HBSD-0820

Vol. 46 No. 7

Acquisitions and organic growth push the annual Industry Scoreboard to new heights.

JULY/AUGUST 2020

HBSDEALER HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY

15 Independent Profile:

Hatchet Hardware

MARKET INSIGHTS 30 Orgill Report: CNRG’s

California Adventure

36 Top Women in Hardware &

Building Supply

38 Technology and the

supply chain

32

PRODUCTS 32 Windows and doors illuminate 34 Treated lumber supply

16

The Top 300

under pressure

15

Familiar names clamp down on the top spots of the annual Industry Scoreboard.

FROM THE EDITOR

NEWS & ANALYSIS

IN EVERY ISSUE

8

10 An apology from Harbor Freight 12 PPP in the spotlight 12 True Value’s latest message

10 News Map 15 Product Knowledge 41 People in the news 42 Quikrete Industry

‘This is our house.

This is our time.’

There is no playbook.

But how about a half-time motivational speech from industry leaders?

to former members

Dashboard

Hardware + Building Supply Dealer (ISSN 2376-5852) is published monthly, except for July/August and November/December, which are double issues, by EnsembleIQ, 8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60631. Subscription rate in the United States: $110 one year; $200 two year; $14 single issue copy; Canada and Mexico: $130 one year; $235 two year; $16 single issue copy; Foreign: $150 one year; $285 two year; $16 single issue copy; in all other countries (air mail only). Periodical postage paid at Chicago, IL., and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to HBSD, Circulation Fulfillment Director,8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60631. Copyright © 2020 by EnsembleIQ. All rights reserved.

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JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

HBSDealer.com

HERE’S WHAT’S ONLINE

See more and share more when you follow us on Facebook.

A new-and-improved web site It’s the same focus on hardware and building supply dealers. It’s the same staff of veteran industry reporters. But there’s a whole new experience at HBSDealer.com. “The business of publishing is evolving, and we’re evolving with it,” said John Kenlon, publisher of HBSDealer and group VP at EnsembleIQ, HBSDealer’s parent.

Watch the Webcast replay The supply chain can sometimes be taken for granted. But not during a global pandemic. LBM Advantage, Cameron Ashley Building Products and Riverhead Building Supply weighed in on the topic for a recent webcast.

The replay is available at HBSDealer.com.

The polls are open. Your voice is wanted.

HBSDealer.com publishes weekly poll questions on pressing industry matters, and other topics. For instance:

9%

Decreased

Q

What’s happened to customer interest in Made-in-USA products?

Follow us @HBSDealer

6

Poll questions and results appear every week at HBSDealer.com.

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

31%

Holding steady

60%

Increased Source: HBSDealer Survey

HBSDealer.com

FROM THE EDITOR

HBSDEALER HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY

Hardware + Building Supply Dealer An EnsembleIQ Publication 8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60631 hbsdealer.com HBSDealer On The Web • HBSDealer Info Services

‘This is our house.

This is our time.’

CEOs everywhere agree that there’s no such thing as a “pandemic playbook.” But here’s the next best thing: “the pandemic motivational halftime locker room speech.”

The following ideas might sound like they were stolen from Coach Norm Dale from “Hoosiers” or the “Miracle on Ice” coach Herb Brooks, but they actually came from industry leaders who shared their thoughts with HBSDeale during a series of webcasts.

You’re going to make mistakes.

Keep playing.

“This is the time to be on your toes, on the balls of your feet like you’re playing a sport,” said Levi Smith, president of Franklin Building Supply. “You want to be able to move quickly, you need to pay attention to what’s going on. We’re writing the rule book for a game we’ve never played, so we’ll get a lot of stuff wrong. We’ve told our people all we know for sure is we’re going to get a lot of stuff wrong in hindsight, but we’re not going to let that paralyze us.”

“This is the time to be on your toes, on the balls of your feet like you’re playing a sport...”

—Levi Smith, President, Franklin Building Supply

You’ll be judged out there by what you do.

“The other day,” recalled Jeremy Stine, director of marketing for Stine Home & Yard, “our CEO [Dennis Stine] walked into a room and said, ‘You know what Ghandi said about action?

Action expresses priorities.’ I bring that up because we move quickly the moment we see some things changing on the ground. Actions express priorities, and that one quote has stayed with me throughout this entire process.”

8

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT (HBSDealer, Drug Store News, Chain Store Age) John Kenlon, jkenlon@ensembleiq.com, 212-756-5238

Ken Clark Editor in Chief

We’re gonna hit ‘em inside, then we’re gonna hit ‘em outside.

“We’re emphasizing curbside pickup,” Jeremy Stine said. “Making sure the ecommerce site is working and that we continue to do a great job with curbside pickup. We’re promoting it and getting better at it every day. Curbside pickup is going to be here for a long time, and it’s a way for us to beat back the Amazons and the big boxes of the world. It’s a great way for leveling the playing field and doing a better job when it comes to serving our communities.”

Great moments are born as great opportunity.

“I would expect that mostly through the summer we will see very high volume and very high demand for the things we sell,” said Michael Costello, CEO of 36-location Costello’s Ace Hardware. “I think it creates an incredible opportunity for hardware stores to see customers that they haven’t seen in a while and see customers that normally don’t shop them; and then serve customers in different ways through online orders or through phone orders. There are a lot of opportunities to come out of this stronger than we went in.”

We’re gonna be winners.

“You’re all stronger retailers than you were a month ago, and you’re all stronger leaders than you were a month ago,” said Costello. “And those types of actions and the decisions that have been made and the perseverance that you’re showing is going to make you a stronger retailer in the future, and it’s going to make a lot of challenges that come in the future seem really manageable.”

The webcasts are available for free at HBSDeealer.com/webinars. HBSD

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

EDITOR IN CHIEF Ken Clark kclark@ensembleiq.com, 212-756-5139 LBM EDITOR Andy Carlo acarlo@ensembleiq.com, 845-891-5108 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ken Ryan ryankgr@aol.com, 516-567-3034 Editorial Inquiries: Direct questions to Editor in Chief Ken Clark.

ADVERTISING SALES

Midwest & Southeastern States SENIOR REGIONAL MANAGER Amy Platter Grant agrant@ensembleiq.com, 773-294-8598 Northeast and Great Lakes States REGIONAL MANAGER Greg Cole gcole@ensembleiq.com, 317-775-2206 AUDIENCE

LIST RENTAL MeritDirect Marie Briganti 914-309-3378 SUBSCRIBER SERVICES/CUSTOMER CARE TOLL-FREE: 1-877-687-7321 FAX: 1-888-520-3608 contact@hbsdealer.com PRODUCTION/ART

VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCTION Derek Estey destey@ensembleiq.com, 877-687-7321 DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Michael Kimpton mkimpton@ensembleiq.com, 647-557-5075 CREATIVE DIRECTOR Colette Magliaro cmagliaro@ensembleiq.com ART DIRECTOR Bill Antkowiak bantkowiak@ensembleiq.com PRODEALER INDUSTRY SUMMIT OCT. 7TH TO 9TH, SAN ANTONIO, TX WWW.PRODEALER.COM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NLBMDA, WWW.DEALER.ORG CONTACT: AMY PLATTER GRANT agrant@ensembleiq.com, PDIS DIRECTOR OF SPONSORSHIPS PERMISSIONS: NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPY, RECORDING, OR INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM THE PUBLISHER. FOR REPRINTS, PERMISSIONS AND LICENSING, PLEASE CONTACT WRIGHT’S MEDIA AT ENSEMBLEIQ@WRIGHTSMEDIA.COM OR (877) 652-5295.

CORPORATE OFFICERS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jennifer Litterick CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Jane Volland CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER Tanner Van Dusen CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER Ann Jadown EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, EVENTS & CONFERENCES Ed Several SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT Joe Territo

connect with us

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Charlotte Pipe.

The most trusted name in pipe and fittings.

Whether looking for PVC, ABS or CPVC CTS Pressure and Drainage pipe and fittings, customers nationwide walk into stores every day asking for Charlotte Pipe by name. But customers aren’t the only ones who love us. Buyers do, too. Why? We have seven distribution locations across the U.S. and world-class customer service. Known for great fill rates, on-time delivery, planogram signage and more. It’s a part of a system you’ve come to trust and it can’t be beat. charlottepipe.com/retail

NEWS + ANALYSIS

Recall spurs an apology from founder Often times, a product recall will fly under the radar, announced in the fine print of a company’s web site. But a recent incident at Harbor Freight Tools led to a very public apology from the company’s founder and owner Eric Smidt.

The company announced a few months ago a recall of its privatelabel Pittsburgh 3-ton and 6-ton steel jack stands due to a manufacturer’s defect.

More recently, a replacement 3-ton jack was also found to be defective.

In a letter to “the Harbor Freight Community,” which was posted on Facebook

Eric Smidt, Owner and Founder, Harbor Freight.

and distributed via e-mail to customers, Smidt said he was disappointed and embarrassed by the situation. His six paragraph letter began: “I’m writing to apologize.”

The founder and CEO added: “While we’ve dramatically grown our team of engineers and inspectors and intensified our tests and inspections, I assure you that the lessons learned from this will drive further improvement.”

With more than 1,000 locations, Harbor Freight’s business leans heavily on private-label brands such as Pittsburgh, Hercules, Earthquake and Chicago Electric.

News Map: Openings, Closings & Acquisitions Illustration of retailers and dealers in various stages of coming and going. For more retail news, visit HBSDealer.com california

OPENING

CLOSING

ACQUISITION

Redding

Weaver Lumber Weaver Lumber became the seventh LBM industry deal orchestrated by American Construction Source, which describes itself as an LBM distribution platform for custom home builders and repair and remodel contractors. Weaver CEO Brent Weaver was mayor of Redding in 2017.

michigan

Grayling

Tractor Supply Tractor Supply opened in a former Kmart location here in northern Michigan in late June.

The Kmart closed in late 2019.

The new Tractor Supply is one of 70 store openings planned by the Tennessee-based farm and ranch giant for 2020.

tennessee texas

Liberty Hill

Higginbotham Brothers Lumber & Hardware Higginbotham Brothers Lumber & Hardware plans on opening a new store here, the company’s 40th. “What was once a ranching community is now expanding and developing upscale neighborhoods, many new business openings,” the company said about its new location.

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JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

Germantown

Germantown Hardware Not far from the retailer’s headquarters in Memphis, Orgill subsidiary CNRG acquired Germantown Hardware.

Germantown Hardware will retain its name and will operate as CNRG’s 17th brand. “The store has a great reputation with local customers, known for providing service with a smile and being a ‘real hardware store’” said John Sieggreen, CNRG president.

HBSDealer.com

NEWS + ANALYSIS

PPP in the spotlight An HBSDealer.com poll question back in April found that only 19% of respondents (out of 275) described the CARES Act Loans application process as “successful.” The plurality (28%) found it “frustrating.”

But apparently, a lot of people stuck it out.

In early July and in the spirit of transparency, the Small Business Administration released detailed loanlevel data on Paycheck Protection Program loans in excess of $150,000.

It was a laptop-crashing spreadsheet

of more than 660,000 companies with millions of cells of data, including “jobs retained.”

The Paycheck Protection Program was created as part of the CARES Act as an incentive for employers to keep paychecks flowing — 100% of the loans can be forgiven if the recipient keeps all employees on the payroll, and meets other criteria.

Of the huge list of 660,000, 3,464 (less than 1%) were classified as NAICS 4441 — that’s building material and supplies

dealers, including hardware stores, home centers and lumberyards.

The vast majority of these LBM companies received loans in the $150,000 to $350,000 range. Six were in the highest range, $5 million to $10 million You can see the list of NAICS 4441 companies and their data at HBSDealer.com.

When releasing the data, the SBA declared the PPP program “an indisputable success for small businesses.”

QUOTE OF THE MONTH On the decision by the National Hardware Show to cancel the live September event:

“The hardware industry has been greatly impacted by the global pandemic and hundreds of our international exhibitors have been forced to cancel their plans to participate in NHS due to market conditions and continued travel restrictions. … We believe it is the right decision to transition it to a virtual experience for 2020.” — Randy Field, Group VP, Reed Exhibitions Visit the Events Calendar at HBSDealer.com for more industry updates.

True Value’s latest message to former members Interest checks owed to former True Value Company members were mailed out at the end of June. But the checks were accompanied by a letter explaining that True Value will continue to defer the Dec. 31, 2019 principal payments for former members.

The letter, dated June 30, 2020 explained: “We continue to be very focused on conserving cash to ensure we are well positioned to serve our current customers. As such, we will continue to further defer the Dec. 31, 2019 principal payment for former members given the current economic uncertainties for the

12

back half of the year.”

Former True Value members received a similar letter explaining a similar deferment of payments on April 1.

True Value did not respond to request for additional information, including a request to quantify the number of former members who are affected.

The payments in question are related to the former structure of the co-op before it became a private company.

With the sale to ACON Investments in 2018, True Value members received 70% of their investment in the co-op in a cash payment. Former members

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

who held stock in the co-op were scheduled to receive payments over multiple years.

HBSDealer.com

19 45

2020

BORN READY. Recessions and trade wars.

Big box and online competition.

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While no one can know what the next 75 years will hold, we are confident that we will continue to help our member-owners grow and succeed— because we will do what we were born to do. Together.

BE A PART OF THE NEXT 75. hardware.doitbestonline.com

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INDEPENDENT PROFILE

Product Knowledge Product: Total Tech Manufacture: The Original Super Glue Corp.

Knowledge: This “All in One” sealant promotes the strength of heavy-duty construction adhesive and the versatility of all-purpose sealant. It bonds with strength up to 430 PSI, and seals with 370% elongation. All materials and all weather are fair game for the Original Super Glue’s Total Tech, which promises instant grab, even underwater. Comes in white and clear, for about $10 per tube.

Fun fact: The Original Super Glue chemical — cyanoacrylate — was discovered in 1942 by scientists attempting to design clear plastic gun sights for the war effort. The super sticky stuff wasn’t marketed as glue until 1958.

Hatchet Hardware carves into new market Hatchet Hardware has opened the doors to its fourth store in Upstate New York. Formerly the location of Dutchtown Ace Hardware, the store is now being branded as Hatchet Hardware of Palatine Bridge.

Owned by the Grasso family, Hatchet Hardware opened its first hardware store in Brunswick, N.Y. within the state’s Capital Region. The dealer expanded in 2016 with the purchase of Pfeil Hardware in Troy.

Last year Hatchet expanded again after purchasing Phillips Hardware in Waterford and rebranding the store as Hatchet Hardware of Waterford.

The Grasso family said that its goal has always been to break the mold of what an average hardware store is like and hope to continue the tradition with this new location in Palatine Bridge.

Hatchet is an Ace Hardware dealer with all of its locations carrying hardware and home improvement Hatchet Hardware of Palatine Bridge is part of the Grasso family’s business plan to ‘break the mold’ and continue the tradition.

HBSDealer.com

basics, building supplies, and construction tools. Specialty goods sections are uniquely curated by Erika Grasso and Taylor Clement, Hatchet Hardware’s buyer and merchandiser.

“It has always been very exciting and fun for us to learn about and immerse ourselves in the communities when we open up a new shop, but we think that Palatine Bridge is going to be the most exciting because we’ve never been this far west,” Erika Grasso said. “We can’t wait to learn about the area.”

John Macci and Laurel Rowledge opened Dutchtown Ace Hardware in 2007 and have been in the hardware business for 13 years. But they decided to retire in 2020. Hatchet said it was looking to expand again into different regions of New York and Dutchtown turned out to be the perfect match.

In a prepared statement, Macci and Rowledge said, “We thank the customers for your business and your support. It has been our pleasure to work with you through the years. We are excited for our future and the future for Hatchet Hardware of Palatine Bridge.”

“John and Laurel made this process very smooth and made us feel welcomed,” said Angelo Grasso. “We are excited to join the community.”

HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER JULY/AUGUST 2020

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C O V E R F E AT U R E

16

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

HBSDealer.com

Acquisitions and organic growth push the annual Industry Scoreboard to new heights.

Rank

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

Stores

Type of Business

110,225,000,000

2,291

Home Center

1

The Home Depot Atlanta, Ga.

2

Lowe's Mooresville, N.C.

72,148,000,000

1,977

Home Center

3

Wal-Mart* Bentonville, Ark.

13,267,000,000

4,075

Home Center

4

ABC Supply* Beloit, Wisc.

11,683,000,000

788

SD

5

Menards* Eau Claire, Wisc.

10,900,000,000

330

Home Center

6

Sherwin-Williams Cleveland, Ohio

10,170,000,000

4758

Paint Store

7

Tractor Supply Brentwood, Tenn.

8,351,931,000

2,024

Farm & Ranch

8

Builders FirstSource Dallas, Texas

7,280,431,000

401

LBM

9

Beacon Roofing Supply Herndon, Va.

7,105,160,000

529

SD

10

HD Supply Atlanta, Ga.

6,146,000,000

310

SD

11

Amazon.com* Seattle, Wash.

5,610,000,000

1

12

Harbor Freight Tools* Calabasas, Calif.

5,000,000,000

1005

13

84 Lumber* Eighty Four, Pa.

3,810,700,000

262

LBM

Once again, it’s a top heavy list. The world’s largest home improvement retailer maintained its grip on the top spot with a record $110 billion in sales. And The Home Depot doesn’t intend to let go anytime soon.

“We are now two years into our multi-year investment program and have more conviction than ever that our strategic initiatives are creating a value proposition that is unique to the marketplace and will extend our leadership position for years to come,” said The Home Depot CEO Craig Menear, as the company announced its record earnings report earlier this year. “Through the second year of our One Home Depot investment program, we have grown sales by over $9 billion dollars — a level of growth unmatched in our market.”

Lumberyards on the Top 300 generally dealt with commodity price deflation. But many saw big revenue gains driven by acquisitions.

Across the spectrum, sales per location for all of the Top 300 amounted to $14.2 million (Amazon and Walmart excluded).

14

BMC Atlanta, Ga.

3,626,593,000

152

LBM

15

US. LBM Holdings* Buffalo Grove, Ill.

3,500,000,000

255

LBM

16

New Sears (Transform Holdco)* Hoffman Estates, Ill.

3,300,000,000

350

Home Center

17

GMS* Tucker, Ga.

3,250,600,000

231

SD

18

SRS Distribution* McKinney, Texas

3,186,000,000

350

SD

19

Foundation Building Materials Tustin, Calif.

2,154,530,000

176

SD

20

Floor & Decor Holdings Atlanta, Ga.

2,045,456,000

121

Home Décor & Flooring

21

Fleet Farm Appleton, WIs.

1,650,000,000

46

Farm & Ranch

22

Carter Lumber Kent, Ohio

1,504,300,000

165

LBM

23

Kodiak Building Partners* Denver, Colo.

1,256,400,000

80

LBM

Here’s the breakdown by category: Sales per location (SD): $13.8 million Sales per location (Paint Store): $2,1 million Sales per location (Farm & Ranch): $23.1 million Sales per location (Hardware Store): $4.7 million Sales per location (Home Décor/Flooring): $5.2 million Sales per location (LBM): $14.2 million Sales per location (Lawn & Garden): $2.6 million

24

PPG Paints* Pittsburgh, Pa.

1,250,000,000

605

Paint Store

25

Rural King Supply Mattoon, Ill.

1,200,000,000

121

Farm & Ranch

26

Northern Tool + Equipment* Burnsville, Minn.

1,125,000,000

102

Hardware Store

27

Lumber Liquidators Toano, Va.

1,092,602,000

419

Home Décor & Flooring

By HBSDealer Staff

t seems like a long time ago in a business galaxy far, far away when the biggest concern for industry operations was a toss-up between tariffs, consolidation and the labor shortage.

Those considerations — and not the pandemic of 2020 — colored this year’s Top 300 list of hardware and building supply dealers.

HBSDealer editors used a combination of e-mail surveys, internet research, published reports and estimates to determine the data points on the following pages. Those metrics include: Revenue for the most recently completed fiscal year, The number of stores/locations

More on the Top 300 is online at HBSDealer.com.

HBSDealer.com

Home Center Hardware Store

* Estimated Data; 1 Division of US LBM Holdings; 2 Division of Kodiak Building Partners; 3 Division of American Construction Source

HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER JULY/AUGUST 2020

17

C O V E R F E AT U R E COMPANY HIGHLIGHT

Busy Beaver Building Centers,

Rank

Rank: No. 203 Pittsburgh-based home center chain Busy Beaver saw sales increase 34% over the previous year.

Rank

Company Location of Headquarters

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

Stores

Type of Business

51

Alpine Lumber* Westminster, Colo.

296,500,000

20

LBM

52

E.C. Barton* Jonesboro, Ark.

295,300,000

108

LBM

53

Kelly-Moore Paint* San Carols, Calif.

290,000,000

147

Paint Store

54

R.P. Lumber Edwardsville, Ill.

277,000,000

69

LBM

55

Runnings Supply* Marshall, Minn.

273,000,000

54

Farm & Ranch

Type of Business

56

Idaho Pacific Lumber* Boise, Idaho

271,200,000

13

LBM

270,000,000

5

LBM

Dollar Sales

Stores

1,045,000,000

49

Home Center

57

Raymond Building Supply Fort Myers, Fla.

28

Sutherland Lumber* Kansas City, Mo.

29

McCoy’s Building Supply San Marcos, Texas

880,900,000

91

LBM

58

251,000,000

21

LBM

30

Harvey Building Products* Waltham, Mass.

Hammond Lumber Belgrade, Maine

705,000,000

49

LBM

59

Bridgewell Resources* Tigard, Ore.

230,000,000

4

LBM

31

American Construction Source Springfield, Mo.

640,653,000

75

LBM

60

Ring’s End Darien, Conn.

217,000,000

9

LBM

32

Lansing Building Products Richmond, Va.

597,400,000

77

SD

61

Curtis Lumber Ballston Spa, N.Y.

211,000,000

22

Home Center

33

Parr Lumber Hillsboro, Ore.

515,100,000

36

LBM

62

Erie Materials Syracuse, N.Y.

207,900,000

10

LBM

34

Bomgaars Supply Sioux City, Iowa

505,000,000

94

Farm & Ranch

63

Hancock Lumber Co. Casco, Maine

200,000,000

14

LBM

35

Orscheln Farm and Home Moberly, Mo.

500,000,000

167

Farm & Ranch

64

Drexel Building Supply Campellsport, Wis.

197,900,000

8

LBM

36

Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber Dallas, Texas

474,000,000

33

LBM

65

Sunpro Corp.

Saint George, Utah

195,100,000

12

LBM

37

Ganahl Lumber Co. Anaheim, Calif.

465,000,000

11

LBM

66

194,190,825

22

LBM

38

Atwoods Ranch & Home* Enid, Okla.

Mill Creek Lumber & Supply Tulsa, Okla.

445,000,000

64

Farm & Ranch

67

21

Golden State Lumber* Petaluma, Calif.

Great Floors Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

194,000,000

39

Home Décor & Flooring

426,000,000

6

LBM

68

T.W. Perry Enterprises* Gaithersburg, Md.

192,900,000

8

LBM

40

Matheus Lumber Woodinville, Wash.

413,000,000

8

LBM

69

13

LBM

385,189,000

18

Ridout Lumber Company*1 Searcy, Ark.

192,500,000

41

Riverhead Building Supply Calverton, N.Y.

LBM

70

42

National Lumber Co. Mansfield, Mass.

14

190,000,000

6

Home Center

372,000,000

LBM

Friedman’s Home Improvement* Santa Rosa, Calif.

43

Westlake Ace Hardware Lenexa, Kan.

371,700,000

135

Hardware Store

71

Feldman Lumber*1 Brooklyn, N.Y.

187,000,000

4

LBM

44

CNRG Collierville, Tenn.

364,200,000

106

Home Center

45

The Tile Shop Plymouth, Minn.

340,400,000

142

Home Décor & Flooring

46

Professional Builders Supply Morrisville, N.C.

315,882,000

11

LBM

47

Rosen Materials*1 Sunrise, Fla.

315,000,000

25

LBM

48

Shelter Products Portland, Ore.

312,600,000

7

LBM

49

Lampert Lumber*1 St. Paul, Minn.

307,400,000

31

LBM

50

Mead Lumber* Westminster, Colo.

306,000,000

44

LBM

1

COMPANY HIGHLIGHT

Floor & Décor Holdings Rank: No. 20 The publicly traded company increased sales nearly 20% in 2019, as its store count jumped from 100 to 121.

* Estimated Data; 1 Division of US LBM Holdings; 2 Division of Kodiak Building Partners; 3 Division of American Construction Source

20

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

HBSDealer.com

YellaWood® brand pressure treated pine is sought after by all the best builders, especially those with leather tails, buck teeth and nature’s highest building standards. Our proven reputation for having high quality products drives demand for the Yella Tag. The five-star service and unrivaled support of the YellaWood® brand puts dealers in position to meet their customer’s specific needs. See how the YellaWood® brand delivers at YellaWood.com.

IF IT DOESN’T HAVE THIS YELLA TAG, YOU DON’T WANT IT.

YellaWood® brand pressure treated products are treated with preservatives (the “Preservatives”) and preservative methods, and technologies of unrelated third parties. For details regarding the Preservatives, methods, and technologies used by Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated, see www.yellawood.com/preservative or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. Ask dealer for warranty details. For warranty or for important handling and other information concerning our products including the appropriate Safety Data Sheet (SDS), please visit us at www.yellawood.com/warranties or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. YellaWood® and the yellow tag are federally registered trademarks of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are used with their permission.

C O V E R F E AT U R E COMPANY HIGHLIGHT

American Construction Source

Rank

Rank: No. 31 This consolidator and family of LBM companies entered the industry in 2018, with an investment in Meeks.The company saw a 13.1% sales increase in 2019.

Rank

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

Stores

Type of Business Hardware Store

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

Stores

Type of Business

93

Wisconsin Building Supply*1 Green Bay, Wisc.

135,500,000

13

LBM

94

American Builders Supply*2 Sanford, Fla.

133,750,000

10

LBM

95

Erickson Companies Chandler, Ariz.

130,800,000

4

LBM

96

Bloedorn Lumber* Torrington, Wyo.

130,100,000

28

LBM

97

T.H. Rogers Lumber* Edmond, Okla.

130,000,000

34

LBM

98

Koopman Lumber* Whitinsville, Mass.

129,100,000

9

LBM

99

Spahn & Rose* Dubuque, Iowa

126,900,000

25

LBM

100

Big C Lumber* Granger, Ind.

126,200,000

18

LBM

101

The Building Center* Pineville, N.C.

126,000,000

7

LBM

102

Hayward Lumber* Monteray, Calif.

122,900,000

8

LBM

103

Central Valley Builders Supply* Napa, Calif.

122,300,000

8

LBM

104

McCray Lumber & Millwork* Overland Park, Kan.

121,000,000

7

LBM

105

North 40 Outfitters* Great Falls, Mont.

120,000,000

10

106

HPM Building Supply Keaau, Hawaii*

120,000,000

8

LBM

107

Star Lumber Wichita, Kan.

119,600,000

7

Home Center

108

Gilcrest-Jewett* Waukee, Iowa

119,000,000

5

LBM

109

Big R Stores of Ind. N Ill., and NW Ohio* Watskeka, Ill.

119,000,000

24

72

W.E. Aubuchon* Westminster, Mass.

185,000,000

111

73

Alexander Lumber* Aurora, Ill.

183,000,000

21

LBM

74

Franklin Building Supply* Boise, Idaho

181,700,000

14

LBM

75

Stine Lumber Sulphur, La.

180,000,000

11

Home Center

76

M.G. Building Materials* San Antonio, Texas

180,000,000

12

LBM

77

Dunn-Edwards Corp.* Los Angeles, Calif.

169,000,000

136

78

Parker’s Building Supply*1 Port Arthur, Texas

168,000,000

22

LBM

79

Lezzer Lumber* Curwensville, Pa.

165,300,000

13

LBM

80

The Hardware Companies* Atlanta, Ga.

165,000,000

9

Hardware Stores

81

Kuiken Brothers* Fair Lawn, N.J.

164,000,000

9

LBM

82

Capitol Building Supply* Manassas, Va.

164,000,000

19

LBM

83

Guy C. Lee Building Materials Smithfield, N.C.

154,200,000

8

LBM

110

118,100,000

6

LBM

84

Honsador Lumber* Kapolei, Hawaii

Zeeland Lumber & Supply Zeeland, Mich.

151,400,000

8

LBM

111

115,000,000

11

LBM

85

Forge Lumber/Sims Lohman*1 Cincinnati, Ohio

Keim Lumber* Charm, Ohio

151,300,000

24

LBM

112

112,900,000

15

Home Décor & Flooring

Standard Supply & Lumber*1 Grand Rapids, Mich.

Avalon Carpet Tile & Flooring Cherry Hill, N.J.

151,000,000

18

LBM

113

C-A-L Ranch Stores* Idaho Falls, Idaho

111,000,000

25

Farm & Ranch

87

Hines Supply *1 Buffalo Grove, Il.

149,000,000

10

LBM

114

110,500,000

4

LBM

88

Reliable Wholesale Lumber* Huntington Beach, Calif.

Woodhaven Lumber & Millwork* Lakewood, N.J.

147,700,000

2

LBM

115

Builders Supply Co.* Omaha, Neb.

110,000,000

1

LBM

89

Scherer Brothers Brooklyn Park, Minn.

147,000,000

5

LBM

116

Blain's Farm & Fleet * Janesville, Wis.

110,000,000

42

90

Valu Home Centers* Buffalo, N.Y.

145,000,000

41

Home Center

117

Homewood Holdings*3 Loomis, Calif.

104,900,000

6

LBM

91

Burton Lumber* Salt Lake City, Utah

144,000,000

10

LBM

118

Wallboard Supply Co.*1 Londonderry, N.H.

104,000,000

6

LBM

92

U.S. Fence Solutions* Littleton, Colo.

138,000,000

12

LBM

119

Western Building Center* Kalispell, Mont.

103,500,000

14

LBM

86

Paint Store

Farm & Ranch

Farm & Ranch

Farm & Ranch

* Estimated Data; 1 Division of US LBM Holdings; 2 Division of Kodiak Building Partners; 3 Division of American Construction Source

22

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

HBSDealer.com

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*Available in 4’ and 2’ Assortments.

For more, visit www.QUIKRETE.com or contact your local sales rep, today.

C O V E R F E AT U R E COMPANY HIGHLIGHT Rank

Westlake Ace Hardware Rank: No. 43 The subsidiary of Ace Hardware Corp. continued its acquisition streak in 2019. Annual sales increased 12.7%.

Rank

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

Stores

Type of Business

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

Stores

Type of Business

139

Jennings Builders Supply and Hardware* Cashiers, NC

86,600,000

4

140

Buccheit* Perryville, Mo.

86,500,000

10

141

K-I Lumber* Louisville, Ky.

86,100,000

7

LBM

142

Graves Lumber* Copley, Ohio

86,000,000

1

LBM

143

J.C. Licht Addison, Ill.

85,000,000

40

Paint Store

144

Farm & Home Supply* Quincy, Ill.

85,000,000

13

Farm & Ranch

145

Ashby Lumber* Berkeley, Calif.

84,100,000

2

LBM

146

Dunn Lumber* Seattle, Wash.

84,000,000

9

LBM

147

Gutherie Lumber Livonia, Mich.

83,000,000

1

LBM

148

Nonn's Flooring Middleton, Wis.

83,000,000

4

Home Décor & Flooring

149

NorCal Lumber* Marysville, Calif.

82,600,000

1

LBM

150

Robert Bowden* Marietta, Ga.

81,000,000

3

LBM

151

Millard Lumber* Omaha, Neb.

80,772,164

3

LBM

152

Ellsworth Builders Supply* Ellsworth, Maine

80,600,000

10

LBM

153

TAL Holdings* Vancouver, Wash.

80,500,000

9

LBM

154

Mans Lumber & Millwork Trenton, Mich.

80,000,000

2

LBM

155

Doug Ashy Building Materials* Lafayette, La.

79,500,000

8

LBM

LBM

Home Center

120

Your Building Centers* Altoona, Pa.

103,400,000

17

LBM

121

Jackson Lumber & Millwork* Lawrence, Mass.

103,100,000

4

LBM

122

Universal Supply Co.*1 Hammonton, N.J.

102,000,000

15

LBM

123

Tibbetts Lumber* St. Petersburg, Fla.

100,100,000

6

LBM

124

Builders Warehouse Kearney, Neb.

100,000,000

3

LBM

125

Marvin’s Building Materials and Home Centers* Leeds, Ala.

98,000,000

28

Home Center

126

LaValley/Middleton Building Supply* Newport, N.H.

95,000,000

12

LBM

127

NexGen*1 Britton, S.D.

95,000,000

4

LBM

128

Great Lakes Ace Farminton, Mich.

94,800,000

51

129

Lyman Companies*1 Eau Claire, Wisc.

94,000,000

6

LBM

156

The Lester Group* Martinsville, Va.

79,400,000

5

LBM

130

Jerry's Home Improvement* Eugene, Ore.

92,000,000

2

Home Center

157

Russell Do it Centers* Alexander City, Ala.

78,800,000

9

Home Center

131

Florence Building Materials* Huntington, N.Y.

92,000,000

4

LBM

158

Viking Lumber* Belfast, Maine

78,600,000

9

LBM

132

D&B Supply* Caldwell, Idaho

89,000,000

14

Farm & Ranch

159

Garris Evans Lumber* Greenville, N.C.

78,100,000

5

LBM

133

Innovative Construction Group* Jacksonville, Fla.

88,000,000

2

160

Gillman Home Centers* Batesville, Ind.

76,800,000

12

134

Armstrong Garden Centers * Glendora, Calif.

161

7

LBM

31

Harbin Lumber Lavonia, Georgia

76,400,000

88,000,000

162

Simonson Lumber* St. Cloud, Minn.

75,900,000

6

LBM

135

Myers Building Product Specialists*1 York, Pa.

88,000,000

7

LBM

163

Christensen Lumber* Fremont, Neb.

75,000,000

3

LBM

136

Higginbotham Brothers* Comanche, Texas

87,800,000

40

Home Center

164

Airbase Carpet Mart New Castle, Del.

74,700,000

12

Home Décor & Flooring

137

McLendon Hardware Renton, Wash.

87,500,000

7

Hardware Store

165

Costello’s Home & Garden* Deer Park, N.Y.

73,500,000

30

Hardware Store

138

Williams Lumber & Home Centers* Rhinebeck, N.Y.

87,000,000

8

LBM

166

Janovic Paint and Decorating* Long Island City, N.Y.

73,500,000

12

Paint Store

Hardware Store

LBM

Lawn & Garden Store

Home Center

* Estimated Data; 1 Division of US LBM Holdings; 2 Division of Kodiak Building Partners; 3 Division of American Construction Source

24

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

HBSDealer.com

C O V E R F E AT U R E COMPANY HIGHLIGHT Rank

J.C. Licht

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

Stores

Dollar Sales

Stores

Type of Business

189

Builder’s Discount Centers* Rocky Mount, N.C.

65,000,000

11

190

Arnold Lumber* West Kingston, R.I.

63,900,000

4

LBM

191

PMC Building Materials/ Randall Brothers* Marietta, Ga.

63,500,000

5

LBM

192

Buck Lumber* Charleston, SC

63,200,000

1

LBM

193

Concord Lumber* Littleton, Mass.

63,000,000

10

LBM

Type of Business

194

Tindell's Building Materials Knoxville, Tenn.

62,500,000

6

LBM

Lawn & Garden Store

195

Belletetes* Jaffrey, N.H.

62,500,000

9

LBM

196

Shelly’s Building Supply* Telford, Pa.

62,500,000

8

LBM

197

Arlington Coal & Lumber* Arlington, Mass.

62,000,000

5

LBM

198

Hirshfield's* Minneapolis, Minn.

62,000,000

31

199

Seattle Lighting Fixture* Seattle, Wash.

62,000,000

6

Home Center

200

Mid-Cape Home Centers* South Dennis, Mass.

62,000,000

6

LBM

201

Kleet Lumber* Huntington, N.Y.

62,000,000

1

LBM

202

Taylor’s Do it Center* Virginia Beach, Va.

62,000,000

11

Hardware Store

203

Busy Beaver Building Centers Pittsburgh, Pa.

61,880,028

24

Home Center

Rank: No. 143 The Midwest’s largest dealer of Benjamin Moore paint increased sales more than 11% in 2019.

Rank

Company Location of Headquarters

Home Center

167

Stein Garden & Gifts* Milwaukee, Wis.

73,500,000

17

168

Building Component Supply* Jacksonville, Fla.

72,800,000

2

169

Rocky's Ace Hardware* Springfield, Mass.

72,000,000

35

170

Chelsea Lumber Company* Chelsea, Mich.

72,000,000

3

Home Center

171

City Mill Co.* Honolulu, Hawaii

71,500,000

8

Home Center

172

Timberland Lumber* Brazil, Ind.

71,000,000

2

LBM

173

Zarsky Lumber*2 Victoria, Texas

71,000,000

9

LBM

174

O.C. Cluss Lumber* Uniontown, Pa.

71,000,000

5

LBM

175

Theisen Supply Dubuque, Iowa

70,000,000

23

176

Big Creek Lumber* Davenport, Calif.

70,000,000

5

LBM

204

GBS Bulding Supply* Mauldin, S.C.

60,000,000

5

177

Yoder’s Building Supply Fair Play, S.C.

70,000,000

1

LBM

205

Meadows Farms Chantilly, Va.

60,000,000

21

178

Arizona Tile* Tempe, Ariz.

70,000,000

26

Home Décor & flooring

206

Cape Cod Lumber* Abington, Mass.

60,000,000

1

179

Poulin Lumber* Derby, Vt.

69,000,000

4

LBM

207

Star Nursery Henderson, Nev.

60,000,000

16

Lawn & Garden Store

180

McSwain Carpets & Floors Cincinnati, Ohio

69,000,000

10

Home Décor & Flooring

208

Big R Stores of Pueblo* Pueblo, Colo.

60,000,000

28

Farm & Ranch

181

Vista Paint* Fullerton, Calif.

69,000,000

46

Paint Store

209

Floridatile* Lexington, Ky.

59,600,000

24

Home Décor & Flooring

182

Desert Companies*1 Las Vegas, Nev.

69,000,000

5

LBM

210

59,500,000

2

Home Center

183

Zuern Building Products* Allenton, Wis.

Ziegler Lumber* Spokane, Wash.

67,500,000

5

LBM

211

184

Ed Herrington* Hillsdale, N.Y.

59,200,000

6

LBM

67,000,000

6

LBM

East Haven Builders Supply*1 East Haven, Conn.

185

Moynihan Lumber North Reading, Mass.

212 66,000,000

3

LBM

Warner Robins Supply* Warner Robins, Ga.

59,000,000

9

LBM

186

Ricciardi Brothers* Maplewood, N.J.

213 66,000,000

43

Rio Grande Building Materials* Denver, Colo.

59,000,000

6

LBM

187

Wilson Lumber* Huntsville, Ala.

65,000,000

3

LBM

214

H.J. Martin & Son Green Bay, Wis.

58,400,000

2

Home Décor & Flooring

188

Jaeger Lumber* Union, N.J.

65,000,000

7

LBM

215

Cassity Jones Lumber* Longview, Texas

58,000,000

6

LBM

1

LBM Hardware Store

Farm & Ranch

Paint Store

Paint Store

LBM Lawn & Garden Store LBM

* Estimated Data; 1 Division of US LBM Holdings; 2 Division of Kodiak Building Partners; 3 Division of American Construction Source

26

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

HBSDealer.com

C O V E R F E AT U R E COMPANY HIGHLIGHT

Drexel Building Supply

Rank

Rank: No. 64 The Campellsport, Wis.based 2018 HBSDealer Pro Dealer of the Year saw revenues jump 10.9% in 2019.

Rank

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

Stores

Type of Business

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

Stores

Type of Business Hardware Store

237

Acme Tools* Grand Forks, N.D.

52,000,000

10

238

Farm King* Macomb, Ill.

52,000,000

6

Farm & Ranch

239

Bellevue Builders Supply*1 Schenectady, N.Y.

52,000,000

3

LBM

240

Haynes Brothers Lumber* Murfreesboro, Tenn.

52,000,000

2

LBM

241

Alamo Lumber Company* San Antonio, Texas

51,300,000

13

Home Center

242

Snyder Diamond* Santa Monica, Calif.

51,000,000

3

Home Center

243

Prince Lumber* New York, N.Y.

51,000,000

3

LBM

244

Louis J. Grasmick Lumber Baltimore, Md.

50,532,428

1

LBM

245

Floor Covering Associates Shorewood, Ill.

49,500,000

5

Home Décor & Flooring

246

Earl May Nursery & Garden Center* Shenandoah, Iowa

49,500,000

30

Lawn & Garden Store

247

The Lyon & Billard Lumber Co.* Meriden, Conn.

49,000,000

5

LBM

248

Howard Lumber & Hardware* Statesboro, Ga.

48,800,000

2

LBM

249

The Forest Group* Oklahoma City, Okla.

48,500,000

4

LBM

250

Cancos Tile & Stone* Farmingville, N.Y.

48,500,000

12

216

Building Solutions* Tulsa, Okla.

58,000,000

3

LBM

217

Direct Cabinet Sales*1 Dayton, N.J.

58,000,000

7

LBM

218

United Builder's Supply* Westerly, R.I.

57,500,000

4

LBM

219

Builders’ General Supply* Little Silver, N.J.

57,500,000

4

LBM

220

Oldham Lumber* Dallas, Texas

56,000,000

1

LBM

221

Niehaus Lumber* Vincennes, Ind.

56,000,000

4

LBM

222

Bailey Lumber & Supply*1 Gulfport, Miss.

55,500,000

6

LBM

223

Potter’s Ace Home Center Jamestown, Tenn.

55,486,598

21

224

Texas Plywood & Lumber Co.* Grand Prairie, Texas

55,100,000

1

LBM

225

Bender Lumber* Bloomington, Ind.

55,000,000

8

Home Center

251

ISC Building Materials* Dallas, Texas

48,000,000

5

LBM

226

Humphrey’s Building Supply Center* Tiverton, R.I.

55,000,000

5

LBM

252

Dykes Lumber* Weehawken, N.J.

47,500,000

9

LBM

227

Western Wholesale Flooring Salt Lake City, Utah

253

54,500,000

11

Virginia Contractors Supply* Manassas Park, Va.

46,700,000

2

LBM

228

Wheelwright Lumber Company Ogden, Utah

254 54,410,000

1

Champion Lumber* Riverside, Calif.

46,200,000

1

LBM

255

229

Sterling Lumber & Investment* Westminster, Colo.

46,000,000

9

54,000,000

11

Hardware Store

LBM

Ace Hardware Home Center of Round Lake* Round Lake, Ill.

256

230

Coastal Roofing Supply*1 Clearwater, Fla.

40

2

Farrell Calhoun* Memphis, Tenn.

45,000,000

54,000,000

LBM

231

Building Supply Association* Powder Springs, Ga.

53,800,000

1

LBM

232

Dolan's Lumber* Benicia, Calif.

53,500,000

4

Home Center

233

Marine Home Center* Nantucket, Mass.

53,000,000

3

Home Center

234

Hardware Hawaii* Kailua, Hawaii

52,800,000

5

Home Center

235

Pike Nurseries* Duluth, Ga.

52,500,000

17

Lawn & Garden Store

236

Beisser Lumber* Grimes, Iowa

52,500,000

3

Home Center

Home Décor & Flooring

LBM

LBM

Home Décor & Flooring

Paint Store

COMPANY HIGHLIGHT

National Lumber Co. Rank: No. 42 The 14 locations feature builder services, paint stores and Kitchen View showrooms. Sales were up more than 10% in 2019.

* Estimated Data; 1 Division of US LBM Holdings; 2 Division of Kodiak Building Partners; 3 Division of American Construction Source

28

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

HBSDealer.com

COMPANY HIGHLIGHT

Company Location of Headquarters

Rank

Gilman Home Centers

Rank

Dollar Sales

Stores

41,800,000

5

278

Gebo’s* Plainview, Texas

41,500,000

21

279

Thrifty Building Supply* Collierville, Tenn.

41,500,000

4

LBM

280

Builders Supply Co Lancaster, S.C.

41,100,000

1

LBM

281

Calloway’s Nursery* Fort Worth, Texas

41,000,000

21

282

Fullerton Lumber* Plymouth, Minn.

41,000,000

4

LBM

283

Clay Ingels* Lexington, Ky.

41,000,000

1

LBM

284

Goldsboro Builders Supply* Goldsboro, N.C.

40,800,000

6

LBM

285

Botello Lumber* Mashpee, Mass.

40,500,000

1

Home Center

286

Pierce Flooring & Design Center Billings, Mont.

40,000,000

7

Home Décor & Flooring

287

Herrman Lumber* Springfield, Mo.

40,000,000

5

LBM

288

City Lumber* New York, N.Y.

40,000,000

1

LBM

289

Montalbano Lumber* Houston, Texas

40,000,000

2

LBM

290

Peter Lumber* Pleasantville, N.J.

40,000,000

8

LBM

LBM

291

Gill-Roy’s Hardware Flushing, Mich.

40,000,000

29

Lawn & Garden Store

292

Griffin Lumber & Hardware* Cordele, Ga.

39,300,000

7

293

McCormick Paints* Rockville, Md.

39,000,000

27

294

Associated Building Supply* Oxnard, Calif.

38,500,000

9

LBM

295

Mason’s Mill & Lumber* Houston, Texas

38,500,000

1

LBM

296

A.G. Mauro* Pittsburgh, Pa.

38,000,000

5

Home Décor & Flooring

297

W.E. Shone Lumber * Stanton, Del.

38,000,000

3

LBM

298

Tulnoy Lumber* Bronx, N.Y.

37,800,000

3

LBM

299

A.C. Houston Lumber* Las Vegas, Nev.

37,000,000

3

LBM

300

Orange County Building Materials* Vidor, Texas

37,000,000

5

LBM

Type of Business

Hughes Lumber* Catoosa, Okla.

45,000,000

8

LBM

258

Preston Feather Buiding Centers* Petoskey, Mich.

45,000,000

4

LBM

259

HEP Sales* Waterloo, N.Y.

45,000,000

260

Carpet Weaver's Champaign, Ill.

261

11

Home Center

44,000,000

12

Home Décor & Flooring

Window Depot Tucson, Ariz.

44,000,000

7

SD

262

Channel Lumber* Richmond, Calif.

44,000,000

1

LBM

263

Uresco Construction Materials* Kent, Wash.

44,000,000

264

Crenshaw Lumber* Gardena, Calif.

43,500,000

3

265

Barbeques Galore Limited* Garland, Texas

43,500,000

23

266

Jones Lumber* Boca Raton, Fla.

43,000,000

2

LBM

267

Ritter Lumber* Nederland, Texas

43,000,000

5

Home Center

268

Gordon Lumber* Fremont, Ohio

42,500,000

6

LBM

269

Parks Building Supply & Interiors* Fayetteville, N.C.

42,500,000

2

LBM

270

Huskey Building Supply* Franklin, Tenn.

42,300,000

3

LBM

271

Maner Builders Supply* Augusta, Ga.

42,000,000

3

LBM

272

Eastern Pennsylvania Supply Co.* Wilkes Barre, Pa.

42,000,000

273

Lumber Investors* Alexandria, La.

42,000,000

274

Aboff’s Paints & Wallcoverings* Huntington, N.Y.

42,000,000

33

Paint Store

275

Crown Ace Hardware* Huntington Beach, Calif.

42,000,000

16

Hardware Store

276

Truitt & White Lumber * Berkeley, Calif.

42,000,000

3

1

10 4

Type of Business

Lummus Supply Company* Atlanta, Ga.

257

4

Stores

277

Rank: No. 160 The Batesville, Ind.-based Gillman Home Centers operates 12 locations. The company’s sales were up 12.3% in 2019.

Company Location of Headquarters

Dollar Sales

LBM

LBM

LBM

LBM

Farm & Ranch

Lawn & Garden Store

Hardware Store LBM

Paint Store

Source: Company reports and HBSDealer research.

For more data on the Top 300, visit the Special Reports section of HBSDealer.com.

LBM

* Estimated Data; 1 Division of US LBM Holdings; 2 Division of Kodiak Building Partners; 3 Division of American Construction Source

HBSDealer.com

HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER JULY/AUGUST 2020

29

ORGILL REPORT

CNRG’s California adventure Outdoor Supply Hardware establishes its own identity

Clockwise from top: The Moraga, Calif. Outdoor Supply Hardware in the location previously occupied by Orchard Supply Hardware. The stores’ interiors are designed to make California customers feel right at home. The veteran team includes Mike Knickerbocker, Ryan O’Dell (Napa store manager), Craig Loop (district manager) and Steve Rosenthal (Clayton store manager).

T

he three letters “OSH” have deep roots and deep meaning in the fertile field of the Golden State retail landscape.

For generations they’ve meant Orchard Supply Hardware.

But for a growing number of California communities today, the letters stand for Outdoor Supply Hardware, one of the newest divisions of the Central Network Retail Group. CNRG has been steadily expanding the brand’s footprint and sales by focusing on the home improvement triple play — backyard, paint, and repair — while navigating the unprecedented impact of a pandemic.

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“We’re feeling good about the stores,” said CNRG president John Sieggreen, who also carries the title of Executive VP of retail for Memphis, Tenn.-based distributor Orgill. “It’s going well for us.”

Since late summer of 2019, CNRG has opened Outdoor Supply Hardware stores in former Orchard Supply Hardware locations in Napa, Moraga, Capitola, Berkeley and San Jose.

Another half dozen OSH stores are in various stages of opening or planning.

Today, the new OSH stores are either meeting or exceeding sales expectations, the company said. But back in early March, there were some questions to be raised, and a virus to navigate.

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

From a business standpoint, the pandemic disrupted marketing efforts, grand-opening ceremonies and instore events at the new stores. And there was concern over the impact of the virus on customer traffic in the new age of social distancing.

“I was a little nervous,” Sieggreen said. “But, frankly, it’s been going really well. And like so many other home improvement retailers, our CNRG sales have been strong overall, and business has been strong in California.”

Inside the stores The old Orchard Supply Hardware was recognized as a Golden Hammer retailer

HBSDealer.com

of the year in 2015. The brand was known for upscale store design along with strong lawn and garden programs.

The new Outdoor Supply Hardware brand promises more of the same.

“Customers who enjoyed Orchard Supply Hardware will enjoy the new stores as they carry many of the same quality items used in the home and around the yard,” said Sieggreen.

“There are also some new items and brands that we believe will create an even better shopping experience.”

The paint scheme remains the same.

The store organization remains essentially the same. The fixtures are similar. And of course, the initials are the same.

“If you were a customer that was familiar with that brand, and of course that includes many customers out there, we wanted you to feel immediately familiar with our stores,” Sieggreen said.

“And I believe we’ve accomplished that.”

Perhaps more important than the product are the people inside the stores.

And here again, the new OSH brings continuity through active recruitment of former executives and managers.

CNRG’s district manager for the Outdoor Supply Hardware brand, Craig Loop, worked for Orchard Supply in a variety of management roles over about a dozen years before joining CNRG’s Parkrose brand in 2013.. With Loop’s connections, and other recruitment efforts, CNRG reached out to former managers, who in turn reached out to key former employees.

In ballpark figures, about 70% of the management team and about 30% of the non-management team at Outdoor Supply Hardware brings some degree of former Orchard Supply experience to the job.

“It’s worked out really well to create instant credibility with customers, and it’s been great with product knowledge,” Sieggreen said. “It creates familiarity — or what we call ‘muscle memory’ — with respect to the brand.”

“Having the right people in place and having the people who have familiarity with the brand are so important. They serve as the conduit for information and to make sure that we’re saying and doing and stocking all the right things in our stores,” he continued.

The CNRG-OSH deal The wheels began turning for CNRG’s California adventure when Lowe’s announced its decision to close 99 Orchard Supply stores in November 2018. (See sidebar) “We were as surprised as anybody when Lowe’s decided to go in a different direction,” said Sieggreen.

After the Lowe’s decision, the former CEO of Orchard Supply, Mark Baker, reached out to Orgill’s President Boyden Moore to explore a deal that would turn management services of the stores to Tyndale Advisors, an Orgill subsidiary. Those discussions eventually led to a plan to approach landlords in high-performing markets.

Outdoor Supply Hardware sales have outperformed expectations through the coronavirus outbreak. STHIL occupies a prominent place in the outdoor power equipment aisle. Lawn and garden is a strategic emphasis for the CNRG brand.

HBSDealer.com

The Orchard Supply History The original OSH — Orchard Supply Hardware — was founded as a purchasing co-op for California growers in 1931. It became a hardware chain in the 1950s. It was acquired by Sears in 1990, spun off and then the brand filed for chapter bankruptcy in 2013.

Lowe’s bought the brand out of bankruptcy shortly after, and injected more than $300 million into the stores, improving layouts and signage. The brand expanded into Oregon, and – curiously, according to some, — leapfrogged the store all the way to Florida.

The end came in 2018, when Lowe’s, led by recently hired CEO Marvin Ellison, made the decision to focus on its core, big blue warehouse store and close all 99 Orchard Supply Hardware locations. All the stores were shuttered

by November 2018.

In addition to CNRG’s continuation of the locations, Westlake Ace Hardware has expanded into California in a handful of locations formerly operated by Orchard Supply Hardware.

CNRG originally sought to open seven stores in its first wave, but two sites couldn’t be negotiated into fruition.

Outdoor Supply Hardware became the 16th retail brand in the CNRG family. (A 17th brand, Germantown Hardware, was created in June.)

And while the brands have their own personalities, they are connected by a culture of sharing success stories and best practices across the 110-store enterprise.

As the name of the company suggests, CNRG fully expects to benefit from cross-brand synergies as it grows in California.

“Every community in the U.S. has its own character, but I think that’s probably even more true in California,” Sieggreen said. “That’s a positive for us. Neighbors helping neighbors, was a slogan for Orchard Supply, and we’ve adopted that. That sense of community is really important in California.”

HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER JULY/AUGUST 2020

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NEW PRODUCTS

Windows and doors illuminate 2020

By Andy Carlo

N

ew single-family home sales jumped 16.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 676,000 in May and are 12.7% above the May 2019 rate of 600,000.

Additionally, May’s housing starts — the most recent data available at press time — rose 4.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 974,000. And housing permits jumped 14.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.22 million in May from the revised April rate of 1.066 million.

Housing appears to be on strong legs as the industry enters the second half of an extremely turbulent 2020. With new residential construction on the rise, that means bread and butter materials are in demand: including windows and doors.

“Single family home construction remains strong, and many homeowners are looking for increased natural light as they spend more time at home,” Paul Anderson, Masonite senior director of product management and marketing, exterior doors and glass, told HBSDealer. “An entry or patio door with glass can be a great way to accomplish that.”

According to Pella, for homeowners, less is more. They don’t want more choices for the sake of having more choices.

“They want a simple and relevant selection of front doors that will stand the test of time,” said Nicole Willits, product marketing specialist at Pella Corporation.

Regarding trends, ThermaTru Senior Product Manager Andrew Burns said the company is seeing a shift from bold colors on entryways to slightly more muted, natural tones.

“Although, there is still a place for bolder yellows and brighter blues,” Burns added.

“Colors that make the entryway the focal point also complement other exterior elements of the home.”

Here are some of the latest window and door products for 2020:

Simpson Clear Edge doors

Simpson Door Company’s Clear Edge technology takes glass all the way to one side or top of a wood door’s edge. This new concept pushes the limits on design and provides a modern, contemporary style for both interior and exterior doors. Clear Edge technology delivers an eye-catching door style that builders can use to set their homes apart for homebuyers interested in the increasingly popular modern style. Glass can now run the full height of interior doors, creating a stunning visual impact with improved views. It can also extend to the edge of exterior doors, creating a one-of-kind first impression from the curb. Simpson doors with Clear Edge technology are available in any wood species and virtually any size. Simpsondoor.com.

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JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

Masonite VistaGrande doors

Need more light to illuminate the interior of a home? Home builders and homeowners can instantly brighten any space with VistaGrande flush-glazed doors. The product features up to 18% more visible glass area. Available in fir or smooth texture with various glass and numerous grid options, the collection is ideal for front and patio applications. Masonite.com.

KOVA high-performance windows

KOVA, the building products brand of Katerra, has launched a line of highperformance windows available to trade professionals in a wide range of custom sizes and configurations. KOVA Windows are designed for new builds or retrofits in both residential and light commercial projects. The windows are available in a wide range of custom sizes and configurations, such as Horizontal Slider, Picture Window, and a 2-Panel Sliding Patio Door, which includes a dual-point Mortise lock system for added security. Each window within the line is available at one of three performance tiers: Performance, Performance Plus, or Performance Select. Each level meets Energy Star 6.0 performance requirements for the United States. Trade professionals can select from White, Tan, Clay or Gray for the interior vinyl and choose one of three finishes for the exterior laminate, including Bronze, Midnight, and Silver.

Kovaproducts.com

HBSDealer.com

Boral Windows Legacy 250 Series

The 250 Series from Boral Windows Legacy brand is built for quality, featuring an all-welded frame and sash, integral nailing fin, and aluminum sash reinforcement. The windows carry a DP-35 rating.

Along with dual weather-stripping that protects against moisture intrusion and multi-chambered vinyl profiles that increase thermal efficiency, the windows come with energy-saving glass options: triple-coated LoE glass with argon gas fill or LoE Energy Plus glass, also with argon insulation. Windows in the 250 Series come in three colors: Pebblestone, Clay, and White. Hung, slider, and picture windows are available.

The 250 Series is currently available in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, the Florida Panhandle, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina. Boralamerica.com/windows.

VELUX Cabrio Balcony Window

Designed to provide a cost-effective alternative for homeowners looking to open up attics with low, angled ceilings, VELUX introduces the Cabrio Balcony Roof Window MK19.

The new size is 20% smaller in width than the standard Cabrio Balcony but costs 35% less. Cabrio Balcony Roof Windows are prime options for finished attics because they provide expansive views and abundant natural light and open in seconds into a private balcony, adding fresh air and a rooftop retreat. When closed, the CABRIO is flush with the roof, making it a seamless addition to the roofline. The Cabrio MK19 is in stock and available for purchase. Whyskylights.com.

Pella Entry Doors

Pella has revamped its entry door collection, taking the most popular fiberglass and steel front door styles and curating them into a single portfolio: Pella Entry Doors. The new simplified fiberglass and steel entry door collection is a result of market research that looked at ongoing trends feedback, plus feedback from Pella customers and the company’s sales team. To drive entry door design even further, Pella partnered with Sherwin Williams Design House to create a palette with popular neutral and bold colors. Homeowners can choose from 25 paint colors and eight prefinished stains. Pella.com.

HBSDealer.com

PGT Windows + Doors

PGT Custom Windows + Doors, part of the PGT Innovations family of brands, has launched Modern Edge all-black window and door frames. The company is offering the new frame color option on windows and doors from their popular impact-resistant, non-impact, and energy-efficient product lines.

A new evolution of the black frame trend, Modern Edge provides a fresh alternative to traditional neutral frames like white and beige. The edge-to-edge, monochromatic look helps achieve an instant transformation for the interiors and exteriors of a property while responding to the ever-popular desire among consumers for unique home design options that deliver individualized appeal. PGTWindows.com.

Therma-Tru doors

ThermaTru’s Elevate products line is an effort to meet homeowner demand, including stylish, innovative offerings.

The manufacturer’s Humble Roots offers a relaxed, cozy vibe while featuring natural textures. Additionally, the Confident Focus line offers uniqueness through an eclectic blend of mixed materials, bold elements, and soft touches to create a strikingly distinct, yet livable space. Thermatru.com.

HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER JULY/AUGUST 2020

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MARKET INSIGHTS

Treated Lumber supply is under pressure Demand went through the rough at just the wrong time for a steady supply.

By Andy Carlo

A

massive wave of DIY projects from homeowners during the COVID-19 pandemic has lead to pressure treated lumber selling faster than dealers and suppliers can keep up with demand.

As the COVID-19 crisis expanded, mills slowed production while treaters re-examined their contracts with lumber producers. Essentially, both sides of the pressure treated production equation did not want to get caught with too much supply during the pandemic.

But supply is now the issue as both mills and treaters can’t put enough pressure treated materials into the market.

“The demand went through the roof but there was not enough timber to be had,” Stephen Sallah, president and CEO of LBM Advantage told HBSDealer. “Even at full capacity, the mills are having trouble keeping up right now.”

Sallah says that just about every phone call he has with a member dealer of LBM Advantage in recent weeks includes a request for assistance in obtaining pressure treated lumber.

And that’s because homeowners remaining at home during the pandemic turned their attention to DIY projects including new decks, replacement decks, and fencing, among others.

“Just about every dealer is having trouble with pressure treated lumber,” said Angie Maxwell, manager of treated and engineered lumber at LBM Advantage. “I have been selling treated lumber for 34 years and in all of my years I have

34

As demand rose, so did the price of pressure treated lumber. “Everyone has had some shortages,” said an 84 Lumber spokeswoman.

never experienced anything like this.”

In many cases, pro dealers have both a primary and secondary source for treated lumber. But due to supply restraints, those sources are only selling to their primary customers.

As is always the case with supply and demand, shortage lead to spikes in pricing too. Pressure treated lumber is no different.

Industry pricing experts say the cost of pressure treated 2x4s has increased by as much 80% or better in the past three months with decking boards shooting up by about 75%. During the same span, the cost of 4x6 and 6X6 pressure treated lumber is up nearly 50%.

“Overall, DIYers and homeowners

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

have been using this time to work on their decks, sheds, and pergolas but the category with the largest growth during this time has been treated lumber and treated fencing,” said Sarah Mellema, 84 Lumber public relations manager.

“Everyone has had some shortages, and we’re no exception; however, we’ve been able to stay well-stocked because of our strong long-term partnerships with our treated lumber vendors,” Mellema noted.

Based on incoming quotes at 84 Lumber stores, the pro dealer saw a 138% increase in requests for pressure treated lumber in May 2020 compared to May 2019 and a 93% increase in April 2020 compared to April 2019.

HBSDealer.com

Regarding incoming quote requests from homeowners, inquiries at 84 Lumber for treated lumber is up more than 170% in the past two months while fencing and shed requests have increased nearly 150%.

Have you tried to buy a pressure treated playset lately? You can’t find one.

And requests are up more than 300% at 84 Lumber, the company said.

A recent survey by Bank of American found that 70% of Americans were working on home improvement projects during the COVID-19 crisis with more planned for 2021.

Beckerle Lumber in Rockland County, N.Y. said decking product sales are going particularly strong this year. But Beckerle has back orders for pressure treated.

When HBSDealer spoke with the dealer earlier this month, company president Larry Beckerle said that he expected a fresh shipment delivered that day to be

“I have been selling treated lumber for 34 years and in all of my years I have never experienced anything like this.”

— Angie Maxwell, LBM Advantage

gone by the next day.

Mid-Cape Home Centers, in an email to its customers, said treaters have been playing catch up all month. “The supply of southern yellow pine to treat appears to be recovering, however, the last month has seen extraordinary demand for treated lumber. The progress they’ve made in producing more treated lumber has been outpaced by new orders for their products, so lead

times are growing. Virtually all widths and lengths are affected.”

In a normal cycle, the traditional outdoor DIY season begins a downturn after July 4. That means dealers begin to reduce their inventory of pressure treated products.

But not this year.

“With price increases, you don’t want to get overzealous and have a lot of high price inventory around,” Maxwell said. “But we are having a very different conversation with our dealer members now.”

While pressure treated volume increases are in the double digits at LBM Advantage in the past few months, there is also a point of frustration for dealers who are missing out on sales “Dealers could sell more if they had the materials, treaters could sell more if they could get it from the mills,” Maxwell said.

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HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER JULY/AUGUST 2020

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Join us in Chicago Nov. 4-5, for the Top Women in Hardware and Building Supply Awards Gala!

Learn more at HBSDTopWomen.com

Wendy Whiteash Chief human resources officer and executive VP of culture for US LBM Holdings

By Ken Clark If you ever run into Wendy Whiteash on the other side of a job interview, be prepared for the following question:

“Can you tell me about a time when you have made your workplace or your work process better?”

That question, she says, reflects one of her closely held beliefs when it comes to business success: It’s important to recruit people who are adaptable and versatile in their skills, and who bring a willingness to use their voice for the good of the company. The chief human resources officer and executive VP of culture for Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based US LBM, Whiteash also points out that these qualities have only increased in value since the coronavirus outbreak and all the challenges that come with it.

Whiteash is also a believer that diversity contributes to the bottom-line.

Among her objectives as a senior HR leader, she says, is bringing successful, capable women into the candidate pool. “The industry has been chipping away at gender gap disparities at the entry level for years,” she says. “I have

36

always believed, and I still believe, that the way to get more people into our industry, including women, younger people and experienced workers from other industries, is to show career paths, and to show opportunity for growth,” she said.

“A lot of companies have been trying to attract women into the workforce now for a couple of decades. As an industry, we’ve been talking about it at conferences and have made some incremental improvements. It’s important for everyone in an organization to see the opportunities that exist, and the roles they can aspire to. With wider representation at every level, women can see that there are greater opportunities for them.”

The effort to cast a wider net is designed to boost performance, she said. And increasingly, she’s finding winning qualities in women who are applying for roles that have traditionally been filled by men.

Shattering the preconceptions about the industry and the work environment are major contributors to the increasing the appeal of the industry to women.

“Innovation and technology have made the physical requirements and working conditions Wendy Whiteash much safer than

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

they used to be.”

There’s also a lot more women in the workforce than there used to be. “So, when we need to fill these important roles in our organizations, the wider you cast your net, the better chance you have at finding the right candidates and future contributors to your team,” she said.

Meanwhile, the pandemic has changed the way the industry thinks about getting work done. Successful organizations need a broader set of skills to meet new challenges, and those skills and solutions can come from a more diverse team with different perspectives, Whiteash says.

“It’s a time for aspiring leaders to really be a part of the solution, and help transform organizations to come out of this stronger on the other side.

“I think it’s a really empowering time for women.”

Robbie Caudill

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MARKET INSIGHTS

Technology and the supply chain

D

uring a webcast on the topic of supply chain challenges, experts visited the role of technology in managing the supply chain during the time of the pandemic, and beyond.

Titled “Maintaining the Supply Chain: What lies ahead for the industry in the wake of COVID-19” and sponsored by Epicor, the webcast featured the insights of three professionals who are very close to the issues.

Warren Arthur is senior VP of supply

chain and logistics for Cameron Ashley Building Products, with more than 30 locations around the U.S. and some 5,000 LBM customers.

“We’ve implemented a TMS (Transportation Management Software) system for our transportation network,” Arthur said. “We’re trying to make sure that we get the best, most efficient route so when the customer needs a shipment or a product, we can get it to them quickly.”

Cameron Ashley operates its own fleet of trucks, a competitive advantage, Arthur says.

And technology can provide the added benefit of an automated, efficient coordination of the supply chain.

“I just think anything that gives us information at our finger tips and allows us to make a decision [is an advantage],” he said. Ideally a manager would “only have to pick up the phone when there is an exception to the norm.”

“We’re trying to make sure that we get the best, most efficient route so when the customer needs a shipment or a product, we can get it to them quickly.”

38

Stephen Sallah is president and

CEO of LBM Advantage, an LBM buying group representing more than 500 members and some 1,000 locations around the country.

The buying group with offices around the country has found that the ability to work remotely has been a major advantage.

“We had built remote capability a couple of years ago for the random snow fall that leaves us home for four hours or for a day or day and a half,” Sallah said. “We never dreamed we would be using it for 30, 40, 50 or 60 days.”

If retailers don’t already have that capability for their non-sales-floor staff, he recommends that they build it and test it.

Additionally, Sallah pointed to the success of the rollout of a mobile app designed for the health of the office employees, as they returned to the office after work-from-home mandates. The app features a five-stage screening test before employees come in to work.

“It sounds simple, but that was a huge move for us to make sure everybody in the office that day didn’t have one of the five issues that would keep them away,” Sallah said. “It gets people thinking and taking their temperature every day and all of that so our employees can feel safe and comfortable that everybody in the office doesn’t have a fever, doesn’t have cough, hasn’t been in contact with a COVID patient in the last 14 days, et cetera. It’s might seem like a minor thing, but it’s been huge help for us and a huge comfort for the employees in the office right now.”

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

Greg Goodale is Riverhead Building

Supply director of purchasing. Based in Riverhead, N.Y, the pro dealer operates 18 locations in Long Island and New England.

“We’ll be a stronger company because of the pandemic,” Goodale said. “We’ve learned a lot. Technology is the key. Kudos to our IT department for setting up remote work from home situations for people that could. That was clutch.

Investing in your website is big.

Goodale also described the changing habits of a “resilient” revenue source: the consumer market.“The customers are not walking into your stores like they used to,” he said. “They pick up the phone. They call you. You have to be able to pick up the phone and take the order, answer the questions. We’ve been hypersensitive on that, investing drastically in those types of [interactions.]”

“We’ll be a stronger company because of the pandemic.”

The entire webcast, which touches on a broad range of supply chain issues, is available for replay at HBSDealer.com/webinars.

HBSDealer.com

Survey shows who’s being helpful A survey conducted by Tennessee-based research firm Consumer Specialists looked at do-it-yourself home improvement attitudes with a focus on the impact on COVID-19.

A preview provided to HBSDealer revealed what you might expect. When contractors talk about home improvement, DIYers listen.

With more than 600 consumers weighing in, contractors were seen as the most helpful source of information for DIYers embarking on home improvement projects.

“The results for Contractors and Using a Search Engine were significantly higher than for Store Personnel, Manufacture’s Websites and Retailer Websites,” said Fred Miller, president of Consumer Specialists.

The homeowner’s level of concern about COVID-19 did not impact these results meaningfully.

Miller said it was surprising that store personnel, with their ability to answer questions and demonstrate how products work, failed to score higher than a general web search. And retail web sites finished fifth out of five possible answers. “It’s clear that retailers can up their game and add important value to the purchase process,” said Miller. “If consumers get their information via a web search and enter the store knowing what they want/need, the transaction becomes a commodity based on availability and price.”

Consumers were asked: “Based on your experience, how would you rate the helpfulness of the home improvement information you have received from these sources?” Responses ranged from 1 (not at all helpful) to 5 (extremely helpful).

Here are the mean results:

Ranking helpfulness DIYers rank information sources on a scale of 1 to 5

Contractor

3.79

Search engine

3.74

Store personnel

3.43

Manufacturer website

3.35 3.3

Retailer website

0 1 2 3 4 Source: Consumer Specialists

For more information about the above and the report “How COVID-19 Is Reshaping The Home Improvement Market” you can contact Consumer Specialists at Report@consumerspecialists.com.

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HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER JULY/AUGUST 2020

39

MARKET INSIGHTS

Paulsen and the Spirit of Life soldier on

T

here were more than 1.4 million reasons to declare this year’s City of Hope “Spirit of Life” ceremony a resounding success. That’s the approximate number of dollars the hardware and homebuilding industry raised at the January event for the California-based research facility and world-class treatment center.

The ceremony presented Brad Paulsen, president of HD Supply Facility Maintenance as the Spirit of Life honoree.

Paulsen, a West Point graduate, stepped into a long line of industry leaders to take on the annual role of fundraising ambassador for City of Hope.

Little did anyone know in January 2020 that the industry, and industry fundraising, was about to get complicated. HBSDealer revisited the Spirit of Life honoree at a time when the pandemic continues to disrupt business, communities take their first steps toward reopening, and — yes — fundraising continues. Here’s the remote interview: HBSDealer: Fundraising during any year is a challenge. But fundraising in 2020 must be a million times more challenging. The show must go on, but how?

Brad Paulsen: 2020 has thus far presented a number of challenges and our fundraising efforts have certainly been impacted due to the restrictions on travel and large group gatherings.

That being said, our industry has continued to show its interest and support for City of Hope and its critical life-saving mission. We appreciate everyone’s creative thinking and

40

Brad Paulsen, president of HD Supply Facilities Maintenance, at the California campus of City of Hope (right), and with fundraising colleagues (above).

suggestions on how to continue our fundraising efforts in the current environment and obviously appreciate the continued generosity of all our industry colleagues.

HBSDealer: What kind of conversations are you having with people when you talk to them about City of Hope?

Paulsen: More than anything, I continue to reinforce the importance of City of Hope and its positive impact on our communities. I find that I cannot over-communicate the role life-saving research and treatment procedures have on providing people across the world with an opportunity for a healthy and fulfilling life.

HBSDealer: City of Hope has been sharing regular updates on its efforts to find a vaccine for COVID-19. My question is: How cool is that?

Paulsen: It is a testament to City of Hope and the quality of its team

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

member. City of Hope is an incredible organization filled with very talented individuals and teams focused on improving people’s lives and turning hope into reality. Its ability to innovate and solve many of today’s medical issues serve as source of inspiration for so many institutions and individuals which is why our continued support is so important.

HBSDealer: What was your big takeaway from the event in Las Vegas?

Paulsen: I was very inspired watching our industry, our team if you will, come together and do our part to support this critical lifesaving mission. While many of us our competitors Monday through Friday, it was special to see the power of our industry rally behind such an essential organization like the City of Hope.

For more on City of Hope’s mission, and the hardware and building industry’s involvement, visit www.cityofhope.org.

HBSDealer.com

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Ken Dunham, the executive director of the West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association since 2006, retired June 30. Prior to joining the WCLBMA, Dunham’s experience included ownership of a regional advertising agency and public relations firm, political consulting and management, and as a television news Dunham director and on-air personality. “It has a long and productive relationship and I leave with profound good feelings for this organization and especially the lumber and building materials industry,” Dunham said.

Orgill hired Marc Hamer to fill the newly created role of executive VP, chief digital and information officer. In this new role, Hamer will lead the digital and data strategy, information systems, information security and all technology teams across Orgill’s distribution business, Tyndale Advisors, and Central Network Retail Hamer Group. Earlier in his career, Hamer spent over 10 years working in defense electronics

and intelligence with Northrop Grumman Corp. and Raytheon. He sits on a number of advisory boards including CNBC’s Technology Council.

Lowe’s appointed Janice Dupre Little as executive vice president, human resources, effective June 22. Little joined Lowe’s in 2017 and most recently served as senior vice president, diversity and talent management. Lowe’s said that Little has worked company leaders to expand and develop solutions that support the Little retailer’s mission while making diversity and inclusion a signature priority.

Biggers

The E.C. Barton Company named Mark Biggers as president. Biggers succeeds Niel Crowson and becomes the sixth president for the company since it began business in 1885 in Jonesboro, Ark. Biggers spent over 17 years with what is now known as NBG Home (the parent company of Jimco Lamp).

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HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER JULY/AUGUST 2020

41

Residential Construction/Sales

Monthly Retail Sales, not adjusted

13 months of housing starts and existing-home sales

home centers and pro dealers (NAICS 444) and hardware stores (NAICS 44413)

Total starts

NAICS 444

(in thousands, SAAR) June: 1,186,000

NAICS 44413

(sales in $ billions)

50

1600

(sales in $ billions)

3

3.20

1500

43.1

40

1400 1300

35.1

30

36.8

38.4

2.62

42.4

2.64

2.36 2

34.6

2.20

2.19

1200

20

1100

1

1000

10

900

0

800

APRIL

J J A S O N D J F M A M J

2019

SOURCE: COMMERCE DEPARTMENT

MAY

0

JUNE

MARCH 2019

2020

APRIL

MAY

2020

SOURCE: MONTHLY RETAIL TRADE REPORT FROM THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Single-family starts (in thousands, SAAR) June: 831,000 1050

HBSDealer Stock Roundup

1000

the percent-change performance of stocks based on Jul. 15 prices

950 900

35

850

20

650

15

ANNUAL CHANGE

700

J J A S O N D J F M A M J SOURCE: COMMERCE DEPARTMENT

Existing-home sales (in millions, SAAR) May: 3,910,000 6

SHW

BLDR

25

750

600

LOW

30

800

TSCO

DE

5 0 -5

DJI

SWK WY

-10 -15

5.5

-20

5

-25

BECN -30 -6 -3 0 3 6 9 12 15

4.5 4

MONTHLY CHANGE

3.5 3

HD

BMC

10

BECN (BEACON); BLDR (BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE); BMCH (BMC STOCK HOLDINGS); DE (DEERE & CO.);

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

J

F

M

A

M

HD (HOME DEPOT); LOW (LOWE’S); SHW (SHERWIN-WILLIAMS); SWK (STANLEY); TSCO (TRACTOR SUPPLY);

SOURCE: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

WY (WEYERHAEUSER); DJIA (DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE)

Consumer Watch Unemployment rate

Consumer confidence

Gas prices

for the entire United States

indexed to a value of 100 in 1985

average price per gallon (regular)

8.0

10.0

4.0

80

42

Current Prior month

120

Prior year

16.0

11.1%

18.0

June 0.0

$2.50 $2.00

14.0

6.0

2.0

100

12.0

20.0

60

98.1

$2.20

June

Jul. 15

140

$1.50

JULY/AUGUST 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER

$3.00

SOURCES: LABOR DEPARTMENT, THE CONFERENCE BOARD, AAA

HBSDealer.com

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