troy, Minister of State, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with responsibility for Trade Promotion, acknowledged his support for enabling trade fairs and exhibitions to recommence in 2021.

Minister of State Robert Troy said: “I am delighted to see first-hand the level of preparedness that venues are making to ensure that they can reopen safely when permitted under public health guidance and the Government’s Living with COVID-19 Roadmap. A significant effort has been made by the industry to develop protocols for the safe return to business.

I envisage no reason that trade exhibitions cannot reopen in Level 2, subject to a decline in trajectory of the virus.

“As Minister for Trade Promotion, I recognise the value of face-to-face engagement and business networking and I look forward to the reopening of the business events and trade shows in the coming months. 2021 is the year we make trade a priority, and I will continue to work with my Government colleagues to see the safe return of trade exhibitions which 36

give businesses the space to make connections and work together.”

Under levels 1 and 2 of Covid-19 Government guidelines, IEOA-drafted Covid-19 protocols will be in place at The Hardware Show to ensure best practice health and safety standards are delivered once trade fairs and exhibitions recommence.

The IEOA protocols ensure the safety of all exhibitors, visitors, and staff, and have been reviewed by the Health and Safety Authority and the Department of Health. They are an important document in contributing to make trade fairs one of the safest indoor environments possible.

Another long-standing exhibitor, Cathy Orr, Marketing Manager Helske Energy Save Ireland, comments, “While I have had the privilege to work as an exhibitor at The Hardware Show many times over the past 25 years, I can certainly say this year’s Show is the one I am looking forward to the most! Now, more than ever, we recognise the importance of physically exhibiting our Brand and Product Innovations to our customers, something that Covid-19 has restricted greatly over the past 12 months.

The Hardware Show is taking place at the Citywest Hotel and Conference Centre, Saggart, Co. Dublin on 14th - 15th November 2021. Contact Margaret Andreucetti for further information on margaret@eventhaus.ie.

See www.thehardwareshow.ie

March/April 2021

Hardware Show

EXHIBITOR LISTING 2021 • Allgrip • Ames True Temper • Arc Building Products • Ard Ri Marble • Ashtown Trading • Axus Décor Ltd • B&G • Basta • Blaklader Workwear Ltd • Bluewater Filtration • Bolle Safety Ireland • Bolton Adhesives • Bord Na Mona • Bostik • Botament Systembaustoffe - MC-Building Chemicals • Brett Martin • Bryko • Build Box • Calor Gas • Canadia Flooring • Cardboutique.ie • Classic Hardware • CPL Fuels Ireland Ltd • Credit Risk Brokers • Crown Paints • Cromar Building Products • Curust • Dargan Tools • DEFE Flood Barriers • Dosco • Draper Tools • DS Supplies Ltd • Dulux • ECC Timber Products • Elite Fence • Fleetwood Paints • Flogas • Galco • Glennon Brothers • Gold Crop • Green Equipment Ltd. • Guardian Distribution • Halo Ltd • Helske Energy • Henkel Ireland Dist.

• Herron & Son • Hightower Painting • Homeline • Hultafors Group Ireland • Hygeia Group Limited • Instantor • Intact Software • International Tools Industries • Irish Abrasives • Irish Cement A CRH Company • Irish International Trading Corporation • Irish Wire Products

March/April 2021

• I S Varian • Jefferson Professional Tools & Equipment • Johnston Shopfitters • Joseph Murphy Ballina Ltd. • John Murphy (Castlerea) Ltd. • Kaercher Ireland • Kerridge Commercial Systems • Kilsaran International • Larsen Building Products • Laydex Building Solutions • Locks & Hardware • Mercer Agencies • Mannok • Mascot International • OHRA Packing Systems • O’Neill Wholesale • Origo • Passive House Systems • Paul Small Wallcoverings Ltd • Pipelife Ireland Ltd • Portwest • Power Providers Ltd. • PVC Fabrication • Reisser Ireland Ltd • Rhino Distribution • Ronseal Ireland • Saint-Gobain Construction Products Ireland • Solvall Ltd. • Stafford Fuels • Sterling Safety Workwear Ltd. • South Coast Sales • Tec7 - Contech Building Products • T.I.Midwood & Co Ltd (TIMco) • Toolbank Ireland • Tucks Fasteners & Fixing • TW Clarke Ltd. • United Hardware • Uppercross Enterprises Limited • Unilin Flooring • Vendek Ltd. T/A Powerline • VF Corporation • Wavin • Westaro Hosing Limited • Westland Horticulture • Whiteriver Group • Wood Mouldings • Xtratherm

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Training

HAI Launches Eco-Webinar Series In February HAI launched a new webinar series focusing on Ecological and Sustainable Products.

A number of key players present their product solutions in a ‘shopfloor’ format, presenting best use and application, giving retailers and builders merchants the information they need for their customers.

They will run over the next few weeks and culminate in a half day conference. Those who recently presented include: The Velux Company

David Reid from The Velux Company presented how their roofwindow products help create better living, learning and working environments and go towards making a building more efficient.

Mannok

Thursday 15th April KORE Insulation Kore will be presenting their KORE Floor, KORE Lock and KORE Loft products. They will also provide an overview of KORE, their products, EPS and some case studies and costings.

The Mannok team demonstrated best use and application of the Mannok Aircrete Thermal Blocks range.

Ecological Building Systems

Wednesday April 21st Solus Lightbulbs SOLUS’s upcoming webinar will cover the new European Commission Energy labelling and ecodesign regulations which will be in place in September.

Ecological Building Systems presented Airtightness and Vapour Control for Energy Efficiency, Mould Prevention and Comfort featuring their range of Intelligent airtightness and Windtightness solutions on the market.

Recordings of the above webinars are available FOC to HAI members. If you would like access email aoife@hardwareassociation.ie.

Thursday 22nd April Partel Partel will be presenting their ‘Methods and Applications to Improve Air & Windtightness’.

They will discuss the value behind choosing the appropriate internal and external membranes for different situations, as well as their sealing, then an overview about correct installation featuring some recent projects.

Waterford Stanley

The Waterford Stanley team presented their Heat Pump and associated Appliance Solution.

View the upcoming schedule of HAI’s Eco-Webinars following: Thursday 1st April Saint-Gobain Saint Gobain will be presenting their Isover Optima internally insulated drylining systems and its associated product components.

Cost to attend the above eco-webinars: HAI Member: FOC Non-Member: ¤20

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Thursday 8th April Helske Energy Save Helske Energy Save will introduce their HELSKE NANO COAT HOME® Thermal Insulating Plaster, new to the Irish market. They will also give an overview on Helske Group’s primary focus on providing innovative and sustainable building solutions to the construction sector.

Tuesday April 13th Kilsaran The Kilsaran team will explore sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) and the fundamentals of permeable paving & porous asphalt.

Thursday 29th April Tec 7 The Tec7 team will explore and demonstrate using sealants/ adhesives more effectively to make homes more energy efficient.

To book your place at any of the above webinars, or for more information please contact Aoife at Aoife@hardwareassociation.ie March/April 2021

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Business Support In Partnership with

How to self-create customs declarations Declaron is a customs clearance solution that lets you save time and money by creating and self-managing your own customs declarations online and steps in to act as a customs clearance agent on your behalf to Revenue, in the event of any delays.

This means you can save time on paperwork, clear your goods faster, while being sure you are compliant and audit ready.

If you are looking for a customs clearance agent in Ireland, then you and Declaron could be a better way to self-create customs declarations.

Declaron is a new Irish start-up launched in 2020 by BDO and Fexco. They are working to make things a bit easier on Irish businesses and encourage people to get their customs processes and procedures fit for purpose.

The company was specifically set up to address the lack of available agents in the Irish market, with a focus on ensuring compliance and the accurate completion of declarations. This minimises the risk of delays at ports and prevents the risk of audits later on. They support their customers by providing webinars, practical guides and educational initiatives focused on customs clearance requirements. They’re also offering free helpful information on their website for all Irish businesses.

Confusion amongst Irish businesses around Brexit continues, as the promised clarity of the detail of the deal between the UK and EU has failed to materialise. This is, unfortunately, leading to further delays at ports.

Customs paperwork is complicated and it can be hard to know just where to start - especially when the clock is already ticking so they suggest beginning by addressing the following checklist of questions to your business and going from there.

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Have you agreed INCO terms?

INCO terms are the roles and responsibilities) between you and your connected 3rd parties, specifically who is responsible for creating and managing declarations and when? This will play a big part in understanding what you need to do next.

Do you have an EORI number set up?

The EORI online registration service allows you to register for an EORI number online. If you are a trader who imports or exports goods into or out of the European Union (EU), you will need an EORI number. This number is valid throughout the EU. It is used as a common reference number for interactions with the customs authorities in any Member State. To use the service, you will need your Revenue Online Service (ROS) login details and a valid ROS digital certificate with a registration for customs and excise in ROS.

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Michael Nolan Declaron CEO

Do you plan to use a cash upfront (TAN account) or a deferred account method for payment of your duties?

Once you are registered for an EORI number, you will be assigned a Revenue Trader Account Number (TAN). This is a secure channel through which you can make payments, for example pay import duties.Your import duty payments must be made online through the Revenue Online Service (ROS).

You can do this by selecting the ‘Customs and Excise’ payment option and either: - provide the required details of your credit or debit card or - use the option to transfer money from your (the payer’s) bank account by Single Debit Instruction (SDI).You may allow your customs clearance agent to use your TAN account on your behalf. If you wish to do this, you should complete the Customs and Excise clearance agent form at www.revenue.ie.

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The customs deferred payment system (bank direct debit scheme) is a facility whereby you or your agent is authorised to defer payment of Customs Duties. Authorisation will require provision of a bank guarantee or cash deposit and compliance with the conditions of the authorisation. Once approved, payment of taxes and duties arising may be deferred for payment by direct debit to the 15 day of the following month.

Do you know the correct tariff classifications for your goods?

Declaron have a handy recorded webinar on tariffs available on their website. Registered Declaron customers have access to a more detailed one during onboarding.

Have you appointed a customs agent to act on your behalf, or taken the relevant steps to assess the financial impact and implemented the resource requirement of an in-house solution?

You can find the relevant Customs Clearance forms at www.revenue.ie. Details on how this would work with Declaron specifically are available on their website.

You can contact Declaron here for further information info@declaron.ie or at www.declaron.ie

March/April 2021

Business Support In Partnership with

Noel Burke Kerridge Commercial Systems

Future-proof your business with the right ERP solution Builders merchants have had to adapt to changing circumstances over the past year - and in many cases their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution has been integral to making this happen.

The simplest way to define ERP is to think about all the core processes needed to run a company, finance, manufacturing, HR, supply chain, services, procurement etc. At its most basic level, ERP integrates these processes into a single system.

Business management software from Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has helped many builders’ merchants adopt new ways of working. Several key features of its software have made this possible by equipping users with the functionality they need to future-proof their businesses.

Achieve flexibility and scalability with cloud-based solutions.

It’s essential to be able to add users to an ERP system, which is made much simpler with KCS’ cloud-based software.

The cloud eliminates the need for a business of any size to buy physical servers. It’s quick, easy and affordable to increase capacity by adding extra user licences without the need to invest in additional hardware. Not only this, because the IT infrastructure is outsourced, there is no requirement to invest in local skills to maintain the systems, as the experts will do it on your behalf.

Over the past year, it has never been more important to use flexible builders’ merchant’s software. Remote access is made much simpler by using a cloud-based ERP, as users can all log into the same system regardless of their location.

Haldane Fisher is one company that has reaped the benefits of upgrading its cloud-based software to KCS. Group Managing Director Ian Haldane explained: “We have been working remotely with the team at KCS on a weekly basis to get ourselves settled into the system and make sure it’s working the way it should be. We have also signed up to a number of training programmes to see how we can fine tune and develop the system to improve operational and processing efficiency. “Remote working has delivered a great degree of flexibility and timeliness; you don’t have to get on a plane or in a car to attend.”

Data security handled by experts.

Builders’ merchants deal with large volumes of information, meaning data security should never be overlooked when choosing ERP software.

March/April 2021

Selecting a reputable provider will ensure that best practices are followed for data authentication, access control and encryption. KCS follows the strictest possible standards when it comes to data security, providing customers with the reassurance and confidence that their information is safely stored on its cloud-based servers. This enables merchants’ IT departments to focus on other areas of the business and eliminates the need to regularly back up data.

Prepare for a digital transformation.

Builders’ merchant software opens many opportunities for businesses to expand into new digital trading environments.

KCS recently launched a range of solutions, including apps and fully integrated ecommerce platforms, to help facilitate new digital ways of working.

One example is K8 ePOD, an electronic proof of delivery solution, which expands on the already feature-rich functionality of KCS software.

Hevac Limited, Plumbing & Heating specialists have started using K8 ePOD during lockdown. Operations Director Aidan Grogan explained: “All the set-up and training was done online.

This app is very easy for our drivers to use, and it gives us huge gains in efficiency and customer service. Where needed, we will now hold the signed proof of delivery and any photos taken at delivery on K8. This is just brilliant for query resolution and credit control.”

As the industry adapts to its new normal, it has become evident that digital technologies are here to stay. Merchants that have adopted these tools have become more flexible in their approach to trading and in doing so, are future proofing their operations.

Join the Kerridge CS team on Wednesday 28th April at 11am for their K8 webinar to find out how you can Streamline your processes, protect your margins and help grow your profits with KCS`s sophisticated, sustainable and scalable ERP solution, K8. Contact aoife@hardwareassociation.ie to book your place or for more information.

For more information on cloud-based builders’ merchant software, visit www.kerridgecs.com. Noel Burke can be contacted on +353 (0) 87 1405483 / +353 (0) 1 545 7100 or email: Noel.Burke@kerridgecs.com 41

Brexit Update

Brexit Update from Revenue Customs and the new trading environment. What does it mean for your business?

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Since January 1st 2021, a range of customs and other regulatory formalities apply to goods moving to, from or through the United Kingdom, excluding Northern Ireland.

Currently approximately 80% of inbound Great Britain (GB) to Ireland movements are being green routed on arrival meaning they can leave the port without the need for additional interaction with Customs or other State agencies.

For the remaining approximately 20%, certain goods are orange routed meaning they need a documentary check or similar control, and some goods are red routed meaning there is a requirement for a physical examination or inspection of the goods.

The submission of relevant documents and the required customs import and safety and security declarations for all consignments on board a vehicle coming from GB to Ireland significantly enhances the ability of Revenue and the other agencies to carry out risk analysis and complete documentary checks when the goods are en route to Ireland.

If the information provided on customs declarations is incomplete, or the required documentation is not available, goods will be held up at the port. Timely and accurate information and data is essential in all aspects of dealing with customs and other regulatory formalities.

Some of the common issues Revenue has encountered in the first two months include: •

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Pre-Boarding Notification (PBN), which requires the Master Reference Numbers (MRNs) from the customs declarations for all the goods on a vehicle, was not completed correctly. For example, not all goods on board had customs declarations associated with them.

Entry Summary Declaration (ENS): Businesses lodging the ENS declarations experienced issues including incorrect data entry and difficulty with accessing the relevant software. Revenue has a temporary easement in place to allow businesses to engage with Revenue to assist them with issues they are encountering with the submission of the ENS.

Pre-notification and/or supporting documents not provided to the relevant State Agencies - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine - Health Service Executive - Environmental Health Service Insufficient funds in the payers Revenue account to cover the payment of duty and VAT due at time of import.

Businesses need to ensure the relevant codes are entered on import declarations when they intend to avail of postponed accounting and claim preferential duty.

GB distribution hubs: The duty implications of EU goods imported through GB distributions centres has led to unexpected duty liabilities for Irish businesses. Revenue has outlined scenarios relating to goods that pass through the UK on their way to Ireland and their treatment on arrival in Ireland under the Union Customs Code and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. You will find further information in eCustoms Notification 14/2021.

Businesses experiencing difficulties need to look closely at their supply chain and talk to the other key players in it. It is essential that everyone in the supply chain - from the exporter, to the customs agent, to the importer, to the logistics, freight forwarder or haulage business, to the driver - knows and understands the role that each person or business in the supply chain will play. The supply chain needs to operate and function as an integrated whole and the relevant customs and other regulatory formalities need to be completed on a timely and efficient basis.

When goods are held up, hauliers are dependent on either the importer or exporter or their agent to fix the shortcomings in documentation before the goods can be cleared and moved from the port. Sharing of the relevant documentation and / or information ensures faster resolution of outstanding issues and enables the goods to move out of the port as quickly as possible.

Revenue is happy to work with businesses in whatever way possible to support and assist them to be able to comply with the relevant customs formalities.

The Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol ensures that there is no hard border on the island of Ireland which means goods can move throughout the island without the need for customs declarations or other customs formalities, this includes goods moving from IE to NI and from NI to IE. More information can be found here: Trade with Northern Ireland - Excise issues (revenue.ie) Further information on Brexit or any of the above is available on the Revenue website Brexit page. Any queries not covered by the material available can be emailed to brexitqueries@revenue.ie.

March/April 2021

Brexit Update

Brexit, the new reality The National Standards Authority of Ireland provided the following update.

The Brexit transition period ended on 31st December 2020 and the UK became a ‘third country’ where EU law no longer applies. The EU-UK Trade & Cooperation Agreement (TCA) agreed came into effect.

While the TCA provides for tariff and quota free trade in goods it does not replicate what went before. The seamless trade which existed up to 31st December 2020 has generally ended. This means changes for business buying products from the UK or using UK manufactured products.

What has not changed All the EU rules that applied to products in 2020 continue to apply unchanged in 2021. UK products must meet any specific requirements set out in Irish Law. Remember that it is the rules where the product is placed on the market that apply, not where it is manufactured.

Can I continue to sell British products?

Yes, once they have been certified in accordance with EU and Irish legislation. This means that any construction products manufactured in Great Britain can be sold once they meet the requirements of the CPR, including being CE marked if required by the CPR and having a valid EU declaration of performance.

Any electrical devices imported from GB that meet the requirements of the relevant directive (RED, EMC or LVD) can be sold in Ireland if they are CE marked and have a valid EU declaration of conformity.

Compliance for products which are not covered by specific EU regulations e.g., sockets are not covered by EMC, RED or LVD, is determined by other reference documents such as National Standards. The General Product Safety Directive and relevant Irish legislation and standards apply to any of these products imported into Ireland from Great Britain.

Products that only have the new ‘UKCA’ mark and a UK Declaration of conformity cannot be placed on the EU market, so make sure that you only buy CE marked products from your British suppliers.

If you import products from GB, you are now an importer and have additional responsibilities that you did not have before, and you should become familiar with these as soon as possible. You can get more information on the responsibilities of an importer in the EU Blue Guide https://ec.europa.eu/growth/

What about Northern Ireland products?

Under the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, EU product legislation continues to apply in Northern Ireland (NI), and NI continues to be treated as if it is part of the EU Single Market.

Goods moving between NI and the EU can continue to do so with no significant changes and the responsibilities of economic operators in the EU remain the same as if they are trading within the EU Single Market.

But beware of products bearing a ‘CE UK(NI)’ mark. These products can only be sold in Northern Ireland and cannot be March/April 2021

legally placed on the EU market.

Can I sell products that have been certified using British Standards?

There are areas where it is no longer permitted to use a British Standard (BS) to demonstrate conformity or performance. There are other areas where there has been no change in the use of BS. As a general guideline, in areas where member states have competency, there is no restriction on the use of BS’s once they are permitted under national legislation. A range of standards are referenced in Irish legislation including International standards (ISO), European Standards (EN), Irish Standards (I.S.), national standards from other countries (including BS).

The EU Commission has indicated that the use of a BS on an EU declaration of performance where a harmonised European Standard must be used for product certification is no longer permitted.

Where Irish legislation permits or mandates the use of a British Standards for areas not covered by EU law there should be no change to their recognition use in Ireland.

What else?

If you import products from GB based suppliers, you will need to consider the impacts of customs processes and potential supply chain disruption.

If your suppliers rely on certification or conformity assessment from UK based certification bodies or UK accredited test laboratories, you will need to check that their certification is acceptable under EU or Irish law.

Where can I get information?

For general information on Brexit readiness in the area of standards and certification - www.nsai.ie/brexit/brexit-readiness/ Important EU rules for products sold in hardware trade: •

EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR) applies to construction products

Electrical products are covered by • Low Voltage Directive (LVD), • EMC Directive (EMC) and • Radio Equipment Directive (RED) Other products which are not covered by specific EU product legislation must comply with the • General Product Safety Directive (GPSD)

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COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Bathrooms, a space for wellbeing, relaxation, and recovery Heating and Plumbing Magazine in the UK recently reported on a Grohe survey commissioned in June 2020 on consumer showering habits.

Some of the latest results and showering trends are outlined below.

The bathroom has become increasingly considered a tranquil retreat. The results of Grohe’s showers survey in June 2020 highlighted that almost half of consumers are now viewing the bathroom as a space for wellbeing, relaxation, and recovery whilst 40% also agreed that the bathroom is a place of isolation where they go to seek some time alone. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will have accelerated this trend over recent months as more and more homeowners try to create an at-home sanctuary or space for wellbeing within their immediate living space.

Another key trend that is rapidly growing in the bathroom market is the growing awareness around water consumption and consumers becoming more eco-aware, understanding how their individual lifestyle can impact the planet. The survey highlighted that 42% of consumers like to enjoy long showers so there is a definite demand to provide solutions that enable a luxurious experience that uses less resource and are kinder to the environment.

Personalisation is also a growing area of the showering market. The survey predicts this will grow exponentially as the trend for wellbeing inspired bathrooms continues to soar.

Consumers are using the shower to help improve physical and emotional wellbeing so having enhanced features that allow them to tailor their shower experience every time to suit their needs will become increasingly important.

According to the survey the top five features homeowners value most in a shower are: • • • • •

Cool surfaces: 78% want a shower with a surface that doesn’t get too hot whilst showering Safety: 73% want a shower that is safe for all the family to use No more drips: 69% consider it important that a shower doesn’t drip once turned off Thermostatic: 61% like thermostatic showers so they don’t have to put up with temperature fluctuations Rain showers: 54% want a larger shower head that offers full body coverage when showering, such as a rain shower.

Source: phpionline.co.uk/feature-articles/2021-shower-trends/

Botament introduces a whole range of innovative product solutions Botament leads the way in converting your customer’s bathroom into a space for wellness, relaxation and pure quality of life. With Botament, even small bathrooms can have beauty and comfort. As the specialist for system building materials, Botament introduces a whole range of innovative product solutions for the design, renovation and modernisation of bathrooms and wet-rooms.

The Wetrooms Solutions range offers the complete package to the market all from the one source with ETAG certification, giving your customer every product from start to finish for their wet-room project. Botament’s Wetrooms Solutions range is

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a comprehensive package offering high quality, value added, innovative building systems that are fast, safe, easy to install and totally waterproof for both new builds and renovations.

The Wetrooms Solutions range includes Botament Building Boards, Botament Shower Trays, Botament Water LD Linear drain systems, Under Shower sound insulation boards Botament TE Plus, Waterproofing Tanking and Sealing Tapes. In addition to the full range of Tile Adhesives, Grouts and Silicone Sealants, making them the one stop shop for wet rooms.

Botament Building Boards are suitable for countless substructures, such as plaster, tiles, studding, paint and many

March/April 2021

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

more, making them the natural choice for wet-rooms. Available in a wide range of sizes and thicknesses, they open-up a limitless array of design possibilities. Extremely strong, 100% waterproof and the perfect background for tiling. Building boards key benefits are speed of application and ease of use.

Botament DUB/LD shower trays are preformed shower trays that have built-in stainless-steel drains and a factory set gradient. Total waterproofing is achieved by the superior protective coatings. They are easy and quick to install and come ready to fix tiles, hence the ideal choice for bathroom renovations. Produced in many sizes, with options for central, offset or line drainage.

Botament Water LD stand-alone Linear drains are now an added solution to the Wetrooms range. Botament LD comes in four different widths, made entirely from stainless steel, offer five different height adjustments, and have secondary drainage levels.

The overlapping seal is factory mounted to ensure water tightness.

Botament TE Plus sound insulation is an innovative mat installed under shower boards to create a noise barrier. TE Plus reduces impact sound by 35 dB so your customer can shower in peace. This is one of the few sound insulation materials suitable for wet areas.

This comprehensive range provides designers, contractors, and customers with optimally performing wet-room solutions.

For details see www.wetroomsolutions.eu or contact info@botament.ie MC Building Chemicals, Castleblayney Co.Monaghan 042-9751520.

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SOLUTIONS FOR WET SPACES

Wetroom Solutions (WRS)

BUILDING BO AR & CONSTRUC DS TION CHEMICALS

THE ETAG-CER ONE-STOP-SHO TIFIED, P-SOLUTION

Botament WRS (or Wetroom Solution) the reliable solutions for any wet space!

Why? Building boards and shower boards = 100% watertight!

Botament is currently the only company that manufactures ETAG-certified construction chemicals and building boards inhouse - truly a one-stop-shop!

Building and shower boards watertight without the need for additional sealing

The benefit: full warranty protection for developers and tradesmen alike!

March/April 2021

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Advertorial

IDEAL STANDARD AND ARMITAGE SHANKS: SUPPORTING MERCHANTS WITH A MARKET-DRIVEN PROPOSITION

Martin O’Reilly, Director of Ideal Standard Ireland.

An update from Director of Ideal Standard Ireland, Martin O’Reilly, on the leading washroom and bathroom product manufacturer’s exciting product pipeline: As offices and other commercial spaces start preparing to open up again around Ireland, there is a sense of cautious optimism about the future. At Ideal Standard International, we know how vital it is to support the construction sector with a robust and reliable product supply chain, and we’ve worked hard to continue to provide an uninterrupted supply to the market throughout the pandemic. Ideal Standard and our expert washroom brand, Armitage Shanks, will continue to support merchants and those serving the construction industry with an exciting product pipeline over the year ahead. So, with that in mind, we’ve pulled together a guide for a number of new and existing product ranges designed to meet the needs of your customers as the commercial world begins to open up.

Hygiene-focused solutions Those who are already working with washrooms as products will know their customers are looking for products that can protect their occupants with smart ways of combatting the spread of infection. Touchless brassware and flush plates from Armitage Shanks, for example, will be a familiar sight to them. But the brand’s Sensorflow 21 collection takes this up a notch, as these hands-free, electronic taps have remote sensors which detect the user and control the on-demand water flow. This controlled release of water makes for a much more efficient product, by reducing water usage and ultimately running costs. End-users can also programme these taps to run for however long they want when activated, which is a great way for them to encourage users to wash their hands for a full 20 seconds.

Touchless products are likely to be in great demand

Another very exciting development coming soon to the Irish washroom market is Ideal Standard’s new Intellimix smart tap, a revolutionary and completely touchless product designed to make the hand washing experience easier, more comfortable, and more efficient. The innovative tap features a unique smart screen, and offers touchless soap and water dispensing for end-users. Intellimix actually helps save end-users between 30 per cent and 80 per cent on soap usage and up to 85 per cent on water costs, when compared to a traditional tap. The product is due to be released in April 2021.

Hygiene and accessibility To support those working on accessible washrooms, Armitage Shanks has also brought a range of new grab-rails and Doc M packs to the market which are the only ones of their kind that are compliant with all Irish Part M legislation. The 60cm and 45cm rails are designed to help the most vulnerable in our society use the washroom as safely and hygienically as possible.

The rails are available in five distinct colour options (white, blue, grey, charcoal, and stainless steel), supporting different colour schemes in properties which cater for the visually impaired. The Doc M packs are offered in both close coupled and wall hung variants, with left- and right-hand options.

This level of flexibility allows contractors to order first fix and second fix elements separately if they want to.

There’s more to great washroom design than meets the eye

Advertorial

Easier installation We know that keeping installation and maintenance turnaround times down is also a priority for your customers, as we continue to live with the impact of the virus. Our recently released ProSys®, installation system has this covered and is designed to be quickly installed with wall-hung toilets, basins, and accessories.

ProSys includes frames, cisterns and flush plates, offering the complete one-stop installation solution for your customers. The new range is the perfect match for Ideal Standard’s collections of toilets, washbasins and urinals and works seamlessly across all of Ideal Standard International’s brands – including Armitage Shanks products.

The ProSys collection of WC frames comes in a variety of depths and heights. Full frames are available in 1150mm and 820mm heights. The 820mm frames are perfect for use in furniture applications or under windows, and have the choice of either front or top flush plate installation.

There is a huge collection of 50 flush plates to choose from, offering a wide range of shapes, colours, functions and materials to suit your customers’ needs. They are available with either mechanical, pneumatic, or electronic actuation and are compatible with most WC ranges from Ideal Standard International.

launched to the market in March, offering a range of beautiful products for those working on premium commercial or residential environments.

The ranges, created in collaboration with renowned Italian studio PS+A draw inspiration from iconic Ideal Standard products of the past to create exciting new collections for the present. At the centre of the new collections is the Conca range, which nods towards the iconic Ideal Standard basin, offering stunning minimal designs. The Blend range of WCs has been created to perfectly complement these basins. Both Conca and Blend are inspired by Ideal Standard’s leading product lines from the past.

Core to the Atelier collections is colour. PS+A have created a new, bold colour palette, some of which draws on colour influences that can be found in Ideal Standard’s design heritage, and others which reflect and define new colour trends. The colours have been applied to the Ipalyss range of super slim washbasins, designed by Robin Levien. Incredibly striking in colour and design, new shapes and sizes are also being introduced, creating an extremely durable and versatile range, made possible by Ideal Standard’s Diamatec® technology.

ProSys is compatible with a range of flush plates

ProSys was developed with the installer in mind, with a straightforward three-step fitting process. Maintenance typically proves more difficult with in-wall frame systems, but with this range it has been made simpler and easier with toolfree access to the ProSys cisterns.

Design-led products, for premium environments Ideal Standard’s new design-led range, Atelier Collections, created in collaboration with renowned Italian studio PS+A

Ipalyss Colour Selection

In Ireland, the Atelier Collections are available exclusively through independent retailers, with Ideal Standard committing significant investment into showroom and marketing support for the range.

Supporting you and your customers At Ideal Standard, we’re confident about the future of the industry and we’re encouraged by the response and level of resilience we continue to see across the construction sector.

Whatever the project your customer is working on, Ideal Standard is here to help with a continual stream of exciting, market-led products.

The new Conca Basin from the Atelier Collections

For more information about Ideal Standard in Ireland, visit www.idealstandard.ie.

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Niko Bathrooms launches 2021 catalogue The Niko Bathrooms 2021 catalogue features brand new products across a variety of product categories. The new catalogues are currently being distributed to retailers across the country and are jammed packed with new and exciting product ranges. If you require new catalogues, please email marketing@uel.ie. A digital version can be viewed and downloaded from their website www.nikobathrooms.ie.

Marketing Manager, Sarah O’Loughlin, says “The bathroom is the room in a home that needs to work hard in the space allocated. Encourage your customer to create a luxurious bathroom experience by optimising storage where possible

so that pampering time is at their ease with all products easily to hand.

Niko Bathrooms new catalogue will help those customers tackling a bathroom renovation or new build to think about their use of space, colour, light and most importantly encourage the power and advantages of having a clear renovation plan”.

If you would like more information, visuals, or to arrange display models for your showroom contact Marketing Manager, Sarah O’Loughlin on marketing@uel.ie / sales@nikobathrooms.ie or Sales Director, Ken Greene on kgreene@nikobathrooms.ie

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Designed with the user in mind, these elegant slate trays are a welcome addition to their range. These beautiful matt effect slate shower trays feature slip resistant technology and Bactiblock® Antibacterial Protection.

Introducing the new Ezra vanity unit, this elegant vanity unit is sure to add that wow factor to a new bathroom interior. If your customers are looking for something that makes their new bathroom effortlessly unique, look no further than this furniture range.

Italian manufactured shower accessories that will complement all other bathroom fixings! It really is the small things that can make a big difference when it comes to design.

Italian manufactured bathroom accessories are characterised by practical design and stylish elegance. Designs that skilfully balance straight lines and soft rounding shapes. These accessories are available to purchase in a handy box set that has everything you need including soap dish, toothbrush holder, robe hook, towel rail and more.

March/April 2021

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Introducing AYO - Flair’s award winning wetroom collection Since 1952, Flair Shower’s have built up a trusted reputation in the production of quality shower doors, wetrooms and bath screens. The company strive to provide meaningful product designs that will stand the test of time. Their latest innovative AYO wetroom collection is no exception to this rule and has just received a prestigious Good Design Award, which is testament to the design excellence of the range.

The emphasis of the GOOD DESIGN® program is on “quality design of the highest form and function, with aesthetics a standard beyond ordinary consumer products”.

AYO is crafted to create a truly personal showering experience every time. With a focus on versatility, this modular glass walk-in range offers an infinite choice of wetroom layout options to the precise dimensions that the client requires.

Each AYO design detail is carefully considered to enhance user experience every day.

the busy bathroom environment.

AYO is available in black or silver profile finishes, ensuring flawless integration in any bathroom environment. April 2021 will see an extension of the AYO collection, with exciting new surface finishes such as brushed brass, brushed nickel, stainless steel and polished gold launching within the range.

AYO by Flair - Creating Perfect Harmony.

For more information on the AYO wetroom range please visit www.flairshowers.com

Harmony created from every angle.

AYO wetroom panels stand at an impressive height of two metres. Each screen is available in 10mm toughened safety glass that has been treated with a hydrophobic coating to resist the build-up of lime and grime.

All AYO sub-assemblies such as glass size, seals, wall profiles and stabilising bars can be selected in accordance with customer preference. A suite of mounting fixtures and minimalist stabilising bars are designed to accentuate the glass structure, whilst also ensuring a robust wetroom structure for

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March/April 2021

CREATE YOUR PERFECT BATHROOM SANCTUARY WITH FLAIR SHOWERS

The award winning AYO Wetroom Collection

At Flair, our vision is to inspire with meaningful designs that bring a new sense of enrichment to the bathroom.

Please visit our website www.flairshowers.com to view our extensive product portfolio- prepare to be captivated by every detail.

Rocks Road Kingscourt Co. Cavan Ireland T +353 42 966 8000 E sales@flairshowers.com

Connect with us

FLAIRSHOWERS.COM

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

New matt black additions to Aqualisa bar shower mixer range Leading shower manufacturer Aqualisa has introduced a new range of matt black bar valve mixers under the Aqualisa Deco branding.

Mixers account for around 40% of the total shower market in the UK and Ireland and have always offered a wide range of styles. Consumer demand for pleasing aesthetics and performance has led Aqualisa to add to its already strong line up of showers created for this segment of the market.

For more stylish bar valve mixer showers, colour has become a differentiator with matt black now established as an increasingly popular colour finish for modern bathrooms and wetrooms, these are now available from Aqualisa’s contemporary Deco range.

Launched in 2020, Deco is now available to the Irish market in which the Aqualisa brand already has a strong foothold, with a strong reputation for quality and service. The Deco range offers both round and square shower options in chrome and a stunning matt black finish.

Gemma Doran, Aqualisa’s Sales Manager in Ireland, expects Deco mixer showers to quickly make an impact for a number of good reasons: “We know that Aqualisa branding already sets Deco apart from other bar valves, offering a premium in

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terms of quality and reliability, as well as being supported by unrivalled customer service. With the popular option of matt black alongside the standard chrome, this range becomes even more compelling.These new showers are competitively priced and can be easily installed as a dual outlet upgrade, offering more shower variations for family bathrooms or en-suites.”

The dual outlet - offering two completely different showering experiences - works with an integrated diverter that switches the shower between a single mode handset and the drencher head. Other features include cool touch and temperature override button for added safety. Metal handles give a quality feel and the 109mm matt black or 120mm chrome plated handset and the 225mmm fixed head provide a great spray or drench alternative. For the square bar valve, a 70mm single mode matt black or 93mm single mode chrome finish handset is specified, both with a 225mmm drencher unit.

These exciting new showers come with a five-year guarantee on the valve and a two-year guarantee on the shower kit.

Visit www.aqualisa.co.uk for more information or contact Joe Timmins at MT Agencies, 01 864 3363 / mobile 087 2861793. www.mtagencies.ie

March/April 2021

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

SONAS Bathrooms introduce eye-catching new products SONAS Bathrooms have launched their 2021 brochure which features some eye-catching new products bringing bathroom colour to the fore and visually displays product highlights to help with your customer bathroom inspiration.

SONAS has expanded their Furniture Collection to include the Malmo, Vágar, Stockholm Cloakroom units and the beautiful countertop units from the Finland, Fjord and Stockholm range.

The minimalist design of these ranges offers natural and stable colours which invites your customer into a peaceful and relaxing environment. This beautiful Collection has been designed with clean simple lines to give your customer that minimalist feel without compromising on storage.

Basin Mixers SONAS Bathrooms know that there is an emphasis now more than ever on sustainability. That is why they have introduced the ECO range of basin mixers to help integrate sustainability into everyday life. The patented technology helps reduce water consumption without compromising on performance and the

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mixers also include a temperature limiter, saving further on energy costs.

SONAS Bathrooms have expanded their Norfolk and Contour Tap Ranges, some of which are featured in the ECO Range.

These beautiful additions are available in Brush Gold and Matt Black and can add that perfect finishing touch and a dash of luxury to your customers bathroom.

Mirrors Mirrors are not only used for vanity purposes but can maximise the perception of space and reflect light around the room.

The new Astrid Range of stylish LED mirrors from SONAS Bathrooms offer colour temperature changing illumination. The fresh cool white light is perfect to energise your customer in the morning and when the day is done, they can switch to a warm white light to create a sense of relaxation, helping them to unwind.

For more information on SONAS Bathrooms please visit www.sonasbathrooms.com

March/April 2021

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Adhesives and Sealants market in Europe is set to grow The European market for Adhesives and Sealants is currently worth more than ¤17 billion euros and forecasted to grow to nearly ¤20.4 billion by 2024, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.0% (European Adhesives and Sealants Market Report).

Four key areas that may influence the adhesives and sealants market have been identified and are highlighted in FEICA’s European Adhesives & Sealants Market Report for 2019-2024 (www.feica.eu).

Technological innovations: Analysis reveals that hybrid systems, combining the beneficial characteristics of two different adhesive systems, are being used in more and more applications. The construction industry, for example, has traditionally had a plethora of adhesive and sealant products, and this is expected to change.

Environmental consideration: Sustainability is high on the agenda for both consumers and authorities, principally driven by key global issues such as global warming, CO2 emissions, plastics pollution, and the limitation of natural resources. Research confirms that solvent-based systems will continue to decline and will be eliminated as alternatives in price and performance are found. The driving force for sustainability is not only legislation, but also the demand from consumers.

March/April 2021

Economic Trends: The industry has been growing at GDP or slightly above, which is what you would expect from a mature industry. However, with Brexit and the US/China trade disagreements, the future is difficult to predict. Europe is leading adhesives and sealants growth, but because of its minority share worldwide, its impact on Europe as a whole is still limited. This trend will also be affected by the global quest for a circular economy.

Chemicals legislation: Change in legislation is driven by rising protectionism, the circular economy and health and safety. Numerous regulations exist in Europe, such as REACH, CLP, the Biocidal Products Regulation, as well as circular economy initiatives. Global adhesives and sealants end users increasingly ask for global standardisation of the products they purchase, partly driven by increasing legislation and regulation. This will obviously also impact the industry.

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COMMERCIAL FEATURE

BOSTIK delivering innovative, high performance products As one of the world’s leading manufacturer’s of adhesive and sealants, Bostik is committed to delivering innovative, high performance products to the marketplace. The adhesive and sealant market has always been an important market and is currently in growth worldwide.

Bostik have recently launched a new all-weather wide jointing compound. The new compound is quick and easy to apply, in all weather - even in the rain. It requires no mixing so - is ready to use, it will not shrink or crack, it resists weed growth, dries to a tough and durable finish, and cuts down on waste. It is also water permeable, allowing the paving to drain.

The all-weather wide jointing compound is simple and easy to apply with water and a squeegee. It is suitable for most types of domestic paving and can be used on paths and patios of natural stone, concrete, slate, granite slabs, terracotta and clay.

It is suitable for joints from 5mm – 30mm and minimum depth of 25mm.

This is the perfect product for your customer`s patio pointing – no matter what the weather has in store. It leaves an attractive finish in next to no time. The compound is available in three colours, natural, grey and basalt. Bostik All Weather Wide Jointing Compound – ‘the quick and easy way to a perfect patio’.

Bostik has also recently launched their new Bostik Express Pointing Mortar. Cracked or damaged masonry joints look unsightly and can be the source of leaks and damp resulting in expensive repairs. Bostik Express Pointing Mortar quickly and easily repairs damaged masonry joints in brick and stonework – without having to mix mortar. It is ready to use and quick and easy to apply with a cartridge gun meaning no mixing required and virtually no waste.

Express Pointing Mortar leaves

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an attractive finish in next to no time. It produces durable, weather resistant joints, which are over paintable and easy to clean. It can be used internally and externally.

Bostik Express Pointing Mortar comes in a 310ml cartridge, in cement grey colour.

The adhesive and sealants category is showing a shift towards chemical fixing and away from traditional mechanical methods, (screws, rivets, nails etc.) which is increasing demand for grab adhesives. This offers advantages in terms of time savings, performance, strength and aesthetics. Advantages have been acknowledged for years in industries such as the aerospace industry and the automotive industry – but the benefits are steadily gaining recognition in construction applications also.

There is also a shift from some of the more traditional sealant technologies such as silicones, to more high-performance formulations such as SMP (Silyl Modified Polymers) and hybrid technology. These offer many advantages in terms of performance including reduced curing times, compatibility with diverse building materials, flexibility and bond strength.

Bostik has the product range to answer this shift. These products are flexible, strong, and fast and will stick most surfaces and substrates - even under water.

Bostik’s next generation products answer the needs of trade professionals in construction, renovations, bathroom, and kitchen makeovers. Bostik MSP 107 SEAL BOND is flexible, MSP 108 XTREM BOND is strong and MSP 109 TURBO BOND is fast. Quality products as good as you are, that deliver Flexibility, Strength and Speed.

Help your customers ‘Take the pain out of pointing’- with NEW Bostik Express Pointing Mortar.

Contact your Bostik representative, or the Bostik sales desk on + 353 1 8624900, for further details.

March/April 2021

Quality products as good as you are FLEXIBILITY, STRENGTH AND SPEED Bostik’s Next Generation MSP range of adhesives and sealants offer a combination of flexibility, strength and speed, to the professional tradesmen.

Bostik Industries Limited Newtown, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland Phone: +353 1 862 4900, Fax: +353 1 840 2186 www.bostik.ie

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COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Geocel launches new MS Polymer range Geocel has launched THE WORKS PRO sealant and adhesive and THE WORKS PRO X high grab adhesive, formulated to ensure trade professionals achieve the best quality results, without the risk of callbacks.

THE WORKS PRO is a multi-use sealant and adhesive that can seal, fill, and bond virtually any surface, wet or dry – inside or out. For the perfect finish, THE WORKS PRO is available in a ‘whiter’ white and an improved clear formulation that can be over-painted. Fast curing, it achieves results that last, fast.

THE WORKS PRO X is a high grab adhesive, offering instant grab and bond. It can be used on virtually any wet or dry surface and in both interior and exterior applications. Due to its superior adhesion and fast curing, the formula is ideal for projects that require a strong lasting bond quickly.

Andrew Cummins, Senior Product Manager from Geocel said: “Geocel were pioneers of MS Polymer Chemistry and THE WORKS PRO and THE WORKS PRO X are the latest in a long line of high-quality solutions.

“MS Polymers offer excellent workability and strong final bond strength, with excellent UV resistance and no shrinkage over time. For those in the trade who demand a superior formulation that won’t let them down, THE WORKS PRO and THE WORKS PRO X are ideal.”

THE WORKS PRO is now also available in foils as part of the ecoSEAL system - Geocel’s environmentally friendly alternative to single use cartridges.

For more information, please visit: www.geocel.co.uk

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March/April 2021

The same product you love, now in a foil. ecoSEAL is the painless way to go green and helps reduce your waste to landfill.

For more information visit www.geocel.co.uk/ecoseal

Find out more about our unique system

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Laydex launch NSAI Certified 1200 Gauge DPM Following the amendment in December 2020 to Technical Guidance Document C of the Irish Building Regulations, Laydex engaged with the National Standards Authority of Ireland, to create and launch POLYBASE 1200 Gauge (min 300 Micron) Damp Proof Membrane. This product is a minimum of 300 micron in thickness and fully meets the criteria as set out in Technical Guidance Document C as assessed by the NSAI. The December 2020 edition of the Irish Building Regulations Technical Guidance Document C, “Site Preparation and Resistance to Moisture” contains specific and detailed instructions about the type of Damp Proof Membrane which must be used underneath floors in construction. The important point is that the material to be used is a minimum of 300 micron with no tolerance.

POLYBASE is currently the only 1200 Gauge (minimum 300 micron) Damp Proof Membrane on the Irish market which fully conforms to the Building Regulations and Laydex have rolled out a large scale product awareness campaign with the relevant regulatory bodies and specifiers nationally.

The outer sleeve of POLYBASE is completely branded and the face of the material itself is now printed showing the NSAI logo and certificate number allowing for clear identification on site.

Laydex are delighted to now offer their customer’s POLYBASE as the only 1200 Gauge Damp Proof Membrane they need to stock. Customers can supply this product with absolute confidence knowing that it meets the current Building Regulations giving maximum confidence to Assigned Certifiers including Architects, Engineers, Home Bond, Building Control or any similarly approved professional.

Cerrficate No. 20/0420

Compliant with Technical Guidance Document C of the Building Regulaaons as updated in December 2020 Ireland’s first NSAI cerrfied Damp Proof Membrane Membrane printed for easy idennficaaon on site Stronger minimum 300 Micron

For further information please contact Laydex Building Solutions, 01 642 6600, www.laydex.ie

Join the HAI upcoming online conference: Rebuilding Our Future - Retrofitting This half-day morning conference will take place via Zoom on May 6th and will include an exciting line-up of key-note speakers.

These will include William Walsh from SEAI, Cathal Tyther, Solution Centre, Credit Union Development Association and Paddy Sweeney of REIL. The focus of discussions will be on the latest considerations on ecological and sustainable products and home retrofitting trends and insights that the industry should know about.

Local Credit Unions have a number of products and services available for consumers borrowing for renovations/energy retrofits.

HAI are having exploratory talks with local credit unions about how they can work with local retailers and builders’ merchants. In the meantime, it may be worthwhile to get to know your local Credit Union loan officer and manager to explore mutual opportunities.

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More information to come soon, so watch this space! For more information contact HAI: info@hardwareassociation.ie or call 01 2980969.

March/April 2021

WOOD MAX EXPRESS POWER. THE CHOICE OF THE PRO. Wood Max Express Power is an extremely strong, waterproof and filling (wood) construction adhesive based on SMP-Polymer. This unique polyurethane free and solvent free adhesive is non foaming, is gap filling up to 4mm, can be applied both horizontally and vertically and any overflow can be wiped away immediately. Suitable for (flat) bonding of all types of planed and unplaned wood and for bonding wood to any other type of material. Wood Max Express Power is extremely fast drying and a joint is handtight after only 30 minutes!

www.griffon.eu

Griffon. The choice of the pro.

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At no extra cost, Credit Risk Brokers will help HAI members get better value from their trade credit insurance.

If not, contact us anyway to avail of a free debtor book review & risk assessment.

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Save time, money and reduce risk by having Brinks Cash Services collect your lodgements directly from your store Our Services include: • Low Cost Cash Processing fees- make significant savings on bank charges • Secure Cash/Cheque Collections directly from your premises • Free Delivery of Coin/Note floats with collections • Full range of smart safe-end to end solutions supplied

Avail of a brand new Affinity Deal for HAI members For further information contact Brinks Cash Services Ireland Denise McCarthy T: 087 7614 656 E: Denise.Mccarthy@Brinks.com

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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.

March/April 2021

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Classified Ads March/April 2021

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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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March/April 2021

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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.

March/April 2021

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DO YOU HAVE A LOGISTICS HEADACHE?

Bottom wall: Almendra | Top wall: Peony Rose from Midnight Dream Capsule Collection

• Are you experiencing customs or transport delays?

• Are you wasting time on additional admin?

• Are the new processes causing confusion?

• Are the new duty rates making your product uncompetitive?

• Are you looking to source products from another country?

• Are you experiencing high freight rates?

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Admin increase

Confusion over rules and new regulations

Shortage of stock and decline in sales

Customs delays

Transport delayswww.ir

Luxury has a new look

If you are experiencing any of the above and are in need please contact us

Restyle interiors effortlessly with new colour collections from MODA. These exquisite of a logistics remedy, palettes are available in stores soon.

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Like us care. on Facebook We Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube channel T: + 353 1 8111500 /DuluxIreland /duluxirl /DuluxIreland woodlandgroup.com E: salesirl@woodlandgroup.com

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FREE UP YOUR WALL SPACE Why waste your valuable wall space on low value items when you can save up to 66% space when you choose a free mobile swivel triangular stand for all your sandpaper products from your reliable abrasive supplier for the last 36 years.

Irish Abrasives Customer Service Contact Sales Department: Tel: +353 872595884 or +353 871242102 Accounts Department: Tel:+353 872520189 Email: info@irishabrasives.ie www.irishabrasives.ie

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WOODCARE Full range of bases available so you can tint to any colour from the Feetwood Colour Perfect mixing system

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For more information ask your local Fleetwood account manager or call 049-854 7209.

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