OCTOBER 2008
ACO MERCHANT_LINK THE NEWS CHANNEL FOR ACO BUILD STOCKISTS†
THE EMIRATES STORY SEE P10 FOR THE EMIRATES STADIUM AND OTHER ACO PROJECT DETAILS
SECTOR FOCUS NEW POS AND MERCHANDISING AVAILABLE See Pages 6-8
REFRESH ON PRODUCTS 2008 CHANGES TO THE ACO BUILD RANGE See Page 5
ACO MERCHANT_LINK | OCTOBER 2008
AD VE RT IS IN G NE W
Above All
ACO HexDrain Pro We consider our plastic channel to be the best on the market. Every aspect of the system has been optimised for maximum performance. www.aco.co.uk For further information on ACO advertising please contact the ACO Marketing Department on 01462 816666 or email marketing@aco.co.uk
REVIEW & COMING UP
THE FIRST ISSUE!
NEWS 4-5 INDUSTRY & ACO NEWS Industry news and refresh on ACO products 2008.
HELLO AND WELCOME TO ACO MERCHANT_LINK! “What is ACO Merchant_Link?” I hear you ask. It's a quarterly newsletter from ACO Technologies, specifically tailored for you - our merchant customers. The aim of ACO Merchant_Link is to provide you with product information and give you specific ACO and industry news that is relevant to you and your customers. ACO Merchant_Link will highlight how you can create profitable opportunities and business using ACO’s increasing product range and marketing activities. For example, the Sector Focus for this issue is on the new counter top literature and merchandising material. Ed the Editor.
SECTOR FOCUS 6-8 ACO MERCHANT SUPPORT The new range of merchandising and literature.
Communication is the key to so many things in life. For all of us in the construction product supply business, communication between manufacturer and stockist is even more important at this moment in time, due to tightening markets and unprecedented input cost increases. So our launch of ACO Merchant_Link is very timely. Ed and the team have created a very fresh and modern look to our newsletter. I trust you can agree and, more importantly, find the contents useful. We have made a lot of changes and improvements here at ACO in the last 6-9 months and it is important that you are all aware of them and benefit from them. I hope this newsletter helps in the communication of these changes. Please give us some feedback – remember communication should always be two-way to be really successful. Richard Hill, Managing Director.
OTHER FEATURES 9
WHO’S WHO? Got a question about ACO but you don’t know who to ask? The Who’s Who at ACO will show you the right person to get in contact with.
10 PRESS RE-RELEASE Focus on ACO Projects.
10 INTRODUCING… ACO DRAINSPOTTER We’ll reward all you keen eyed spotters of drains out there with prizes and the chance to become a member of an exclusive club – ACO DrainSpotter.
COMING UP… In the next issue of ACO Merchant_Link our sector focus will centre on landscaping. See what ACO is doing to meet your customers’ requirements.
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NEWS
ALL NEW ACO BUILD PRICELIST! The ACO Build Pricelist 8 was issued in August and as you may have noticed we have made a few changes. Firstly, we’ve based the pricelist on the ACO Build Product Selector (see Sector Focus for more details) and grouped our products according to application, to further aid product selection. The new pricelist also provides greater information on each product, lead times and delivery charges. Oh, and it’s now in colour! The ACO Build Pricelist 8 (and ACO Drain Pricelist 24 pictured left) are effective from 1st September 2008 until 28th February 2009. If you have not received your pricelist, please complete the reply card and put it in the post or contact us on 01462 816666.
ACO SPONSOR BUILDERS’ MERCHANT NEWS AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2008
NAMES AND FACES NEW ACO EMPLOYEE PROFILE Name:
Neil Higg ins
Position: ACO Academ Product Tr y aining Ma nager Responsibi lities: Ne il joined May 2008. ACO Academ Neil is re y in sponsible Academy’s for all th internal and extern e resources al traini and will ng continue training to delive roll out r the for 2008.
As you are probably aware it is award time again and ACO is proud to be associated with the BMN Awards for Excellence 2008, which take place in November at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London. ACO is sponsoring the Trainee of the Year Award, a category that we are proud to sponsor for the 3rd year running. We hope you’ve submitted your nominations - good luck to all the finalists!
my is to provide the The objective of ACO Acade tively sell ACO necessary knowledge to effec quality advice to products and provide high a free service which customers. The training is -counter sales and is proven to improve cross increase stock turnover. rements contact Neil For all your training requi 816666 on academy@aco.co.uk or 01462 Adam Elwell, EH Smith, Solihull (pictured above) receiving The Best Builders’ Merchants Trainee Award 2007 from television & radio presenter John Humphrys and Richard Hill, Managing Director, ACO Technologies.
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NEWS
REFRESH ON THE ACO BUILD PRODUCTS: 2008 During the past year, ACO has made a number of changes to the ACO Build product range to match the requirements of our customers. To help keep you up to date, here is a quick guide to some of these changes. ACO DOORWAY DRAIN:
ACO HEXDRAIN:
ACO HEXDRAIN BRICKSLOT:
High quality threshold drainage assembly. Load Class A 15.
High quality domestic drainage channel. Load Class A 15.
High quality slot drainage channel. Load Class A 15.
Typical Applications: Level threshold.
Typical Applications: Driveways, paths, patios, pedestrian precincts.
Typical Applications: Building threshold, driveways, garage thresholds, pathways.
ACO HexDrain Garage Pack also available
NEW! ACO RAINDRAIN:
ACO HEXDRAIN PRO:
ACO RAINDRAIN PRO:
Polymer concrete domestic drainage channel. Load Class A 15 (with galvanised steel grating) and B 125 (with cast iron grating).
High quality general purpose channel. Load Class B 125 and C 250.
Polymer concrete general purpose channel drainage. Load Class B 125 and C 250.
Typical Applications: Commercial developments, light industrial units, pedestrian precincts, private and public parking, residential developments, schools.
Typical Applications: Commercial developments, light industrial units, pedestrian precincts, private and public parking, residential developments, schools.
Typical Applications: Block-paved driveways, pedestrian precincts, small private car parks.
TO COMPLEMENT THESE NEW RANGES, NEW PRODUCT LITERATURE THAT FOCUSES ON APPLICATION AND CUSTOMER CHOICE IS NOW AVAILABLE – SEE SECTOR FOCUS FOR DETAILS.
ACO MERCHANT_LINK | 5
SECTOR FOCUS
ACO Merchant Support THERE IS A NEW RANGE OF COUNTER TOP LITERATURE AND MERCHANDISING AVAILABLE. THIS RANGE IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE EASY PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION AND PRODUCT INFORMATION BOTH IN THE SALES OFFICE AND IN THE YARD.
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INTERNAL DISPENSER MERCHANDISING BOX Does this situation sound familiar: Someone walks into the branch and doesn’t know which drainage product to choose? Well, the new product selector guide is available to help out. These new selector guides make it easy for your customers to choose the right product simply by selecting the relevant application e.g. landscaping. The product selector also allows your customer to narrow down their choice by product type, load class, material, capacity and grating – It’s that easy!
If you would like to make ACO literature available to your customers but don’t have space on your counter for a full dispenser, you can also display literature using the new dispenser box (right). Just tell us which product literature you would like and we will send it to you with a dispenser box.
Once they’ve used the product selector to choose the product they need, customers can pick up product literature from the new counter top literature dispenser (pictured left). The dispenser contains leaflets for products in the ACO Build range. Each leaflet outlines all the essential product information including the key features & benefits of the product, installation details and product accessories. Some of you may have already ordered the new ACO counter top literature dispenser (which is also available for the ACO Drain range, if you were wondering) but if you haven’t and you are interested please contact the ACO Marketing department on 01462 816666 or by email, marketing@aco.co.uk
ACO MERCHANT_LINK | 7
SECTOR FOCUS - ACO MERCHANT SUPPORT - CONTINUED
EXTERNAL MERCHANDISING Our new point of sale material can also be seen in the yard with the new ACO pallet merchandisers. The stands sit behind and above a pallet of product occupying a limited amount of space. The header boards are interchangeable so can be changed to promote different products according to the pallet content, including: • ACO GroundGuard • ACO HexDrain® • ACO HexDrain® BrickSlot • ACO RainDrain® • ACO RainDrain® Pro
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WHO’S WHO? ACO IS HERE TO SUPPORT YOU IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE AND TO HELP US DO THIS WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER AN ACO DIRECTORY: ACO Academy: Neil Higgins What I’m here for: • Bespoke product training courses • In branch training
External Account Development Team: Nigel Wordley and John Rogers
To contact the ACO Academy please email academy@aco.co.uk or phone on 01462 816666
What we’re here for: • Customer liaison and relationship building • External sales representation • Business plans
OUR TEAM ON THE ROAD External sales team Our Sales and Business Development Teams are there to help you. For further information on the representatives in your region, please contact the ACO Build Sales Team on 01462 816666 or email buildsales@aco.co.uk
Internal Account Development Team: Suellyn Schofield and Chris Hollis What we’re here for: • Processing orders • Enquiries regarding outstanding orders • Price enquiries • Stock enquiries To contact the this team please email customersupport@aco.co.uk or phone 01462 816666
Design Services: Anil Bangher and Zoe Gates What we’re here for: • Product technical support • Installation advice service • Computer-aided scheme designs
NEXT TIME…
To contact Design Services please email draintechnical@aco.co.uk or phone on 01462 816666
Marketing: Charlotte Lloyd and Ed Strangeways What we’re here for: • Literature requests • POS and merchandising • Media support, e.g. photos for websites To contact us please email marketing@aco.co.uk or phone on 01462 816666
meet the internal sales team ACO MERCHANT_LINK | 9
PRESS RE-RELEASE
ACO PROJECTS You already know of the day to day uses for ACO products – landscaping, driveways etc. However, ACO also supplies products, from our Drain and Building Drainage ranges, for a number of different projects. We’ve included a couple of press releases to give you an idea of what other types of projects we supply product for. Sorry, if you are a Spurs fan!
Designer Drainage This years Urban Traffic Scheme of the Year Award was won by Blackpool Council for its regeneration of Layton District Centre. The successful transformation of the old dual carriageway into a ‘Shared Space’ for pedestrians and motorists used close to 1000m of ACO product - ACO KerbDrain® and ACO RoadDrain®.
ACO Scores at Arsenal The Challenge To develop an attractive, high tion performance channel drainage solu rnal that could run parallel to the exte ium. curved perimeter of the new stad
COMING SOON… ACO DRAINSPOTTER YOUR EYE ON THE GROUND It’s true to say that once you’ve worked with ACO for a while you develop a strange tendency, when wandering about, to notice things that others miss. Yep, we’re talking drainage. Despite the obvious health hazards involved when walking about with your eyes fixed firmly on the ground, the rewards of this unique pastime are tremendous. And now, with the launch of a rather special competition, we can safely say that they really are. We want to reward all you keen eyed spotters of drains out there with the chance to become a member of an exclusive club – ACO DrainSpotter. And it couldn’t be simpler to get access… As you trot about the globe, if you see any ACO product anywhere interesting – be it the country, the setting or for any other reason, take a picture and send it in to us.
However, the standard products colour and texture did not sit in harmony with the schemes finish. Working closely with Blackpool’s engineers, ACO’s production team devised a new method of treatment to expose the aggregate beneath the surface of the ACO KerbDrain® and ACO RoadDrain® sections, allowing for a precise match to the designer’s colour requirements.
The Approach lengths By installing a series of different a slight of straight drainage channel with fect -per near a of ce aran appe the t, offse ted. crea curve could be The Product l A modular-based, full stainless stee single-invert system fitted with compressible neoprene flanges and perforated stainless steel gratings.
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The top pictures we receive as judged by our Spotter-in-Chief (yes, we have one) will receive not only a £50 John Lewis shopping voucher, but a mug, a sticker, lifetime VIP membership of the ACO DrainSpotter club and, most valued of all, the eternal respect of the entire drainage community.
KEEP ‘EM PEELED!
ACO Drain Dr Spotter
ACO PRICELISTS The ACO Build Pricelist (issue 8) and ACO Drain Pricelist (issue 24) are effective from 1st September 2008 until 29th February 2009.
ACO MERCHANT_LINK MUGS To receive a copy of either price list or a free ACO Merchant Link mug* please fill out the enclosed reply paid card, and put it in the post.
*whilst stocks last ACO MERCHANT_LINK | 11
ACO Technologies plc ACO Business Park, Hitchin Road, Shefford, Bedfordshire SG17 5TE Tel: 01462 816666 Fax: 01462 815895 e-mail Sales: customersupport@aco.co.uk e-mail Technical: draintechnical@aco.co.uk website: www.aco.co.uk
The ACO Group: A strong family you can depend on.
ACO CARES ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT Printed on material approved by the Pan European Forest Certification (PEFC) who provide a means of assuring that products come from sustainably managed forests.