Contractor Advantage January / February 2017

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017

HOME RENOS, COAST TO COAST RESIDENTIAL INSULATION CANADIAN LUMBER UPDATE 2017

Columns Inside Money Matters Supplier Spotlight Design Talk

What's Trending: Interview with HGTV Canada's Moving the McGillivrays Scott McGillivray

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Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. is a Canadian member-owned, Lumber, Building Materials and Hardware buying group representing over 300 member locations across Canada.

Contractor Advantage Magazine is the exclusive publication of Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. featuring quality Castle vendor brands available at Castle Building Centres locations.

Visit castle.ca to find a Castle location in your area.

Editorial Director Castle Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. Jennifer Mercieca Publisher - JAD Media Group Inc. Dan Alexander Managing Editor Teresa Christine Art Director Aram Stamboulian Contributors Teresa Christine Lawrence Cummer Melissa Campeau Nestor Arellano

Advertising Inquiries Jennifer Mercieca Director of Communications Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 jmercieca@castle.ca

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017 Volume 22 Issue 1

Material Contact Susan Brook Marketing Coordinator Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 sbrook@castle.ca Published and designed exclusively for Castle Building Centres Group Ltd.

by JAD Media Group Inc. About Contractor Advantage

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Contributors

Lawrence Cummer

Melissa Campeau

Nestor Arellano

Lawrence Cummer is a freelance writer with 2 years of experience writing for trade periodicals, business and communications agencies. He is a former senior writer and editor of the technology trade publications Network World Canada and Communications & Networking Journal, respectively. As well, he has been a senior contributor to a wide variety of publications.

Melissa Campeau is a Toronto-based journalist who regularly contributes to such publications as Yardstick, the OUR HOMES series of magazines, Mortgage Journal, Financial Post and National Post. She lives in Toronto with her husband, seven-year-old son and two-year-old puppy. Daily living in a “quirky” century house with an active first-grader and an accidentally destructive 50-lb dog means you’ll often find tradespeople and contractors on hand, as well.

Nestor Arellano is a Toronto-based journalist who has written extensively about the Canadian construction industry for Contractor Advantage, Rough Construction and Ideas Magazine for more than eight years.

Throughout his career, Nestor has also covered the workplace health and safety, foodservice and hospitality, technology, as well as the defense and military procurement industries.

Clinton Henry

Ken Jenkins

Clinton Henry is one of the world’s leading cyber security and identify theft experts.

Known for his engaging keynotes and insightful perspective on business and personal cyber security, Clinton has amassed a loyal following of business and IT executives who look to him for guidance on how to protect their corporate profits and reputation from attack or compromise.

For over 20 years Ken Jenkins worked within the Lumber, Building Materials and Hardware industry, including senior roles on both sides of the negotiating table. In the past 8 years, as President of Castle, Ken has given insight and a keen understanding of the relationship between manufacturing, distribution, and the independent retailer in serving the needs of Canadians from coast to coast.

For more information, visit www.ClintonHenry.com

For more information, visit www.insights.castle.ca

Kevin Coughlin Kevin Coughlin is an accomplished dentist, author and speaker. With his unique and powerful message, Kevin provides small businesses with actionable solutions when considering strategic change, as well as keys to compete in an expansive market.

For more information, visit www.Ascent-Dental-Solutions.com

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Contributors

What’s Inside?

7 News and Notes

5 Key Characteristics of a Successful Entrepreneur

11 What’s Trending

Scene and Heard; Talking Home Reno Trends with HGTV Canada's Moving the McGillivrays Scott McGillivray

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Home Renos, Coast to Coast From B.C. to Newfoundland: A round-up of Canadian renovation trends.

23 Supplier Spotlight

Resisto

24 Money Matters

Good Profits vs.

Bad Profits

33 Product Platform

Premium Products from Barricade, Milwaukee, Simpson Strong Tie, & Task Tools

45 Tech Talk

9 Surefire Steps to Lockdown Your Cyber Security

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Residential Insulation What contractors need to know about upcoming residential insulation trends.

49 Design Talk

Sneak Peak at 2017 Paint Colour Trends

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Canadian Lumber Update 2017 Will Canadian Contractors see lower prices in 2017?

On the Cover Photo courtesy of Alf Curtis Home Improvements

Contents

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START PAINTING Castlegard has everything you need to start painting including a premium line quality paintware.

Whether professional or DIY Castlegard has the painting accessories you need to get the job done.

Exclusively at Castle Building Centres locations.

Visit www.castle.ca to find a Castle near you.

News & Notes

5 Key Characteristics of a Successful Entrepreneur Written by Ken Jenkins President, Castle Building Centres Group Ltd.

I’ve written in the past about how “cool” it is to be an entrepreneur. How entrepreneurial business leaders make a difference in their community, finding fulfillment and control of their personal destiny.

But is entrepreneurship for everyone? Do you have it in you to become a great entrepreneur?

Many people point to the success of entrepreneurs as having the “Midas Touch.” That’s all well and good, but undermines the fact that entrepreneurial success is hard work and requires a commitment and dedication that many don’t have.

Thousands of businesses enter and exit the marketplace every year. In 2013, more than 78,000 new small businesses in Canada hung out their shingles; however, more than 83,000 closed up shop. Running a successful small business requires more than good timing, talent and some elusive X-factor.

The Internet is filled with lists and opinions on the top traits shared by effective entrepreneurs. In my experience,

News & Notes

though, I’ve seen a few common characteristics really shine through. Great news for the ambitious: while many of these are personality traits, I believe these “soft skills” can be honed and trained. As mentioned in the past, practice and effort ultimately beat raw talent alone.

Let’s Look at the Traits That Foster Entrepreneurial Success: 1. Genuineness

In today’s increasingly marketing-saturated world, it is hard for consumers, partners and even investors to find truly genuine people. But, think about it… don’t you seek out genuine people to buy things from or work with?

According to author and management consultant Steve Tobak, genuine people are self-aware and consistent; they practice what they preach. “There’s not a lot of processing, manipulating, or controlling going on between what’s in

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their head and what people see and hear,” he writes in Entrepreneur magazine.

2. Passion

Successful entrepreneurs aren’t driven by money. Open up a biography on any great business leader or ask any young up-and-comer and you’ll find a drive to make a difference or change the world. This passion carries them through the dreaded start-up “death valley days,” the period of negative cash flow before the business is bringing in revenue from customers. Passion sustains these brave future business leaders across the valley, often at great expense in terms of their own time and money. That said…

3. Fearlessness

Great rewards are accompanied by great risk, but it’s important to remember fearlessness is not foolhardiness.

As the maxim goes: courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. Successful entrepreneurs take confident, calculated risks, supported by their passion to see their business come to fruition. "Never make uninformed decisions, and always test assumptions", advises angel investor Angela Lee, founder of 37 Angels.

4. High-energy

Perhaps the hardest soft skill to train. A start-up is hard work, long hours and can be exhausting and demanding.

High-energy “doers” have a number of behaviors in common: they tend to be cheerful and positive; where others see obstacles and challenges, they see opportunities and excitement. Find your inner optimist and “fake it until you make it.” High-energy behaviors quickly build momentum.

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5. Humbleness

Successful business leaders need a degree of emotional intelligence that allows them to connect with customers emphatically. Business in the global marketplace requires partnership and collaboration, especially in the early stages.

Before you discount the concept of humility, consider that a Catalyst study found being humble is critical in creating an inclusive environment and another study found it to be a source of competitive advantage. Being confident is important, but be humble about it.

When you have the unique opportunity to work closely with these individuals, you quickly experience what makes them successful. The traits described above are not learned with a MBA or a business school degree. From what I’ve seen working with many entrepreneurs, success also includes determination, a good work ethic, accountability, reliability, family support and community involvement.

Everything that’s required to go above and beyond.

Insights is committed to existing and budding entrepreneurs.

You do make a difference! Rarely does the entrepreneur get a “pat on the back.” I believe it’s important that you understand the vital role you play in our economy, and every region and community across Canada.

These are my personal opinions on the important characteristics needed to become a successful entrepreneur.

But what about you? If you’re going to risk the security of a steady paycheck to become “your own boss,” what do you think are the most important characteristics you need to succeed? Take a moment, think about successful people you admire. What makes them unique? What can you learn from their success and apply it to yours?

News & Notes

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Some conditions apply. Please go to uniongas.com/homereno for complete terms and conditions. ŠUnion Gas Limited 10/2016 UG20160080 CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

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Colour

INSPIRATION Add some colour to your life and be inspired with Castlegard indoor and outdoor paints and stains.

Castlegard products can be found exclusively at your local Castle Building Centres location.

For Castle locations go to castle.ca

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What’s Trending Photo courtesy of Richard Sibbald

Scene and Heard; Talking Home Reno Trends with HGTV Canada's Moving the McGillivrays Scott McGillivray Written by Teresa Christine, Managing Editor & Melissa Campeau

If anyone has a blueprint on coast-to-coast home renovation trends, it’s HGTV Canada's Scott McGillivray.

The award-winning host and executive producer of the home-reno series Income Property (and star of All American Handyman and judge on Canada’s Handyman Challenge) spends his working hours helping Canadians make the most of their homes.

With a background in business (he earned a commerce degree before becoming a contractor), Canadians trust McGillivray for ideas on making their homes more

What’s Trending

enjoyable and their property investments even more valuable.

In 2016, the professional merged with the personal for McGillivray, with Moving the McGillivray, an unscripted series following Scott, his wife Sabrina and their two daughters, as they built their dream home from the floorboards up.

Recently, Contractor Advantage caught up with Scott for an insider’s take on what’s hot and what’s trending in home renovations across the country.

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Question: What are some of the hottest/current trends across Canada in home renovation?

Some of the most common trends would be furniture inspired cabinetry, so when it comes to kitchens, offices and bathroom, people are re-purposing existing pieces of furniture instead of doing a lot of built-in cabinetry. People may use a large furniture piece to create an island, and put some counter-top on it or perhaps re-purpose a dresser for a bathroom vanity.

Accessibility is also a bit of a “trend” meaning curbless showers, larger doorways and main floor master bedroomsthat type of stuff.

Are any of these more regional than others, and if so, why are they gaining traction in these areas?

No, these are more universal, they are happening across the entire design and renovation space. If you’re looking at things that are a little more specific, you can definitely target certain areas that are more popular with certain trends. For instance, a lot of people are finishing unfinished spaces into additional living space, for example basements, in trendier, more urban areas, less so out in the country because you may not use these spaces but in high-density areas, downtown and even parts of the suburbs finishing those spaces becomes a huge trend-- it’s much more affordable than adding an addition or upgrading your home.

Are you surprised by any of the trends? If so, why?

What rooms / features of the home are Canadians focused on renovating/investing in and where should they be? Are there any differences between the two and/or do you have insight / advice on what areas to start on?

That’s a bit of a loaded question and you know number 1 is that you should renovate any part of your house that makes your life better. With that in mind, you should also be balancing that with the safety and the efficiency of the home. For example, if your desire is to have an open-concept kitchen well then maybe that’s the right time to update the electrical in the home and upgrade the amount of installations in the home, as well.

So it’s not about telling people you should only pick this or only do that-- pick whatever it is that is going to make your life better, but at the same time you should incorporate ways to make your life not only better, but safer and more profitable.

As for what McGillivray suggests Canadians avoid doing, when it comes to home renovations: “Don’t cut corners, and don’t rush into it!”

His other piece of sage advice? He jokes, “I would also caution them not to film the process!”

Photo courtesy of Richard Sibbald

No, I don’t think any of these trends surprise me. We have an aging population so therefore accessibility is important. We have exposure to such an abundance of online and linear content that offer new ideas and trends, there’s a lot of creativity. Millennials love to be creative and to personalize things which is why furniture inspired design might be huge.

Then of course when we talk about housing prices, they have gone up so much that it just makes sense finishing off spaces in your house than trying to purchase a whole new place.

one wants to go with open concept, I just get really excited because it means that we can really get inventive with the design and do whatever we’d like with it.

Is there a trend or direction that you're particularly excited about? If so, why?

One trend that excites me is open concept, I like that everyone is sort of moving towards the dismantling the compartmentalization of the past housing stock. I’m really enjoying being creative with structural choices, with allowing us to do open cabinetry and island, learning how to be clever with limited wall space, because open concept really does limit the amount of wall space that you have, but I love how bright and spacious the place feels. I love the way it makes the home feel like a community space for everyone to come together rather than be a place of isolation. Anytime some-

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What’s Trending

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Feature Story: Home Renos, Coast to Coast

From B.C. to Newfoundland: A Roundup of Canadian Renovation Trends.

Written by Melissa Campeau

Photo courtesy of Alf Curtis Home Renovations

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Telkwa, British Columbia — Interior North Between Vancouver Island and St. John’s there are countless unique communities with their own distinct tendencies that are influenced by everything from geography to the economy to neighbors. When it comes to home renovations, some trends reach from coast to coast, but there also plenty of regional differences, too.

One nation-wide trend is a growing interest in open-concept living.

Travis Nanninga, General Manager of Bulkley Valley Home Centre in

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tic roles as part of what’s driving the movement. “The kitchen is becoming a space equally shared by the whole family as more men participate in the cooking because both spouses are working.”

When it comes to renovations, there’s also a growing demand for products built to last, says Nanninga.

“For example, when consumers are re-siding their houses, they’re choosing products that require less maintenance.”

He adds, “For some products, it can be 15 years or longer before homeowners have to do anything to them.”

After

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Feature Story: Home Renos, Coast to Coast

Photos courtesy of Hudson Hardware & Supplies Ltd.

Before

Telkwa, B.C., notes, “People are trying to make that kitchen-dining-living area one flowing unit.”

In terms of renovations, Nanninga says the focus of the open-concept renovation often turns to kitchen.

“People think of the kitchen as the focus of the house, and they’re spending more and more time in that open-concept area.” He adds, “If kids are on iPads or doing their homework, they can still be around their parents while they’re preparing dinner or working in the kitchen.” He points to shifting demographics and domes-

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Much like in many other parts of the country, energy inspired renovations are at the top of homeowners’ wish lists. “We have more and more people topping up the insulation in their homes and in their attic,” says Nanninga.

“Because we’re located in a northern area, we have colder weather. Natural gas and electricity prices keep going up, so people are trying to save money and that’s one way they can do that,” says Nanninga.

Evanston, Alberta — Calgary Area “This year, people are mostly focused on energy-saving ideas,” says Dwayne Reece, Manager of Woodland Lumber Evanston, Alberta (near Calgary).

“People are concerned about carbon taxing and what that means for their pocketbook.” To save on those costs, says Reece, consumers are taking stock of their energy use, then renovating to make improvements.

“They’re looking at their lighting

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systems, their heating systems,” says Reece. He adds that consumers are also installing good quality windows for better energy conservation, and adding wood and pellet stoves for heating efficiency.

"The economic slow-down in the province has resulted in greater consumer caution," says Reece. While new home builds may be down and people may not be moving as often as they were a few years ago, Reece notes there’s still steady demand for home improvement projects. “New construction has dropped, but renovations are holding steady as people take care of what they have,” says Reece.

Peterborough, Ontario — Greater Golden Horseshoe Area In the Peterborough, Ontario, area, fixing up properties is a focus, too, but with some different forces driving this trend. Thanks to the near-completion of a major toll roadway, Peterborough is poised to become a bedroom

community for Toronto commuters hoping to leapfrog clogged roadways to more traditional suburban outposts.

That’s at least one reason the area is booming, says Brent Perry, president of Alf Curtis Home Improvements in Peterborough. The influx of new home buyers has pushed housing prices skyward, so while homeowners might choose to sell and cash in, they’d also have to buy again at those same inflated prices.

Instead, many are choosing to renovate. “This year has been unbelievable,” says Perry. “We figured on it being a busy year, but this is just unreal.”

With borrowing rates still low, explains Perry, consumers are opting to add family rooms or improve their kitchens, rather than move. “Mainly they’re investing in communal living areas to give them a bigger area for everyone to get together in.”

Much like in the west, homeowners in this region are equally interested in energy conservation. “Windows, doors,

Feature Story: Home Renos, Coast to Coast

Photos courtesy of Alf Curtis Home Improvements

Before

insulation upgrades—customers are doing anything they can to make their home more energy efficient to cut down on costs,” says Perry.

Customers in the area also want to think less about upkeep, says Perry.

“Everyone wants maintenance-free options. They want composite decking, aluminum railings, laminate shingles with lifetime warranties — they want to enjoy it rather than maintain it.”

Engineered floors have been big lately, too. “This year I would say one out of every three floors we’ve done is an engineered floor instead of a conventionally framed floor system,” says Perry. “It means you don’t need to add posts in for beam support,” says

Feature Story: Home Renos, Coast to Coast

Perry, and that gives homeowners more versatility for tailoring their spaces.

That’s another trend, says Perry, who adds he’s seeing more and more customers looking for options beyond the cookie cutter. They’re choosing windows and doors in colors other than the standard white, opting for colored wood siding, and mixing masonry with wood siding for external renovations. “Across the board, they want more customization,” says Perry.

Essex, Ontario — Southwestern Ontario Down in southwestern Ontario, personalization is a big trend, too, according to Kevin Kimball, manager

of Kimball Building Supplies Centre in Essex, Ontario.

Rather than opt for standard, typical doors, says Kimball, “People are going more towards the shaker door and the barn doors on tracks.” He adds, “They’re choosing products that are interesting, rather than just traditional.”

That’s true of choices for outdoor use, as well. “More and more vendors are coming out with different bracketry for fences and gates and different hardware, and people are willing to spend the money on it, if they find value,” says Kimball.

Outdoor space is big focus, at the moment, too. “Right now it seems a lot of people are fixing up their backyards.”

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After

He adds, “They’re putting in decks, pergolas, landscaping, that sort of thing.”

If local homeowners are opting for staycations, it might be a reflection of the economy, says Kimball, amplified

by Essex’s close-to-the-border location.

“At the moment,” he adds, “people are choosing to enhance their homes and make the most of their outdoor space.”

Hudson, Quebec — Montreal Area In Hudson, Quebec, there’s different movement, at the moment.

Ken Crombie, owner of Hudson Hardware & Supplies, notes a growing number of customers taking an interest in high-tech for the home. “That could include anything from being able to

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control your doors or temperature from your iPhone, to any of the energy saving technologies being introduced into the market,” says Crombie, adding, “It’s really exciting stuff.”

If clients like tinkering with electronics and reading up on technology, they’re also taking the time to research and educate themselves about their own renovation projects, says Crombie.

Customers come in with clear ideas of what they want to do. “DIY shows and online sites likes Pinterest seem to be pushing and setting the trends,” says Crombie. Much like in Ontario, Crombie says his customers have a growing interest in personalizing their homes, with a particular interest in older, antique-inspired touches. “We’re seeing

huge increases in sales for products like chalk paint for re-surfacing old furniture and rustic barn wood for accent walls.”

But Crombie notes his customers are pragmatic, too. Much like in the rest of the country, low-maintenance items are in big demand. When it comes to outdoor projects, for example, Crombie says, “We’ve seen a major shift away from wood to composite decking materials.”

Chester, Nova Scotia — Halifax Area As in Hudson, customers in and around Chester, Nova Scotia have an interest in buildings and architectural elements with some history. “In our Atlantic region we have a large inventory of older homes and do many complete

Feature Story: Home Renos, Coast to Coast

Photos courtesy of Hudson Hardware & Supplies Ltd.

Before

renovations,” says Steve Foran, general manager of Chester Building Supplies.

When they do opt to remodel, says Foran, “People are concentrating on renovating ‘where the water is,’ which is in the bathroom and kitchen.” He adds, “Bathrooms and kitchens are the two areas of the home that also become dated very easily.”

Much like in the rest of the country, he’s finding customers are looking for maintenance-free and long lasting products, as well as better-quality products in all areas of their renovations. “Indoors, they’re using higher quality fixtures and quality materials such as ceramic tile floors with in-floor heat or composite countertops,” says Foran. “Outdoors, people are choos-

ing composite decking, cellular PVC trim and other high quality, maintenance-free products that will truly last a lifetime.”

Using better-quality products is an everyone-wins proposition, says Foran.

“Customers are happier with a quality job and contractors always prefer to use quality materials.” He adds, “Years ago many consumers would opt for the cheapest material they could find.

Now, many people are realizing that you truly get what you pay for and they are also looking for lasting materials.

When the labor costs just as much to install a cheap item, it makes a lot of sense to use a better-quality product and save on labor costs down the road.”

National Roundup While projects across the country vary from region to region, there’s a nearly nation-wide tendency for consumers to come to a project reasonably well informed and on the hunt for betterquality products that reduce maintenance, make a home more enjoyable, comfortable or energy efficient.

“When people invest in their homes they should immediately see the gain of their investment,” says Foran, adding, “It’s great that they can, since it’s very hard to find that kind of gain in any other investment these days.”

Photos courtesy of Chester Building Supplies, Chester, NS

Before

After

Complete Renovation in Martin’s River, NS Design: Project HQ Design Services Construction: Bayswater Construction Ltd

Feature Story: Home Renos, Coast to Coast

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Supplier Spotlight

Supplier Spotlight

Resisto Established in 1996, RESISTO, a division of SOPREMA, specializes in the retail residential construction products. SOPREMA, strong of its 100 years of expertise, has transmitted to RESISTO, its expertise in the field of building waterproofing. Over the years, RESISTO expanded its product line to a multitude of applications around the house. Considerate to consumers who are increasingly savvy and keen to get a quality product, RESISTO offers innovative products that stand out by their easy installation. Whether for waterproofing, insulation, soundproofing or protection of asphalt surfaces, RESISTO provides accessible, easy-to-install, innovation, and professional-quality products and solutions.

Fore more information visit www.resisto.ca

Supplier Spotlight

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Good Profits Versus Bad Profits – What’s the True Cost of Only Focusing on the Bottom Line?

Written by Dr. Kevin Coughlin

Is there really such a thing as bad profits? With business getting larger and more powerful, and investors feeling and expecting ever greater ROI, wouldn’t that imply that all profits are good?

It is an important question to ask.

Bad profits are those profits that are earned at the expense of customer relationships. Whenever customers feel misled, mistreated, ignored or coerced, then the result is a bad profit. Bad profits arise when a company saves money by delivering a lousy customer experience. Essentially it means that leadership or the company extracts value from their customers instead of adding overall value.

Those of you in leadership positions, those of you that run companies and manage people, understand that the culture you present to your team may lay the foundation for success not just in the short term but hopefully in the long term.

The leaders who have exceptional core values and focus on good profits—and eliminate bad profits—will not only create companies with long term success, but will provide products

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and services that your customers will crave, want and need.

When companies don’t understand the difference between good and bad profits, the result is that growth suffers in the long term, reputations are hurt, customers become alienated and employees become demoralized. You and your business become vulnerable to competition. Your business may achieve short term success—but will always fail in the long term.

Steps to Eliminate Bad Profits Bad profits create detractors. These are people that hurt your company and team members. They hurt your company’s reputation; they strangle growth and demoralize an organization. These detractors can be leaders, managers, employees, and customers.

The first step in avoiding bad profits is to recognize they exist, and the second step is to recognize the detractors.

The third step involves deciding if you can convert your company’s detractors into enthusiastic advocates for your company. This is accomplished with top-shelf internal communication, and sterling customer service.

Money Matters

Money Matters

Create Customers that Promote Your goal is to focus on good profits from good products and/or services. Good profits are earned with customer’s enthusiastic cooperation. They occur when their customers come back time and time again for your products and services. They want to tell their friends, family and acquaintances about their exceptional experience. When this occurs they become the best promotional arm for your business.

As promoters, these individuals provide positive marketing for your company; they are loyal and provide the most costeffective growth for you and your company.

It has been estimated that most companies have about 42-82% of promoters receiving products and/or services.

Your focus should be to improve that percentage as much as possible to boost your good profits, and this is done by training —and more training—that is backed up by outstanding leadership and communication. This is not only smart business, but good business.

Perform a Company-wide Internal Evaluation One of the main keys to eliminating bad profits is recognizing the business behaviors that create them in the first place.

To effectively identify the areas of your company that bring harmful returns, you must perform an evaluation of your entire operation.

Before you start re-evaluating your company, consider evaluating yourself or the leadership of your business.

That may be the board, partnership or an individual.

Look at those who are influencer's and find out about their

Money Matters

core values. This may be easier than you think.

Spending time with people can tell you quite a bit about that person. If it is a dinner meeting, observe how they treat the wait staff; if it’s a golf match, see how they handle a bad shot; if it’s at a dinner party, see if they include other people in their conversation, or does the conversation just revolve around them? Do they provide solutions and the action steps to create them, or are they afraid to speak up and state what they feel and why? Are they good listeners?

In the end, would you believe, like and trust this individual, and if the answer is “yes”, you have defined a good set of core values. You should be honest and straight forward. You shouldn’t put profits before people. You should do what’s right and not just easy. You should put your customer and employees first, and make sure your team members know you’re always trying to do what is right.

Once you have the correct core values, the next step is simply putting the correct processes and procedures in place to make your business succeed.

Making good profits simply means you constantly re-evaluate yourself, your team, your customer service processes, and your products and services and constantly try to make improvement. These improvements do not necessarily have to be major changes, they can be minor tweaks that provide major improvement.

In order for business to succeed longer, a company’s leadership must have a laser focus on good profits, and create the correct processes and procedures that eliminate bad profits.

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BUILDING CODE EVOLUTION HEATS UP INSULATION INNOVATION What contractors need to know about upcoming residential insulation trends.

Written by Nestor Arellano

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Feature Story: Residential Insulation

In the last few years, building codes across Canada have been evolving to address the growing government and public interest in sustainability and energy efficiency. These changes are driving builders to rethink longestablished practices and pushing insulation manufacturers to develop better products.

This means there is no better time than today for contractors and installers to familiarize themselves with some of the latest insulation materials expected to hit the shelves in 2017 and beyond.

Building Code in Effect “Building codes in various Canadian provinces are changing to reflect an emphasis on energy efficiency,” according to Tom Lee, the National Sales Manager for Canadian residential products at insulation company Roxul Inc. In terms of insulation, he says, this means shifting the focus from nominal R-values to effective R-values.

Until recently, insulation products were tested at temperatures that produced their best R-value performance.

Some experts have likened this to testing the fuel economy of a car that is being driven downhill – you will get better mileage numbers because the engine is exerting less effort.

Testing the effective R-value of an insulation product means testing it in real-world, cold winter conditions, so you can really find how well the product can keep a home warm.

“A 6” fiberglass insulation batt that has a nominal R-value of 20 will likely perform effectively at a lower lever” says Lee. More builders are also now insulating both interior and exterior walls, he adds.

Contractors need to stay on top of updates to the building codes in their respective markets.

For example, effective January 1st

Photo courtesy of Roxul Inc.

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next year, changes to the Ontario Building Code are raising the energy efficiency requirements for new homes in the province. The latest amendments, which take effect after December 31st, 2016, focus on improving the building envelope.

Homes built to current standards lose about 30 per cent of their heat through leakage and ventilation. Higher standards for heat recovery ventilators and other code updates will reduce that to about 20 per cent.

Industry insiders estimate that the revisions will push new homes in the province from an EnerGuide rating of 80 to 83. EnerGuide is the official mark of the Government of Canada for its energy performance rating and labeling program for key consumer items such as houses, light-duty vehicles, and certain energy-using products.

Proposed changes to the National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB) calls for the improved performance of roofs, windows and doors, and reduced allowances for skylights. The proposal also seeks a new criterion for calculating thermal bridges and making the installation of heat recovery systems a requirement for new buildings including condominiums.

There is an advantage to this. Now, builders and homeowners are more inclined to view insulation “holistically” and consider the proper insulation of other parts of the home such as ensuring that windows and other potential air transfer points are properly sealed, according to Gino Allegro, Canadian Sales Manager for the Canadianmade insulation manufacturer, Johns Manville.

For instance, some of the changes will also include improved windows and more efficient furnaces. Expect to see other systems such as drain water heat recovery systems to recapture heat from outgoing hot water so that it could be used to warm incoming cold water.

“Cutting heat loss will reduce homeowner cost, make homes more comfortable and reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses,” says Allegro. “The objective is to move closer towards net zero carbon status for new homes.”

According to Natural Resources Canada, the residential sector accounts for nine per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the country.

Insulation Staples There is no one product that will

answer all the insulation needs of a homeowner, according to Shawn Dunahue, Marketing Director – residential, for Knauf Insulation North America.

“There is a broad range of insulation products in the market today,” he says.

“The type used for a building depends on the area being insulated and what R-value is required for that area.”

Typically, builders will use several types of insulation material for a project, according to Dunahue.

Here’s a brief rundown of the most common insulation used for today’s homes: Fiberglass

This is the most common insulation material for modern homes. It typically made by weaving fine strands of silicon glass into batts that offer an R-value from R8 to R50. Fiberglass is very effective in minimizing heat transfer and is manufactured to the highest of standards.

Mineral Wool

This term is used for several different types of insulation: rock wool made basalt or hardened lava flow; and slag

Photo courtesy of Knauf

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Feature Story: Residential Insulation

Fiberglass Insulation Castlegard速 products meet the highest safety, performance and quality standards. Castlegard速 Insulation is Formaldehyde-free, offering a healthier and safer indoor air quality. Castlegard速 insulation is a cost effective home insulation solution for your home with proven safety and performance ratings.

The EcoLogoTM ensures that your Castle insulation product is the environmentally friendly choice.

Castlegard速 products can be found exclusively at your local Castle Building Centres location across Canada.

MANUFACTURED IN CANADA BY

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Photo courtesy of Johns Manville

waste produce from waste matter from steel mills. Mineral wool is not combustible. It has an R-value ranging from 4.2 to 32.0.

The more costly XEPS has an R-value of R-4.5 to R-5.5 while EPS is R-4.

Proper installation involves securing the sheets to the surface and sealing all joints with tuck tape.

Cellulose

This product is made from recycled cardboard, paper, similar materials that come in loose form. It is considered to be eco-friendly. It is blown-into attics and wall cavities as a fill-in material. Cellulose insulation generally has an R-value of between R-3.1 to R-3.7.

Some studies have shown them to be excellent for minimizing fire damage because it contains almost no oxygen.

This also makes it very compact.

Rigid Foam

This product comes in either expanded polystyrene (EPS) or extruded polystyrene (XPS). Rigid foam installed under exterior wall sidings and used to line exterior basement walls.

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Spray Foam

Modern spray foam insulation use non-chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gas as a blowing agent which reduces damage to the ozone layer. It is fire resistant.

There are two types of spray foams: the popular high-density closed-cell foam which is stronger, mold resistant, and better for sealing attics and exterior walls (with approximate R-6.3 rating); and the low density, open cell foam with approximate R-3.6 rating.

New Insulation Options There are a number of insulation products to look out for in the New Year.

One of the latest products from Johns Manville is the Spider Plus blown-in

insulation. The company’s interlocking fiber technology allows fibers to lock into cavities to fill gaps and voids without the use of adhesives or netting.

Spider Plus achieves R-values of between R-15 and R-23, according to Johns Manville. It is formaldehyde-free and naturally resistant to molds.

Installation is faster than other spray systems, according to Allegro, and the product is fast drying.

“This means installers can save a lot of time and money on each project,” he adds.

As the insulation industry continues to evolve, Allegro reminds installers and contractors to keep in mind that it is no longer just about R-values.

Knauf Insulation is poised to release in Canada its JetSpray thermal insulation product in 2017. It is ideal for residential, manufactured and light commercial buildings.

The spray-on insulation is designed

Feature Story: Residential Insulation

to fill-in common obstacles such as plumbing and electrician runs and terminations in wall cavities. The product does not support microbial growth, is formaldehyde free and non-corrosive. It also has acoustic insulation properties.

Knauf Insulation will also launch its EcoSeal Plus water-based elastomeric sealant. This fast drying spray penetrates into joints and gaps in the building envelope to provide a gasket-like seal between studs and drywall. It assists in reducing hourly air exchanges and reduces stress to HVAC systems.

The product dries to a flexible but tough film that won’t get damaged during drywall installation. The water-based solution is applied using a standard airless sprayer under high pressure. It meets or exceeds most volatile organic compound (VOC) emission standards, and it can help in earning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, according to Dunahue.

Milton, Ont.-based Roxul, which specializes in stone wool insulation, recently introduced Roxul Safe, a new line of board insulation products engineered as a fire-stopping material for residential, commercial and industrial buildings. The products fire resistant up to 1,177˚C and do not produce toxic gasses.

The lightweight and semi-rigid insulation come in four iterations: Roxul Safe

Ideal for filling perimeter gaps between concrete floor slabs and exterior wall systems; around conduit pipe and duct openings through walls and floor slabs; and between firewalls and ceiling slabs.

a fire resistance rating of one hour from both sides, as specified in ULC Design No. W610 and UL Design No. U658.

Roxul Safe 55

Holds a fire resistance rating of two hours, from the interior side, as specified in ULC Design No. W605 and UL Design No. U654. In addition, it holds a fire resistance rating of one hour from both sides, as specified in ULC Design No. W610 and UL Design No. U658.

Roxul Safe 45

A semi-rigid, mineral wool insulation board designed for fire stopping in concealed spaces of residential units.

It complies with the 2010 National Building Code 9.10.16.3(2).

Roxul Safe 65

Holds a fire resistance rating of one hour, from the interior side, as specified in ULC Design No. W605 and UL Design No. U654. In addition, it holds

“There are many other factors than can contribute to a building’s performance,” says Allegro. “Heat, air, and moisture are all part of the equation.”

Photo courtesy of Roxul

Feature Story: Residential Insulation

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Commit to Building the Best

Dow’s commitment to the Building and Construction industry spans across decades, with its 75th anniversary of STYROFOAM™ Brand XPS a testimony to its legacy of helping builders build with the best.

Insulating and air sealing new or existing homes is the easiest way to avoid the air leaks and moisture intrusion that can lead to structural issues such as mold and decay. Protecting the homes you build in a continuous layer of insulation and air sealing your home’s gaps and cracks creates an air-tight, moisture resistant structure that provides builders with: • Reliable products that get the job done the first time • High quality homes to market to homeowners • Fewer callbacks and liabilities • Peace of mind that the job was done right

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DOW BUILDING SOLUTIONS 1-866-583-BLUE (2583) www.insulateyourhome.ca

®™The Diamond ADVANTAGE Logo is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company © 2016 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016 DOW CONTRACTOR

Product Platform

Product Platform

PRODUCT PLATFORM

Latest & Greatest Products Available at Local Castle Building Centres

The M18/M12 Wireless Jobsite Speaker The M18/M12 Wireless Jobsite Speaker provides unmatched premium quality sound through six full-range speakers, making it the industry's loudest and clearest sound system on or off the jobsite.

• Compatible with both the M18 and M12 systems • Designed with 6 full-range speakers • 40W dual-channel digital amplifier • Stream high-def music through 100ft Bluetooth connection • It can also be run off AC power • Designed with reinforced honeycomb grill • IP54 rated • Less than 6 lbs • Available: January 2017

Product Platform

Specifications: M18™/M12™ Wireless Jobsite Speaker (2891-20)

• Bluetooth® Compatible: Yes • Bluetooth® Range: 100 ft • Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.28% • Amplifier: 40W, (2) 20W channels • High Definition Mid-Woofers: 2 • High Range Tweeters: 2 • Passive Radiators: 2 • USB Charger Output: 2.1 Amp • Aux In Port (Cable not included) • Length: 14” • Weight: 5.25 lbs • Compatibility: All M18™ REDLITHIUM™ and M12™ REDLITHIUM™ Batteries • Batteries sold separately

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Trade Proven.

TASKŽ Tough.™ TASK TOOLS is a Canadian, family owned and operated business that provides quality products. Here are some of the latest jobsite products from TASK.

The 4-in-1 Multi-Functional Staple Gun

The Heavy Duty Hammer Tacker Cartridge

Heavy Duty Cable Tacker

The Heavy Duty Hammer Tacker cartridge can hold up to two full strips of staples, doubling capacity before a reload.

Innovative design prevents the spring loaded cartridges from flying out during reloads, a major frustration for contractors. It also has an extra-large protective grip that ensures the handle hits the wall, not your knuckles.

This Heavy Duty Cable Tacker is ergonomically designed to reach into corners and under surfaces for neatly and securely fastening cables and wires.

The Heavy Duty Staple Gun The Heavy Duty Staple Gun has durable all steel construction with nickel plating for rust and corrosion resistance. It comes with an adjustable power function that allows users to power up for use on thicker materials or scale back to lower power for lower density materials.

The Multi-functional Light Duty Staple Gun The Multi-functional Light Duty Staple Gun is great for everyday use at the jobsite, at home or at the office and has a unique adjustable stitch anvil that converts it into a heavy duty paper stapler with a capacity for 50 sheets.

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The 4-in-1 Multi-Functional Staple Gun is ideal for professionals and DIYers to tackle multiple jobs with one tool.

Streamlined design with adjustable power, this staple gun has the capacity for flat staples, cable staples, nails and pins.

Fasteners Task offers a full line of stainless steel standard and heavy duty flat staples, cable staples, Brad nails and pins in various sizes to complement their full range of fastening tools.

Availability This new line of Fasteners is available at Home & Building Supply retailers throughout Canada and the US. They can also be purchased online at www.task-tools.com with fulfillment through local dealers.

For more information go to www.task-tools.com

Product Platform

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Product Platform

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CANADIAN LUMBER UPDATE 2017 Will Canadian Contractors see lower prices in 2017?

Written by Lawrence Cummer

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Feature Story: Canadian Lumber Update 2017

After a relatively stable lumber market in 2016, changes in the U.S. administration and trade policy could result in Canadian contractors seeing lower prices in 2017.

Since the U.S. is the primary market for Canadian lumber, all eyes are on just how Canada’s largest trading partner might regulate the import of its softwood lumber this year.

For the past year, Canadian lumber producers have been allowed to ship softwood lumber into the U.S. without paying taxes or duties. Although the Canada-U.S. Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) expired Oct. 12, 2015, the U.S. agreed not to launch trade litigation for one year as negotiations took place. A new agreement was not reached by late last November, but trade litigations against Canadian lumber producers had also not begun.

“The big cloud hanging over the lumber industry is the SLA, further complicated by a change in administration and uncertainty around where that’s going to go,” says Michael Sivucha, Vice-President of commodity supply at Taiga Building Products Ltd. “I think there’s a little bit of nervousness for saw millers. In our space, we’ll find a level and we’ll trade around it, but until then there could be some interesting market gyrations.”

Mike Park, Buyer at AFA Forest Products Inc. agrees. He says the industry will ultimately find a waterline, but that currently there is “definitely a bit of uncertainty.”

Statements made over the last year by the incoming U.S. administration have some predicting stronger protectionist policies and pondering the affect they would have.

“The smart money is on (greater protectionist sentiments), and the consensus is that there will be in place some sort of barrier to enter the U.S. market,” says Paul Sheasgreen, National Lumber Procurement Manager at Canwel Building Materials Division.

Feature Story: Canadian Lumber Update 2017

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“What will that do to Canadian producers?

History shows us that will probably lead to discounted prices in Canada and lower numbers, but only time will tell.”

Sivucha notes that if the SLA has the effect desired by U.S. negotiators and drives up prices, Canadians won’t necessarily see lower prices. “Whether that increase in U.S. pricing will offset a ‘Canadian discount’ is anybody’s guess. Particularly with the uncertainty surrounding the timing and structure (quota versus duty) of a deal—or lack thereof.”

The SLA Standstill With the end of the temporary standstill, the U.S. may impose duties on softwood, which the U.S. Lumber Coalition says are to offset Canadian government subsidies and gaps in pricing between the markets. In the trade dispute prior to establishment of the 2006 SLA, Canada's lumber producers saw an average 27% tariff on Canadian softwood lumber, resulting in the collec-

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tion of US$5.3 billion. “There’s no new agreement yet, but we expect one,” Park says. “Any tax put in place to ‘level the playing field’ in the eyes of the U.S. would end up as a discount in Canada.”

It's been suggested that American negotiators want to cap Canada's share of U.S. lumber consumption at 25% (or less), well below the 33% level that existed before the 2006 agreement, and lower than current levels in the mid to high 20s.

U.S. demand was robust in 2016, says Park, “albeit marginally so,” as an increase in U.S. housing starts gave Canadian producers more output for their existing stock.

“A hard quota would limit the flow of Canadian wood into the U.S., meaning the mills would need to find a new home for their wood or we'd see a potential of a glut,” Park notes. He says such an overage would be temporary, but could also result in lower softwood prices in Canada.

“There’s a real balance between supply

and demand now. That maybe under pressure next year, where supply could be a little bit stronger domestically than demand.” Such an imbalance would be temporary, Park notes, while the market rebalances itself.

The Currency Effect Canadians saw a historically high price for dimension lumber in Canada last year, Sheasgreen says.

“That has a lot to do with the Canadian dollar,” he says. “Our ‘pricing bible’ starts with a U.S. price. A weaker Canadian dollar versus the U.S., as well as no export taxes to the U.S. market from the expiry of the Softwood Lumber Agreement, amounts to higher prices here.”

“But so much could change next year,” he adds, referring to the Canada-U.S. softwood stalemate.

Another natural resource may play a major part in Canada’s lumber pricing.

Industry watchers are also paying close attention to the price of oil. “If the price of oil moves up, it would strengthen the

Feature Story: Canadian Lumber Update 2017

Canadian dollar against the U.S. That would mitigate some of the price increases (from the low dollar),” Park notes.

Lean and Light Inventory All the uncertainty in the market may be driving some buyers to maintain leaner or more just-in-time (JIT) inventories.

“Whether it’s due to uncertainty or just that people are managing their businesses different, we’re finding that inventories are generally lean,” Sivucha says. “It’s been a predictable buying

Feature Story: Canadian Lumber Update 2017

cycle. Every three to four weeks there’s been a new round of buying, led primarily by the U.S. market.”

Sheasgreen concurs, saying that he's seen Canwel and its competitors become “light and lean” over the second half of 2016. The focus has been on having enough wood in the pipeline to service accounts and hit targets, while limiting exposure to market volatility.

“If there is a new agreement in place, and there is a countervailing or anti-dumping duty in place, we limit our risk around it.”

In the end, with so much at play, what will happen in the lumber market this year is hard to predict. U.S. demand for Canadian softwood may even become higher.

“U.S. housing looks stable. You have a new government going in, and they're talking about infrastructure investments as high as a trillion dollars. That would spur growth; growth means jobs, and that means new homeowners,” Park suggests. “And that means housing starts.”

“That won’t hurt, notwithstanding all the SLA equations.”

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Tech Talk

Tech Talk

9 Surefire Steps to Lockdown Your Cyber Security Written by Clinton Henry

“Dear Client”.

That’s how the letter usually begins.

IT desk pretending to be your accountant and ask him to reset it to something new?

The next few sentences are a little trickier; there is really no good way for someone to hear that their data has been stolen.

Unfortunately, getting this letter is becoming an all too common occurrence in business. Businesses lose more than $100 billion a year to cyber-attacks and fraud globally.

While a security breach might be one of the last things on your mind, the most recent Travelers Risk Index report shows that it’s a top concern for your clients, customers and contractors – “Personal Privacy Loss and Identity Theft” went from barely ranking on their survey a few years ago to being #2, right behind “Financial Security”.

The expectation of cyber security has to be met with the same fervor and drive that you strive to meet all your other clients’ expectations.

2. Anti-Virus

1. Engage and Educate Your Employees It’s important that you create a culture of security within your organization because security is everyone’s responsibility. If you don’t have buy-in from all your team members, you’re exposing your business to unnecessary risk. The majority of attackers gain access to networks via social engineering and the manipulation of a user within an organization, not via command line “hacking” from a dark, Cheetos-filled basement somewhere, as the movies often portray. Why would someone spend days trying to crack your accountant’s password when they can simply call your

Tech Talk

Having an up to date anti-virus deployed on all of your desktops and servers is vital. An unprotected computer is an easy target for a motivated attacker. Don’t make it easy on them – pay for anti-virus and make sure it’s regularly updated by your IT staff.

3. Password Management It’s important that you and your employees leverage strong, complicated passwords that aren’t easy to guess. There are now hacking applications you can plug into a computer that will run through the most common 10,000 passwords used in about four minutes, trying each of them. You’d be surprised how many folks with access to critical data have the password of “password,” or if they are feeling clever, “password1” (Did this just guess your password? Go change it!).

4. Secure Your Networks Without getting too technical, just know that having a firewall between your corporate network and the Internet is very important. If you don’t, there is very little stopping someone from freely accessing your data.

5. Secure Your Cloud No matter what cloud provider or service you use, make sure you do your due diligence on their security practices. If they can’t easily and quickly tell you how your data is secured,

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odds are it isn’t. Also, for any accounts used to access your firm’s data, make sure you have strong passwords and only access it via a computer you own or trust. If you access your cloud on an infected machine, a hacker could potentially learn your password and use it later on without your knowledge.

6. Protect Your Banking Information Make sure that all financial data, accounts, and records are kept secure and segregated from the rest of your business’ general shared drives. If financial transactions are conducted electronically, ensure they are done over an encrypted connection and that your employees never email account numbers, credit card information, or sensitive financial documents.

7. Backups One of the most common types of breaches now being seen are called “ransomware” attacks. Instead of “stealing” data from your organization,

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these attackers find your critical data and then encrypt it (digitally locking you out of it), making it so only the person with the digital “key” can unlock and access that data. The hackers then offer the victim access to the “key” for a very large fee. If you’re hit with one of these attacks you have two options: Pay the fee or restore the locked data from a recent backup.

This is why backups are so important.

Recently a very large hospital, a police department, and a public school (along with literally thousands of other victims) have been forced to pay tens of thousands of dollars to get their data back.

Making sure your data is backed-up and stored separately from your main repository can help protect you from attacks such as these.

8. Physical Security This one is self-explanatory but you’d be surprised how much client data is left lying around the office. Ensure your partners, trusted employees, and finance team lock away any sensitive documents

when they aren’t working with them.

9. Mobile Devices While they are a convenience and increase productivity of the staff, mobile devices mean that your clients’ sensitive data can potentially walk out your firm’s door without you ever knowing it. Make sure that all mobile devices used to access corporate data have passwords (your email server can force this requirement), and if you have employees that use laptops you should look at having the hard drives for those machines encrypted. Most modern operating systems have encryption built in (you just have to enable the feature), and it’s foolish not to leverage it. If an employee accidentally leaves a laptop on a plane or in the back of a taxi, you’ll be guaranteed that all data on it is secure and protected.

Your business, your brand, and your bottom line depend on the trust you develop with your clients. Handling the items listed above will go a long way in protecting all three.

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Design Talk

Photo courtesy of Laurentide Paint

Sneak Peak at 2017 Paint Colour Trends Written by Teresa Christine Managing Editor

In the ever-changing Canadian design market, adaptability is a key factor in the colour trends for 2017. When talking paint, our experts have mixed opinions on the 2017 trends. What they all have in common is their ability to brighten or deepen any room in the house. This range of colour options caters to a wider demographic, given their timeless charm, catering to both young and old at heart.

Take a look at some of the 2017 colour forecasts that include purple, as described by our colour experts at Laurentide, Sico and Para brand paints.

Laurentide, Purple Hues All The Rage One of the leading colours of trending palettes is violet, a shade well suited to office decoration as it stimulates the

Design Talk

imagination and helps restore a sense of balance, says Janine May, colour expert for Laurentide. Laurentide Paint is a Canadian company offering a full range of paints, stains and varnishes with over 1050 trending colours in their palette.

This colour is certain to prove a hit with artists and individuals whose work entails an appreciable measure of inventiveness. A blend of red and blue, violet comes in a broad spectrum of hues. To create a soothing backdrop for your workspace, choose a softer shade like Parma violet. For an invitingly chic look and feel, envelop your space in a richer plum shade.

Laurentide Paint chose a superb lilac (Laurentide 3-41-3) as a feature colour, and then energized the space with splashes of electric violet (Laurentide

3-43-7) and bright orange (Laurentide 1-3-7).

SICO Paint, Paint for All Seasons Topping the list of the Sico paint brand’s 2017 colours is purple, particularly shades of blue-grey violet – such as Mozart (6172-52), the brand’s Colour of the Year – that can be adapted to any room, gender and season, Paiement said. Describing the colour as rich and calming, she said the new purple is so versatile that it can be used on walls to infuse a living area with a luxurious feel or a bedroom with a soothing vibe.

“Next year’s colour palette is more complex than we’ve seen in the last few years, with a mix of both charged and subdued tones, building on consumers’ growing willingness to try new things,” said Geneviève Paiement, Brand manager,

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Sico paint brand of PPG. Paiement explained. “Energetic brights sit next to muted midtones; classic reds and blues bump into mixed blue-greens and green-yellows; and clean colours join greyed ones. From wintery rich purple and slate, to spring-like nature-based midtones, to saturated summery lights, to autumnal reds, yellows and greens, the colours trending for 2017 are reflective of both the changing landscape and people’s increased desire for change and empowerment in today’s non-stop world,” According to Paiement, other trending paint colours for the year ahead are divided by season.

“Everyone has a favourite season, and by grouping 2017 colours according to time of year, fashion-minded consumers can capture the seasonal look that expresses their passion through their decor,” Paiement said.

Winter

Winter features slate and black, such as Basalt Grey (6208-63) slate and Black Ice (6207-83) black by Sico paint.

Spring

Spring offers earthy rich midtones, such as the Sico paint brand’s Taos Stone (6073-52) clay, Beechwood (619253) sand and New Jeans (6004-63) blue.

Summer

Summer shines with pale golden yellow, soft violet and white, such as Almond Biscotti (6115-42) yellow, Bright Sky (6176-31) mauve and Pure White by Sico paint.

Fall

Fall highlights leafy orange, terra cotta and olive green tones, such as the Sico paint brand’s Sun-dried (6087-84) orange, Sockeye (6063-73) and Moldavite (6138-83) olive.

PARA, Two Trend Options For the first time, PARA presents two leading colours for 2017, which deliver both tranquil and dramatic colour options, yet are inspired by colours found in nature. These deep teal hues draw on a water world; they are nostalgic of mid-century modern style, while calling on today’s refined artisan movement that touts sophisticated techniques and a passion for nature.

Trend Number One Twinkle in Her Eyes (P5163-34D)

This tranquil soft green-blue tone invites harmony and relaxation and creates a watery calm feeling in the home. When combined with whites and soft greys, it creates an illuminat-

ed and lighthearted atmosphere. This tranquil tone is soothing and spa-like, while acting like a chameleon, blending in and changing with the day’s light.

No matter what your flooring colour, achieve a lighthearted comfortable space by coupling PARA’s Twinkle in Her Eyes with white trim, millwork and ceilings.

Trend Number Two Enigmatic Triton (P5105-75)

This colour speaks to the creative soul, it is a mysterious green-teal tone, perfect for creating a sophisticated space. The enriching colour flawlessly sets the stage for elegance – ideal for a formal dining or living room or an accent wall. This deeply tinted ‘fashion’ teal is geared directly towards the designer or professional decorator.

PARA’s Enigmatic Triton is boldly alluring and refines a space wherever used in a design. Capturing the essence of living with nature and the knowledge to design spaces with soul, this colour forms a deep-rooted connection between artisans and the new luxury of conscious consuming.

Photo courtesy of SICO

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JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Design Talk

sico.ca

Wall to Wall Confidence is a trademark of PPG Group of Companies. Sico is a registered trademark of the PPG Group of Companies.

Manor Hall and Sun Proof are registered trademarks of PPG Architectural Finishes, PPG Paints is a trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017 51 Inc. © 2016 PPG Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

THE BEST SELECTION, THE GREATEST ADVANTAGE At Gentek, we don’t want to just build your products. We want to build your business.

That’s why Gentek is dedicated to providing a vast selection of sidings and accessories in the latest styles, colours and finishes that meet every customer’s needs. Let us show you how our superior service and premier selection can give your business every advantage.

VERSETTA STONE INTERIOR EXTERIOR APPLICATIONS

• Cast in molds and hand-coloured with iron oxide pigments to replicate natural stone shapes, textures and patterns • Achieves traditional stone masonry appeal without the extra cost and installation time • Panels install just like siding with interlocking tongue and groove • Ideal for exteriors, interiors,new construction and remodel projects • 50 year limited warranty – see printed warranty for details The beauty of stone, the simplicity of siding™

INTERIOR EXTERIOR APPLICATIONS

SEQUOIA® SELECT ULTRA-PREMIUM VINYL SIDING

SAGIPER PVC CLADDING

• Low-gloss finish with natural cedargrain texture • 4 classic profiles and 28 colours for greater design options • Ultra-premium .046" panel thickness • Windload tested up to 407 km/h (253 mph)* • Lifetime limited, non-prorated, transferable warranty† with hail and fade protection Ultr a - Pr e mi um V i ny l Si d i ng

• Replica-wood PVC panels let you achieve custom-crafted elegance • Applications include exterior cladding, soffits, covered decks, front veranda areas, interior ceilings (basements, bathrooms, coffered ceilings), interior walls and more • Tongue-and-groove corrugated PVC planks are wrapped in a high-quality exterior vinyl coating that’s virtually maintenance-free • Water absorption 0.04% – perfect for high humidity areas • Available in standard and special order colours

*Windload performance may vary by profile design. †See printed warranty for complete details. Not all colours are available in all profiles.

1001 Corporate Drive Burlington, ON L7L 5V5 gentek.ca Make us a part of your home.