EXCLUSIVEBRANDSOURCING RETAILER/WHOLESALER ...

TRUE VALUE COMPANY
8600 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago, IL 60631-3505 USA
Tel: (773) 695-5000
Fax: N/A
www.truevaluecompany.com
Total Consolidated 2011 Sales: $1.9 Billion +3.4%
Percentage of Sales in Exclusive Brands: N/A
Principal Business: True Value’s history began in 1910 when a group of hardware dealers in
Pittsburgh, PA, established the American Hardware and Supply Company. Decades later, their
business was renamed ServiStar, headquartered in Minneapolis. In 1996, the business was merged
with the Coast to Coast, a dealer-owned hardware chain (founded in 1928) and, the following year,
their operation joined forces with Cotter & Co., a dealer-owned cooperative, in operation since
1948. This produced one of the largest dealer-owned buying groups in the US, called TruServe
Corp. When this business acquired another wholesaler, using the name True Value, dealers in the
co-op began adopting that identity as their store banner. (Cotter in 1992 helped Canadian hardware
dealers to form Cotter Canada separately, as an independent co-op. They followed the lead their
U.S. counterpart in the US, in 1999 by renaming themselves TruServe Canada Cooperative Inc.
Subsequently, their business, growing to some 650 independent dealers, operating more than 725
stores in Canada and based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was acquired by RONA, Inc. (also listed in
this database), Canada’s largest distributor and retailer of hardware, renovation, and gardening
products in November 2010.) Today, True Value oversees a network of some 4,650+ independent
retailers, who operate under six retail banners; True Value, Grand Rental Station, Taylor Rental,
Party Control, Home & Garden Showplace, and Induserve Supply. They have access, through 12
distribution centers, to more than 60,000 items. Thousands of those products appear under the coop’s
own brands.
EB Identities: True Value, Master Mechanic, Master Tradesman, Green Thumb (lawn fertilizer),
Master Plumber, Painter’s Select (paint), Sterling Fasteners (fasteners), etc.
EB skus: N/A
Profile: Despite the weak economy, True Value managed to advance its sales, greatly helped by
the rollout of its Distinction True Value store format. Some 56 renovations were completed during
2011. True Value vendor direct revenues climbed by 4.7% for the year, mostly supported by
affiliated/international channel growth. Net profit margin, however, dipped by 0.7% to $ 60.3
million.