Page 6 Continued from page 5 and merchandising concepts and will be more appealing to women — who make up 40 percent of True Value shoppers. Included in the format are updated and expanded merchandise sections including new displays for nuts and bolts, power tools, decorative hardware and home decoration. True Value had some of the proposed departments, including nuts and bolts and decorative hardware, on display at last week’s spring market in Chicago. Although the exact dimensions of the store have not been determined, the co-op said it will be larger than the average 8,600-square-foot True Value store. “This store is being built by our merchants, two-foot by two-foot, looking at each line of merchandise and first determining whether the line should be in a basic hardware and paint store, then determining the size of the assortment needed to be relevant to our customers,” True Value chief executive officer Lyle Heidemann told members during the co-op’s spring market. The prototype—which will be availpercent. Ace Hardware opened its first overseas warehouse in 2006, which is located in Shanghai, China. This facility will serve as the buying office of Ace Global Distribution, which was previously located in Hong Kong. • True Value Opens Model Store Cary, Ill.—True Value is building a full-scale model store inside its paint warehouse in Cary, Ill., and hopes to test the format this summer. The model will be unveiled to members at the co-op’s fall market in Atlanta in October. According to True Value, the new prototype will feature innovative design RETAIL REVIEW able in three templates, depending on the size of the market—is the basis for the co-op’s “Retail Growth” initiative, which offers loans, credit and other incentives to help co-op members add square footage to their operations. Heidemann said the company hopes to open or expand one store per week by mid-2007 and two stores per week by mid-2008, and that 1.5 million square feet of retail selling space will be added over the next three years. “Although we’re not finished determining the exact size of the store, the sales, gross margin, inventory requirements or the exact product lines that will be recommended, I can tell you that we’re well on our way, and the members who have had a chance to walk through the store feel we’re going in the right direction,” Heidemann said. • Pro-Build Purchases Merit Millwork B r o k e n A r r o w , O k l a . —Home Lumber & Supply, the subsidiary of Pro-Build Holdings, has acquired Houston-based Merit Millwork. At press time for this issue of The Softwood Forest Products Buyer, terms of the agreement had not been disclosed. Merit Millwork operates two facilities The Softwood Forest Products Buyer that provide builders in the Houston area access to stock inventories and custom manufacturing capabilities. “We believe the addition of Merit will help Hope provide our customers with the most comprehensive ‘whole product’ millwork solution in Houston,” said Jim Cavanaugh, president of Pro- Build South. When the acquisition has been completed, Merit will be known as Hope Lumber & Supply. The owner and chief executive officer of Merit Millwork, Jim Darling, will remain with the company and will join Hope’s management team in Houston. Hope Lumber operates more than 40 locations serving more than 6,000 professional contractors throughout the central and southwestern United States. Pro-Build Holdings is the nation’s largest pro dealer, with more than 500 lumber and building product distribution, manufacturing and assembly centers throughout the country. Pro-Build trades under several regional brands, including: United Building Centers, Spenard Builders Supply, Lumbermens, Hope Lumber and Supply, Home Lumber, Dixieline Lumber, F. E. Wheaton & Co., Strober Building Supply, U.S. Components and Contractor Yard. • Stock Announces Closures of 22 Stores Raleigh, N.C.—Citing a downturn in American home construction, Stock Building Supply has announced the closure of 22 stores this year. Stock’s announcement stated it will close stores where the market no longer sufficiently justifies investment. The closings will eliminate 200 jobs. Stock spokeswoman Denise Waters said efforts to relocate many employees to other stores are being made. The company did not provide a complete timeline for the closures. Waters added that the stores that will close can be serviced by larger Stock stores in the same market, “ensuring we can continue to provide the same high levels of service to customers in these areas. The company will continue to review costs in response to changing market conditions.” Some store locations slated to close include: Mundelein, Ill.; Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and Richmond, Ind.; Cadillac, Hillman, Kalkaska, N. Oakland, Plainwell and Reed City, Mich.; Lindstrom and Rush City, Minn.; Springfield, Ohio; Norfolk, Va.; Janesville and Princeton, Wis. Stock is a top U.S. supplier of lumber and building materials to contractors. The Raleigh, N.C.-based company now operates 314 locations in 33 states, with reported sales of $4.1 billion for fiscal 2005. Stock is a subsidiary of Wolseley plc of Theale, England, which had same-year sales of more than $20 billion. In 1999, Carolina Holdings, which a year later changed its name to Stock Building Supply, bought six Wolohan Lumber locations in northern Illinois and southern and central Wisconsin, including the Wolohan store in Janesville. • V i s i t Us on the W E B @ w w w . millerpublishing . c o m
May/June 2007 Page 7 Innovation and dependability make up the fibers of our company and the products we create. We understand that your customers count on you to seek out the most distinctive and reliable new products. That’s why we’ve led the industry in developing innovative timber products, like Accuruff ® , our rough-sawn product with a uniformly applied rustic finish, and Tru-Dry ® , the most consistently and evenly dried Douglas fir product available. We are committed to providing you with outstanding forest products that remain strong and beautiful for generations. EXCLUSIVE MANUFACTURERS OF AND Accuruff ® Circle sawn Hand hewn Surfaced (S4S) EXPOSE OUR WOOD. Call your local distributor to place an order or call us at 888-201-3754. Learn more about Tru-Dry, Accuruff and our custom milling services at www.fglco.com. FOREST GROVE LUMBER. Outstanding forest products. People with heart. Accuruff, the Accuruff logo, Tru-Dry, the Tru-Dry logo and the FGL logo are registered trademarks of Forest Grove Lumber Company, Inc. © Copyright 2007. www.fglco.com
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