Hardware & Homestyle

DECEMBER/ JANUARY 2024

BOOST adds 60 % more cutting life to our existing Super Quality1 disc 230mm.

The Kitchen Whisk’s Kate Masterson See page 24

Leader Onwards & upwards for 2024

` PUBLISHED BY Ocean Publishing, 14 Upper Fitzwilliam St., Dublin 2 Tel: 01 678 5165 Fax: 01 678 5191 PUBLISHER Patrick Aylward EDITOR Martin Foran Editorial Email: martin@hardwareand homestylenews.ie NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Dermot Casey Email: dermot@hardwareand homestylenews.ie

we have predictions for the year ahead in Showtime.

Welcome to the first issue of the New Year. It’s hard to believe that we’ve turned the corner on another year already but that’s how it goes when you enjoy what you do and we certainly enjoyed putting this issue together, as always.

There’s something about the trade that engenders positivity and that has not changed since we, as a team, began covering this sector twenty years ago!

Since then, we’ve all lived through many changes – and that goes without saying perhaps.

One thing, however, that has not changed is the attitude of our readers – the fortitude and can-do approach, the resilience, these are all still there along with the emphasis on good value, proper service, dedication and more.

And so it is that we visit all our regular items again in this issue and find the same values and strengths throughout – in all of those we hear from and speak with.

Take for example The Kitchen Whisk in Dublin. There, we speak with Kate Masterson as she and store representatives prepare to visit Chicago once again to take part in gia.

In The Home Front we look at inspiring retail from around the world once more – and visit a prominent store in Uruguay. We look, elsewhere, at the Retail Excellence Awards winners.

We also speak with Scott Thomas, managing director of home and garden specialists Ivy Line. And we have predictions for the year ahead in Showtime.

Once again, our retail gardening guru Liam Kelly, sets us on the path for success in 2024 with his column ‘The Room Outside’.

And we round it all off with Products & Services and The Final Say, as usual.

Talk to you soon,

DESIGN/PRODUCTION Catherine McDonagh AD PRODUCTION Audrey Fitzgerald PRINTED BY WG Baird Ltd., Antrim Martin Foran, Editor Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this journal is correct, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors, omissions or discrepancies. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 1

Contents 14 18

4

News News from the trade and the wider economy

12 On the Record

Hardware & Homestyle speaks to Scott Thomas, managing director of home and garden specialist, Ivyline

16 The Homefront

Colour and design trends, changes to the Inspired Home Show and Inspiring retail from around the world, this time out it’s Uruguay!

24

24 Out & About: The Kitchen Whisk

A visit to what’s fast becoming a Dublin icon in home and kitchenware retailing, our gia store continues to shine

28 Retail Excellence Awards

Guinness Storehouse wins prestigious ‘National Store of the Year’

30 Showtime

30

A rundown of predictions for 2024 and more

34

34 The Room Outside

As usual Liam Kelly sets us on the right path for a new year!

38 Products & Services

What’s caught our eye this time?

52 The Final Say

Rounding it off on a positive note as always!

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 3

NEWS Retail Excellence Ireland urges ‘comprehensive government action’ amid rising business costs Retail Excellence expressed ‘serious concerns’ about the ‘urgent challenges faced by retailers due to the increasing costs of doing business within the sector’.

Survey

‘Our latest survey, which includes the views of 128 retail companies representing approximately 3000 stores, from SMEs to some of Ireland’s corporate giants, reveals a strategic response to these financial pressures’, we are told.

‘Nearly half of retailers surveyed are considering a reduction in operational hours, while another 35% are faced with the prospect of price increases as a means to balance the scales.

‘There has been an avalanche of new policy measures that are putting pressure on business costs, the most notable adjustment of the national minimum wage has introduced some

major challenges for retailers, balancing the commendable goal of ensuring a fair standard of living for employees with the practical financial capabilities of businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which will struggle to shoulder these costs without adverse effects.

‘The last 4 years has seen a 30% increase in the minimum wage. 70% of retailers surveyed were in favour of a national living wage provided the costs of doing so were offset elsewhere and businesses were not expected to shoulder these costs alone.

‘There was also a 70% increase in sick pay utilisation amongst the retailers surveyed with reports indicating a trend of some employees treating the additional paid sick leave akin to extra holidays.

Test

‘With auto-enrolment for pensions on the horizon, the

initiation of repayments for the Revenue Debt Warehousing Scheme, the Deposit Return Scheme and the new EU directive on 30-day payment terms looming in 2024, it is set to test the industry.

‘The potential for operational efficiencies, cost reductions, and, in some cases, employee redundancies loom large, given that an alarming 48% of surveyed retailers don’t have the bandwidth to accommodate

AIB Merchant Services Retail Excellence Ireland Awards Guinness Storehouse wins prestigious ‘National Store of the Year’ The spirit of enterprise was in evidence at the annual Retail Excellence Ireland Awards. The event, at the Galmont Hotel in Galway, saw 550 of Ireland’s retail industry leaders and executives come together.

Notable among awardees at the AIB Merchant Services Retail Excellence Ireland Awards was the Guiness Storehouse, honoured with the title of National Store of the Year.

See our report in this issue.

4 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

these mounting costs.

‘The organisation is advocating for fixed policy decisions, particularly in PRSI and VAT adjustments, to provide much-needed certainty and support for the retail sector.

REI stresses that while the Government’s Cost of Doing Business Grant is a support measure, it is only a starting point in addressing the sector’s woes.

Overwhelming

‘This avalanche of costs and policy changes has been overwhelming for retailers,’ added CEO Jean McCabe.

‘The need for a sustainable business model that protects jobs and supports businesses is crucial.

‘The current trajectory is untenable and the industry needs to be supported before we start to see a wave of store closures,’ emphasised Mrs. McCabe.

Vibrant

Retail Excellence Ireland is a notfor-profit organisation dedicated to promoting a vibrant and competitive retail industry in Ireland.

NEWS Glee: industry shows support for September dateline Following the announcement that Glee will return to a September dateline in 2024, bellwether suppliers across the gardening industry have been vocal in their support of the new autumn date, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Glee.

The celebration of all things garden, leisure and pet will take place from Tuesday 10 - Thursday 12 September, at the NEC, Birmingham.

Decision

Glee took the decision to shift the exhibition

back to September following extensive market research, consultation and dialogue with the retail community.

September was found to be the ‘sweet spot’ for a significant majority of stakeholders, mostly because ‘Glee’s positioning in the calendar is so central to the industry’, marking the transition between seasons, with ordering finalisation, planning and preparation coming immediately after the event, we are told.

Additional factors that influenced this next chapter for Glee included lead times

and price lists, retail buying patterns and seasonal considerations.

Attendees at Glee

‘All they wanted for Christmas was tools’ Practical presents topped wish list for tradespeople Chadwicks Group research recently revealed tradespeople’s top gifts. The research revealed that practical presents topped the Christmas gift list.

Survey

The survey by the leading builders’ merchants revealed that 89% of tradespeople had received a gift related to their trade in the past and almost 4-in-10 (39%) hoped to see new tools or workwear under the tree.

The top five most wanted gifts by tradies at Christmas were: • Bluetooth speakers (67%) • Hearing protection headphones with Bluetooth and AM/FM (47%) • A headtorch (46%) • Tool organisers (45%) • A paint brush set (40%) Unsurprisingly, socks topped the ‘worst gift’ list for 54% of tradespeople, followed by chocolate/sweets (46%), and ties (42%).

Take the hint

Leaving nothing to chance, an overwhelming 97% of tradespeople polled say they dropped hints to friends and family ahead of Christmas.

Almost two thirds (64%) were less than

subtle, simply telling people what they wanted and 51% intentionally left websites open for others to see.

And 14% even admitted to complaining about old items that needed replacing in the hopes of getting upgrades.

Secret Santa

Secret Santa it seems is just as popular on-site as it is in offices, with 92% of tradespeople taking part in gift exchanges with their colleagues.

Tradespeople were also generous with their gifting, with 27% spending between €21-€40 and 69% spending over €40 on Secret Santa.

To celebrate Christmas, Chadwicks teamed up with Joe McGucken for a festive comedy video, centred around the excitement of an on-site Secret Santa gift swap and celebrating its popularity among the trades.

With gifts ranging from just €10, Chadwicks had something to suit every tradesperson and budget.

listening • Tactix Hearing Protection Earmuffs with Bluetooth and AM/FM Radio – earphones for the building site!

These hearing protecting earmuffs have built-in Bluetooth and radio systems, as well as being rechargeable and water-resistant • Luceco Flexible Headtorch with Motion Sensor – suitable for any job, big or small, a rechargeable flexible headtorch with a motion sensor • Chadwicks Tool Organiser – with 21 compartments to keep tools tidy • Chadwicks Foam Toolbox – this durable, weather-resistant foam toolbox is easily portable and spacious at 53cm in length • Prodec Decorators Dozen Brush Set – a 12-piece brush set perfect for any painting and decorating job

Popular gifts for the tradesperson included:

• Dewalt DCr009 Compact Bluetooth Speaker – lightweight, compact Bluetooth speaker, perfect for on-site HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 5

NEWS Woodie’s Celebrate Colleagues at Annual Woscars Event Woodie’s colleagues across Ireland joined together at the annual Woodie’s Woscars awards ceremony in Croke Park, Dublin.

Accomplishments

Now in its sixth year, Woodie’s Woscars showcases the accomplishments and celebrates the achievements of Woodie’s colleagues.

The 2023 black-tie awards night was hosted by Irish comedian Jarlath Regan, who presented each Woscar winner with their award.

There were 25 awards on the night, varying from team and individual awards to the much-coveted Store of the Year headline award.

Top winners on the night included Woodie’s Turner’s Cross who scooped the most prestigious 2023 Woscar, winning Store of the Year, along with Woodie’s Nenagh and Woodie’s Wexford who placed an honourable second place and third place respectively in the Store of the Year category.

Won

Other winners on the night included Maurice Gallagher, Woodie’s Sandyford who picked up Store Manager of the Year, Woodie’s Supply Chain Team won the Leadership Team Award headed by Pauline Turner and Matej Giertl, Woodie’s Sallynoggin was awarded Horticulturist of the Year.

Congratulating each of the winners on their tremendous efforts and hard work, Damien Dwyer, CEO of Woodie’s, said: ‘Woodie’s Woscars is one of the most anticipated events on the Woodie’s social calendar and it’s becoming bigger and more engaging each year.

‘You can really see the enthusiasm from all our colleagues across the nation – the atmosphere at Croke Park was electric and we had a fantastic night celebrating.

‘Congratulations to all our colleagues who were nominated for a Woscar, and a huge well done to our winners.

‘I would also like to thank our supplier partners for their support of Woodie’s Woscars.’

Full list of winners

• Store of the Year 1st place: Turner’s Cross • Store of the Year 2nd place: Nenagh • Store of the Year 3rd place: Wexford • Store Manager of the Year: Maurice Gallagher - Sandyford • Team Leader of the Year: Adam Jordan Bray • Deputy Manager of the Year: Lauri Dunne - Coolock • Leadership Team Award: Woodie’s Supply Chain Team, Headed by Pauline Turner • Horticulturist of the Year: Matej Giertl Sallynoggin • Design Consultant of the Year: Abaigeal Doherty - Castlebar • Support Office Manager of the Year: Darren McDermot • Support Office Colleague of the Year: Judy Walsh • Customer Service Colleague of the Year: Breffini Halligan, Waterford • Till Colleague of the Year: Lorraine Nolan - Lucan • Shop Floor Colleague of the Year: Edward O Connor - Tralee • Store Colleague of the Year: Paul Mooney - Dundalk • Garden Centre of the Year: Coolock • Engagement Store of the Year: Galway • Warehouse of the Year: Lucan • Stock Management – Store of the Year: Turner’s Cross • L&D Store of the Year: Coolock • Safety Store of the Year: Airside • Merchandising Store of the Year: Sandyford • Charity Store of the Year: Tallaght • Sales Growth Store of the Year: Newbridge • Service Store of the Year: Wexford

6 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

Shift in attitudes as more than half of jobs carried out by UK tradespeople are geared towards energy saving’ Against the ongoing cost of living crisis, a Screwfix survey has found more than half (54%) of all jobs being carried out by UK tradespeople over the past year have had an energy saving focus, up by a third when compared to 2022.

More than 400 tradespeople took part in the survey, with 86% saying that homeowners were motivated to make the switch to energy saving products to save money on their bills.

Just over a third (36%) said their main reason was to help tackle climate change.

Type

When questioned on what type of energy efficiency jobs tradespeople were getting in, energy saving lighting topped the list at 44%, followed by smart thermostats (26%), while loft insulation and new radiators followed closely behind with 25% and 24%, respectively.

Jack Wallace, marketing director at Screwfix, said: ‘With the twin pressures of a cost-of-living crisis and high energy costs, the past twelve months has seen the volume of energy efficiency related jobs undertaken by tradespeople rise significantly – with those surveyed saying over half of all their jobs (54%) are energy efficiency based – up from 38% a year ago.’

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NEWS The Inspired Home Show 2024 brings home + housewares community together For inspiration, trends and insights!

For the 124th time since 1939, the International Housewares Association will bring the home and housewares community together at The Inspired Home Show® 2024, March 17-19 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex.

Welcoming

By the time the Show opens, more than 1,700 exhibitors will be welcoming buyers in a newly configured layout over three full days.

The Show will open on Sunday, 17 March (and closes on Tuesday, 19 March) from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day.

A power-hour from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and Monday will allow buyers and exhibitors to complete meetings in progress at Show end; appointments are recommended.

The new layout has the Wired + Well Expo moving from the Lakeside Center to the North Hall, co-locating with the Clean +

Contain Expo.

Exhibits and displays located in the Lakeside Center Lobby, including the Smart Home Pavilion and Inventors Corner, will now be Derek Miller located in the North and South Halls.

The International Sourcing Expo will return to Level 1 of the North Hall.

which also includes Dine + Décor, together in the North and South Halls, brings the industry’s core categories into a central location that is much easier and more efficient to navigate with quick trips between two halls now being possible.’

Excited

‘We’re excited about the new configuration as it creates the most vibrant, productive and efficient trade show experience possible for buyers and sellers,’ says Derek Miller, IHA president & CEO. ‘Positioning the three primary expos,

Tradespeople: 7-in-10 have had their tools stolen Research uncovers the cost of tool theft

their tools to help identify them if taken.

Delayed jobs, losing out on work and even having to take out a loan or borrow money are just some of the implications for tradespeople when tools are stolen according to a new survey from Chadwicks Group.

Value

The research around the issue of tool theft reveals that 71% of tradespeople have had their tools stolen with over a third (35%) saying the value of tools stolen was in excess of €3,000.

And 62% have had to delay a job or postpone work due to this issue; 36% had to take out a loan or borrow money to replace stolen tools while 11% say it put them out of work.

Two-thirds of tradespeople say tools were stolen from their van or car while 51% say

Significant

they have had tools stolen from the job.

Indicating the severity of this issue, 34% say they had their tools stolen twice in their career while 18% say it’s happened three times.

And 74% say the theft was reported to the Gardaí but in the majority of cases, the stolen items were not recovered.

Despite this being a significant issue for the trades, 82% admit to not having their tools insured, 70% don’t have a lock box for their tools and (22%) say they don’t mark

The purchasing of tools for work is a significant outlay for tradespeople with 34% saying they need to buy some form of tools each month and 43% every six months.

Almost three-quarters spend an average of €2,000 a year on tools.

Key findings • 71% of tradespeople have had their tools stolen • 35% have had tools stolen in excess of €3,000 • 62% have had to delay jobs due to this issue • 66% had tools stolen from their van or car

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 9

NEWS December sees further reduction in construction activity BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland Construction PMI® • Activity down for sixth month running amid lower new orders • Employment returns to growth • Business confidence at seven-month high Irish construction activity continued to fall at the end of 2023 amid a further moderation of demand in the sector.

Growth

Firms scaled back their purchasing activity accordingly, but employment returned to growth amid confidence in the outlook for 2024.

Meanwhile, the rate of input cost inflation eased from that seen in November.

The headline seasonally adjusted BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland Construction Total Activity Index remained below the 50.0 no-change mark in December but increased to 45.1 from 44.5 in November to signal a softer pace of decline in the final month of the year.

That said, the rate of contraction in total construction activity remained marked and extended the current sequence of reduction to six months.

Of the three types of construction covered by the report, the sharpest reduction was seen for commercial activity where the rate of contraction was sharp and faster than that seen in November.

Activity on housing projects fell markedly, but to a lesser extent than in the previous survey period, while civil engineering posted the slowest reduction in activity of the three categories in December.

Completion

Some panellists mentioned that activity had decreased as projects reached completion, with insufficient inflows of new business to replace them.

In turn, this reflected general demand weakness and delays in decision making by potential clients amid rises in costs and interest rates.

As a result, new orders decreased for the sixth month running.

The contraction in December was solid, albeit slightly softer than in the previous survey period.

Construction firms responded to demand weakness by scaling back their own purchasing activity.

Some respondents indicated that they were working through existing inventories instead of buying in new items.

Despite falling demand for inputs, suppliers’ delivery times lengthened markedly, and to the largest extent in eight months.

Positive

On a more positive note, employment returned to growth in December, after having fallen for the first time in 11 months during November.

The hiring of additional staff in part reflected confidence in the outlook for 2024. Business sentiment rose to a seven-month high amid some hopes that new projects will be secured in the new year.

More than 34% of respondents predicted a rise in activity over the coming 12 months, against 15% that were pessimistic.

Higher charges by suppliers resulted in a further sharp increase in input costs during December, although the rate of inflation eased from that seen in November and was softer than the average for 2023 as a whole.

Sub-contractors also increased their charges, and to the greatest extent since April. This rise in rates came despite a second successive monthly reduction in the use of sub-contractors.

Stand-out

Commenting on the latest survey results, John McCartney, Director & Head of Research at BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland, said: ‘The stand-out figure in December’s PMI was a continued plunge in commercial activity. Leaving aside Covid lockdowns and the decline seen last August, the latest reading was the weakest in over a decade.

‘Commercial values have inevitably been impacted by higher interest rates, and this has been compounded by soft occupational demand in some sectors, particularly offices.

‘At the same time, input costs have continued to rise, albeit at a declining pace.

‘The net effect has been squeezed development margins, stemming the flow of new project starts.

‘Residential activity slowed again, but at a softer pace than in November.

‘However, commencements are up by almost 18% between January and November, suggesting a positive outlook for the sector.

‘Consistent with this, employment rose for the 11th time in 12 months in December, and reported optimism reached its highest level since last May.’

10 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

17-19 MARCH 2024 | CHICAGO, USA

TheInspiredHomeShow.com

WHERE THE INDUSTRY CONNECTS AROUND INNOVATION AND INSPIRATION

Planning is well underway for The Inspired Home Show 2024 – the IHA board of directors has listened closely to the needs of the industry and has made several changes to create the most productive experience possible. The Show will be three full days, and the three main expos – Dine + Décor, Clean + Contain, and Wired + Well – will be located within the two main halls of McCormick Place. This new format will create a trade show experience that is more productive, highly efficient and tremendously successful for the industry.

We look forward to The Inspired Home Show 2024, which will showcase all of the newness and innovation that this industry offers on an annual basis.

— DEREK MILLER, President & CEO, International Housewares Association

The Inspired Home Show 2023 was an unforgettable experience. What impressed me the most was the variety of products and brands from all over the world present at the fair, very focused on the universes of kitchenware, organization and electrical appliances. Thanks to the fair, we were able to find a lot of new items for our stores. We established business relationships with various suppliers from around the world and were able to bring products to our store that we had never seen before. In addition, the fair gave us an idea of the latest trends in the kitchenware industry and allowed us to keep abreast of innovations in the market.

— BEATRIZ ESTÉBANEZ MUÑOZ, Kitchenware Buyer, El Corte Inglés, Spain

With any questions, please contact the IHA UK Office: PR Direct Limited, Mark Chapman, Tel: +44 7915 063255, ihauk@prdirect.net For more information and to register for your FREE entrance badge, please visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com.

© 2023 International Housewares Association Association.

All Rights Reserved.

ON THE RECORD

Ivyline – ‘staying ahead of the curve’ As we continue to look at what might be coming down the track across all sectors and ranges Hardware & Homestyle speaks to Scott Thomas, managing director of home and garden specialist, Ivyline.

H&H: Can you tell us a bit about your company history and what you offer?

ST: Since 1976, Ivyline has made a home for design, staying ahead of the curve in quality, ethical standards and service to every single one of our worldwide customers.

Our products are designed, in-house, in our studio, specifically with our mission to provide our customers with quality and not only inspirational but ethical lifestyle products.

We are experts in indoor and outdoor planters, giftware, glassware, Christmas and everyday home décor and fireside products, as well as garden outdoor furniture, water features, firepits and outdoor accessories such as log storage solutions and mirrors.

H&H: You clearly have high ethical standards, eg. many lines are handmade or hand-finished in Europe from recycled and other sustainable materials. Can you tell us about the importance of ethics and sustainability in your offering?

ST: Most of our products are manufactured close to home on the European continent, greatly reducing the carbon footprint and also ensuring supply lines remain open and that stock is more readily available throughout the year.

We have massively reduced our Far Eastern sourcing, meaning we now source more than 85% of our products from Europe.

The majority of indoor pots are manufactured in Europe, with a large proportion of these hand-finished by local artisans. Where possible, we use recycled glass and sustainable materials such as water hyacinth, seagrass and bamboo.

Product spotlight: Our Celine design is a contribution to the circular economy as the whole collection is made from 100% recycled household plastic products and is 100% recyclable at the end of its lifespan.

With its removable drainage system it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, meaning it is highly versatile – something we know is important to consumers – as well as ethically sourced.

H&H: What are retailers and their customers looking for? Have you spotted any trends?

ST: Customers are still looking to extend their home into their gardens and outdoor spaces, and so are drawn to pieces that seamlessly reflect their style in both interior and exterior living areas.

Our broad range of outdoor planters,

12 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

including terracotta, resin and metal, are designed in trend-themes, making it easier for customers to ‘shop the look’.

We’ve seen a huge growth in customers looking for items they can style in groups.

Many of our outdoor pots and accessories are available in multiple sizes to suit the space and style required, but also can be styled as a ‘family’ to make an impressive holistic display.

Our broad range of products means we have collections that will suit all styles and customers.

Our Retail customers can purchase their core ranges, which might include our bestselling lines such as Lisbon, Monza and Leon, as well as including items that offer a point of difference – design-led, unique pieces for the home and garden that will attract aspirational shoppers and help create fabulous merchandise displays.

A growing trend has also been for smaller, more affordable plants for home and garden – perfect for ‘generation rent’ – and which we have reflected in our product offerings.

H&H: Is gardening increasing as a pasttime from what you see and hear? What about grow-your-own?

ST: Lockdown added over 3 million new

ON THE RECORD

‘Timeless design never goes out of fashion.’

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 13

ON THE RECORD

home in Europe with ethical and sustainable principles in mind.

Always with an eye on market-leading style trends, Ivyline’s inhouse designers have incorporated premium handmade Terracotta urns and planters, extra-large planters and other desirable additions which address gaps in the market for emporium pieces and regency style.

Trend-focused colours are frost proof, UV stable and elevate this planter category to new heights, bringing a Tuscan flavour. A wide range of styles, shapes and sizes are available, from extra-large to small and discreet.

New lines can be beautifully merchandised with Ivyline’s bespoke in-store display solutions that will attract shoppers like bees to honey!

The two-tiered display and stunning POS offers full product access that can be optimised to suit any store layout, whilst an additional merchandising unit is available for the classic Brampton outdoor terracotta model.

gardeners to the fold and Grow-Your-Own is still an expanding market, especially given the rise of eco-conscious consumers.

After its initial launch in Summer 2023, our Grow Your Own collection has flown off the shelves, with many items selling out.

This indicates that customers are keen to introduce functional elegance to their home gardens and extend their personal style into outdoor spaces.

H&H: Tells us about the work you are doing in Ireland, where the products can be seen and how it’s going for you. What has the market been like for you?

ST: Due to the increase in enquiries from Ireland, we have formed a strong, in-house team to support our growing client-base.

Current stockists in Ireland include: Woodies, Brown Thomas, Ballyseedy and Creative Gardens.

Wherever they are based, Ivyline is passionate about helping our customers grow their businesses.

We look to work closely with our retailers to ensure they can capitalise on the opportunities within the market through understanding the data, sharing best practice and ensuring that they have the right products for local end consumers.

This is all underpinned by excellent customer service. We can also support customers with instore display units for our indoor and outdoor ranges, as well as bespoke POS and merchandising assistance.

As well as a dedicated Sales Rep, our online Trade Portal is a quick and easy way to order, check stock, explore our collections and view order history.

H&H: Tell us about Spring/Summer 2024 plans and any new plans for additions to the ranges (e.g. your indoor and outdoor planters) ST: The Spring/Summer 2024 collection includes 162 new indoor lines and 115 for outside, most of which are made close to

14 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

H&H: Any trend predictions for 24?

ST: A strong new theme for us is: Country Cottage / Cottagecore. In terms of future trends, softer home interiors in fresh colours following the Pantone colour of the year for 2024, which is Apricot Crush.

Kitchen gardens: With more and more people learning how to grow their own and discovering the joys of home-grown fruit and veg, kitchen gardens will continue to rise in popularity.

Reactive glazes: This is an umbrella term for the non-formulaic kiln fired ceramics, which result in one-off pieces where no two items are identical.

If you extend this idea of desirable ‘imperfection’, you can get mix and match dinnerware, for example, or ceramic planters which have a shared design ethos that is enhanced by the unique qualities of individual pieces.

Garden as an extension of the home: With so many people still working from home and choosing to entertain at home more often, the trend for outdoor spaces being remodeled as extensions of the home is only going to get stronger.

Statement pieces for the garden: Whether it’s funky lighting or decorative wall art, amazing BBQs or beautiful water sculptures and firepits, form and function will work hand-in-hand to create eye-catching features that are useful as well as beautiful and interesting.

Timeless design never goes out of fashion, as consumers seek to invest in pieces they will keep for longer and cherish as heirlooms.

Specialist Perennial Growers

Young Nurseries is a wholesale nursery based in the scenic Ballyhoura region of Co. Limerick. Established in 1988, we are one of the premier suppliers in Ireland of a vast range of Irish grown Perennials and Alpines, Herbs and Grasses.

Hours of business: Monday – Friday : 8.30am – 5.00pm

Young Nurseries Ltd Ballinanima, <ilĮnane, Co Limerick.

Tel: 063 91035 Email: info@youngnurseries.com www.youngnurseries.com

HOMEFRONT

Marketdriven home products with strategic insights

The Inspired Home Show 2024

O

ne key reason for international buyers to visit The Inspired Home Show in Chicago is to find innovative new products and brands to differentiate their product offering and concepts.

In addition to high-quality, high-design global brands, the show features the entire product lines of leading and emerging housewares brands, product suppliers and designers.

Buyers have a chance to find innovative new products and product lines.

Expos

Featuring exhibitors from over fifty countries, the show is organized into four expos: • Dine + Décor • Clean + Contain

• Wired + Well • International Sourcing Expo The Inspired Home Show lives up to its name by offering not only inspiring products in exhibitors’ booths but also through displays and educational offerings.

Again in 2024, the New Product Showcases will give attendees a quick overview of what’s new and exciting.

Inspiring

The Pantone ColorWatch Display will provide attendees with an inspiring look at colour trends that will impact consumer purchases in the year that follows.

The gia Global Innovation Awards displays will continue to showcase the very best new products in fourteen different categories alongside award-winning retail

16 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

concepts from around the world.

Recognising a key trending category, The Inspired Home Show 2024 will provide retailers with the latest developments in the smart home movement.

The Show’s Smart Home pavilion features exhibitors of smart home brands and connected products for the different areas of the home.

In addition to the Smart Home pavilion, more Smart Home products can be found throughout the Show.

The Inventors Corner Pavilion features sixty booths showcasing new housewares innovations and just-ready-for-market inventions.

The Inventors Corner also features the Inventors Revue, where startup marketers present their creations to a panel of experts and seasoned inventors offer presentations on how to succeed as an inventor.

HOMEFRONT International Housewares Association announces changes to The Inspired Home Show, 2024 Show length reduced, Show expos moved Learn about colour and consumer trends, design and retail best practices The show’s educational programming will include a colour trends presentation by Lee Eiseman of Pantone, Tom Mirabile’s exploration into consumer lifestyle trends and a state of the industry report on housewares.

The report will feature data and analyses on supplier, industry and consumer trends, and offering forward-looking insights for the global home and housewares market over the next 12 to 24 months.

In addition to the keynotes, the show’s Innovation Theater will feature presentations on international lifestyle trends, consumer purchasing habits, design, retail best practices and more.

Destination

In addition to what can be found at the show, Chicago is a great destination for housewares retail benchmarking.

To make visiting the inspiring Chicago retailers easy, the Show offers Chicago retail brochure and maps to help with self-guided housewares store visits in central Chicago as well as a U.S. market presentation and retail tour to visit some of the most exciting home and housewares retailers in suburban Chicago.

The Inspired Home Show 2024 17–19 March – Sunday, Monday, Tuesday McCormick Place, Chicago TheInspiredHomeShow.com

The Inspired Home Show® 2024, to be held in Chicago, will undergo several changes to show length and layout, the International Housewares Association announced.

Reduce

After carefully considering feedback received from two industry-wide surveys and four special committees made up of both exhibitors and retailers, the IHA Board of Directors has decided to reduce the overall length and to optimise the show layout to create the most vibrant, productive and efficient trade show experience possible for the industry.

The Show will now open on Sunday, March 17 and close on Tuesday, March 19.

The majority of exhibitors and retailers indicated on recent surveys and in discussions that three full days at the Show is sufficient with business being more concentrated over that timeframe, said Derek Miller, IHA president & CEO.

Productive

‘Making the move from four days to three full days will not only make the Show more productive and dynamic but will also reduce costs for both the exhibitor and retail audiences, something frequently cited throughout discussions,’ Miller explained.

The International Housewares Association is the 85-yearold voice of the housewares industry. The not-for-profit, full-service association sponsors the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, IHA’s Global Home + Housewares Market (TheInspiredHomeShow.com), and offers its 1,300 member companies a wide range of services.

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 17

HOMEFRONT Colour and design trends reflect ‘the art of living’ our post-pandemic lives

Colour Expert Lee Eiseman Discusses Pantone®View Home + Interiors 2024 Palettes

B

oth art and science are important factors in the colour and design trends influencing home and housewares right now, says colour expert Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman.

‘We can’t ignore that. We know that no matter where we are in this ongoing process, it’s left an indelible and emotional mark on our lives that seeks relief, renewed optimism and rejuvenation.’

Director

Art

Eiseman, who is director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training and executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, shared the insights and inspirations that went into creating the seven palettes in the Pantone® View Home + Interiors 2024.

‘Being alive is an apt metaphor in a time when we are still, and we really are, emerging from the anxiety that has engulfed us in the last few years,’ said Eiseman.

Art is an important part of that healing, as it allows us to use our imaginations to visualize new ideas or to express emotions, she explained. Science is important because it provides the very explanation for life itself and how lifeforms are created, evolve and are sustained.

Both art and science played a role in the selection of the 2023 Colour of the Year, Viva Magenta. That hue, which Eiseman described as a nuanced crimson red that

18 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

balances both warm and cool colours, reflected both the influence of digitized art and a very small, but powerful creature – the cochineal beetle who produces carmine dye – one of the most precious, strongest and brightest in the natural dye family.

Surrealism

When it comes to art, Eiseman says she’s particularly interested in the resurgence of surrealism, which portrays ‘dreams as an escape from reality’.

The style often incorporates unique colour combinations that ‘dare to be different’.

Trending artforms that are more naturebased include regenerative design, which often offers a creative and quirky mix of

HOMEFRONT colours, designs and materials that ‘bring new life to anything that is abused, underused or otherwise neglected’.

There’s also Storm Chaser artwork that captures landscapes at tumultuous, but very colourful, moments in time.

She’s also watching how cuisine is often elevated to an artform, especially when it comes to baking and cocktails/specialty beverages.

Water

When it comes to science, water – an essential source of life and energy to many lifeforms – is emerging as a theme in several ways.

One is literally in terms of the popularity of the blue palette, which is often associated with clarity, health and balance.

Another is in the popularity of products coming from ocean-related materials, whether seaweed or clay from the powdered shells of sea creatures.

There’s also the continued popularity of pearlized finishes and metallics, which evoke the undulating motion of water.

Resonate

Sustainability or nature-based colour and designs continue to resonate, as does anything related to health and wellness.

Entertainment is one of the many industries Eiseman studies for future colour trends and preferences.

She cited the latest Avatar movie – whose theme involves water; an upcoming sequel to Disney’s ‘Inside Out’ – where each character or emotion assumes a colour; and ‘Despicable Me 4’, which incorporates traditional blacks and whites, with a wide range of supporting colours.

She also noted that the colours in many of the action-adventure games that remain popular are definitely darker.

While those colours are not for everyone – the lighter or mid-tone colours remain most popular – it’s important to note that some people may be more comfortable with them.

Palettes

Eiseman detailed each of the seven Pantone® View Home + Interiors 2024 palettes unveiled at the IHA Show last year.

Each one speaks to a different way consumers can move forward in our postpandemic world in a tempting, positive and

deeply human way.

• Sustenance – This palette reflects ‘the rituals of entertaining and dining that never goes out of style’, said Eiseman. It evokes feelings of creative cooking, love and laughter, and the joy of sharing. It involves greens, blue-greens, a yellow-green, some deeper tones and a suggestion of pink.

• Replenish – Eiseman called this ‘a waterborn palette’, which involves many shades of blue but also incorporates apricot and pink to add ‘a touch of newness’. Evoking thoughts of self-care, hydration and calming bath rituals, it’s all about life balance and rejuvenation.

• Creative Mixology – Every colour family is represented here – even earth tones – in this palette that Eiseman called ‘great fun’.

This palette is all about individuality and experimentation, allowing for free-spirited aesthetics and the mixing of old and new.

• Sanctuary – For those who want softness and steadiness, Sanctuary offers relaxation and harmony with several pastels, midtones and a deeper, chocolate-like brown.

It inspires a simple environment, where smart technology solutions are hidden underneath the surface.

• Stylist – Inspired by fashion crossovers, this combination features many blues and blue-greens, but also incorporates

metallics, which add a sheen and ‘the feeling of undulating water’. This palette feels both traditional and contemporary and has universal appeal.

• Surrealism – Consumers looking to escape from the everyday with unexpected and unusual colour combinations will likely appreciate this one. Described as ‘illogical, quirky and witty’, Surrealism evokes feelings of an uninhibited dream state.

• Scenic – Inspired by the prismatic hues in nature’s light spectrum, this palette is dynamic and visually arresting (think flashes of lightning, bold sunsets, reflections of bright colours on clouds). Pinks and purples combine with oranges and orange-pinks, as well as some earthy tones for a ‘quite beautiful,’ effect, Eiseman said.

The International Housewares Association is the 85-year-old voice of the housewares industry. The notfor-profit, full-service association sponsors the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, IHA’s Global Home + Housewares Market (TheInspiredHomeShow.com).

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 19

HOMEFRONT

La Iberica in Uruguay is an enchanting retail space where heritage and modern-day retailing are seamlessly blended to enhance the charm of a business devoted to offering its customers’ endless moments of joy, writes Michelle Hespe.

La Iberica – generations of joy

M

ore than 130 years ago, where La Iberica now stands in Montevideo, Uruguay, there was a grand bazaar housed in a building that was erected in 1850.

Busy

It was a busy place where locals went to find everything from top European brands such as Limoges (French producers of highend collectible porcelain) and Christofle (famous for its innovative silverware) right down to simple things for everyday life such as containers, children’s toys and cleaning products.

By the mid-twentieth century, the bazaar had dropped all products unrelated to homewares, streamlining its focus to become the stand-out store it is today – a retailer offering more than 5,000 objects from around the world, including some by local artisans.

La Iberica only stocks products that encapsulate timeless beauty, functionality, innovation and quality.

Joy

‘We believe that objects which accompany us in our everyday lives – whether it is a comfy sofa to dive into at the end of a long day or a coffee mug to start the day with energy – fill us with moments of joy,’ says marketing manager Paula Delgado Lockhart.

‘Our mission is to find products that add value to people’s everyday lives.’

When the third generation of the family took over in the 1980s, furniture was added to the offerings and then a wedding registrar program, so it became a destination for newlyweds to decorate their homes.

In 2008 when the fourth generation took the reins, e-commerce was introduced and

20 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

the focus shifted to selling home décor and furniture.

The online business reached across the entire country rather than just the people of Montevideo and is now the main part of the business and part of the reason for its success, Paula says.

Dedication

At the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) held in Chicago, the company’s dedication to this mission, its steady growth, the grand building and the dedication from passionate staff, won the business the accolade of being one the five best retailers in the world.

The gia expert jury commented that the store is ‘an architectural masterpiece, with the building itself telling a story.

They also commented on how ‘the approach of the store is human and

HOMEFRONT customers feel transported into a calm atmosphere, and that they also feel this peacefulness in their homes.

‘This sense of peace can be achieved through décor choices,’ she says.

After passing through the building’s original facade, customers are met with a 25-meter-long aisle surrounded by two three-tier wooden racks of homewares and tableware.

Five-meter-tall iron columns rise majestically from the original wooden flooring, and the upper balconies have intricately carved wooden balustrades in a classic French style, giving it the feel of a

personalized, and very customer-oriented’.

Innovation

Thanks to continual innovation in product choices and the seamless integration of new merchandise, La Iberica has continued to grow over the past century.

However, it is also the stunning four-storey building that is permeated with a rich atmosphere of enchantment that keeps customers coming back.

‘The architectural values of the building are precious,’ says Paula.

‘Every time we bring modern ways of retailing into the business, we are very conscious of them not competing with the building or hiding its features.

‘Our goal is for the modern world and the old-world charm to enhance one another.’

‘Our mission is to find products that add value to people’s everyday lives.’

Natural

Upon stepping into the store, customers are greeted with a natural colour palette running through the building, the décor and the merchandise that creates a sense of warmth and relaxation.

‘This natural colour palette is very much in line with Uruguayan tastes,’ Paula explains.

‘Our country is rooted in a countryside lifestyle, and so the style of decorating includes lots of leather, linen, wood, brown tones and natural materials – the aesthetic responding to this kind of lifestyle and tastes.

‘In Uruguay, we love bright colours to look at; but when the time comes to choose products for the home, we normally choose more neutral, timeless colours,’ she explains.

Ensure

Paula says that all staff work hard to ensure their HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 21

HOMEFRONT beautiful old library.

The original alcoves with wooden frames have been restored, with new lighting installed to showcase glassware.

Cabinets

There are contemporary floor-to-ceiling iron and glass cabinets housing chinaware and décor accessories, and ladder-like wooden and iron racks displaying kitchen products.

Couches, coffee tables and potted plants give the store a homely feel and also act as proposed living spaces, inspiring customers to picture changes to their own homes.

‘When people first enter, they are usually in awe, as it is such an original place and different from anything you can find in our country or anywhere in the world,’ says Paula, adding that one of the most special things for her, is when customers remember coming into the store, holding their grandmother’s hand.

‘This happens quite often,’ she says.

‘Customers have those kinds of memories here, and that is priceless to us.’

Focus

La Iberica has a strong focus on Instagram, posting product reviews and beautifully presented images twice a day to its 132,000 followers.

Paula does regular videos to show customers what they can buy and how they can style their home.

Product campaigns are emailed in newsletters to a database of more than 25,000 people, with beautifully designed editorial content, offering decor tips and company news.

‘Social media is like a wide-reaching shop window, and it is key to showing people our new products and news,’ Paula says.

‘It also contributes to strengthening our brand and helps position us as a “taste authority” – as a reference and go-to account for ideas and helpful tips regarding design and products for the home.

‘We always have a very clean aesthetic that makes watching and looking a pleasure in itself.’

Updated

The website is also continually updated to showcase La Iberica’s latest offerings, and it receives 2,000 or more visits a day.

The team could not believe it when La Iberica was announced as a winner at the gia gala dinner.

‘Knowing that there are so many awesome stores out there in the world, we didn’t expect it at all,’ says Paula.

‘It means a lot to us, especially being chosen by such prestigious judges who travel the world and see so many amazing stores.

‘It was a major honour and we felt it was a not just a win for our store, but also for our country.’

22 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

Retaining

No doubt, La Iberica will continue to grow and evolve, while still retaining the enchanting charm that makes it such a special place for so many generations of shoppers.

‘A concept that we constantly have in mind is a quote by German playwright and poet, Goethe: “He who moves not forward, goes backward”,’ Paula says.

Sponsored and organized by The Inspired Home Show and the International Housewares Association (IHA), gia (IHA Global Innovation Awards) is the world’s leading awards program honouring overall excellence, business innovation and creative merchandising in homegoods retailing.

For more information about the gia retail program, the co-sponsors or participating in gia, contact Piritta Törrö at piritta.torro@inspiredconnection. fi. Additional information on gia is also available online at TheInspiredHomeShow.com/Awards/ gia-Retailing.

For more information about The Inspired Home Show 2024, taking place in Chicago on 17-19 March 2024, and to pre-register for a free Show entrance badge, please visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com.

We’ve followed the story of The Kitchen Whisk pretty much from the start when they burst onto the scene in Dublin and on-line just a few short years ago, as a specialised kitchenware shop supplying ranges from tableware to the more unusual kitchen tools. We are proud to announce they will accompany us to Chicago for the Inspired Home show in March as our gia representative. The only second-time gia store in Ireland since Stock Design.

Business booms at The Kitchen Whisk!

W

hen we last caught up with Kate Masterson at Dublin’s ‘The Kitchen Whisk’ it was not long after they had reopened the physical store following lockdown and already they gave the impression of being completely back in the swing of things!

Fast forward to early 2024 and they have continued on that upward trajectory without a shadow of a doubt.

In fact, they are now preparing to join us at The Inspired Home Show in Chicago as a gia representative store, for the second time.

Reopening day

They had been in business just over three years here when Covid-19 made its presence felt on the world.

Already, things had been going very well at that stage. But then, they had started as they meant to go on and continued to go from strength to strength as they attracted a loyal band of followers and also made waves amongst the tourist trade in the city.

And so it was ‘The Kitchen Whisk’ quickly became a ‘one-stop shop’ to meet all of one’s kitchen needs.

And it continues to pull out all of the stops.

24 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

New brands

‘We introduced lots of new brands over the past few months which have sold very well,’ says Kate.

‘Luckily we had them all in time for Christmas.

‘Some of the brands include, Tokyo Design, which have a very cool range of colourful chopsticks that come in beautiful boxes, Casa Fina and Costa Nova, a stunning collection of table and kitchenware, all made in Portugal and Crushgrind who specialise in making spice grinders.’

Delighted

‘We are so delighted to be the 2024 gia store,’ says Kate. ‘We couldn’t believe it. It means so much especially after the past few rocky years for retail and for everyone.’

About The Kitchen Whisk

Occupying an enviable position on Dublin’s fashionable Wicklow Street, ‘The Kitchen Whisk’ was established in 2017, born of a passion for food and cooking.

It was founded by mother and daughter team Mary and Kate Masterson.

Enthusiastic

Pictured L-R: Mary and Kate Masterson

‘We supply kitchenware for the enthusiastic and dedicated home cook and cookery students as well as experienced chefs,’ says Ballymaloe-trained Kate.

‘We pride ourselves in having exceptional customer service.

‘Anyone who visits our shop can be assured of a warm welcome from our friendly, knowledgeable, staff!’

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 25

‘It (gia) means so much – especially after the past few rocky years for retail and for everyone.’

26 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

Kate Masterson, The Kitchen Whisk, Irish gia Store 2024 HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 27

Excellence Awards

Winners revealed at 25th Annual AIB Merchant Services Retail Excellence Ireland Awards Guinness Storehouse wins prestigious ‘National Store of the Year’ The spirit of enterprise shone brightly at the annual Retail Excellence Ireland Awards.

The event, held at the Galmont Hotel in Galway, saw 550 of Ireland’s retail industry leaders and executives come together in celebration.

Notable among awardees at the AIB Merchant Services Retail Excellence Ireland Awards was the Guiness Storehouse, honoured with the title of National Store of the Year.

Faerly secured the Small Online Retailer of the Year award, Wardrobe Plus won Medium Online Retailer of the Year, and EZ Living Interiors also clinched the Large Online Retailer of the Year recognition.

In addition to these, Boots was celebrated as the Sustainable Retailer of the Year.

Talent within the Retail Industry was also celebrated with Amanda Christie, manager of The Kilkenny Design in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, winning Manager of the Year and Arron O’Malley of Kavanagh’s SuperValu Westport winning Rising Star of the Year.

Furthermore, Shane Lafferty of McElhinneys was crowned as the inaugural Unsung Hero of the Year.

Thrilled

Following the momentous announcement, Jean McCabe, CEO of Retail Excellence Ireland, said:

‘I am thrilled to reveal the winners of the AIB Merchant Services Retail Excellence Ireland Awards 2023 as we mark the momentous 25th anniversary of Irelands’ largest retail awards ceremony.

‘The judging panel was blown away by the exceptional quality of retailers throughout the country, making the process of selecting our final winners an

28 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

exceptionally challenging task.

‘The awards are a highlight in the Irish retail calendar, and it is with great pride that we honour the exceptional talent within our industry. Even against the backdrop of the current economic challenges, the unwavering resolve and ambition of Irish retailers fill us with optimism for the year ahead.’

Excellence Awards

List of Winners Supplier of the Year 2023: StudioForty9 Unsung Hero of the Year 2023: Shane Lafferty, McElhinneys Rising Star of the Year 2023: Arron O’Malley, SuperValu Westport Manager of the Year 2023: Amanda Christie, Kilkenny Design Ecommerce Manager of the Year 2023: Lorraine Marren, McSport Small Online Retailer of the Year 2023: Faerly Medium Online Retailer of the Year 2023: Wardrobe Plus Large Online Retailer of the Year 2023: EZ Living Interiors Sustainable Retailer of the Year 2023: Boots Excellence in Customer Experience Award 2023: O’Briens Wines, Clontarf Pharmacy of the Year 2023: Mulligans Pharmacy - Gladstone, Clonmel Electronic & Tech Store of the Year 2023: Three Store, Bray Garden Centre of the Year 2023: Windyridge Nurseries & Garden Centre Furniture Store of the Year 2023: Diamond Furniture Food Store of the Year 2023: Barnhill Stores Off-Licence of the Year 2023: Whelehans Wines, Loughlinstown Gift Store of the Year 2023: Guinness Storehouse Lifestyle Store of the Year 2023: Nook & Cranny Fashion & Footwear Store of the Year 2023: Fabiani Café of the Year 2023 Insomnia: Baggot Street National Store of the Year 2023: Guinness Storehouse

Proud

Hubert O’Donoghue, general manager of AIB Merchant Services, commented: ‘As the main sponsor of the Retail Excellence Ireland Awards, AIB Merchant Services is immensely proud to be a part of this extraordinary event, celebrating the remarkable achievements of the Irish retail community.

‘These awards not only highlight the exceptional standards within the industry but also underscore our commitment at AIB Merchant Services to champion and support the growth and success of our retail partners.

‘Congratulations to all the winners and participants at this year’s awards; your hard work and dedication continues to inspire us.’

Established by Retail Excellence in 1997, the Awards’ mission is to foster best practices and elevate standards within the Irish retail sector.

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 29

SHOWTIME Glee exhibitors gave us a rundown of their predictions for 2024 and those trends that they believed would create new sales opportunities for retailers.

Glee exhibitors predict 2024 trends and best sellers Sustainability still key

G

reener gardening choices and more sustainable solutions continue to drive change and remain a key consideration for buyers and consumers alike.

Burgon & Ball managing director Rainer Schubert observes: ‘It’s much more than a trend but the need to build sustainability into products is stronger than ever.

‘Retailers look for sustainably produced products because it’s the right thing to do for their shoppers but, additionally, there are usually environmental standards that buyers have to observe when selecting ranges.’

In response to this, Burgon & Ball has ensured its latest range of brushes minimise their environmental impact at all stages.

The range includes a wide choice of brushes with natural fibres.

Linked to this is the trend for gardening in a changing climate. ‘Shifting weather patterns are bringing hotter or wetter

summers, while summer-like conditions are now extending well into the traditional autumn period,’ explains Rainer.

that create a cushioned, non-slip area for safe play; all whilst keeping a common waste material out of landfill.

Decisions

Delivered

As consumers strive to make more responsible purchasing decisions, they are inevitably drawn to products made from recycled and recyclable materials.

Glee exhibitors recognised this and responded to this growing demand with new launches boasting even greater green credentials than before, helping to keep waste out of landfill and give garden centre customers even more choice.

Primeur had a fantastic response to its new recycled Rubber Play Safe Tiles – Glee New ‘Landscaping’ Product Award winner – and early orders indicated that this line was set to be a top seller in 2024.

The collection repurposes waste rubber tyres into virtually indestructible play tiles

Over at timber garden furniture, outdoor structures and GYO specialist, Zest, the team say that ‘Me-time’ and being closer to nature can be delivered sustainably.

For the coming season, Zest will take a lead in ecologically sustainable outdoor living with the widest range of stylish, natural timber products, created in-house and made from PEFC certified (PEFC/16-371490) slow grown softwood.

Meanwhile, AMES’ new Apta Lightweight collection of planters is predicted to have mass appeal, as the new launch is based on thorough research into the pots market.

Made from recycled material with selected shapes, sizes and finishes lead entirely by preferred consumer choices highlighted by the in-depth research, these new eco planters are also recyclable at the end of their life.

Supporting plant health and wildlife

Unipet enjoyed a busy Glee with multiple leads keeping the team busy post-show.

The company’s new eco-friendly packaging proved to be a real success with existing customers ‘who expressed appreciation for the sustainable alternative now used for packing our best-selling lines’.

The team also lauded Glee’s value as enabling them to gain invaluable insight into what works within the garden centre market and what would be of interest to certain customers.

Looking to 2024, a Unipet spokesperson said that the focus will remain on bringing to market quality products that best meet garden centre needs.

‘We find the garden centre industry to 30 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

SHOWTIME used to transform indoor spaces.

‘Plant influencers are playing a huge part in this, combining their indoor plant knowledge with interior design skills to elevate a space,’ explain founders William Tuer and Alistair Wannop.

‘Plant choice sits at the heart of content created by these urban jungle influencers.

‘Olive trees are making their way back into the home and are perfect for more minimalist rooms, while the fountain-like growth of dracaenas is making them super popular too.

‘Plants are way beyond just being a splash of green in a room.’

Affordable, accessible landscaping be a great market with lots of potential, therefore, we welcome opportunities to work with like-minded, highly respected garden centres.’

Crowned

A new name to the market ahead of season 2024, Germie was crowned the GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund winners at Glee 2023, where the company used the exhibition as its launchpad to the wider garden retail sector.

The brand looks to capitalises on the growing trend towards sustainable gardening and has brought to market innovative seed growing kits, specifically designed for eco-conscious gardeners.

Germie’s Eric Baudouin said: ‘Looking ahead to 2024, we foresee a continued emphasis on sustainability and expect the demand for products that enable individuals to grow their own plants to increase.’

GYO will remain on-trend in 2024 say Zest. The company’s Head of Commercial Development, Simon Davison said: ‘There’s a clear interest in becoming more self-sufficient – Zest’s new 2024 GYO range is perfect for enthusiasts, combining space saving solutions with functionality. The Zest Tall Botanical and Compact Botanical Greenhouses were met with massive enthusiasm at Glee.’

The year 2024 will also see houseplants continue on their upward curve, as seen at Glee’s Green Heart in June 2023, and the Natural Plant Food Company predicts this interest in indoor gardening will be driven by millennials, particularly as seven out of 10 now call themselves a ‘plant parent’.

‘Indoor gardening is so accessible,’ say

founders William Tuer and Alistair Wannop.

‘It could be as simple as growing plants in a pot or two, or a more elaborate setup combining vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers.’

The opportunity here is that novice growers are now realising the rewards of feeding plants regularly to support natural healthy growth.

Interior and outdoor décor trends blend seamlessly

Burgon & Ball has noticed that, in interiors, the Modern Rustic trend continues to see growth, with people also embracing it in outdoor spaces.

‘This no-fuss aesthetic combines practicality, a love for the innate beauty of materials, and a nod to industrial design,’ says managing director Rainer Schubert.

At Zest, the company predict that traditional at-home cooking methods will be switched up as consumers look to maximise their outdoor space.

To support this, the company’s 2024 range will include products such as Terraza Outdoor Kitchen set, complementing existing bestsellers such as the Garden bar and Garden Pizza Oven table.

The Terraza offers a sustainable route to alfresco cooking.

‘It’s all about enabling people to feel relaxed and enjoy their outdoor space with confidence that that’s not at the expense of the environment,’ says head of commercial development, Simon Davison.

Step up

The Natural Plant Food Company has seen a serious step up in the way plants are being

With the cost-of-living crisis still biting, consumers are seeking affordable ways to update their spaces.

There has been a DIY renaissance and products that play into that trend and make home and garden improvements quicker, easier and cheaper, are set to do well.

Primeur caters to this audience with lightweight recycled rubber landscaping and DIY products.

‘We’ve seen real demand for garden DIY products that boast easy installation, so people don’t need to get a professional in.

‘With such uncertainty in the market and many more renters, there is a genuine need for products that don’t have to stay in one place and that people can take with them when they move.’

Accessible

Also making landscaping more accessible is Deco-Pak with the introduction of its new Country Bond and Essentials ranges in January 2024.

‘We believe this will captivate customers, giving them the opportunity to transform their outdoor spaces into elegant, stately homeinspired havens.’

The Country Bond range, with its timeless appeal, will allow customers to create paths and driveways reminiscent of grand estates, at an affordable price.

This trend-focused range will enable homeowners to elevate their gardens with sophistication and charm, instantly boosting their property’s kerb appeal.

Find out more To find out more visit www.gleebirmingham.com or call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 31

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Stores Nationwide | www.albany.ie

THE ROOM OUTSIDE

Sowing the Seeds This time out our retail gardening guru Liam Kelly writes about, ‘injecting a little love and a lot of profit into an oft-forgotten sales category’…

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 33

THE ROOM OUTSIDE

If there was one glimmer of excitement and interest in the past for gardeners during cold winter nights, it was the arrival in the post of a worn-edged brown envelope which when ripped open would reveal a small booklet containing inside its pages the promise of summer colour and bountiful harvest.

Revel

The arrival of that seed catalogue into many a household was the start of the planning cycle for the avid gardener, where they would revel in the new arrivals and exotic entries that would grace their borders, pots and allotments in the year to come.

They would pour over its contents placing ticks and dogears on many pages until they had compiled an order that could be dutifully posted to the seed company.

Then the waiting game began until the day that a fat package was shoved through the letterbox and its opening and the sorting of the seeds therein created another wave of seed-based euphoria.

Rarer breed

These days there are still seed catalogues of course, and gardeners who order from them and who no doubt experience the same highs, but they are certainly a somewhat rarer breed than they were – even within avid gardening circles.

There are a few reasons for this change; firstly there has been an obvious switch to online ordering by many grow-from-seed aficionados where it is much easier and quicker to select what is required even though this way or purchasing loses a degree of that initial excitement and tactile resonance that a physical catalogue can elicit.

Another reason for the demise of the catalogue is that many customers no longer want the bother of growing plants in this way, preferring instead to buy young or even almost established plants, especially as seed sowing and growing seems a daunting prospect to many new gardeners.

But the reason which is more relevant to our interests as physical retailers is that many – although far from all – garden centres and similar retailers now carry a good range of seeds, and all the items required for sowing them.

‘Range is of huge importance when it comes to seed displays.’

Catalogue

This means that the retailer, or more accurately their display, has become a seed catalogue of sorts for many new – and old – gardeners.

Stores have been selling seeds from stands for decades; so it’s not like this is a new-fangled concept.

34 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

THE ROOM OUTSIDE

But as with most aspects of gardening retail there is – or should be – a renewed focus on exactly how we sell these items, how we can improve their stockturn, and how a small and relatively low value pack of seeds can be turned into a more lucrative and expansive sale by applying a few simple retail ideas to the category so that it becomes something more than a dusty, forlorn, empty-looking stand tucked in between some more profitable products on the shop floor.

Range is of huge importance when it comes to seed displays in any retail environment, as a couple of small stands – one for seeds and one for vegetables – is hardly going to incentivise or inspire any gardener.

Customers expect and deserve to see a decent selection of packets on stands when they visit any retailer who sees themselves as even remotely interested in gardening.

It has been proven that to sell anything approaching a profitable amount of seeds you need to have a ‘wall’ of stands within the store.

If there is enough then it can be a twosided stand which is shoppable from both sides but it certainly needs to scream ‘choice’ to the customer.

Issues

This style of display has a number of issues of course, one being the space it takes up on the floor, which can be generally justified because retailers should have their peak display of seeds and accessories at a time when more ‘summery’ lines are not selling and need less space.

And therefore they can be a part of an ebb-and-flow system where the space for seeds is allowed to shrink back in summer when lines that sell better at that time of the year are starting to take off.

The other issue with such a big display of seeds is topping up the stock that sells out fast.

This is where a good relationship with the seed company and their merchandisers should be exploited in order for those stands to be constantly remerchandised and topped up.

Alternatively, a good purchasing manager will make sure to have seeds of best-selling lines stockpiled and have a constant weekly flow of top-up orders arriving in store on a weekly basis at the peak of the seed sowing season.

A reliable EPOS system with historical data can prove invaluable in these cases.

Advice on their potential purchases is one of the many reasons why customers visit your business, and this is particularly true for seeds.

Easy

This can be a little daunting for staff at times, especially new recruits, but in fact the seed companies these days have made it incredibly easy to source and dispense this advice, as it is printed on the reverse of most seed packs.

Any staff member who learns a few terms like ‘annual’ or ‘perennial’ and knows what the symbols and planting guide on the back of the pack means can easily answer most customer’s queries.

One of the most important aspects of ensuring the profitability of the seed department is of course the add-on sales such as seed trays, compost and other miscellaneous accessories.

Sadly, these can often be hidden in a completely different area of the shop, and while there is some merit with having them displayed with plastic pots and other bulky planting paraphernalia there really should be a more-than-decent selection available to purchase with the seed stands.

Clip-strips of needful things such as

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 35

THE ROOM OUTSIDE

plant labels and seed sowers can be hung – appropriately – from the seed stands in order to generate extra sales and drive the department into profitability.

The definitive add-on sale to aspire to is selling a glasshouse to a customer who just wanted to buy a packet of tomato seeds!

Crucial

Finally, promotion of your seed selection and accessories is crucial in getting customers into your store to make that in-person purchase.

Thankfully social media is very much geared up for such a task, where new varieties and new products can be shown and demonstrated relatively easy to the right audience.

This is where we can reinject that excitement of the arrival of the seed catalogue, by using clever videos and inspirational images to literally sell the promise of a stunning summer colour, or of tasty grow-your-own vegetables to a whole new generation of would-be gardeners.

Liam

Since establishing Retail Services & Solutions in 2007, Liam has become one of the most effective people within the retail side of Irish horticulture.

His knowledge of the mindset and ethos of those in this sector, combined with his problem-solving ability, experience and hands-on work ethic make him uniquely placed to offer advice and help to those who need it.

Key to his success is his knowledge of purchasing, pricing and sales combined with his understanding of layout, signage and merchandising, and how the interaction of these can lead to increased sales and profits.

086 8221494 - retailsands@gmail. com 36 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

Products and Show News 2024

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Product News

The Pipelife Way You may think you know Pipelife but even then, you may not have the complete picture of what we have to offer.

Pipelife is Ireland’s leading manufacturer and provider of plastic piping systems.

Specialising in the extrusion of polyethylene (PE) pipes, Pipelife offers industry-leading products for the heating & plumbing, water pressure, electricity, cable ducting, gas and agricultural sectors.

With the acquisition of Cork Plastics back in 2021 this has allowed Pipelife to extend our product portfolio and market presence.

Complementary

The Cork Plastic’s product ranges were very complementary to Pipelife Ireland’s existing product ranges, with the additional advantage of providing a very solid sales presence in underground sewage, aboveground soil products and Rainwater and Roofline.

Drawing on over 50 years of manufacturing experience from our production plant in Cork, Pipelife has been to the forefront in developing innovative products and has been an industry leader for many years.

Padjoe Barry, National Sales Manager,

commented, ‘Our primary goal is to be a provider of industry-leading products and services to the building sector.

‘Pipelife recognises that modern systems require fully designed specifications that our customers can have confidence in.

‘As such, we are investing heavily in in-house design services, particularly, but by no means exclusively, in the heating sector.

‘We will provide custom-designed systems to the building, with full-design indemnity insurance and full-life after-sales support services.

‘Our motto has been “Our Reputation, your peace of mind”, and this goal remains the cornerstone of everything we do.

‘Pipelife is the leading manufacturer of quality, certified, below ground drainage solutions covering sewer applications.

‘This includes pipework, fittings, access junctions and larger inspection chambers.

‘The Pipelife Universal Access Junction is quickly becoming the product of choice in the trade and amongst contractors due to its ease of installation and reliability – install it and walk away and importantly, as a homeowner, it’s design prevents blockages.

‘Most importantly all our underground

38 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

sewer products meet the requirement of both the Irish Building Regulations and Irish Water’s Code of Practice and all products are independently certified.’

High quality

Pipelife, is also a name synonymous with high quality PVC-U roofline products for new build and home improvement projects, with its wide range of rainwater systems.

Our range of rainwater systems – Xtraflo, Niagara, Hi-Cap, Half Round, Square and MiniFlo offer a wide choice of profile design, both traditional and modern, in a range of colours to suit all tastes and applications.

The Pipelife reputation for technical excellence, competitively priced and quality finished products have established the company as a leading supplier of PVC-U plastic building products.

We also offer a range of Fascia Boards for use in both new build work, total replacement or refurbishment by covering existing timber.

Our PVC-UE Cladding Systems are suitable for external use on buildings as a decorative and protective facing, fixed vertically, horizontally or diagonally over both brick, block, masonry and timber framed walling.

Product News Game changer

Our Qual-Pex Plus+ Easy-Lay Pipe – another game changer from Pipelife.

Whether you are repairing a water pipe, installing an underfloor heating system, upgrading your heating or plumbing a system on a new house, Pipelife Ireland provides proven solutions that save you time, reduce costs, and have the versatility to overcome the most difficult situations.

Designed to complement our existing ranges of Qual-Pex Easy-Crimp and Tectite fittings, this pipe is also recommended for use with standard brass compression fittings, and manifolds, as well as with some specific press and push-fit fittings.

Available in Tan lengths and coils, in imperial sizes of ½” (14.7mm), ¾” (21.0mm), and 1” (27.4mm), and white metric sizes of 16mm, 20mm, 26mm & 32mm. Plus comes with our market-leading 50-Year Guarantee offering you more certainty to install with confidence.

Multiple package solutions design service

Our Renewables division covers every aspect of underfloor heating and integrated renewables and delivers fully designed,

energy efficient systems to a range of Installers, Developers, Builders, Engineers & Architects.

Whether you’re building a new house, adding an extension or renovating your home, we can help you find the right system for your project As Underfloor Heating is now the most common method of heating homes in Ireland today it is important to note that the most critical component of an underfloor heating system is the pipework that will be buried in the concrete floor of your home.

Once installed, this pipework will be encased and inaccessible for the lifetime of your home.

Any problems associated with this pipework would entail the floor of your home being dug up causing massive disruption.

It is critical that all components used, but especially the pipework, are top quality and fully backed by reputable manufacturers.

Pipelife is the only supplier that manufactures its own specialised underfloor heating pipe in Ireland.

Guarantee

Plus+ ‘Easy-Lay’ Multilayer Pipe with a 50-year guarantee!

We provide full design indemnity insurance on all our heating solution systems so you can rest assured our system will deliver on what we promise, providing you with a home heating solution you can rely on for decades to come, safe in the knowledge we will always be there to support you if the need ever arises.

The nationwide Pipelife Eco team of experienced design and technical service engineers always provides complete support to installers to ensure successful completion of Pipelife ECO projects.

Pipelife is a company with annual revenues of €1bn a year. We operate in 28 countries and employ 3,000 employee’s in 28 manufacturing locations.

Pipelife is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Wienerberger Group, with group revenues of over €4bn per year and 16,000 employee’s worldwide.

This long history plus the financial strength of Pipelife is the best guarantee we can offer you that we will be there to support our products over the long lifetimes expected of those products.

We offer our Guaranteed Irish Qual-Pex

For more information and to talk to our team call us on 021 488 4700 or e-mail us at ireland@ pipelife.com and check out our website www.pipelifeeco.ie HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 39

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Product News Onwards and upwards at Central Key & Hardware Co. NEW Product Catalogue

2024 Unit 3 Dunboyne Business Park Dunboyne, County Meath Ph. 01 8252929 sales@centralkey.com www.centralkey.com

‘Central Key & Hardware Co. have been wholesaling locks and keys in Ireland for over 50 years’, we are reminded. ‘During this

time we have operated from both our Dublin City and Dunboyne branches.

‘In order to strengthen our position, we will be moving all operations to our Dunboyne branch.

‘This will make even more talent and expertise available to our customers under one roof.

‘We will still represent the usual manufacturers that you associate with us such as ABUS locks, Silca keys, Dorma door closers, L&F cam locks and many more.

New

‘In 2024 we see us bringing new product ranges to market; we have our new 2024 product catalogue, our new web shop for B2B customers, several new key machines and new general hardware products due to launch.

‘We recently introduced our new key board displays which have been very well received.

‘These simplify the whole key-cutting process.

‘If you need your key-cutting operation updated, please let us know. We are at stand F1 at the Hardware Show.

‘We are looking forward to “providing profitable solutions for our customers” in 2024!’

Spotlight on Fleetwood!

With the arrival of the new year, it’s an opportune moment for rejuvenation and embracing fresh starts, extending beyond our personal lives to the spaces we inhabit, both in work and at home.

Invigorate

During the colder months, the allure of indoor home improvement beckons, offering the perfect chance to invigorate areas like our hallway, stairs, kitchen cabinets and tired-looking furniture.

Fleetwood Advanced trim paint is your ideal solution for these transformations, delivering an impeccable finish.

Fleetwood Advanced is available in three finishes, so you have the perfect go-to for your projects: low lustre eggshell, mid sheen satinwood, and high gloss.

Fleetwood Advanced caters to every design aspiration. The Eggshell finish offers

a delicate, low-lustre appearance that beautifully enriches all colours whilst the very popular Satinwood sheen works to subtly accentuate all muted and vibrant colours.

The High Gloss finish is a firm favourite in the Irish market and over the last year the glossy look has gained in popularity worldwide amongst interior design professionals due to its vivid and highly reflective colour reproduction properties.

Prevailing

For 2024, the prevailing colour trends are shifting towards more serene and grounding hues, moving away from the neutral greys to embrace warmer blush tones, tranquil blues, and refreshing aqua greens.

Fleetwood Advanced meets this trend head-on, offering customization in any of these sought-after shades across all finishes.

Alongside colour trends, the momentum towards environmentally conscious choices is growing, with a collective effort to bring sustainable products into our homes.

Fleetwood Advanced has been formulated with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and minimal odour that ensures a healthier painting process that’s kinder to the planet.

Fleetwood Advanced formula also

adheres to the stringent standards of the Toy Safety Directive (TSD) 2009/48/ EC, making it an exemplary selection for nurseries, child bedrooms and playrooms.

Optimal

For optimal results with Fleetwood Advanced, we recommend pairing it with our Advanced brush, available in various sizes to meet the scope of your project, and our Flawless microfibre rollers, offered in multiple nap sizes for every surface.

It’s worth noting that for exterior projects, Fleetwood Advanced promises an impressive 10- year exterior protection.

It’s ideal for a myriad of surfaces, including kitchen cabinets, skirting, architraves, radiators indoors, and garden furniture, fences, sheds, gates, metal fixtures, PVC, and terracotta outdoors.

Endure

Our surroundings significantly influence our daily lives, and a fresh coat of Fleetwood Advanced paint can play a pivotal role in crafting spaces that not only inspire and comfort but also endure through the years, reflecting the essence of a well-considered and beautifully maintained home.

Fleetwood Advanced is now available in a 10l size in a Brilliant White finish in all Fleetwood Paints stockists.

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 41

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Product News

Snickers Workwear invented the modern work trouser over 50 years ago, and they’ve continued to reinvent them ever since.

You have a job to do, and Snickers Workwear trousers have the durability and functionality you need to get it done...

Trousers that work as hard as you Snickers Workwear trousers are designed to meet the specific demands of different jobs and working conditions. They’re packed with intelligent details and smart solutions that solve the everyday problems you can run up against in the building and construction industries.

Made to last

Hard work and even harder working conditions will put your trousers to the test.

That’s why Snickers Workwear trousers have the durability necessary to crawl, climb and carry your way through whatever your workday can throw at you.

And that’s no matter if it’s boiling hot, freezing cold, or soaking wet. Snickers Workwear is hard-working and long-lasting.

Sustainability means durability

At Snickers Workwear, we know that durability and sustainability go hand-inhand. The longer our clothes last, the less environmental impact they have.

This simple, fundamental insight is the

cornerstone of our sustainability efforts and influences everything we do.

We have always believed in making hard-working, long-lasting workwear. And we’re committed to continue doing so, in close collaboration with our production facilities where we work with continuous improvements for both social and environmental accountability.

All while working to reduce our carbon footprint.

Design & product development

Our design and product development philosophy has remained the same since the company started bringing end-user perspective and functionality into the process right from the start.

Successful workwear development all boils down to solving a problem and finding the optimal balance between functionality, ergonomics, safety, shape/size/material, design and sustainability.

Never compromise on quality

Quality is the best investment for your wallet and the environment.

Keep testing

Involve end users from beginning to end.

New techniques and solutions must always stem from functionality and be thoroughly tested.

It’s what they’ve always done

Snickers Workwear invented the modern work trouser over 50 years ago, and they’ve continued to reinvent them ever since.

Snickers Workwear utilise the latest technologies and match them with innovative fabrics and materials to construct trousers that are the first choice for professional craftsmen and craftswomen everywhere.

Contact your Hultafors Group Ireland (Snickers Workwear) Area Sales Manager for further information about the range, call: +353 (0)1 409 8400 or email: info@ hultaforsgroup.ie

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 43

Trousers that work as hard as you

Hultafors Group Ireland

Unit B5, Calmount Business Park, Ballymount Dublin 12 Tel: +353 (0)1 409 8400 | Email: Info@hultaforsgroup.ie

Product News Stafford.ie are at The Trade Show 2024 John Stafford & Sons are delighted to announce that they are exhibiting at the RDS hardware trade fair on the 18 /19 February 2024, stand number H17 with over 16m of products on display!

We welcome our customers, both old and new, to view our new ranges from Protool, AC Brooklyn, MPS Germany, Hilka, John Deere and our New exclusive Truper ranges.

New Products

John Stafford & Sons continues to add new high-quality products to their range.

Recently, they became the exclusive agents in Ireland and the UK for Truper and John Deere Garden tools.

Since the launch of these products last year, these brands have become incredibly popular with their existing loyal customer base and new customers alike.

MPS made in Germany, is a fantastic addition to their 2400 products, which we already supply, full point of sale display units are available to enhance customer experience.

Today, MPS is defined by innovative thinking, advanced technology and exclusive, unique products.

MPS is amongst Europe’s leading producers of saw blade technology. They are proud of the fact that this vision, forged in their founding years, is stronger than ever.

MPS are firmly committed to operating in Germany – and adhere to their promise

of quality, as expressed by the traditional ‘Made in Germany’ stamp of excellence.

Variety

They produce blades for a variety of applications, including jigsaws, reciprocating, circular, sabre and hole saw blades.

All the materials and production methods meet the most demanding requirements.

The first-rate steel varieties they use come from Germany, Austria and Sweden.

In 2024 our exclusive brands, including AC Brooklyn & Protool have launched an extensive range of new products and will continue doing so into the future.

We continue to invest in our large stockholding for maximum availability.

With over 36,000ft of warehousing our new head office is on a 2-acre site at Bellefield, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford Y21 E0F5

AC Brooklyn New product Launches

AC Brooklyn continue supply their customers with high quality, durable products, with extra margin opportunity at retail.

The range has expanded in the past 12 months and includes a comprehensive power tool accessory range including our new Diamond range from 115mm to 450mm.

Also extended is our Air Compressors Range from 9L to 200L, Power Washers,

Garden and Power Tools.

Check out STAFFORD.IE or more information on AC Brooklyn’s exciting new range.

For further information on how to become a stockist, please email sales@stafford.ie or phone our sales team on (053) 936 7246.

A message from DS Supplies DS Supplies’ latest addition to the Greenfx artificial hedge screening is a Floral collection mounted onto a heavy-duty PVC expanding trellis.

Made to last

Best quality, UV protected and made to last – suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

Perfect for screening around apartment balconies, on fencing, over bare looking walls around the home & garden.

Check out our website for more information dssupplies.com

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Product News A message from Flogas Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors, whether you’re planning a weekend getaway in a caravan or simply hosting a backyard barbecue with friends and family.

With Flogas, you can make the most of your time outside without worrying about running out of fuel.

Ideal

Flogas offers a range of Gaslight cylinders that are ideal for outdoor activities such as boating, caravanning, and camping.

These cylinders are designed to be

lightweight and easy to transport so you can take them with you wherever you go.

They are incredibly easy to connect, and the semi translucent cylinder means that you can always see how much gas you have.

Flogas Gaslight cylinders are also a great choice for those who want to host outdoor gatherings at home.

Perfect

With their compact, rustproof design and easy-to-use features, they are perfect for powering your barbecue, patio heater, or other outdoor appliances.

To get started with Flogas Gaslight cylinders, simply visit our website

46 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

www.flogas.ie and find a distributor using our handy ‘locate your nearest supplier’ function.

You can also learn more about the benefits of using Flogas Gaslight cylinders, including their high-performance, longlasting design.

Get ready to make the most of this summer outdoors with Flogas.

LPG

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Energy for everyone

K8: the leading digital business solution for builders’ merchants

Your business. Your way.

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• Cloud-based software that’s secure and scalable • Get trading online and open up new channels to market • Automate your supplier invoice process • Digital apps to drive your busy warehouse Ȣ tÐĉďŒÐ Ĩ­ĨÐī ŦďœĮș ðĉĨīďŒÐ ÐŨÆðÐĊÆðÐĮ

Join us at

18th & 19th February

+44 (0) 1488 662000 www.kerridgecs.com

Stand F19

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See the ranges on Stand A9 at The Hardware Show

plastic Regeneration

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Coolrain Sawmills Ltd. Coolrain, Co. Laois, Ireland. R32 AH67 T: +353 57 85 10062 E: gardenliving@coolrainsawmills.ie www.gardenliving.ie www.coolrainsawmills.ie

Product News Building the future: trends, digitisation and processes in 2024 Recent decades have seen rapid technological change. Digitalisation, automation, and other technological advances have been identified as one of the major trends changing business and are transforming industries globally.

The use of digital technologies has enabled companies to not just sell extra, but to reshape the business by optimising resource, increase staff productivity, work more efficiently, and optimise supply chains.

This not only aids in reducing costs and increasing profits but provides businesses with greater flexibility and reactivity that contributes to an increase in customer loyalty and satisfaction, offering a better allround customer experience.

As we enter 2024, James Mitchell, Managing Director UK & Ireland at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has identified the ERP trends he anticipates being key for the merchant industry in 2024.

1. Efficient inventory management The triple supply shocks of Brexit, Covid and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have begun to fade easing the restrictions on demand and reducing the costs of inventory.

While this is positive news for the industry, it does bring potential challenges for merchants who have purchased items at increased costs during times of higher rates of inflation and when supply was restricted.

‘Keeping a tight rein on your stock is essential, with a strong ERP system, such as K8, a business’s entire stock is opened up to assessment and analysis.

‘It’s simple to rebalance supply and demand, purchasing and sales, movements,

and replenishments, allowing business to significantly improve their ability to respond to changes within the market.

‘Prices can be electronically uploaded from suppliers to ensure they’re always up-to-date, customer prices are based on purchase prices to ensure you retain a profitable business.

‘Being able to gain full visibility and track stock movements, transfers, and availability in an instant allows you to take any corrective action if required.

‘You can even source stock at the quotation stage to ensure it will be available for your important contracts,’ Explains James Mitchell.

2. Cloud and security Businesses are becoming more and more vulnerable to the threat of increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks than ever before as cyber criminals harness the power of AI. Attacks can lead to complete loss of systems and data, exposure to hackers, and poor performance.

Data security should never be overlooked, selecting a reputable ERP provider will ensure that best practices are followed with regards to data authentication, access control and encryption.

If you aren’t already using cloud software, then it’s time to mitigate these risks and make the switch.

Running your business solution on-premise, your hardware and the operating systems used to run it could be outdated and be at risk of failure - especially if you haven’t upgraded in the last few years.

‘At KCS, all our solutions are available as SaaS in the cloud,’ says James Mitchell. ‘This offers you enhanced data protection and real flexibility in how you work.

‘Additionally, we run our cloud system called K-Cloud. Fully certified for security and quality, you can increase capacity without a

large investment and smoothly scale your business as required.’

3. Advancements in ERP intelligence As ERP solutions continue to evolve, they’re incorporating technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and robotic process automation (RPA).

Once fully integrated, the ERP system performs tasks for the merchant that once required manual operation, ‘for example, in K8, merchants can increase forecasting accuracy by analysing sales history and building in seasonable variables, safety stock and planned growth, avoiding overstocking or running out of stock. This development saves costs while freeing up time for employees to focus on the business areas that generate more revenue.’ explains James Mitchell.

4. Maximising opportunity in times of low economic growth As a key provider of software and business solutions to industry, KCS understand that ERP software is the driving force behind our customers business.

Here are just a few ways K8 and digitising your businesses can help maximise opportunities and keep your business on track in 2024: Sell for the right price every time Selling prices can be linked directly to cost prices to protect your margins, K8 has in-built functionality that highlights exceptions should this drop below acceptable levels or into a negative.

HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 49

Product News Optimise your stock holdings Don’t let stock gather dust on your shelves. K8 highlights excess stock and can suggest internal sourcing and redeployment to ensure stock is never left on the shelves for too long.

Easy upload of data Stop manually regularly uploading new supplier cost prices, you can schedule these to update on a specified date and time and avoid the hassle of late-night data maintenance.

Dynamic stock maintenance Keep on top of changing customer buying

patterns, minimum and maximum stock holdings are calculated on the most up to date figures to keep you ahead of the curve in today’s volatile market.

Keep your customers in the loop Provide your customers with instant access to price and availability with an integrated online web solution that allows your customers to access your products and services when they need them, together with their own account details such as invoices, balances, and payments.

You can also reduce time spent searching through prices and reports by emailing price lists directly to the customers you want.

The arrival of BOOST BOOST has been a while in coming and overdue since we at Irish Abrasives first introduced the long-life cutting orange discs back in 1992 to the Irish market.

Post pandemic manufacturing costs have gone through the roof and in our case have shifted the price quality relationship of our Super Quality1 orange range, hence we were forced back to the drawing board to produce something new.

Greatly improved

BOOST is a new and greatly improved product adding 60% more life to our 9’’, 230mm Steel Disc, at a reduced price of 36%.

Over the coming months we envisage all our Super Quality1 range to carry the BOOST label says Declan Cuddy, Sales Director of Irish Abrasives.

This year, 2024, is out thirty-ninth year in business and we wish to thank all our customers for their support and loyalty over the years.

For further information Email, info@irishabrasives.ie, or visit www.irishabrasives.ie, or phone their sales team at +353 87 2595884, 87 1242102, 86 8400535,87 2554003.

Most ERP providers can – and should – keep up a continual level of investment in new features. Product development and ongoing investment help you thrive in today’s challenging marketplace.

But the same also applies to your organisation. From your ERP software to your web presence, finance and accounting, optimising your systems and processes through digitalisation strengthens your business model and improves customer service.

‘By giving your staff the digital tools to stay ahead of your competitors, you can use the latest technology to streamline tasks and gain greater efficiencies in 2024,’ concludes James.

A successful year for I.S. Varian & Co. Last year, 2023, proved to be a successful year for I.S. Varian & Co. Despite the uncertain economic environment its staples of Brush ware, Mops, Mats, Decorating Accessories, Homewares and Brabantia all saw volume sales growth.

Refreshing

Throughout the year, a big emphasis was put on revamping display sections, the introduction and placement of new signage and stands – all with the objective of refreshing the look of the product sections and increasing sales.

2024 will see a continuation of this strategy and retailers are invited to discuss their requirements with their local territory manager.

I.S. Varian & Co will be present at the 2024 Hardware Show (Stand A9), where, together with their sister company Dosco, they will be highlighting some of their new products plus some of their key partner brands.

50 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

Product News Bostik acquires Arc Building Products

With the acquisition of Arc Building Products, Bostik will strengthen its position in Ireland’s growing construction adhesives market with a broader range of solutions and a local manufacturing footprint.

Specialises

Arc Building Products specialising in tile adhesives, floor preparation systems, building chemicals and sealing and bonding solutions, has built a solid position in the Irish market, delivering first-class system solutions with a strong emphasis on customer service.

Building on its strong position in Ireland for over 60 years, Bostik is poised to leverage significant industrial and commercial synergies through this acquisition.

By integrating Arc’s product range, Bostik will expand its portfolio of high value-added solutions for the growing Irish construction market, driven by increasing needs for sustainable housing and renovation.

Invest

Bostik will also invest significantly in the Arklow site to increase the local production of its solutions.

Robert Massey, managing director of Bostik UK & Ireland says: ‘This acquisition underscores Bostik’s dedication to offering

premium, sustainable solutions.

‘We warmly welcome Arc’s skilled team and anticipate unlocking growth opportunities for both companies and our valued customer base.’

Peter Morrissey, commercial director at Bostik Ireland, adds: ‘We’re enthusiastic about the prospects this merger offers our customers.

‘Together, Bostik and ARC are primed to provide the market with an expansive product range, manufactured in Ireland, enhancing and enriching our commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability.’

Visit us at The Bostik & ARC Stand C18 at the HAI Trade Show in Simmonscourt. We will be delighted to see you there.

DURR

OW

CWP Ltd Trim Co.Meath, C15 X7VW Tel: 046 9546007 Email: info@cwp.ie www.cwp.ie

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HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 | 51

THE FINAL SAY

The 5 words emotionally intelligent people never use to show empathy, caring, and support Want to be a more empathetic leader? Research shows not making a common assumption helps you listen better, understand more, and genuinely show you care, says Jeff Haden.

Good leaders are sympathetic, able to understand and support other people with compassion and sensitivity.

Empathetic Great leaders are also empathetic, able to experience and relate to the thoughts, emotions, or experiences of others.

Research backs that up. One study found that when people feel their leaders are empathetic, they feel more engaged, more included, less likely to consider leaving, and even more innovative.

So, yeah: Empathy matters.

Depending on how you show it.

Assume According to a study published in Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, we tend to assume that other people share our feelings about similar experiences – especially when you know them relatively well.

Family, friends, employees – the better you know the person, the more you assume you share the same feelings.

As the researchers write: We argue that people engage in active monitoring of strangers’ divergent perspectives because they know they must, but that they ‘let down their guard’ and rely more on their own perspective when they communicate with a friend.

Which means you listen less closely. You ask fewer questions. You assume you know how the other person feels.

Tend Even knowing that you tend to make assumptions doesn’t really help. Taking a step back to reflect on what the other

person thinks and feels can further decrease the accuracy of your assumptions, because it still means you’re making assumptions.

In short? Trying to show you’re empathetic makes you seem less empathetic.

Especially when you say this: ‘I know how you feel’.

Stop saying you know how it feels For one thing, it’s impossible to know how another person feels, no matter how well you know them. Worse, by saying, ‘I know how you feel’, and then trying to prove you understand by sharing a story of your own, you shift the attention from them to you.

Now it’s kind of about them, and kind of about you.

Or, if your attempt to show empathy – however well-intended – causes them to shut down, maybe all about you.

What should you do instead? Listen, and ask simple questions. Ask how the situation made the person feel.

How they reacted. How things turned out. What they feel would help improve the situation.

Don’t try to show empathy by saying, ‘I know how you feel. I remember the time ...’

Just say, ‘That sounds like it feels terrible.’

Or better yet: ‘That’s terrible.’

Stop trying to put yourself in other people’s shoes Or, if it’s unclear how the person feels, just ask.

Say: ‘How did that make you feel?’ Or: ‘What did you think about that?’ Otherwise, your experience – and your attempt to put yourself in someone else’s shoes – may

52 | HARDWARE & HOMESTYLE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024

cause you to totally misread the situation.

Like the time a man I had just met shook his head, gestured across the room, and said: ‘That guy wanted to talk about my heart attack.’

‘I know how you feel,’ I said. ‘I hate when people want to have a deep discussion about how it “impacted” me. I never think about it.’

Looked He turned and looked at me. ‘I think about mine all the time,’ he said.

That’s an example of what Adam Grant calls the perspective gap, the impossibility of truly putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.

Every experience, no matter how likely to be shared in a general sense, is still unique in specific. Plus, while you may share a similar experience, we all react differently to those experiences.

I’m pretty shallow, so I don’t dwell on my heart attack. (I never think about it unless the subject comes up.) The man I met thinks about his more often.

Neither response is better or worse; just different.

That’s why I should have said: ‘How did that go?’ Or: ‘What did he want to know?’ Or: ‘What did you talk about?’

Encourage If you want to show empathy, the best way is to encourage the person to share their thoughts. Their feelings. Without making assumptions.

And without sharing your thoughts and feelings, unless you’re asked.

Especially when that person is someone you think you know fairly well.

By Jeff Haden, contributing editor, inc.@ jeff_haden

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