Hardware THE DECEMBER JOURNALthehardwarejournal.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/... · At the...

HardwareJOURNAL

THE

THE VOICE OF THE IRISH HARDWARE INDUSTRY

A new imagefor a newbeginning

DECEMBER 2012

HAI Better BusinessMaximise your store’s potentialwith the correct layout

The Gadget GuyTV3’s Gadget Guy, Colin Baker,explains the latest in speechrecognition software for yourcomputer

Paint TrendsIf paint were a creature, it wouldbe an octopus. Sean Browneoffers advice to help you sellpaint

HAI Trade Show 2013Retail owners, managers andbuyers cannot afford to miss thisopportunity in February 2013 atCitywest

View From AbroadTen things Walmart would ratheryou did not know, by a formerWalmart Director

THJ Cover Blue 7451 Master:Layout 1 29/11/2012 10:45

Sun 17 February 10am - 6pmMon 18 February 10am - 5pm

Citywest Exhibition CentreSaggart, Co. Dublinwww.citywesthotel.com

AN EVENT

www.hardwareshowireland.com

PRE-REGISTER ON-LINE ATwww.hardwareshowireland.com

All those who pre-register will also receivea Pre-registration Badge and aFULL LIST of exhibitors.

Visit us at

Why you should attend

• Adhesives• Bathroom• Building Materials• Décor• DIY• Electrical• Energy• Fasteners & Fixings• Flooring• Garden Care• Garden Chemicals• Garden Equipment• Garden Tools &

Accessories

Do business with over 500market-leading brands in:

• Giftware• Grow your own• Hand & Power Tools• Hardware• Housewares• Ironmongery• Outdoor Clothing

& Footwear• Outdoor Living• Pet products• Plumbing/Heating• Retail Solutions• Security• Shelving/Storage

Free EntryFree Car ParkingFree Show Guide

PRODUCTSAWARDS

See 1000s of products fromover 500 leading brands.

Also visit the New Productof the Show Awards

display area.

ART FREEDMAN- THE ART

OF SELLINGLearn how to turn sales intoprofits from Ace Hardware

guru Art Freedman.

FREESEMINARS

AND WORKSHOPSTap in to the wealthof information and

advice available fromthe many seminars and

workshops.

NETWORKAT THE

PRESIDENT’S BALLThe HAI President's Ball(Black Tie) on the eve

of the opening dayis a phenomenal

networkingopportunity.

CITYWESTLUXURY

STAY-OVERCitywest is one of Europe's

premier hotel resorts.For special rates call

Tel: +353 (0)1 401 0500or visit

www.citywesthotel.com

REGISTER NOW and get

The Show is organised on behalf of the

Hardware Association Ireland by Business Exhibitions Ltd.

6 Sandyford Office Park, Foxrock, Dublin 18.

Tel: +353 (0)1 295 7418 Fax: +353 (0)1 295 7417 email: [email protected]

Hardware A4 ad/2013:Layout 1 03/12/2012 09:41 Page 1

December 2012/January 2013 ❙ THE HARDWARE JOURNAL 1

Hardware Show preview 32

A new image for a new beginningBrendan Maher, HAI President, explains the rationale behind the new name for the Association, and the new strategy going forward.

FEATURES

IN THIS ISSUE

12 Latest trends in the paintmarket in Ireland Sean Browne tells retailers to capitaliseon the excellent marketing initiativesbeing implemented by leading paintmanufacturers to boost sales.

34 Octabuild 2013The Octabuild 2013 Awards have beenreinvigorated and now include a newAwards structure.

36 HAI Better Business Declan Carolan advises on store layoutand maximising sales.

31 HAI Golf Society NewsGus Mullarkey reports on thePresident’s outing and gives detailsof next year’s events.

38 View from abroad Michael Bergdhal, former WalmartDirector of People, on retailing andhow to learn from, and compete with,the Walmart model.

42 Gadgets for business TV3’s Colin Baker waxes lyricalabout new and emerging trends inspeech-recognition software.

COVER STORY

2 News and products

44 HAI Clipboard A bulletin board for HAI members.

28

12 38 42

New products and innovative ideasare the lifeblood of every industrybut none more so than the hardwaresector. At the Hardware/DIY HomeGarden 2013 show over 500 market-leading brands represented by leadingcompanies will showcase everythingfrom traditional hardware/diy andbuilding materials products throughto housewares, garden, workwear andpet care products.

REGULARS

Dear Reader

Welcome to the first edition ofThe Hardware Journal, theHardware Association’s new

bi-monthly publication. The Associationalready provides a vast array ofservices but there has never been agreater need for a communication andinformation forum to reflect this, andto deliver additional expert advice toboth members and the industry atlarge. The Hardware Journal will fulfillthat role.

News and new product informationwill comprise a very important strandof the editorial content. However, themain thrust will be “independent”editorial featuring informative articlesdealing with issues such asemployment legislation, financialmanagement, trading legislation,market trends, retailing and supplychain matters.

This first edition of The HardwareJournal will be mailed directly, andpersonally addressed, to all HAImembers, in addition to seniorpurchasing managers, and owner-managers, across the entire industry.

The Hardware Journal will also beavailable in soft-copy format on thededicated The Hardware Journalwebsite (www.thehardwarejournal.ie).

More than anything else TheHardware Journal is by the industry,for the industry. We welcome yourcomments, views and suggestions andlook forward to reflecting them infuture issues.

Contents:Layout 1 04/12/2012 13:33 Page 1

2 THE HARDWARE JOURNAL ❙ December 2012/January 2013

HAI supports WEEE initiative RTE’s Room to Improve presenter Dermot Bannon (right)visited the new TJ O’ Mahony Builders Merchants in Ballymountrecently to announce WEEE Ireland’s renewed sponsorship of theseries, and its partnership with Hardware Association Ireland (HAI) to encourage local hardware retailers to become centres forWEEE recycling in the community.

Conor Leonard, Collections and ProjectsManager of WEEE Ireland, said: “WEEE Ireland is delighted with both of these partnerships. Thehardware store in any town is a pivotal part of the community and we welcome their support in this drive”.

Jim Copeland, Chief Executive and Director, HAI added: “Wehave more than 600 members nationwide who, in addition toadvising on renovation and DIY work, also encourage customers to recycle old appliances for free right in store.”

Contact: Jim Copeland, HAI. Tel: 01 - 298 0969.Email: [email protected]

Isover Optima gets NSAIcertificationIsover Optima, the high-performance insulation solutiondeveloped to improve thermal and acoustic performance

where outer facadeor cavity wallinsulation is not anoption, has beenawarded NSAIcertification.It is the first dry-

lining system accredited by the NSAI and has been testedand approved not only to improve the thermal and acousticperformance, but also to reduce thermal bridging.

Photo shows Brian Dolan, Managing Director Gyproc and Isover Ireland with Sean Balfe, Director, Irish Agrément Board, NSAI.

Retailers get €11out of every €12spentA recent report in the IrishIndependent stated that “almost €1 of every €12 spent by Irishconsumers goes to overseas internetretailers”. It then proceeded tooutline a doomsday scenario fortraditional retailing with quotes andfigures from all manner of sources.

Internet purchases are obviouslycompetition to traditional retailingbut, if €1 out of every €12 spent at retail level is going to internetsuppliers, that means that astaggering €11 out of every €12still goes the established route.

Nor is it the case that internetretailing is some new phenomenon.It is now a well-established elementof the retailing picture yet, despitethat, traditional retailing in Irelandstill attracts €29bn of the estimated€35bn total retail spend in thecountry.

Of course traditional retailersshould be conscious of the internetcompetition, and indeed would dowell to establish their own internetpresence. However, the facts of theIrish Independent story point totraditional retailing standing veryfirm in the face of internet retailing.Don’t be misled by the negative spin put on them.

Global DIY Summit 2013The second Global DIY Summit will take place in Italy on6/7 June 2013. Hosted once again by EDRA and fediyma (theEuropean Federation of DIY Manufacturers), the Global Summitwill take place at the Sheraton Roma Hotel and ConferenceCentre in Rome.

Entitled “A Digital World: The challenges of homeimprovement in the multi-channel era”, the event is expectedto attract over 500 delegates from across the globe.

Contact: www.fediyma.com

Editor Pat Lehanet: 01 288 5001m: 086 255 7363e: [email protected]

Editorial BoardBrendan Maher, President HAI David BakerKieran BurkeJim Copeland Heather Graham Charlie HamiltonPaddy Kelly Senan MonaghanJohn Murphy Hugh O’Donnell John O’Dwyer John Phelan Alex Taylor

Advertisement ManagerJoe Warrent: 01 288 5001m: 086 253 7115e: [email protected]

Origination and designPressline Ltd. t: 01 288 5001

SubscriptionOne Year – €50

Official journal of

Published byThe Hardware Journal Ltd

ElmvilleUpper Kilmacud RoadDublin 14t: 01 298 0969e: [email protected]: www.hardwareassociation.ie

© All editorial contents and alladvertisements prepared by the publishers, The Hardware Journal Ltd.

News�PRODUCTS

News and products NEW:Layout 1 04/12/2012 12:31 Page 1

A combination of quality, reliability and technical back up means morepeople choose Tegral first. For more than 75 years now Architects, Builders, Merchants and Home-owners trust Irish-made Tegral slates over any other.For them all, when it comes to slates, Tegral always comes out on top.

Find out more at www.tegral.com

Tegral. Be Proud of What You Build.

More people trust Tegralslates than any other.Doesn’t that just say it all?

Tegral Building Products Ltd, Athy, Co Kildare.Tel: 00 353 (59) 863 1316 email: [email protected]

Tegral Master artwork THJ:Layout 1 22/11/2012 11:55 Page 1


Expert Hardware RTE coupAt a time when small and medium-sized hardware stores are under extreme pressure,Expert Hardware has pulled off an amazing coup with RTE that, even at this early stage, hasalready underpinned and strengthened its members’ standing in the minds of the public.

DIY is a major element of RTE’s new flagship afternoon Today Show and ExpertHardware is the officially-appointed resident DIY expert adviser on the programme. Theshow is hosted by Dathai O’Shea, Maura Derrane and Norah Casey and its airing at peak viewing attracts an average audience of 150,000.

The first of the five shows aired on 5 November and the theme dealtwith by the Expert Hardware adviser was “Have hot water for the rest ofyour life at no cost”.

Themes for the subsequent shows are:• There’s a mouse in the house; • The magic toolbox;• Stop that draught; • Light up your life.

David Baker, Chairman Expert Hardware told The HardwareJournal as we went to press: “At last the local hardware store is now seen as the first port of call by people who want goodsound advice and the right products for the job. Let's faceit, that’s what everybody wants and at Expert Hardware we deliver that”.

Contact: David Baker, Expert Hardware. Tel: 01 – 524 0686; email: [email protected]

Alan Grant, Expert HardwareMarketing Director, who presentsthe slot on RTE’s Today Show.

Allied Merchants €100million buying powerHaving just celebrated its first birthday,Allied Merchants Buying Association nowcomprises seven members – Ganlys; HomeProject Centre (HPC); Morris BuildersProviders; Stakelums; Joyces; MauriceGrahams; and Drinagh Co-op.

Between them they represent 24 storesand account for a combined purchasingturnover of over €100 million. Industrysectors served include building supplies,agricultural, plumbing, hardware, garden and homeware supplies.

Allied Merchants CEO John Murphy stated:“With shifts in the economic landscape therehave been huge changes in retailing andsupplying. However, by working together toachieve the same goals we are delighted with our first year as a new buying group.

“A huge positive has been thecommunication and information sharingbetween members on topics such as productselection, store layout and promotions. Wehave a board meeting once a month wheremembers have their say and we vote on any decisions the group has to take. Everymember has an equal say and an equal vote”.

Looking to the future, John said that allmembers joining in the first two years will be shareholders but that the number ofmembers will be limited to something like 20.The fundamental aim of Allied Merchant is a low-cost, highly-professional group, withstrategically placed members that work withnominated suppliers.

Contact: [email protected]

Sanbra Fyffe and Plasson join forces The Plasson range of mechanical fittings suitable for both Irish and metric pipe is nowavailable from Sanbra Fyffe. Robust in the extreme, Plasson is made from virginpolypropylene. This gives it immense impact strength and stress resistance, and it canoperate securely to +/- 40ºC. It is also quality approved by European and global agencies.

Plasson has a proven track record based on continuous use for over 45 years. It isdesigned for connection to many pipe types and materials, providing backwards

compatibility with existing systems.Thanks to the captive ‘O’ ring seal, it provides lifetime protection against

leakage. It requires no nut-tightening to achieve a seal.Plasson comprises a vast range of types, sizes and patterns of fitting with

many unique solutions to everyday problems. There is also a complementaryrange of valves, accessories and threaded products to provide a totalsolution, no matter what the application.

Also from Sanbra Fyffe is Plass4, a pipe-repair coupler to connect to manypipe materials. The Plass4 coupler and elbow will make an immediate repairwhether the existing pipe is copper, lead, galvanised steel, PVCu,polyethylene, alkathene or Poly York. With couplings available to cover theO/D size range 15mm to 50mm and elbows to cover the O/D range 15mm to 35mm, Plass4 is the answer for every emergency.

Finally there is PlasShield, a range of fittings to suit barrier pipes forcontaminated ground. Two display types are available – a 1-meter and an 0.5-meter version.

Contact: Kevin or Ultan in Sanbra Fyffe Santry office. Tel: 01- 842 6255 (or your localrepresentative). Email: [email protected] Web: sanbrafyffe.ie

News�PRODUCTS

AlliedMerchants’CEO JohnMurphy


Des

igne

d, D

evel

oped

and

Man

ufa

ctu

red

in W

ater

ford

Find out more about our other amazing off ers:

Everything we know about stoves, in your fi replace.

Prepared for any weatherCome hail, rain or shine, your Stanley Stove will be there for you; providing controllable, effi cient heat when you need it.

Easy to installThe Cara Insert stove fi ts easily into a 16” or 18” wide x 22” high fi replace opening.

Cut your fuel billA Stanley stove simply produces more heat from less fuel helping you stretch your fuel budget further.

Room and central heating options availableThe Cara Insert central heating model is now available to heat up to 4 standard radiators.

Call us1850 302 502 local Stanley Centre www.waterfordstanley.com

www.facebook.com/WaterfordStanley

Visit your Online

Over 300,000 Irish homes have chosen a Stanley stove, here are some of the reasons why...

Project2:Layout 1 30/11/2012 10:59 Page 1


Stanley – Irish brand with long traditionStanley has been bringing warmth and comfort to homes for generations, stretching back to when the first range cooker was made in Waterford in 1934.

At Waterford Stanley the design team’s objective is to create stoves that bring control,comfort and warmth to the home. The design ethos is simple – connecting the past to thefuture and combining classic style with excellent performance.

A tyical example from the range is the Cara Insert Stove which retains the appearance ofan open fire while bringing all the benefits of a stove. It is also said to be three times more

efficient than an open fire. The Cara Insert takes up minimal hearth space,

making it the perfect solution where space is at apremium. It will also shortly be available in a high-output boiler model which will heat 9/10 standardradiators.

Meanwhile, the Reginald – inspired by the famousReginald’s Tower in Waterford – sets a new standardfor stove design and performance. Behind thesculpted curves, chrome detailing and elegant stylinglies a next-generation stove designed to comfortablyheat the entire home, while also meeting hot waterneeds.

Other models in the range include the Lismoreboiler and non-boiler stove and the new Ardmore

stove which is coming soon. In total, over 300,000 Irish households

have already said yes to the control,efficiency and comfort that comes asstandard with a Stanley Stove.

Contact: Locall 1850 302 502;www.waterfordstanley.com

Curust extendsportfolio New to Curust industries is the Douglasprofessional range of high-strengthcleaning products. These are aimedspecifically at the hardware/DIY store and are recommended for professional use.One of the advantages here is that it giveshardware/DIY stores the chance todifferentiate themselves from the localsupermarket in this product category.

Meanwhile Vitcas has appointed CurustIndustries its distributor for Ireland for itsstove accessories range of heat-resistantproducts. In addition to premium firecement, the range includes high heat-resistant aerosol paints, cleaners and fire ropes, and seals.

Finally, Tessi has introduced a new“snap-safe” europrofile cylinder. When theburglar attacks the cylinder it snaps at apre-determined point while keeping thedoor securely locked. The key-holder canstill use the key to open the door andreplace the cylinder later.

Contact: Richard Brocklesby, Curust. Tel: 01 – 276 0800; email: [email protected]

New Irish Cement bag design Irish Cement Ltd, CEM II cements were firstintroduced by Irish Cement in 2007 to reduce thecarbon footprint and improve the sustainability of thecompany’s product range. In keeping with the driveto improve sustainability, Irish Cement recentlyinvested in modern energy-efficient manufacturingfacilities and last year further reduced itsdependence on imported fossil fuels by introducing alternativefuels as a heat source in the kiln at Platin Works.

Following several years of commitment and investment, Irish Cement’s CEM II Eco-efficient cements became the first products in Ireland to be independently certified to theBRE Environmental and Sustainability Standard BES 6001. Irish Cement has now introduceda revised bag design to mark this achievement and to communicate to customers thesustainability benefits of its cement.

Further information is available on the Irish Cement website www.irishcement.ie

The Reginald

CCEC new brands CCEC Distributors has added twomajor international housewares brands toits portfolio – Rayen and Tescoma.

Rayen comprises a comprehensive rangeof laundry, clothes storage and cleaningproducts such as ironing board covers,cooker hood filters, bags for wardrobes andmulti-usevacuumbags.

As forTescoma,this is aworld-renownedname in kitchenware products. It includeseverything from kitchen gadgets through tokitchen utensils, cookware and tabletop.Manufactured to a high quality, all productscarry a minimum 3-year guarantee.

Contact: Declan Byrne, CCEC Distributors.Tel: 01- 457 1075; email: [email protected]

News�PRODUCTS


For more information click www.kilsaran.ie

or call us for a catalogue on 01 8026300

For a full range of concrete building materials look no further than

Ireland’s largest independent manufacturer of concrete products,

Kilsaran International.

DECORATIVE STONEDecorative Stone is perfect when creating informal garden paths, separated

landscaped areas or simply adding colour. Our ranges include all the most popular

decorative aggregates on the market and are available in 25kg plastic bags or bulk

bags.

PRE-MIXED DRY PRODUCTSOur pre-mixed dry products are pre-mixed in our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility

in County Kildare. This ensures accuracy, consistency and less waste. These products

only require the addition of water and come in a range of convenient bag sizes in either

plastic or paper bags.

QUALITY BAGGED AGGREGATESOur quality bagged aggregates are clean, washed and specially graded to comply with

the relevant EN standards for supply to the building trades. Our large network of

quarries enables us to deliver a quality product to our customers.

PAVINGOur product range represents the very best of design and craftsmanship. We employ

the most modern techniques at our world class manufacturing facility. All products

come in a range of finishes and colours to suit everyone’s taste.

KERBS & ACCESSORIESOur extensive range of kerb blocks and kerb setts complement our entire range of

paving flags and blocks. Special corner blocks allow right-angle designs and our

channel blocks allow water to drain away.

STONESCAPE PACKSThis premium quality range of paving packs uses moulds to recreate the look and feel

of natural stone. Using raw materials from our own quarries and produced in our

modern manufacturing facility, you can be sure our products meet the highest quality

standards.

STONESCAPE CIRCLE PACKSIf you love the look of the circle but prefer or need your patio space to be square, then

you can use our Squaring Kits in Old Priory or Cambridge to complete your project.

Please note squaring kits are not sold separately.

SAND & SEALERSJOINTING SAND

Kilsaran’s jointing sand comes in two shades co-ordinating with our entire product

range. This Kiln dried sand is ideal for use with both block and flag paving. The Silver

Granite Jointing Sand MUST be used with all Kilsaran products in Silver Granite, Yellow

Granite and Pembroke – Eco ranges to avoid possibility of unsightly staining from the

buff coloured jointing sand.

PERMAJOINT & SEALERS

Kilsaran’s premium grade paving sealer range provides comprehensive product

protection with a long term sealing effect which does not need to be applied on an

annual basis. Kilsaran’s PermaJoint 200 is a jointing compound, designed for wide

joint paved areas. The self-hardening properties of this product provides a long term

durable joint with an attractive sand joint appearance.

One contact. One order.Greater efficiency.

A4-productranges_Layout 1 26/11/2012 14:24 Page 1


News�PRODUCTS

Tegral ‘Win a Roof’ winner The Sinnott family from Ballinhassig in County Cork werethe winners of the first of two draws in the Tegral “Win A RoofCompetition”. Tadhg Donohoe, National Sales Manager, Tegral,recently presented them with their prize at a special ceremonyheld in the premises of Cork Builders’ Providers, where theypurchased their ThrutonePlus slates.

Also in attendance were Michael Brosnan, Tegral’s TechnicalSales Representative for the region, Dan Twomey, ManagingDirector of Cork Builders’ Providers and David Heavin, a senior manager at the firm.

The slates were used in an ambitious home renovationproject utilising a combination of wind-generated energy, abiomass boiler, solar heating panels and the highest levels ofinsulation.

Commenting on the competition Dan Twomey said:“We are very proud to be associated with Tegral who are an Irish manufacturer and the leader in roof slates –two great names, one great product. In the currentclimate it is important to support our own and at CorkBuilders Providers we are recognised for our support of Irish products”.

Tadhg Donohoe added: “This is the first competition of its kind and it has proven extremely popular. I wouldencourage anyone who purchases Tegral slates from theirbuilders’ merchant to complete an entry form and enterthe next draw of our “Win A Roof Competition” whichtakes place on the 20 December 2012”.

Tegral’s “Win A Roof Competition” is open to anyone whopurchases Tegral ThrutonePlus, Supercem or Graphite BlueSlates from their builders merchant. Terms and conditions apply which are available on www.tegral.com.

Contact: www.tegral.com/findyourlocalrepresentative

David Heavin, Senior Manager and Dan Twomey, Managing Director, CorkBuilders Providers with competition winners Peter and Kathryn Sinnott, Tadhg Donohoe, National Sales Manager, Tegral and Michael Brosnan,Technical Sales Representative, Tegral.

Merger creates Tucks O’Brien The directors of sister companies PE O’Brien Ltd and Tucks Ltd have re-structured their business model and merged the two operationsinto a new entity called Tucks O’Brien.

The new venture will formally commence trading on 7 January 2013with Tom Nolan as Managing Director, Bob Boxwell as CommercialDirector and Donal Moulton as Product and Marketing Director.

It will trade from the 40,000 sq ft distribution centre currentlyoccupied by PE O’Brien in Magna Business Park, Citywest, wheresubstantial stocks of hand tools, power tools and related products will be held.

A team of 15 field sales staff and eight internal stales staff will servicethe large and expanding customer base.

Contact: Tom Nolan, Managing Director. Tel: 01 - 467 7000;www.peob.ie

Laing joins DS SuppliesDerrick Laing has joined DS Supplies Ltd, bringing over12 years experience from within the wood products

industry. He is especiallyknowledgeable on woodprofiles and DIY productsand will deal directlywith hardware andbuilders merchantsnationwide.

DS Supplies distributes a widerange of floor accessories under

the Trojan brand and Eureka Fasteners and Fixings. See www.dssupplies.com

Reisser power tool accessories Reisser Ireland supplies high-quality, high-performance woodscrewsand power tool accessories aimed specifically at the professional trade.

The extensive range includes the Reisser R2 and the revolutionaryReisser Cutter woodscrew. Handy system cases

contain both the R2 and Cutter woodscrews in assorted sizes and quantities, designed to make life easier for the professional.

Reisser’s displays andmerchandising are informative, eye-

catching, maximise stock space and, as a result can increase turnover.

As distributor for Wera, Wilco and Forgefix, Reisser Ireland offers a varied range of products and fixings for every need.

Contact: James Wild, Reisser Ireland. Tel: 057 – 933 3314; email: [email protected]



ROME WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY.It would’ve been if this was around.

Bostik Industries Ltd. Newtown, Swords, Co. Dublin, Irelandt 01 862 4900 f 01 840 2186 w www.bostik.ie

EVO-STIK 007 eliminates the need for any other type of sealant or adhesive and can be used in more than 7 specialist construction fields such as Carpentry,Plumbing, Electrical, Glazing, Metal Fabrication, Tiling, andDecorating.

EVO-STIK 007 is specially designed to replace at least 7 individual products including: Panel/Grab Adhesive General Purpose SealantDecorator’s Caulk Specialist PU Adhesive Wood Glue Sanitary SiliconeAll Weather Silicone

SEALS AND BONDS EVEN IN THE WET

THJ Page 9:Layout 1 29/11/2012 11:27 Page 1


News�PRODUCTS

Kilsaran offers full range from single source Merchants wishing to stock a full range of concrete building materials need look no furtherthan Ireland’s largest independent manufacturer of concrete products, Kilsaran International.

Since the 1960s, the Kilsaran brand has been most strongly associated with ready-mixconcrete and blocks. Over the past decade or more the company has diversified its portfolio andis now the market leader in hard-landscaping products such as paving blocks, slabs, circle packs,kerbing, decorative aggregates and walling products. Complementary paving accessories such assealers, jointing sand and jointing compound are also available.

Kilsaran has invested in a state-of-the-art plant for the manufacture and bagging of pre-mixed products such as mortar, render, 3:1 sand and cement mix, patio bedding mix, DIY repairproducts and many more. Depending on the product, the company’s pre-mixed range is availablein plastic or paper bags and in a variety of sizes from 25kg down to 10kg handy packs. Directfrom Kilsaran’s own quarries, bagged aggregates are clean, washed and specially graded tocomply with the relevant EN standards for supply to the building trades.

Choosing Kilsaran as a building materials partner guarantees a complete and superior qualityrange from a single supplier, and also an unrivalled customer service experience. The company’sQuality Monitoring System is designed to ensure that input from its customers is captured andacted upon. Kilsaran is committed to best-in-class product training for its customers which canbe conducted on-site or at the company’s state-of-the-art facilities in Co Meath.

A strong focus on sustainability means that stocking the Kilsaran range won’t cost the earth.its long-established goal is to minimise the environmental impact of its business and, where

possible, provideenvironmental benefitsto all its stakeholders by recycling, reusing and creating newinnovative systems, products and sales routes.

With attention-grabbing packaging and point of sale, significantcross-selling opportunities, high profile media campaigns and a salessupport system second to none, distribution partners know thatstocking Kilsaran’s range will deliver the highest return.

Contact: Kilsaran International. Tel: 01 – 802 6300;www.kilsaran.ie

United against retail crime Retailers Against Crime, the successful initiative in the fightagainst orgainsed retail crime in the UK, has now opened an Irishoperation called Retailers Against Crime Ireland (RACI). Accordingto a recent report published by Retail Ireland, trade crime is costingthe Irish exchequer €861million per year with retail theft alonecosting €110 million.

Information on crime and acts of violence in the workplace aresubmitted to RAC by its members, providing analysed andintelligence bulletins, with up-to-date information to helpcounteract organised retail criminals.

The launch was extremely successful and brought a lot ofpositive feedback and interest to the RACI.

Contact: Donie O’Callaghan, RACI. Tel: 01 – 291 6174; Mobile: 086 – 043 2224; email: [email protected]

Tight on Water

Sanbra Fyffe now distributesthe vast portfolio of Plassonmechanical fittings suitable for both Irish and Metric pipe

Sanbra Fyffe Limited, Conex Works, Santry Avenue, Santry, Dublin 9.Tel: 01 - 842 6255 Email: [email protected]/


The Hardware Journal …

www.thehardwarejour nal . ie

… just a click does the trick

The Hardware Journal is the official publication of Hardware

Association Ireland. The printed edition is mailed directly,

and personally addressed, to all HAI members, in addition

to senior purchasing managers, and owner managers,

across the entire industry. If you are involved in the sector

and wish to receive your own personal copy, email your

full details to [email protected]

In addition to the printed edition, The Hardware

Journal is also available electronically. It can be

accessed in page-turner format for on-screen

persual, or as a pdf which can be printed out in

full, or part, depending on the particular

article(s) you are interested in.

HardwareJOURNAL

THE

THE VOICE OF THE IRISH HARDWARE INDUSTRY

A new imagefor a newbeginning

DECEMBER 2012

HAI Better BusinessMaximise your store’s potentialwith the correct layout

The Gadget GuyTV3’s Gadget Guy, Colin Baker,explains the latest in speechrecognition software for yourcomputer

Paint TrendsIf paint were a creature, it wouldbe an octopus. Sean Browneoffers advice to help you sellpaint

HAI Trade Show 2013Retail owners, managers andbuyers cannot afford to miss thisopportunity in February 2013 atCitywest

View From AbroadTen things Walmart would ratheryou did not know, by a formerWalmart Director

www.thehardwarejournal.ie

Smart Cards for FuelAllowance SchemeHardware Association Ireland(HAI) has written to theGovernment to say that theexchequer could recover anestimated €9.25 million in VAT and business taxes if theDepartment of Social Protectionmade better use of availabletechnology to pay the Winter fuelallowance to individuals andfamilies.

HAI suggests that theGovernment should introduce anofficially-endorsed fuel vouchersystem where recipients wouldhave to use dedicated fuelvouchers or smart cards topurchase fuel products fromregistered retail fuel outlets. Thiswould allow the Government torecoup some of its expenditure onWinter Fuel Allowance throughlegitimate retail outlet tax returns. “We have concerns that, as

the allowance is currently paid incash and used to purchase fuelfrom any source of supply, thereis no traceability or recovery forthe State.” says Jim Copeland,HAI Chief Executive.

There is sufficient competitionamong legitimate retail outlets toensure that recipients of theallowance have a wide choice ofsuppliers. It would also be a moreefficient way to reduce thedamage the shadow-economy orblack market traders are causingto legitimate businesses in everysector.

With the increased cost of fuelhitting householders hard, HAIhas also urged the Governmentagainst a further carbon tax onsolid fuel in the forthcomingbudget. “Not only will such a tax add undue pressure for manythousands of households, it will result in lost revenue toGovernment and as many as1200 jobs because of thegrowing unregulated market insolid fuel”, says Jim Copeland.

44 THE HARDWARE JOURNAL � December 2012/January 2013

HAI CLIPBOARDHAI CLIPBOARD

Recast Prompt Payment Directive welcomed HAI welcomes the thrust and objectives of the recast Prompt PaymentDirective 2011/7/EU of the European Parliament due to be introducedinto Irish legislation in March 2013. However, HAI insists that theproblem is not with the legislation, but with its enforcement and thefact that the number of companies that charge penalty interest totheir business partners is reportedly very low.

HAI contends that late payments are disastrous for Irish business,and have been made financially attractive to debtors in Ireland by lowor no-interest rates being charged on late payments and/or slowprocedures for redress.

In a submission to the recent consultation on the EU Directive, HAI said that there needs to be a decisive shift to a culture of promptpayment, including one in which the exclusion of the right to chargeinterest should always be considered to be a grossly unfair contractualterm or practice.

Such a shift should also include the introduction of specificprovisions on payment periods, and on the compensation of creditorsfor the costs incurred. The exclusion of the right to compensation forrecovery costs should also be presumed to be grossly unfair.

Accordingly, provision should be made for business-to-businesscontractual payment periods to be limited, as a general rule, to 60calendar days.

HAI is ready to contribute to any initiative that will substantiallyaddress the area of prompt payments. The adoption of this Directive into Irish legislation would be a positive outcome to this consultation.

HAI opposes statutory sick pay scheme HAI says that the introduction of a statutory sick pay scheme in Budget 2013 would have hugely-damaging consequences for employment and growth next year.

In a recent IBEC survey, almost half of the respondents with an occupational sick pay scheme saidsuch a move would affect their company's ability to recruit new employees. A similar number said itwould affect their ability to retain existing staff and a majority said it would affect the sustainability oftheir business in Ireland.

In addition, companies would be forced to change the existing benefits offered to their employees.HAI believes that employers would revise and reduce existing sick pay and benefit entitlement to staff.

This shifting of costs onto employers is an extra tax on employment at a time when employmentshould be the priority. This proposed measure will increase labour costs, reduce the opportunity forcompanies to create and maintain jobs, and damage our competitiveness. Government should befinding ways to reduce costs so employers can create jobs and stimulate economic growth

The OECD says that an increase in taxes on labour of 1pc reduces an economy's employment rate by about 0.4%. Based on this, any Government's proposal for an extra tax on jobs through a statutorysick pay scheme could cost at least 3,500 jobs, both directly and indirectly.

Jim Copeland, Chief Executive and Director, HAI

HAI Web Advert:Layout 1 30/11/2012 10:50 Page 1

If paint were a creature,

it would be an Octopus. It

loves its natural habitat and

it uses its eight tentacles to

guarantee not only its own

survival, but also that of its

preferred environment.


Paint Feature:Layout 1 27/11/2012 10:03 Page 1

When placed outside itscomfort zone, paint does not flourish. It has a habit of disappointing the

opportunistic retailer who tries to placethe octopus within easy reach of things it does not like. Oranges, tents, ski vests,100-piece screwdriver sets and digitalmemory drives are not its friends.

Witness the forlorn appearance of theproduct four times a year in certain foodstores, then spare a thought for the mostconsistent performer of your retailing

business in the last 50 years. Paint is a predictable income earner. It has itsseasons and each one contrives to keepdemand on a stable trajectory for its store.

Coloured paint, in the octopus world, isa high roller. The unitary transaction valueis quite high. Single package transactions,e.g. a 2.5 litre of tinted wall paint, rangearound €30. Multiple purchases for even a small project can be very significant.

The octopus at work again. Hmmmm, a wall, a ceiling, a door, a window, a brush,a roller, a tray, some sandpaper maybe? Oh

The paint-octopus makes the paintingprocess simpler – and that makes thejob look better and last longer oncefinished – it's one job now that justabout anyone can tackle. This has ledto radical change in the paintingindustry at every level, from theindependent paint store, to paintmanufacturers and product designers.


Focus on: PAINT

Sean Browne is an industrial engineerand holds an MBA. He is CEO of RefleXPlastics Technology and MD of VistaManagement Consultants.

Sean’s experience in paint and paintretailing is unparalleled, and he hasworked on paint projects over a span of27 years in over 30 different countriesfor the Akzo Nobel Corporation. He is also an SME mentor for DIT andEnterprise Ireland programmes. He can be contacted directly [email protected]

This editionIn this, the first of a two-part series on paint, Sean examines the radicalchanges taking place in the paintsector with specific reference totechnical and product trends; colourtrends; ranging options; giving expert advice; stock control.

Next editionIn the next edition of The HardwareJournal Sean will look at:– Colour mixing/tinting – Display and choosing colour– Selling related products– Staff training– Making friends with your suppliers

Retailers – you mustcapitalise on excellentnew manufacturermarketing initiatives


PROVEN PRODUCTS

• Continued commitment to supporting our brand in Ireland

• 96% Brand Awareness amongst Irish consumers in 2012

• Heavyweight media campaign planned for 2013 in Ireland

RONSEAL

www.ronseal.ie

BUILDSAWARENESS

08091 New Hardware_07229 Hardware New DPS 27/11/2012 09:58 Page 1

CONSUMERS TRUST

• Discounted prices, volume packages

• Even more value for the consumer in 2013

• Driving profit margin for retailers

DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN®

www.ronseal.ie

BUILDSPROFIT

08091 New Hardware_07229 Hardware New DPS 27/11/2012 09:58 Page 2


and masking tape and a dust sheet. Now,what else do I need?... enough said.

Trends – technical and productThe momentum for the elimination ofvolatile organic compounds [VOCs]increases in line with EU Directives. What that means to us is that paints willhave virtually no white spirit in theircomposition. But don’t panic! You will still be able to buy as much white spirit asyou like … and use it as you like. But yourpaint manufacturer is discouraged fromputting it in there. Maybe that’s becausethey know consumers will be putting it inthere anyway. Funny world …

But will your paint still be as good?Well, yes and no. Emulsion paints havealmost no organic solvent in themnowadays – no horrible oily stuff that we put in our cars every day – and theystill work well.

However, the binder or “glue” (PVA) inwall paints that holds the coloured pigmentstogether is oil-derived. It is a plastic. Whenit is applied, the miniscule amount ofsolvent that is in there evaporates and

immediately goes off to the North Pole tomelt icebergs. Or so it is alleged.

Ireland survived well for centuries onwhitewash, a mixture of water and calciumhydroxide which, when exposed to oxygen,hardened and provided excellent waterprotection for the tigín bán. Witness thewhite cliffs of Dover which, unlike the NorthPole icebergs, will not melt just becauseyou give a room a quick lick of magnolia.

But to be objective, the new paints aregreat and congratulations to our paintmanufacturers who have borne the veryonerous task of making them comply with well-intentioned legislation.

Oil-rich paints such as gloss and satin-finish are rapidly being replaced by water-borne, resin-based alternatives and thesepaints are becoming very sophisticated in both their ease of application anddurability. They are often marketed as“quick drying”.

I will summarise by saying that paint is older than Newgrange and is a verysimple product. It will probably go back to more natural materials, and there is no harm in that. Manufacturers

will continue to seek efficiencies and thiswill be managed seamlessly by them,hopefully with little effect on paints.

In the 1970s and 1980s the marketingfocus was on paint performance andlongevity. Thankfully that’s gone the way of double-breasted Yves St Laurent suitswith turn-ups on the trousers and a silkhankie drooping from the breast pocket.Right for the time but ghastly now.

Fashion and frequency of change arenow the driving vectors of paint sales andlet’s keep it that way. But don’t just leave itto the manufacturers – seize their marketinginitiatives and capitalise on them. Theyhave spent the money on your behalf.

The octopus has been around for a longtime and remains intent on riding the tide.

Trends in colour“Our primary inspiration is nature,specifically the sensations of luminositythat are produced by the interaction oflight, particulate matter in the atmosphere,and the stuff of the landscape … ground,water, trees, rocks”. This quote by DonaldKaufman essentially says that what you

People find the task of choosinga color from a 1000-color fandeck a daunting and frustratingtask. That is why they likepictures of colour schemes.


Project1:Layout 1 21/11/2012 12:06 Page 1

see on holidays often looks awful at home.You know that’s true. It applies to

clothes, music, “things” and even people.However, we are very lucky to be locatedwhere our creator decided to place thepointy end of his compass when hedecided on there being a landmass calledEurope. European fashion and design setthe pace for our colour preferences and the rise and fall in popularity of coloursand colour schemes.

Colours become popular and then startto wane for a host of reasons. The trend forbold colour usage continues – red and itsderivatives was king last year. However,they are now in the “subtle bold” zoneand are generally accompanied bywhites/off-whites etc.

Colour is where the margin lies in paint,and it’s a healthy margin. Price-fighting on white paint is so old-fashioned andpointless. The real battle is to createconsistent margin opportunities in-store by being clever with your colour marketingproposition.

Display properly and giveexpert adviceHere in Ireland, I see a real polaritybetween good and poor colourmarketing in stores. Some people havegiven up and others are racing ahead.

The last five years has seen paintshift dramatically from the male zone tothe female … and it’s the better for it.Colour marketing for retail paints isfirmly aimed at the female home-makerand the stodgy image of paint has allbut disappeared. Paint and colour areexciting and interesting – a good paintstore will capture this fair wind.

Historically, recessions mute the colorpalette of consumers, but there is nosign of that at the moment. This is goodnews for paint retailers and I see somevery impressive marketing of colourfrom paint producers. The in-storepresence of colour and colour swatchesetc is really coming along in leaps and

bounds. If you want to sell colour in store,display it properly.

Most stores have at least one tintingmachine and color displays so consumersare spoiled for choice. Or are they? Let’snot kid ourselves, retailers.

People find the task of choosing a colorfrom a 1000-color fan deck a daunting and frustrating task. That is why they likepictures of colour schemes. It is wellknown that colours which appear in aroom set in a colour card are guaranteedto sell well. Computerised colourmanipulation is getting better every yearas software and screens improve.

There are hundreds of colour software

projects under way as you read this article,and not just for decorative paint. Cars,kitchens, appliances, clothing etc all needaccurate pictorial representation on youri-pad screen. I have seen some prototypesand many are unbelievable. So come on,help your customers to make confidentcolour decisions. Also ensure that at leastone of your staff has colour training.

In short, consumers don’t buy a can ofpaint. They buy a new room. But a newroom needs a lot more items than paintand there are many other things in yourstore that the octopus can reach out to.The challenge for the retailer is to linkpurchases. But you know that already.


Focus on: PAINT

To be objective, the new paints are great and congratulations to

our paint manufacturers who have bornethe very onerous task of making themcomply with well-intentionedlegislation.

“”


New formulation Diamond Matt

is 10x tougher and 10x more

stain resistant than standard

vinyl matt.

Dulux Diamond Range. Looks better for longer.For a fi nish that looks better for longer choose Dulux Diamond Matt. Being 10x tougher and 10x more stain resistant,surfaces can be washed and stains removed without affecting the fi nish. In fact, tests have demonstrated that it has unrivalled scrub resistance, showing nothing beats Diamond Matt.

Dulux.ie

DUXP805-Diamond-IrishHard-A4-V1.indd 1 27/11/2012 09:52

Guess it’s time to do something about it. I will address this area in more depth in afuture edition of The Hardware Journal.

Ranging optionsI’ve worked on paint projects in 32countries, from Russia down to Papua NewGuinea. The UK and Ireland are the onlycountries where a person can walk into asmall paint/hardware store and see threeor sometimes four different ranges ofready-mixed paints. What is that about? Tomake matters worse, drive for five minutesand you will probably encounter anotherstore stocking two of the same brands.

In a world where mergers are rife sothat manufacturers can effect economiesof scale and selling/distribution savings we, in many instances, are doing the exactopposite. Fragmenting purchasing power,incurring unnecessary admin costs anddiluting economies of scale. Maybe there is a bit of a benefit of spreading credit, butthat is a ghost in the machine.

Why can’t a store in any given town bethe ultimate brand store for a particularmanufacturer, with full ranging of thebrand and good support from thatmanufacturer?

Difficult times mean difficult decisions.But really, are they that difficult? Lookaround your store and ask yourself thesesimple questions.

– Are you using and leveraging yourpurchasing power wisely?

– Is the cost-of-credit balancing actcorrect for your business?

– Are you a creature of habit, locked in aninertia, created by business challenges?

– Are you talking real business with yourtop suppliers or just discussing sport andrecession tales with their sales people?

– Are you differentiating your store withyour product offer?

– Are you differentiating your store withyour customer service proposition?

– Do you have a plan to change things inyour business … or are you just goingto let other people and things changeyour business?

Only you can tell of course, so think it over.

Stock ControlLast year I visited many paint andhardware stores throughout Ireland. In onestore I was amazed that the owner had a huge display and stock of the sameproduct filling one shelf. Not unusual for

a fast seller, but this display was of aspecialist primer. Good earner, but not a fly-off. Great deal, special pricesummarises the ensuing conversation.

I left a €20 note on top of one of thecans. Within a few moments as we left thearea I was reminded that I had left it and it could disappear. My response was that, if the owner didn’t mind leaving €1800lying around the store, my €20 wasnothing to worry about.

Now, I challenge you to look for all the €20 notes lying around your store(s).Go on, spend 30 minutes chasing twentiesand you will make yourself more money inmanaging stocks than you will in retailingthem. Send me some comments on yoursuccess and we can share these on the TheHardware Journal’s website.

I would like members to send in ideasfor a “keep fit” campaign on stocks andwe might convene a workshop.

For years, hardware and paint stores did well from the concept of the ”springclean”. Why don’t you gather up all the old dust-encrusted slow movers, discountthem and turn a liability into a cash-flowmanagement project? Stock is money. Aftera month or so, it becomes either yourmoney or your liability. Either way, it’syours and you’ve got to manage it.

Stock is of course the lifeblood ofbusiness opportunity, but if it is mis-aligned with demand trends, over-stockedor obsolete, it becomes an accelerant tobusiness decline and financial instability.Ready-mixed paints are fashion-driven. Do you have any of the following?– Obsolete colours from 3/4 years ago? – Bashed up cans?– Returned tinted paint? – Old can design stock?– Past shelf-life items?

Liquidate them … take the hit andgenerate cash. You will also please somebargain hunters.

• In the next edition of The HardwareJournal Sean will look at colour mixing/tinting; display and choosing colour; sellingrelated products; staff training; makingfriends with your suppliers.


The in-store presence of colour and colour swatches etc isreally coming along in leaps and bounds. If you want to sellcolour in store, display it properly.

What do you think?

The Hardware Journal welcomes comment and feedback. If you have and opinion onthis article, or what Sean proposes to cover in the next edition, please email yourview(s)/question(s) to [email protected]


Suppliers of Quality Paint Accessories

� Paint Brushes � Roller Sleeves

� Roller Frames � Paint Roller Sets

� Paint Trays & Buckets � Extension Handles

�Dust Sheets � Painters Tools

� Sandpaper· �Masking Tape

I.S. Varian & CompanyUnit 1, Greenhills Industrial Estate, Greenhills Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.

Tel: 01 - 450 1150 Fax: 01 - 450 1209 Email: [email protected] www.varian.ie

SERVING IRELAND SINCE 1798

coffee cream

The world isfull of inspiration

...so help your customers transform

their ideas into a reality.

Developed for the Independent by the Independent,

Johnstone’s offers fantastic margin potential and excellent return on investment.

This superb colour range is sold exclusively through our network of independent retailers.

For further information and to take advantage of our new stockist deals contact us now

on 01924 354600 or visit our website at www.johnstonespaint.com/becomea_stockist.asp

Ireland’s Only National Showcase

Hardware/DIY Home Garden Trade Show


The next issue of The Hardware Journal will feature a major preview of theHardware/DIY Home Garden Show 2013,including the Official Show Catalogue.

This is an excellent opportunity formanufacturers, distributors and agents to gainmaximum exposure to a vast audience by wayof advertising in the Official Catalogue.

Contact

Joe WarrenAdvertisement ManagerThe Hardware JournalTel: 01 – 288 5001 Mobile: 086 – 253 7115Email: [email protected]

OFFICIAL

CATALOGUE

THJ Page 21:Layout 1 29/11/2012 11:12 Page 1


Focus on: PAINT

This year was Ireland’sworst summer since 1986 and,not surprisingly, it resulted in adrop in retail footfall. Despitethis, Ronseal continued tosupport the brand on TV, onlineand in store across Ireland. “After such heavy rain there’sgoing to be serious upkeepneeded in the garden”, saysDenis Murphy, Brand ManagerRonseal Ireland. “We’rereminding customers of thisthrough our investment in mediaand getting them to think ofRonseal when approaching their projects.

“The current recession meansconsumers are looking for valueso next year we will continue tosupport the market with somegreat deals. Our added valuepacks across key fencetreatments and decking productsare good examples. For instance,we are launching One CoatFencelife in a 4L Plus 25% pack, and Decking Stain 2L with 25% extra free for a limited time.

“The biggest category withingarden woodcare is still fencetreatments, which is also thecategory most affected by thepoor weather. Brush-appliedfence treatments still make upthe bulk of this market. Our One Coat Fencelife and 5-YearWeather Defence Fencelife givethe choice of convenience andperformance. We’re re-launching

our brush offer too – the Ronseal Fencelife Brush makes it easy for retailers to makelinked sales and maximise profit margins.

“The slowdown in sprayable fence treatments is unsurprising during a recession. We We still fully support the category and

it remains, without doubt, thequickest and easiest way toprotect a fence, so we expect to see a return in growth.

“The decrease in new deckingbeing put down has led to agrowth in decking maintenanceproducts. This year we introduceda Decking Stripper that usesunique technology to enable

decking to be stripped in a morning and then protected with a Ronseal coating the same day.

“Colour in the garden is another trend we can’t ignore. Garden Colour is the fastest-

growing category in exteriorwoodcare. Our WoodlandColours range offers a selectionof 12 colours inspired by ancientwoodland. Included are neutraltones like White Ash or Willow,and bolder choices like Brambleor Bluebell.

“Looking forward to 2013, we will continue to support thebrand, reminding consumers totackle the projects they put off in 2012. We’ve also got anexcellent package of support for retailers from POS toconsumer promotions.

Contact: Denis Murphy, BrandManager, Ronseal (Ireland). Tel: 01 – 294 4009; Mobile: 087 – 256 0601; email: [email protected]; web: www.ronseal.ie

IS Varian synonymous with quality Established in 1798, Varian is one of Ireland’s oldest companies and is still Irish-owned after almost 214 years. Today, the company is based in Walkinstown, Dublin 12, where its warehouse, administrative and sales operations are situated. A lot has changed in Ireland since Isaac Varian started the company but it is still carrying on the business of brush and paint accessory distribution in Ireland.

IS Varian’s comprehensive paint accessory products include paint brushes; roller sleeves; roller frames;paint roller sets; paint trays and buckets; extension handles; dust sheets; painters’ tools; sandpaper andmasking tape.

IS Varian & Co is one of the leading suppliers of paint accessories in Ireland today. Marketing acomprehensive range, Varian’s paint accessory products cater for the professional tradesperson, as well as the growing DIY trade.

Varian products are brand leaders in the paint and DIY sectors and are available from leading hardwarestores in Ireland. They are synonymous withquality, a tradition inkeeping with the ethos put in place by Isaac Varian 214 years ago.

Contact: Alan Walker, IS Varian & Company.Tel: 01 – 450 1150; email: [email protected]

Ronseal drivingretailer footfall

The Varian Pro Painter range

Denis Murphy, Brand Manager, Ronseal (Ireland)

Paint Spoofs:Layout 1 29/11/2012 10:18 Page 1

Focus on: PAINT


Crown on-trend shades for 2013Spring/Summer colour Crown Paints has unveiled its renowned Colour Influences collectionfor Spring/Summer 2013, featuring inspired shades that will shapefuture specification projects. Focused on three new distinctive palettes,the launch reinforces Crown Paints’ continued leadership in colourforecasting and offers an on-trend, personalised look for your walls.

The three trends have been developed by the Crown Paints ColourInfluences panel, a team of distinguished professionals and stylistsassembled for the annual project.

The first palette, “Equilbrium”, offers a bold and contemporaryfocus, with a masculine edge. The palette is influenced by the colourconfidence of early 20th century design movements. It features grown-up primary colours, which inject vibrancy to a base of black, white andcoolly-modern greys. In addition, graphic lines and angulararrangements give a gallery-like feel where colour and structurecombine to create the perfect visual balance.

A more feminine palette is found in the second trend,“Mannequin”. Pretty but powerful, this gives equal balance to sweet

and strong colours. Taking inspiration from the catwalk, it sees fleshhues and soft pinks combine with pale greys and a touch of metallicsilver to complete a beautifully-elegant picture.

The final palette, “Optimism”, brings together the uplifting energyof bubblegum pink, sunshineyellow and deep blue, anddisplays them against crisp whitetouches or backgrounds. Perfectfor indoor and outdoor use, thispalette suggests an upbeatsensibility.

Neville Knott, Crown’s ColourConsultant and presenter of TV3’sNeville’s Doorstep Challenge said:“The Influences for 2013 arethought-provoking and inspiring, with wonderful vibrant palettes thatare both interesting and flexible.”

Contact: Crown Paints. Tel: 01 - 816 4400; email: [email protected] www.crownpaints.ie; or Crown Ireland Facebook page.

Paint is our thingIf you’re looking for a special colour, we can match it. If you’re looking for snazzyretro patterns or timeless contemporary wallcoverings we have them. If you’re lookingfor finishing touches, we have a wide range of soft furnishings. And if you’re lookingfor ideas, we can advise you. Albany is the home decor specialist in paint,wallcoverings, fabrics, blinds, soft furnishings and lightiing. We stock all the majorbrands and more – all at affordable prices. What’s more, we have home decor anddecorating consultants available to help you create exactly what you want, and we’lleven throw in a few tips of the trade!

So to create an impression in your home, visit Albany today. With branches throughoutIreland, there’s bound to be a store close to you. Check our website for more info.

Albany Home Decor SpecialistsFor Quality, Value and Service

�Paints �Wallcoverings �Curtains/Blinds

�Lighting �Soft Furnishings

Thinking home decor… then think Albany

Nobody does decor better

Visit our website www.albany.ie• Athlone • Bailieborough • Balbriggan • Ballina • Ballyjamesduff • Belmullet • Castlebar

• Cavan • Claremorris • Ennis • Limerick • Mallow • Monaghon • Mitchelstown • Navan

• Nenagh • Portlaoise • Roscommon • Roscrea • Shannon • Sligo • Tralee • Tuam • Westport


Bio-Tec from Fleetwood is arange of specialist, cutting-edgecoatings developed for use inareas where hygiene protectionis needed. The advanced coatinghas been proven to significantlyreduce the spread of disease andinfection – from MRSA throughto Salmonella and E.coli –alongside regular cleaningprocedures.

Key to the effectiveness ofBio-Tec is silver ion technology.The coating containsantimicrobial agents, includingelemental silver, producing silverions (Ag+). These silver ions riseto the surface of the paintedarea, attaching themselves tomicrobes and inhibiting growth.

Aside from its core purpose of bacterial control, Bio-Tec alsodelivers added maintenancebenefits. Thanks to an acrylicresin, Bio-Tec is a scrubable,

durable coating, with excellentabrasion resistance that canwithstand repeated cleaningcycles. It is also available in a 2-pack, water-based, epoxy forextra durability and chemicalresistance.

It has already beensuccessfully deployed in some of the most demanding ofapplications. These include StJames’ Hospital in Dublin whereit was applied in care units, maincorridors, kitchens and sluicerooms, and the National

Maternity Hospital where it wasused in the intensive care unit,hallways, day-rooms and wards.

Other recently-completedprojects include applications inthe Beacon Hospital, GalwayClinic, Castlerea Prison, BostonScientific, Elan, AllerganPharmaceutical and theDepartment of Defence.

Aside from Bio-Tec’s uniquehygiene and maintenance-related qualities, there areadditional benefits to usingFleetwood products in painting.

One of these is the sheer breadthof the company’s colour range.The Fleetwood colour mixingsystem offers over 30,000shades, ensuring that the perfectcolour is available for everyspace within a project.

Fleetwood has alsoimplemented a robustenvironmental managementpolicy with new manufacturingprocesses to minimise adverseenvironmental effects beingintroduced daily. In addition, new techniques in manufacturingand distribution systems helpproduce less waste. Inrecognition of theseachievements, Fleetwood wasthe first company to be awardedthe EU’s premier environmentalaccreditation for paint, the Eco Label.

Aside from its own history,Fleetwood has a long-standingpartnership with SherwinWilliams, a world leader in paintcoatings, dating back to 1978.Together, the two companieshave successfully suppliedchemical coatings and industrialmaintenance paints withcombined technology to some of the largest companies around the world.

“With a proud history ofquality – and a game-changinginnovation in Bio-Tec – Fleetwoodpaints has distinguished itself as a key provider for thischallenging sector”, saysspokesman Tom O’Connell.

Contact: Tom McConnell,Fleetwood Paints. Tel: 01 – 455 2411; email: [email protected]; web: www.fleetwood.ie

Focus on: PAINT


Introducing Tec7 filler Contech Building Products specialise in supplying high-quality construction products for professionalswith the aim of simplifying the work of all tradesmen. Its flagship range, Tec7, has become a household

name in recent years, renowned for its ease of use, flexibility andmultiple applications.

Just recently the range has been further extended with theaddition of the innovative Tec7 Filler, the all-in-one filler andfinishing plaster for indoor and outdoor use.

As you would expect with the renowned products in the Tec7family, the new Tec7 Filler is a high-quality product that can beused for many applications, indoor or outdoor. It has outstandingadhesion to all porous materials, fills gaps up to 30mm, drieswithout shrinking or cracking, is lightweight and snow white.

Tec7 Filler is also flexible, quick drying and has a claimed shelflife of 24 months, even when opened. It is available in four sizes

including a 300ml cartridge that is ideal for use with any application gun.Contact: Andrew d’Arcy, Contech Building Products. Tel: 01 – 629 2963;

email: [email protected]; www.tec7.ie

Bio-Tec coatings from the Fleetwood range

Fleetwood Bio-Tec beats bacteria


Albany Home Décor has beenat the forefront of the paintbusiness in Ireland for over 20years while many of its membershave been leading independentpaint and décor specialists forgenerations. This experience and know-how has stood Albany member stores in steadthrough the worst economicdownturn that almost anyonecan recall.

In particular, Albany’s non-reliance on a single segment ofthe décor market, coupled with atypically low financial gearing,

has helped to keep turnoverrelatively healthy and costsmanageable. Just as importantlyAlbany stores continue to offerchoice, value and advice tocustomers depending on budgetand project specification.

Albany has also workedclosely with suppliers to get best value and relevant productpromotions and has alsoembraced developments in thepaint sector to help offer thecustomer more. Some of thenoticeable trends anddevelopments in the sector in

recent years on the supply sidehave been innovations in productspecification and formulation tomeet new EU VOC environmentalstandards like acrylic gloss and

undercoats to replace traditionaloil-based paints.

Also, manufacturers have pushed the productdifferentiation model and uppedthe performance and applicationscope of products such asscrubable matt finishes andhighly-durable anti-mold exterior paints.

Many manufacturers have alsoresponded to demands for lessabrasive or harmful effects bymaking anti-allergy paints forhospitals and nursing carefacilities, and energy efficientinsulating coating to complimentsustainable living demands.

Another notable feature hasbeen the gradual proliferation in designer colour ranges withhigh-quality chip paint cards for true colour representation.Customers can buy samplecolour sheets and mini-designertester pots, often resembling acosmetics jar more than atraditional paint pot! Thisdesigner movement is based onextensive tinting options for thecustomer and is presented infabulous Colour Walls andDisplay Cabinets.

These unlimited colour optionsand quality displays have helpedAlbany and other qualityspecialist décor independents to offer a full in-store or on-siteColour Consultancy service as,despite the extensive colour aids,most customers still want advicewhen choosing colour.

Contact: Padraic McGuinness,Albany Group DevelopmentManager. Tel: 094 - 902 1821;Mobile: 087 - 418 7451; email [email protected];www.albany.ie

Focus on: PAINT


Albany – ‘nobodydoes décor better’

Dulux ‘Home Factory’ interiors trend As the largest paint manufacturer in Ireland, Dulux keeps its fingers very firmly on the pulse of emergingcolour trends. Each year its experts from its Aesthetic Centre meet with an international group of creativeexperts from the fields of design, architecture and fashion to determine the key colour trends for theforthcoming year. One of the latest trends identified for Winter 2012/2013 is called Home Factory, and is said to “facilitate the industrious soul buried deep within all of us … harnessing the time we spend inthe home”.

Home Factory is the look for Winter 2012/2013, and brings creativity to the fore in the home. It is allabout home manufacturing, creating things in the home,on a tiny and personal scale. The style of the interiorshould be a reflection of how you occupy the space. Bolddark statement wall colours such as Dulux Moon Waves 1fill the space, contrasting with elements against thesurface that pop and snap against it. Awe-inspiring softteals such as Dulux Sea Urchin 2 go brilliantly with richerpetrol-like blues and all types of natural greens, whetheryellow or blue toned.

Home Factory encourages everyone to re-think the waythey live and re-purpose everyday items to make a spacemore engaging and interesting. Reconnecting with whatmakes you happy is the perfect antidote to consumerismand creates a new style that is human centered.

To stay on trend, draw inspiration and decide on colour,log on to www.dulux.ie.

Contact: [email protected]

Albany stocks all the majorbrands, and more, at affordableprices.


Apart from product displays, therewere also a number of informativeseminars. These included

presentations on St Gobain’s new G3 SoftTouch Insulation, the Aqualux range fromDulux, Maximising Bostic Adhesive sales,Ronseal new product demonstration andhow to up-sell flues by MI Flues.

The New Product Area generated a greatdeal of interest with 120 new lines on offer.Winner of the best new product award wasSt Gobain for its new Isover G3 mineralinsulation roll. The attendance was verygood with over 80% of the membershipwho came along actually doing business.

Other United Hardware news concernsnew store fit-outs and revamps takingplace nationwide. These include GrangeHomevalue, Baldoyle, where a major storeextension involving the addition of amezzanine floor serviced by two escalatorshas been completed. Bandon ARRO had an official opening on the October BankHoliday Weekend of its new 12,000 sq ftretail store with Eoin Cadogan performingthe honours.

Promotional campaigns continue toenjoy significant support among themembership with over three million ARROand Homevalue leaflets distributedthroughout the country from the start of the year.

Meanwhile, the Associated Hardwaredirectors have appointed Paul Thompson as Interim CEO of Associated Hardware.Previously he was the Financial Director ofthe KAL Group and the Mulvey Group.

All of this comes on the back of the very

successful industryconference held inCroke Park earlierthis year whichattracted 300owners andmanagers. “This”,says David Farrell,CommercialManager of UnitedHardware, “alongwith initiatives in buying,operationalsupport andmarketing, continues to ensure that UnitedHardware performs strongly in all itsmembers’ interests.”

Contact: John Stone, CEO NationalHardware. Email: [email protected]; Paul Thompson, Interim CEO, AssociatedHardware. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 01 – 461 1800 (for both).


David Farrell, Commercial Manager, United Hardware (right) presents the United Hardware BestNew Product Award to David Rossiter and James Dunne of Isover Ireland.

Tony Anderson, Berger Paints with Mike Kelly, Richard Cummins, Cummins Homevalue and ClarkeBlair, Berger Paints.

United Hardware forges ahead

New ARRO end cap signage.

Over 100 exhibitors participated in the United

Hardware trade show which took place at the

Citywest Convention Centre recently.

Grange Homevalue, Baldoyle has completed amajor extension.

United Hardware:Layout 1 27/11/2012 14:38 Page 1

It all happens atThe HAI President’s Ball

Citywest Hotel, Saggart, Co Dublin • February 16 2013

Come celebrate all that is excellent in the

hardware industry and avail of a unique

opportunity to network with your colleagues

and the industry’s most influential suppliers

and buyers.

BOOK NOWContact Valerie at

Tel: 01 – 298 0969

Email: [email protected]

RELAX …

NETWORK …

STAY OVER …

Sponsors:

HAI President's Ball:Layout 1 29/11/2012 10:38 Page 1

Most of this analysis has takenplace under the stewardship of currentPresident Brendan Maher who, with themassive support of his fellow Boardmembers, has formulated a dynamicstrategy that will secure members’ currentand future interests in the face of the mostchallenging trading environment theindustry has ever experienced.

“Taking on the role of President with theindustry and national economy at such alow ebb may have seemed like acceptingthe proverbial poisoned chalice to some”,says Brendan, “but the reality was verydifferent. On assuming office I discovereda Board of Directors and supportingExecutive who were totally committed tomembers’ interests.

“In addition to a strong and driven

desire to transform the Association into a modern-day, dynamic organisation, thewealth of business acumen and experiencerepresented on the Board meant that wehad the means to deliver to that high ideal.Challenging times call for strong leadershipand a confidence to take bold-decisions.Thankfully my Board colleagues did notshirk from this responsibility.”

It might seem ironic to mark theimpending 75th anniversary of theAssociation by changing its name but thatis precisely what Brendan and his fellow-directors have done. “This is not acosmetic exercise”, says Brendan, “but adeclaration of intent to current members,and potential new members, that we are an organisation for the present and future.Our aims and objectives are progressiveand we now have a strategy and structurein place to implement and realise them. Wewanted to reflect that in a new identity.

“The name Hardware Association Ireland(HAI) reflects the core base of the industry,but we have also reclaimed the wordhardware to encompass the expanded andall-embracing nature of the business as itstands today. In addition to traditionalhardware and building materials, it nowalso includes DIY, housewares, garden,workwear and pet products.

“While we should all be proud of thehistory and past achievements of theIHBMA, the best way to celebrate thatsuccess is to use it as a platform to kick-start a new era of growth and developmentthat will see the HAI emerge as a biggerand stronger association, better able toserve not only the membership, but theindustry at large.

“HAI is unique in that the membershiprepresents a broad mix of retailers,

Given the dramatically-changed nature of thehardware sector in recent years, the IHBMA hasspent the last 18 months or so doing a thoroughexamination and appraisal of how it engages withits members. In particular it looked at the servicesit provides, and assessed from survey feedbackjust what it is members require going forward.


The Interview: BRENDAN MAHERPRESIDENT, HARDWARE ASSOCIATION IRELAND

‘CAN-DO’ ATTITUDESET TO MAXIMISEINDUSTRY POTENTIAL

Let us celebrate the 75th anniversarymilestone of the Association bysupporting, and participating

in, the new initiatives being rolled out by the HAI Executive

B. Maher Interview:Layout 1 27/11/2012 09:58 Page 1

The name Hardware

Association Ireland (HAI)

reflects the core base of the

industry, but we have also

reclaimed the word hardware

to encompass the expanded

and all-embracing nature of

the business as it stands

today. December 2012/January 2013 ❙ THE HARDWARE JOURNAL 29



agents, distributors and manufacturers. It is made up of family-run single andmulti-branch outlets, through to nationalchains and publicly-quoted conglomerates.A network of almost 800 nationwideoutlets provide employment for over12,000 people who in turn deliverexcellent products by way of professionalservice to their local communities.

“HAI is now the first point of contactfor information, advice, networking,training and support for the membership.Our objective is to capitalise on thisstrength and to ensure that it isrecognised and respected as the true voice of the industry. Over the next yearwe intend to communicate the strength of what we represent to Government,other trade organisations and relevantprofessional bodies in a manner that will benefit the membership and promoteour collective interests.

“In this respect communication is of

major importance. Hence the decision to establish our own industry tradepublication, called The Hardware Journal.This will provide the perfect conduit for all involved within the industry tocommunicate with one another, and forthe HAI to promote and project the bestinterests of the sector to a much wideraudience. In addition to a printed edition,The Hardware Journal will also beavailable in a soft-copy version online.

“My message going forward is clear.Despite the current difficult tradingenvironment, we in the hardware sectorhave a history and tradition to be proud of. It represents a ‘can-do’ attitude that we can harness to be creative andinventive, to identify new opportunities,and to devise strategies to maximise thepotential they offer. The blueprint for thatis now in place so, let’s celebrate the 75th anniversary milestone of theAssociation by supporting, andparticipating in, the new initiatives being rolled out by the HAI Executive.”

Our aims and objectives are progressive and wenow have a strategy and structure inplace to implement and realise them.“

”Membership benefitsHardware Association Ireland provides a range of training, education and advisoryservices to members, in addition to an extensive programme of networkingopportunities. HAI is also a nominating body for the Seanad and regularly meetswith, and lobbies, Government Ministers, TDs and Senators on Irish and EUlegislation affecting the sector. Finally, there is the HAI flagship event, the bi-annual Hardware/DIY Home & Garden Show (see www.irishhardwareshow.com).

Services• Seminars, workshops and training events• Legal and human resources advice• Health and safety advice• E-business/EDI electronic trading• Shop design/layout advice• Credit best practice procedures• Health insurance discounts• Complimentary trade journal• HAI Benevolent Fund• Affinity deals on utilities, card payments and insurance


As you are already aware, Willie Dixonplayed his last golf outing as President at hisown club, Naas, on Friday 17 August. We hada tremendous turnout for this outing whichwas our last for 2012. The day turned out verynice and we had a most enjoyable day’s golf.I must say Naas Golf Club pulled out all thestops to make us so welcome, and served upan excellent dinner in the evening.

The sponsor (as always for our President’sPrize) was PE O’Brien & Sons/Stanley Black &

Decker. Niall Byrne, PE O’Brien SalesDirector, was our host on the day. Afterdinner President Willie thanked Niall for hisgreat sponsorship and his magnificentselection of prizes. Captain Eddie Kelly alsothanked the sponsor, and all members andfriends, for their continued support. Niall thenreplied and thanked Willie for having PEO’Brien as the sponsor, and stated that thecompany would continue to do so into thefuture. Niall and Willie then presented theprizes to the winners.


Society President Willie Dixon, and Captains EddieKelly and Marian Kelly, wish all members andfriends a very Happy Christmas and hopefullya successful New Year.

Top: Mens overall winner Jim Copeland with President, Willie Dixon. Centre:Runner-up Liam Barrett, with sponsor Niall Byrne. Bottom: Ladies Captain Marian Kellywith sponsor Niall Byrne and Ladies winner Josephine Glennon.

• HAI President Paddy Kelly’s PrizeVenue: The Heritage Golf ClubDate: Friday 26 April Sponsor: Crown Paints

• Denis Burke Memorial CupVenue: Mount Wolseley Date: Friday, 31 May Sponsor: Bostik/Evode

• Captain Joe Wallace’s PrizeVenue: Rosslare Golf ClubDate: Friday 28 JuneSponsor: Irish Abrasives

• President Jim Cuddy’s PrizeVenue: Carton House Golf Club Date: Friday 6 SeptemberSponsor: PE O’Brien/Stanley Black

& Decker

• Overseas TripThe overseas trip to Portugal will takeplace from 1-8 October 2013. Details to follow.

Report: Gus Mullarkey, PRO

Results from President’s Outing, Naas

LadiesFirst: Josephine Glennon; Second: Sandra Barrett; Third: Aine Parks; Fourth: Marian Kelly.

MensFirst: Jim Copeland (18) 39 pts; Second: Liam Barrett (12) 36pts; Third: Niall Barry (7) 36pts.

Class 1First: Basil Glennon (14) 34pts; Second: Tim Lodge (12) 34pts.

Class IIFirst: Ray Colman (18) 35pts; Second: Liam O’Gorman (17) 33pts.

Class IIIFirst: David Bolger (20) 33pts; Second: Paddy O’Leary (21) 32pts.

Front NineJoe Wallace (13) 18pts

Back NineKieran Burke (13) 19pts

VisitorsFirst: P Morrissey (13) 37pts; Second: Colm Madden (12) 32pts.

HARDWARE ASSOCIATION IRELAND

GOLF SOCIETY NEWS

HAI Golf:Layout 1 29/11/2012 11:15 Page 1

Fre

e s

em

ina

rs a

nd

wo

rksho

ps

Seminars and interactive workshops

are an essential and very popular element

of the Show programm

e. Quite a number

will take place over the two days of theshow –

check out the details to maxim

izeyour visit.

For sta

nd

enq

uirie

s conta

ct: Maure

en Le

dw

ith a

t Busin

ess E

xhib

itions. Te

l: +353 (0

)1 2

91 3

700; e

mail: m

aure

en@

bize

x.ie

Agility

Softw

are

A

malg

am

ate

dH

ard

ware

A

quaso

urce

Distrib

uto

rs A

rc Build

ing P

roducts

Ash

tow

n Tra

din

gB&

G Lim

ited

Bord

Na M

óna

Horticu

lture

Bostik In

dustrie

s Burke

Bro

s Son &

Co

C-Te

c Irela

nd

Castle

Pain

tsC

CEC

Distrib

uto

rsC

entra

l Key

&H

ard

ware

Co

Centu

rion E

uro

pe

Charle

s Bentley

CJ S

heera

n

Cla

rke TW

Cla

ssic Hard

ware

Conte

ch B

uild

ing

Pro

ducts

Cre

stwood G

ard

ens

Cro

wn Pa

ints

Curu

st Industrie

s D

elp

h C

entre

Dosco

D

raper To

ols

DS S

upplie

sD

ulu

x Pa

ints Ire

land

Dyco

n

EPT (Irl)

Eve

rbuild

Build

ing

Pro

ducts

Eve

ready

Exce

l Industrie

sExce

llence

Expert H

ard

ware

Flair In

tern

atio

nal

Fleetw

ood Pa

ints

French

Trade

Com

missio

nG

orilla

Glu

e E

uro

pe

Gypro

c and Iso

ver

Irela

nd

Ham

ble

Distrib

utio

nH

ard

ware

Asso

ciatio

nIre

land

Henke

l Irela

nd

Hi-Te

c Sports U

K

Hom

e Tre

nds

Inta

ct Softw

are

IQ S

upplie

s Irish

Wire

Pro

ducts

J B K

ey C

o

Jeffe

rson To

ols

John D

arg

an &

Sons

John M

urp

hy(C

astle

rea)

John S

taffo

rd &

Sons

Kam

co S

upplie

s K

ilsara

n G

roup

Liffey D

istributo

rs M

Donnelly

& C

o

Marg

in M

aste

rM

arsa

n In

dustria

l SA

MA

X6M

UM

SEC

URITY

McLo

ughlin

sRS

McQ

uilla

n W

hole

sale

N &

C E

nte

rprise

sN

eed s S

ign

Nilfisk

Ohra

Regala

nla

gen

GM

BH

Oly

mpic Fix

ings Irl

PE O

'Brie

n &

Sons

Paprika

Desig

nPe

terso

n o

f Dublin

Poly

pal

Pre

mie

r Hom

eware

sRaw

lplu

g Ire

land

Reisse

r (Irl)Rhin

o In

dustria

l RN

H S

olu

tions

Roth

well In

dustrie

s Sanbra

Fyffe

Sasta

Hard

ware

Scu

lly.ieSH

S S

ale

s &M

arke

ting

Snicke

rs Workw

ear

Spra

yquip

Sta

x Tra

de C

entre

s Plc

TI Mid

wood &

Co

Targ

etd

ryTeg

ral B

uilding

Products

The C

hanelle

Gro

up

The S

pecia

list Gro

up

The To

olb

ank G

roup

Tippla

nd H

orticu

lture

Tru

e Te

mper

Tucks Fa

steners &

Fixin

gs

Unite

d H

ard

ware

Varia

n &

Co

WEEE Ire

land

Wes-C

hem

Pro

ducts

Westa

ro H

osin

gW

estla

nd H

orticu

lture

Wogan D

istributo

rsW

ood M

ould

ings

Over 500 brands exhibiting

There will be thousands of individual products from

over 500 market-leading

brands represented by leading companies such as:

Show to prem

ierA

ssociation name

changeH

ardw

are Asso

ciation

Ireland

(HA

I) is the new nam

e for the Associationand the show

will be the first significant

industry event at which the new

identity w

ill be showcased.

Over the last 18

months the Association

has undertaken am

ajor review of its

aims and objectives,

the services provided,and the expectationsof the m

embership. As a consequence, it

devised a dynamic new

strategy to take theAssociaton forw

ard, and to better representm

embers’ interests in the face of today’s

dramatically-changed trading landscape.

With a program

me of new

and revitalisedservices to roll out over the course of 2013,the Executive decided to reflect theseinitiatives in a new

name and logo.

It is appropriate that in celebrating its 75thanniversary, the Association is looking to thefuture, and putting strategies in place thatw

ill secure its growth and developm

ent overthe next 75 years.

Retailers have broadened their horizons to com

plement

traditional hardware/diy andbuilding m

aterials lines withhousewares, garden, workwearand pet care products

New

pro

du

ctsextravag

anza

Hu

nd

reds o

f new

products fromleading brands w

ill feature at theshow

. They will be profiled on

exhibitors’ own stands but m

any will

also feature on the dedicated New

Prod

uct o

f the Sh

ow

Aw

ards

display area. This is an ideal locationfrom

which to start your visit.

Art F

reedm

an

Once again Ace Hardw

areretailing guru Art Freedm

an will

identify key challenges facing the industry and, in his usual laid-

back but incisive style, tell

you how

to combat

them.

Hardware e-zine Nov 2012:Layout 1 29/11/2012 11:31 Page 2

Hardware Show DPS:Layout 1 27/11/2012 08:48 Page 2

Judging process In a significant change from the previousformula, the judging of next year’s awardswill be carried out by James Burke, anindependent expert in retailing. James has almost 30 years retailing experience,ranging from shopfloor to boardroomlevel, and is the retail adviser to the TVseries Retail Therapy, hosted by FeargalQuinn.

James is one of the few people inIreland with an MBA in Retailing andWholesaling, and he has been involved in auditing internal store competitions fora number of major retail chains. He alsoregularly hosts management developmentprogrammes for retailers.

Every entrant for the Octabuild BuildersMerchant Awards 2013 will be visitedbetween January and March 2013.Following detailed

research amongbuilders merchants,the 2013 OctabuildAwards see majorchanges with arevamped judgingprocess, new criteriaand a new awardsstructure.

John O'Dwyer, Kilrush Co Clare is the current holder of the National Octabuild Builders MerchantAward. Pictured at the awards ceremony last year are Kieran O’Boyle, Bernard O’Dwyer, PaulineCahill and Fergal Galvin.

New judging process and awards


Octabuild DPS:Layout 1 27/11/2012 09:51 Page 1


Expert panel An expert judging panel made up of JamesBurke and representatives from HAI, RetailExcellence Ireland and Octabuild will assessand ratify all the marks and reports fromthe judging process.

CriteriaAnother radical change to next year’sawards is that the bulk of the marks willbe awarded for Business Managementand Customer Service. This will provide abetter balance of marks between thesequalities and visual identity/merchandising/housekeeping.

Awards categoriesWhile the number of awards will bereduced, more merchants will beacknowledged for the quality of theirbusiness through a nomination process. Ashortlist of merchants will be nominatedfor the following award categories:– Overall Award– Dublin City and County– Leinster– Cork City and County– Connaught/Ulster– Family Business– Independent Merchant– Group Branch– Innovation

The Octabuild Builders MerchantAwards has been honouring the best inthe builders merchant trade since 1986.“Builders merchants who have entered theawards have seen great benefits in termsof staff motivation and the incentive toimprove standards and customer service”,said Octabuild Chairman MichaelO’Donohue.

Presentations and venueThe Octabuild Builders Merchant Awardswill be presented at an awards ceremonyin the magnificent Round Room of theMansion House in Dublin on Thursday, 19May 2013. All merchants nominated forthe 10 awards categories will be invited asguests of Octabuild. During the awardsceremony Octabuild will also present anaward for Outstanding Achievement.

See www.octabuild.ie/awards.

Michael O'Donohoe, Chairman, Octabuild.

The Round Room at the Mansion HouseDublin, venue for the 2013 OctabuildBuilders Merchant Awards.

About the Awards • The Octabuild Awards are the longest-established and most prestigious

awards for builders merchants;

• The judging process, criteria and range of awards is in line with requests from merchants;

• Every entrant receives pre-judging advice;

• Following the judging every entrant receives a report;

• All nominees are invited as Octabuild guests to the gala Awards night;

• The Awards are supported by Hardware Association Ireland (HAI) and Retail Excellence Ireland.

Exterior of John O'Dwyer outlet in KIlrush.

Octabuild DPS:Layout 1 27/11/2012 09:51 Page 2


Every time I visit a retail store I view it from two perspectives – as aretailer and as a customer.

With my retailer hat on first impressionsare vital. The appearance, cleanliness andlevel of product availability are tell-talesigns as to how well the store is beingmanaged. However, as a shopper, I amalways intrigued as to why the store is laidout the way it is. What goes where? Whatproducts are being featured? Whichcategories are being allocated the most space ... and why?

These observations can give anindication of what is trending. In an agewhere we are bombarded by constantadvertising stimuli, particularly the onlinedynamic, shoppers are more and morerelying on their in-store experience forproduct research and final purchasedecision-making. Consequently, this has

given rise to the explosion in theeffectiveness of “shopper marketing” in recent years.

Of course, I will only use a retailer as a source of inspiration as long as I feel that the outlet in question is representingthe latest trends. For me, a vital componentin this involves changing the store layoutaccording to changing consumer demand,and even according to anticipated futuredemand.

Irish consumers have significantlychanged their purchase behaviour since2008. We all know this. For instance, certain home improvements have soared in popularity while others have bombed.Accordingly, every hardware retailer worthhis/her salt has considered the space-to-sales ratio of their product categories andre-organised the store layout toaccommodate these changes.

Right? … maybe not!The reality is twofold. Most store ownersand managers have so many short-termtasks to deal with that embarking on aproject to consider the optimum storelayout tends to get put on the “longfinger”. Secondly, such a project can often appear too daunting and complexwith retailers not knowing where to start,never mind how to go about it.

However, it need not be so. Help isavailable from many sources. For instance,ECR Ireland recognised these characteristicsand has developed a process (see Figure 1)that should be instantly understandable.This process is explained in a free guideentitled “How to layout a retail store – apractical guide to macro space planning”.Central to it is the 3-stage “ECR IrelandMacro Store Planning Process”. Byfollowing this process and adhering to thepractical tips contained throughout theGuide, store owners should be able tocomplete their very own macro space plan.

In addition, case studies of projects that adopted the process during 2012 areincluded. They show that the capital and

WHAT GOES WHERE?A process to lay out a store to ensure every category is allocated the correct space

Most store owners and managers have so many short-

term tasks to deal with that embarking on a project

to consider the optimum store layout

tends to get put on the “long finger”.

BETTERbusinessTHE HARDWARE JOURNAL

Declan was formerly Director of ProfessionalServices at GS1 Ireland, and Supply ChainManager at Superquinn. Contact: [email protected].

By Declan Carolan,

General Manager, ECR Ireland.

“”

Better Business:Layout 1 27/11/2012 09:33 Page 1


labour cost incurred by following the Guideand implementing the recommendedchanges were low and affordable.Significantly, both case studies recordedpositive results with one showing a 1.5%increase in cash margin and the otherrecording a 3% increase in sales. These are enormous increases by today’s retailstandards.

In assessing whether this Guide is of useto your business, consider the following:– Do you know how to lay out your store

to maximise the space to sales ratio ofevery category?

– Is the store layout representative of theneeds of today’s shoppers?

– Does your store layout satisfy shoppermissions?

If answering negatively, I am certain thatconducting a macro space analysis of yourstore every two years or so will generatemerchandising opportunities and drive

sales growth. The analysis should consist of three stages.

Stage 1 – Business planning(Steps 1 – 3)• Get ready• Internal and external environment• Retailer/store objectivesThis stage should be seen as an informationbuilding exercise designed to create acurrent picture of the store/stores, and an understanding of the retailer’s storeobjectives, budgets and focus. It is a crucialstep to understanding and agreeing theextent of the process while consideringdynamics unique to the store.

Stage 2 – Information and insight (Steps 4 – 6)• Data gathering• Data analysis• Prioritise opportunities

Whether data rich or poor, all availableinformation sources are collated, reviewedand broken down to the lowest level, tounderstand the market and storeperformance and dynamics.

Managing and comparing differinginformation sources means aligning data toensure they are comparable, thus allowinggreater benchmarking. The principle ofbenchmarking is integral to the process asthis will show whether particular categoriesare over or under trading – both of whichwill require remedy in the store plan.

Stage 3 – Store solution (Steps 7-9)• Store map • Implementation• ReviewThe macro store plans are developed eitherthrough store planning software or a manual approach. Implementation is keyto success, therefore a plan is put in placewith time designated to review the storesolution. The output should be a store planthat reconfigures shelves and aisles andcategory adjacencies to optimise basketsize for the total shopping trip.

However, there’s more to this thanrelative gains in yield per square foot.Retailers intuitively realise that the space declines will come primarily in“commodity” categories that contributelittle or nothing to their store’s equity anduniqueness versus the competition. Theyrecognise that any freed-up extra space can be given to products and categoriesthat can provide real distinctiveness. For me, as a shopper, this distinctivenesswill set the store apart and be the strongest indicator that it is representingcurrent trends.

This is what we call macro categorymanagement or macro space planning. In the US they call this process Total Store Optimization and it is all the rage at present.

These are exciting, rapidly-changing and highly-competitive times. Retailersneed to use all the new tools to help themsurvive and thrive – maximising your storelayout is essential.

Free ECR Guide The ECR Ireland “How to lay out a retail store– A practical guide to macro space planning”can be downloaded free of charge atwww.ecrireland.ie. ECR Ireland also runsregular training courses that show retailershow to use their own sales data to prepare a macro space plan.

Figure 1: ECR Ireland Macro Store Planning Process

Better Business:Layout 1 04/12/2012 08:15 Page 2

Michael Bergdahl is a professional internationalbusiness speaker, author and industry consultant.Bergdahl worked in Bentonville, Ark., for Walmart,as the director of “people” for the headquartersoffice, where he worked with Sam Walton.

He is considered an authority on Walmartcompetition and has appeared on CNN, CNBC,CNN FN, MSNBC, CNN International, CBSNational Radio and Bloomberg TV. He hasparticipated in internationally televised newsdebates on “Power Lunch,” “On the Money,”“Morning Call” and “Closing Bell.” He maintainsa Walmart competition blog on his website.Bergdahl is also the author of three books about Walmart and Sam Walton and hasdelivered keynote speeches and full-day master classes in cities on six continents.

Contact: Michael Bergdahl [email protected] or visit hiswebsite www.michaelbergdahl.net.


They’ve come to rely on yourteam’s product knowledge, sageadvice and project expertise.However, if your team doesn’t

provide “knock-your-socks-off” service all the time, your customers may as wellshop at the self-service big-box stores. Bycommitting your team to providing greatservice, one customer at a time, you willpositively affect customer loyalty.

It’s true – great service can effectivelyneutralise the big-box discounter price

advantage and level the competitiveplaying field for you. Don’t ever forget themost important lesson your hardwaremerchant forefathers knew instinctively:“Great service trumps low prices.”

Hardware store owners must takeadvantage of the fact that shopping at big-box discount behemoths isn’tconvenient for customers, especially withservice, which is sporadic or even non-existent. You can leverage your store’sstellar service and tailored product

10 things Walmart doesn’twant you to knowRetailers can compete, survive and thrive in a big-box world

THE HALLMARK OF great hardware merchants is, and

always has been, providing great service. That’s the

main reason most of your customers cross your

threshold in the first place.

View from

Michael BergdahlFormer WalMartDirector of People

View from abroad:Layout 1 27/11/2012 09:39 Page 1

assortment to create a hometowncompetitive advantage.

When your team discovers that providinggreat service to your customers minimisesthe pressure on product pricing, it can betantamount to the discovery of fire!

To help you to focus your team, here are ten service lessons you can use to turngreat service into a competitive advantage:

1: If you are not a discounter, don’t try to act like a discounter

By their very nature retail merchants arehighly competitive people who relish the opportunity to take on aggressivecompetitors. Unfortunately, when it comesto category killers, hardware storeoperators need to avoid the temptation ofgetting into price wars.

By playing the discounters’ game you are playing right into their hands. It’s a trap they’ve set for you, and a competitivebattle they’d love for you to wage. It’s abattle they must win, and they will win at any cost. Once they suck you into price-based competition, your business will begin to spiral downward (expenses willrise as sales volume falls), and there is no turning back.

Additionally, by sending the message toyour customers that you are a discounteryou will have changed their expectations – forever. Always remember “everyday lowprices” is a volume-based discounter’sstrategy; it is not yours. Control your owndestiny by designing your niche strategywith products targeted at local tastes andpreferences and back them up with greatservice.

2: Great customer service starts beforea customer ever enters the store

It’s the little things that matter. Are yourfloors, windows, shelves, aisles, parking lotand bathrooms clean? If you think about it, customers either overtly or subliminallymay assume that dirty facilities equal poor-quality, over-priced products.

Are your shelves always well stocked?Simply being able to find the products theywant and need gives customers the feelingthere is no reason to shop anywhere else. Is your staff in place and ready to serve?Are your cashiers at their registers?Customers can shop in your store for anhour, but when it’s time to check out theywant to check out now! Customers hate to wait, so train your staff accordingly.

3: Customer loyalty programs are away for hardware stores to showthey are loyal to their customers –not the other way around

The strategy behind loyalty programs is brilliant: You reward customers forcontinuing to shop at your store byproviding products and services onlyavailable to cardholders. Retailers havefound customer loyalty programs to behighly effective, not only in retainingexisting customers but also in gaining new customers. A loyalty program is both a highly effective customer retentionprogram and one of the most effective toolsyou can use to combat the pressure ofdiscounters moving into your market area.

One of the best ways you can buildcustomer loyalty is by branding your store by participating in a cooperativemerchandising, buying and promotionalprogram with your symbol group orwholesaler. Another great way to rewardyour customers is with exclusive promotionalproduct offers you can create by partneringwith your branded product manufacturers.

4: Sam Walton, the founder ofWalmart, taught his employees to ask unhappy customers thequestion, “What would you like usto do?” His employees were thenempowered to fix the problem.

Those of us who work in retailing know theold adage, “the customer is always



right,” isn’t literally true, but when it comesto our customers we must act as if it were.Your employees must always project apositive attitude and respect for yourcustomers’ point of view. It is neverappropriate to argue with your customers;if you do, you’ll find the outcome isnegative for your business. You may win the argument sometimes, but you will more often than not lose a customer.

What is one customer who shops in your store several times a year worth? Ifyou treat customers right you can likelycount on future business and even goodword-of-mouth advertising. Argue with and

debate with your customers and ultimatelyprove a customer wasn’t right, and you arelikely to lose that customer for life. Thatformer customer will also tell everyone heor she knows about their bad experience in your store. That’s the customer serviceversion of “winning the battle, but losingthe war.”

Remember: Your employees can’t affordto have a “bad” day, because if it weren’tfor your customers, your store would be outof business. If you treat your customers

poorly they’ll vote with their feet by doingbusiness with your competitors. Adopt the attitude that your customers are always right and you’re on your way toestablishing customer relationships thatmay last a lifetime.

5: Out of stock is out of business

Walk through your own store as if you werea customer. What do you see as you peruseyour own aisles and shelves? Are there un-merchandised products in boxes on thefloors? Are you able to navigate the aisleseasily with a shopping cart? Are there holes in your inventory where products are missing?

Great execution of store operationsstrategies requires a commitment to

training your entire staff to re-merchandiseshelves aggressively throughout the day.Being in stock is the ball game in retailing,and those who execute their merchandisingstrategies the best will increase sales andimprove profitability. Visit the discountersand you will see how they are failing tokeep products in stock throughout the day.

This creates a competitive opportunityfor you. Customers expect to find theproducts they want to buy on the shelveseach and every time they shop your store.

If products aren’t there, do you think yourcustomers simply forego purchasing thatitem until you get it back in stock, or dothey simply go to your competitor to makethe purchase? Why give your customers areason to even think about shopping atyour competitor’s store?

It may sound funny – and is as basic as it sounds – but those who are able to keeptheir shelves consistently in stock arecreating a sustainable competitiveadvantage in the marketplace.Operationally, nothing is more important to your store’s success than to be in stockconsistently.

6: Stack it high and let it fly

When you advertise promotional products,make certain to buy enough to ensureadvertised products are availablethroughout the promotion. There is nothingwrong with being promotionally orientedas long as you take the risk of buyingsufficient inventory to back up yourpromotions. Few things are more annoyingto customers than to go out of their way to shop at a store for a specific productadvertised at a great price and then findonce they arrive at the store that it is out of stock. This is one of the fastest ways to destroy your store’s reputation and drive customers away. Never build anexpectation and then fail to deliver on it.

7: Use an outside-in approach toselecting products and services

Selecting the right products for his storesand his customers was one of Sam Walton’sgreat secrets to success. He used anoutside-in approach to picking products. He visited his stores and simply asked hisown customers every day what they likedor disliked in the product mix and whatproducts were missing that they wished he’d carry in his stores. This approach is stillin use today by the company’s productbuyers who travel out to stores each week.

Hardware store operators can seekproduct and service ideas from customerswho are already shopping in your store.Regardless of the method you use, it is vital


Your knowledgeable staff providing great

customer service is the single most

important competitiveadvantage you

have in themarketplace


to gain product insights directly from yourown customers.

8: Customers are the boss and they canfire you by simply deciding to spendtheir money elsewhere

Do you know who pays the bills at yourbusiness? I am talking about rent, lights,gas, electric and even your pay andbenefits. The answer is of course yourcustomers, because they choose to spendtheir hard-earned money on your products.But they can change their buying habits,and they do it all the time. Don’t everforget they can choose to walk away fromyour store in favor of spending their money at your competitor’s store.

What are you doing to make yourcustomers want to continue doing businesswith you? Are any of your employeestaking your customers for granted? Thereare plenty of alternative sources forhardware products, so be sure to explain toyour employees that the customer is “theboss” and the importance of providinggreat service.

9: Shop your competitors’ stores andstudy their pricing, products andpromotional activity and look forideas you can copy

Hardware store owners and operators needto make it a practice to study their localcompetition. Study your competitor’spricing structure, products and promotionalactivity. Don’t limit yourself to otherhardware stores, either. Visit specialtystores for ideas for merchandising, graphics and signage.

Let’s face it: There is no business moretransparent than retailing. You can shopyour competitor’s stores and they can shopyours. Sam Walton believed in “stealingideas shamelessly” from his competitors’stores by simply walking into their storesand observing their operations. He alwaystold us that there are no extra points fororiginal thinking. He believed that if youcan copy an existing idea already in use by another retailer it is much cheaper thandesigning a solution from scratch yourself.

Pay particular attention to ideas you canbring back and use immediately to improveservice to your customers.

10: Sam Walton intentionally put hisreturn desk at the front of hisstores so all the customers in thecheckout line could see howcustomer problems were handled

When customers make a purchase it isquite easy to smile and thank them fortheir purchase. However, how do youremployees react when that same customertries to return that purchase for a refund ora replacement?

Your cashiers are well trained to ring uppurchases and collect money, but less timeis typically spent on teaching them theimportance of service after the sale. Yourcustomers will learn more about your storefrom the way you deal with a product theywant to return to you than they will fromthe way you handled their originalpurchase. Do you provide service witha smile? Are you just as glad to see the

customer making a return as one who ismaking a purchase?

The reality is that you should handleboth transactions in the same positivemanner. Some companies have restrictivereturn/service policies which create badfeelings for their customers. If you treatyour customers well when they have aproblem they will reward you by returningagain and again to make future purchases.If you mistrust your customers and makethem feel like naughty children when theytry to return a product,they’ll leave you and spendtheir money elsewhere.

Show your loyalty to yourcustomers by taking care ofthem when they have aproblem; they will reciprocateby being loyal to your store. A good rule of thumb to followis this: Take care of yourcustomers the same way youwould personally want to betreated if the same thinghappened to you.

Nothing rivals great serviceAlways remember your hardware storeteam has knowledge and expertise thatsimply is not available elsewhere in yourcommunity. Where else can customers findsomeone they can trust with theknowledge to help them with their DIYproject? The answer is that your store is theplace to go for one-stop shopping for allyour customers’ home and garden projectneeds. From small renovations to majorconstruction, you have what your localcustomers need and you have theknowledge to help them complete theirproject and stay on budget.

In my estimation your knowledgeablestaff providing great customer service is the single most important competitiveadvantage you have in the localmarketplace. But to leverage your teamproperly requires staffing great people,training them properly, teaching themfeatures and benefits of your products,empowering them to serve and retrainingthem periodically. It also helps to have a store culture that values service overeverything else. Your competitiveadvantage is your hardware store team. By doing all in your power to focus yourstaff on listening and responding to yourcustomers’ needs, you can competeeffectively with the big-box discounters.Remember to avoid the temptation tocompete on price and never forget: “Greatservice trumps low price competition.”


Win Michael’sbookHave you found thisarticle beneficial? Has ithelped you in yourbusiness? Email yourcomments to [email protected]– a copy of Michaels’book will go to the three mostinterestingresponses.


I will admit – here andnow and without a shadowof shame or fear of bullies– I was a Trekkie. A SciFifan. The pull of theridiculously perfect andoptimistic view of thefuture and the technologywe would enjoy was simplytoo much for me to avoid,regardless of its socialimplications in my rugby-trophy adorned school. Of

all that was promised forour distant future, justbehind teleportation andlight speed travel, myfavourite concept was theidea that we could speaknormally to a computer andhave it do our bidding.

Over the last few yearsthis technology, slowly but very promisingly, hasbecome a reality. Ten yearsago we had the firstglimmer of computer

software that wouldlisten vaguely to

our banter – assuming youhad the diction of BrianDobson and spoke slowlyenough to distinguish andseparate each word.

Fast forward to the latestoffering from world leadersin speech recognition andwe have Apple’s Siri voiceapp … NUANCE. DragonNaturally Speaking is nowon to its 12th incarnationand is pretty damnimpressive. Yes, you canspeak almost normally intothe bundled headset andnot only dictate letters andemails, you can even editand correct your textthrough voice; jump to yourbrowser to seek out yourfavourite moments inFather Ted; or back-up allyour documents to a USBflash drive … all by simplyspeaking your requests.

But how easy is it really?At times people expect thesoftware to jump out of thebox and start lapping upyour every word straightaway. Realistically, youneed to set two hours asideto install it. The software isso incredibly extensive it


Are you a single finger

typist? Have you the

secretarial skills of a

crack smoking pigeon?

Colin Baker, TV3’s own

Gadget Guy, waxes

lyrical about the latest

in speech-recognition

software for your

computer and how you

can make composing

long emails and

documents a whole

lot easier.

He’s started talkingto his Computer!

TheGadgetGadgetguyguyColinBaker

Gadgets:Layout 1 27/11/2012 08:28 Page 1

takes nearly 40 minutes toshoe-horn itself onto yourcomputer.

After a brief “audio test”it will proceed to bring upsome text for you to readout loud as it recognisesand adjusts for your accentor tonality. Yes, it has noproblem understandingstronger accents, althoughmy friend Paudi from Traleejust couldn’t seem toconvince it to respond.Maybe it’s anti-Kerry.

Whatever, after a littleover an hour of readingprescribed text from thescreen Dragon NaturallySpeaking is ready. Now it’s time for the user to getused to the software. Earlyon, you will find it great forblocks of text, but as youuse it and hopefully delveinto the very decent tipsand help menus, you willdiscover some really cleverfeatures, like its ability tocreate what are called“Macros”. If you haveparticular messages you

use regularly, you can havea paragraph of responsecompressed into a coupleof words. So you might ask Dragon to insert acomprehensive response to a common question onsay “paints to suit a dampbathroom environment”every time you say thewords “damp wall paintresponse”.

You will also find themobile dictation handy. This has the ability to

record your ramblings on a dictaphone or asmartphone and thenimport your recording intoDragon when you get backto your computer to have itturned it into text later on.

With the likes of DragonNaturally Speaking 12, ourcomputers can understandalmost every word we utter.The next stage will really be exciting … tying all thistogether with the “artificialintelligence” to truly

respond and carry outtasks. Like being able tocasually mutter into ourdevices… “Did that paintdelivery arrive in today?” or “Have a look at ourgarden furniture stocklevels and get back to me after dinner”.

Computers can onlypretend to have this nearhuman-like savvy as yet,but we are getting closer.With technology likeDragon 12 now on theshelves, at least some ofthe technology we’ve seenin science fiction is withinour reach. Daily tasks likeemails and lengthydocuments are made thatbit easier and speedier.

As for teleportation? …that might just take a while longer.

Dragon Naturally Speakingis available fromwww.BackFromTheFuture.ieand all good computerstores and prices start at€99, including a headset.


WIN A FREE COPY OFDRAGON NATURALLYSPEAKINGSPEECH AND RECOGNITION SOFTWARE

The Hardware Journal offers you the chance towin your very own copy of Dragon NaturallySpeakingspeech and recognition software. All you have to do is email the name of The Gadget Guy [email protected] and your name will gointo a draw with all the other correct answers. EditorPat Lehane will draw the winning ticket and informthe winner on Friday, 28 December.

Gadgets:Layout 1 30/11/2012 10:46 Page 2


HAI CLIPBOARDHAI CLIPBOARD

Recast Prompt Payment Directive welcomed HAI welcomes the thrust and objectives of the recast Prompt PaymentDirective 2011/7/EU of the European Parliament due to be introducedinto Irish legislation in March 2013. However, HAI insists that theproblem is not with the legislation, but with its enforcement and thefact that the number of companies that charge penalty interest totheir business partners is reportedly very low.

HAI contends that late payments are disastrous for Irish business,and have been made financially attractive to debtors in Ireland by lowor no-interest rates being charged on late payments and/or slowprocedures for redress.

In a submission to the recent consultation on the EU Directive, HAI said that there needs to be a decisive shift to a culture of promptpayment, including one in which the exclusion of the right to chargeinterest should always be considered to be a grossly unfair contractualterm or practice.

Such a shift should also include the introduction of specificprovisions on payment periods, and on the compensation of creditorsfor the costs incurred. The exclusion of the right to compensation forrecovery costs should also be presumed to be grossly unfair.

Accordingly, provision should be made for business-to-businesscontractual payment periods to be limited, as a general rule, to 60calendar days.

HAI is ready to contribute to any initiative that will substantiallyaddress the area of prompt payments. The adoption of this Directive into Irish legislation would be a positive outcome to this consultation.

HAI opposes statutory sick pay schemeHAI says that the introduction of a statutory sick pay scheme in Budget 2013 would have hugely-damaging consequences for employment and growth next year.

In a recent IBEC survey, almost half of the respondents with an occupational sick pay scheme saidsuch a move would affect their company's ability to recruit new employees. A similar number said itwould affect their ability to retain existing staff and a majority said it would affect the sustainability oftheir business in Ireland.

In addition, companies would be forced to change the existing benefits offered to their employees.HAI believes that employers would revise and reduce existing sick pay and benefit entitlement to staff.

This shifting of costs onto employers is an extra tax on employment at a time when employmentshould be the priority. This proposed measure will increase labour costs, reduce the opportunity forcompanies to create and maintain jobs, and damage our competitiveness. Government should befinding ways to reduce costs so employers can create jobs and stimulate economic growth

The OECD says that an increase in taxes on labour of 1pc reduces an economy's employment rate by about 0.4%. Based on this, any Government's proposal for an extra tax on jobs through a statutorysick pay scheme could cost at least 3,500 jobs, both directly and indirectly.

Jim Copeland, Chief Executive and Director, HAI

Smart Cards for FuelAllowance SchemeHardware Association Ireland(HAI) has written to theGovernment to say that theexchequer could recover anestimated €9.25 million in VAT and business taxes if theDepartment of Social Protectionmade better use of availabletechnology to pay the Winter fuelallowance to individuals andfamilies.

HAI suggests that theGovernment should introduce anofficially-endorsed fuel vouchersystem where recipients wouldhave to use dedicated fuelvouchers or smart cards topurchase fuel products fromregistered retail fuel outlets. Thiswould allow the Government torecoup some of its expenditure onWinter Fuel Allowance throughlegitimate retail outlet tax returns. “We have concerns that, as

the allowance is currently paid incash and used to purchase fuelfrom any source of supply, thereis no traceability or recovery forthe State.” says Jim Copeland,HAI Chief Executive.

There is sufficient competitionamong legitimate retail outlets toensure that recipients of theallowance have a wide choice ofsuppliers. It would also be a moreefficient way to reduce thedamage the shadow-economy orblack market traders are causingto legitimate businesses in everysector.

With the increased cost of fuelhitting householders hard, HAIhas also urged the Governmentagainst a further carbon tax onsolid fuel in the forthcomingbudget. “Not only will such a tax add undue pressure for manythousands of households, it will result in lost revenue toGovernment and as many as1200 jobs because of thegrowing unregulated market insolid fuel”, says Jim Copeland.

Clipboard:Layout 1 30/11/2012 10:45 Page 1

For more details please visit our website www.irishcement.ie

CPRS00026

The Cement You Trust

Now certified for sustainability

Irish Cement CEM II products are the first in the Irish Republic to be awarded the BES 6001 Environmental and Sustainability Standard.

Delivering Superior Adhesion, Ultimate Durability with Excellent Crack & Stain Resistance

Waterproof & Microporous for Ultimate Dirt, Mould &Algae Resistance

Colourfast Formula for Exceptional UV & Fade Resistance

Shower Proof in 30mins*

Fleetwood Paints LTD, Virginia, Co. Cavan, Ireland. Tel: (049) 8547209 Email: [email protected] www.fleetwood.ie

Weather Clad A4 barleycove_Layout 1 11/28/12 2:49 PM Page 1

Hardware THE DECEMBER JOURNALthehardwarejournal.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/... · At the...

Documents

Transcript of Hardware THE DECEMBER JOURNALthehardwarejournal.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/... · At the...