The Hardware Journal January/February 2021

January/February 2021

The Official Magazine of Hardware Association Ireland

WELCOME MR PRESIDENT Plus! The Garden and Outdoor Supplement

www.thehardwarejournal.ie

Freedom to design with complete peace of mind

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ignition and growth in the critical early stages of development, making it an appropriate consideration for modern methods of construction.

Smart, consistent and strong, with even greater flame retardance, ‘B’ sure to do the right thing with SMARTPLY MAX FR B**.

ge sa es m by providing excellent customer service.

While most members have a good reputation for customer service, it can always be improved. All staff, but particularly sales staff have a vital role to play in a customer centric strategy. A well trained and motivated employee is a critical resource. The right advice before a sale can demonstrate customer service from the outset and win loyal customers.

Price is a factor but only one of many – often less important than expertise and having the right products.

Many customers are buying products for the first time or may not have bought in a while and they don’t want to get it wrong. Expertise and having the right product range is key. Also, it may be worthwhile linking up with good local tradespeople and having a panel of them that you can recommend.

Recently the board of HAI bade farewell to Rachel Reddin, Keith Giblin and Kieran Burke and have welcomed Pat Moore of Chadwicks and Paul Candon of United Hardware.

In this edition we also have many interesting and insightful articles with a particular focus on gardening.

We welcome Michael O’Donohoe as President. Michael gives us an insight into his career, his view on the sector and his plans for HAI. Paul Candon also outlines his plans for Homevalue.

Timing is critical - As an essential sector, we now have an opportunity that many of our counterparts in non-essential businesses do not have. Holidays, cars, dining out /events, fashion and all the other markets that compete with us for the share of the consumers wallet will eventually be back and back in force. So, make hay!

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January/February 2021

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Firstly, wishing all a Happy and Prosperous 2021. And I believe that it will be.

While the sector faces many challenges over the next few months, the mediumand longer-term prospects are very bright.

Confidence in the sector is high – at this early stage 82% of the exhibition space for The Hardware Show in November is already taken. Opportunity is out there - Irish consumers have an unbridled desire to upscale their homes and it is our role to help them do so. Eventually we will get around to building enough homes to house the fastest growing population in Europe. Recent research by the School of Architecture in UCD, featured in this edition highlights that a large percentage of homeowners want better heated and ventilated homes. We can help them with that.

There are ongoing issues about timber and Brexit but recently most conversations with merchant and hardware shop members are about operational issues – staff issues. Covid-19 is much closer and real, and many members are grappling with devising a robust HR strategy. This will be a challenge, at least for the first quarter of the year. Supports are still there – such as the PUP, WSS and the trading online voucher. HAI are meeting with the Department of Business and Enterprise every Thursday and we will keep members up to date with developments and push for improvements for the sector.

For supplier/manufacturer members the challenge is in trying to market and sell their products remotely. Mindful of this HAI will have available a course on remote selling shortly - we will keep members informed.

Also, over the next few weeks HAI will host webinars with a focus on ecological and sustainable products. Our aim is to help supplier members market their products remotely to proprietors and employees in hardware shops and merchants.

This will culminate in a conference in April.

With our Corporate Partners we will continue to expand the range of services on offer.

Since restrictions, many members have had the welcome experience of seeing long lost customers returning and new customers crossing their threshold for the first time.

The question is – how to hold onto them? The answer is

Martin Markey Chief Executive Officer - HAI 3

contents

January/February 2021

The Official Magazine of Hardware Association Ireland

Welcome mr President January/February 2021

Scuff Resistant

shelf POS for 2021. od account manager

Plus! The Garden and Outdoor Supplement

www.thehardwarejournal.ie

FRONT COVER: Welcome Mr President.

Blackchurch Business Park, Naas Road, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, D24 C796 t +353 1 298 0969 e info@hardwareassociation.ie w www.hardwareassociation.ie @hardwareassoc ISSN 2009-5481

news

Published by: Hardware Association Ireland

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Laydex purchases Basta Locks.

Editor: Jim Copeland, editor@hardwareassociation.ie

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Winning Ways: Mannok Scoop Five Awards.

Editorial/Feature Contributor: Aoife Kinsella, Aoife@hardwareassociation.ie

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Winter in Ireland creates potential insurance problems.

Advertising Manager: Jim Copeland, jim@hardwareassociation.ie

12 Kilsaran expand Leadership Team.

Design and Production: Stephen Broad, ConceptRoom, stephen@conceptroom.co.uk

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The app that uses POS to optimise your business.

16

LMA Workwear announce expansion into Irish market.

17

HAI welcomes new members.

Printers: GPS Colour Graphics Ltd, Belfast.

Distribution: MMS Mailing Services, Dublin.

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: To advertise in The Hardware Journal and reach the key decision makers in the industry please contact Jim Copeland at 01-298 0969; email jim@hardwareassociation.ie

© 2021 All editorial contents and all advertisments prepared by the publishers and Hardware Association Ireland HAI can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributors’ articles or statements appearing in this publication and any view or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of HAI, save where indicated. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by HAI, authors, contributors, editor or publishers. The publication of advertisements does not constitute any endorsement

by HAI, authors, contributors, editor or publishers of the products advertised. Readers should take specific advice when dealing with specific situations.

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regulars 3

A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO Martin Markey introduces the latest issue of The Hardware Journal.

18 WELCOME MR PRESIDENT The Hardware Journal welcomes New HAI

President Michael O’Donohoe to his role, and he reflects on his ambitions for his term.

32 CORPORATE PARTNERS A look at HAI’s corporate partners and the

services they offer.

62 CAREERS IN HARDWARE Brian Murphy from Irish International Trading

Corporation discusses his career highlights to date.

January/February 2021

Garden & Outdoor 41 CIRET For all your decorating needs. Ciret, manufacturers of paint and decorating products, reveal their latest offerings, including paint rollers and roller accessories, brushes and masking solutions.

42 DULUX In 2021, Dulux will continue with their vision of bringing all of their exterior brands together under the umbrella of Dulux Exteriors.

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44 FLEETWOOD Fleetwood Paints have revamped their woodcare range offering for 2021.

profiles

46 RUSTINS Rustins continues to research and develop core products in wood finishing, speciality paints and decorating using new materials and technologies.

22 STORE PROFILE: HENNESSY’S HARDWARE

48 GARDEN AND OUTDOOR TRENDS A look at the latest customer garden and outdoor trends based on Instagram hashtag trend research conducted by Love the Garden.

Hennessy’s of Blessington marks 100 colourful years as a family-run independent business in its Wicklow hometown. Martin Hennessy shares the story with The Hardware Journal.

26 SUPPLIER PROFILE: TOPFORM

Steve McCarron from Topform talks to The Hardware Journal about their 45 years of success in the worktop manufacturing sector.

50 AMES TRUE TEMPER Ames True Temper record 2020 as their most successful year.

52 BORD NA MÓNA Bord na Móna is at the forefront of developing top quality growing media including peat, peat-free and peat-reduced composts.

54 HALO TILES & BATHROOMS Halo Tiles & Bathrooms are pleased to announce an expansion to its product offering with the addition of an outdoor porcelain paving range, Halo Pave.

56 RONSEAL Ronseal reveal their new products, improved formulas and extended colour palettes.

58 ATG GLOVES ATG present their range of gardening gloves that have Comfort, Performance and Cleanliness in mind.

60 WHELEHAN GARDENING Whelehan Gardening stock Evergreen’s full range of best selling products and help retailers in developing their online presence.

26 business support 66 FLEXTIME Ciaran Rowsome, CEO of FlexTime,

explains how their working time solutions work for organisations of any type and size.

features

67 TSA CONSULTANTS Tara Cooney from TSA

Consultants sets the scene on the latest Covid financial supports and the implications they have on businesses and individuals.

14 READER SURVEY 2020 The results of the recent Hardware Journal reader survey.

28 INDUSTRY LEADER INTERVIEW The Hardware Journal talks to

Paul Candon, new CEO of United Hardware, about the interesting first few months of his tenure.

30 HOME ENVIRONMENT SURVEY Findings from School of

Architecture Research (UCD) on a survey to assess levels of satisfaction with the home environment.

34 THE HARDWARE SHOW 2021 The Hardware Show set to help the industry rebuild in November 2021.

63 ECOMMERCE CASE STUDY Robert Harris from Stakelums Home & Hardware talks about their recent ecommerce upgrades and how it helped them through 2020.

January/February 2021

training 38 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT HAI launches

the first tranche of its virtual and online training solutions for 2021.

classified ads 68

A SELECTION OF CLASSIFIED ADS 5

News & Products

CUPRINOL TAKES A LEAF OUT OF MOTHER NATURE’S BOOK Cuprinol (as part of the Dulux Exteriors portfolio of expert brands) believe that your garden is an extension of your home. With Cuprinol, your customers can be confident they will find the right products to enhance and protect their garden wood and furniture. With paints and treatments for sheds, fences, decking and more they can trust that their garden wood will look great whatever the Irish weather throws at it.

When it comes to a garden that is as colourful as it is cared for, the Cuprinol woodcare range takes a leaf out of Mother Nature’s book with two expert formulas: Cuprinol Garden Shades has been specially developed to colour and protect sheds, fences and other garden wood for up to six years. Its special pigments ensure a rich colour and allow the natural texture of the woodgrain to shine through. It can also be applied on terracotta, brick and stone, to bring beautiful colours from the ‘Nature’s Neutrals’ and ‘Nature’s Bright’ colour collections to the rest of the garden.

Cuprinol 5 Year Ducksback, Cuprinol’s specialist fence treatment, has been given a new look for 2021, however the same great product qualities haven’t changed.

Perfect for rough sawn wood, its advanced non-drip formulation is enriched with wax (just like its namesake) that colours and weatherproofs sheds and fences for up to five years.

Whatever project your customers are planning, they can be confident that Cuprinol’s garden woodcare ranges have it covered.

LAYDEX PURCHASES BASTA LOCKS Ardale, the owners of Basta, the high-quality Irish handle and lock specialists, has sold the business to Laydex Building Solutions.

Emma Maye, Ardale’s Managing Director, said “It was fitting for Basta to move to Laydex, as it facilitates the next step in developing this quality Irish brand. Basta continues to have a great reputation and brand recognition in the Hardware, DIY and Building Materials sectors. This sale is a great success story for Ardale and the brand. It also provides Laydex with a quality brand to add to its range of products.”

In December 2018, Ardale purchased the Basta brand and stock from the liquidator. At that time Ardale committed to investing over ¤1 million in the company in developing the range of modern products under the brand and marketing them throughout Ireland and the UK. This positioned Basta as a premium brand, and sales increased by 75%.

Emma Maye says that the sale of the company to Laydex represents a strong return on the investment in the brand.

“We will continue to stock the products in our own retail outlets and wish Laydex every success with this great brand,” she said.

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Laydex has built a reputation for supplying a broad and dynamic range of building products to the hardware industry for the last 25 years, and this brand acquisition further strengthens their position and enhances their offering to the Irish market.

January/February 2021

MANNOK

AIRCRETE THERMAL BLOCKS

IRELAND’S BEST BLOCK FOR COMBINED THERMAL, STRUCTURAL AND FIRE PERFORMANCE.

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REDUCES HEAT LOSS THROUGH THERMAL BRIDGES

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Get in touch: sales@mannokbuild.com Tel. 1800 322 122 Or talk to your local Sales Manager BUILD WITH CONFIDENCE; BUILD WITH CONSCIENCE. IT’S MANNOK MADE. mannokbuild.com

News & Products

KERRIDGE CS STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO IRISH MARKET WITH NEW APPOINTMENT Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has strengthened its presence in the Irish market with the appointment of Noel Burke as its New Business Sales Executive, responsible for both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Based in the midlands, Noel brings 16 years of experience in general management roles, as well as area sales and operations, working for companies such as McMahons, Topline and TJ O’Mahony (HPC Group).

This new position at KCS will enable him to further expand on this experience, giving builders’ providers, hardware stores and retailers an insight into how KCS solutions can enhance the day-today running of their business.

“My main objective is to use my own experience to be able to talk to customers and demonstrate the scope of K8. This proven software solution can be of huge benefit to so many more customers and I am excited to demonstrate what it can do for them. I want to engage with people one to one and understand their daily challenges and requirements so we can advise the best solution for their business. With KCS products, we have flexibility

within a proven implementation process, which we are confident will meet their needs, regardless of the size of their business,” Noel explained.

“Choosing K8 will give customers the opportunity to have greater visibility and control over their business.

This proven toolset helps thousands of users worldwide to trade more efficiency and with full control, every day. The Noel Burke, Business Sales advantages this can deliver are Executive, Kerridge Commercial huge, and higher control means Systems. higher margin for your business.

I’m keen to help potential new customers realise this.”

Looking ahead to his first few months in the role, Noel hopes to capitalise on KCS’ existing reputation in Ireland and position its software solutions at the forefront of builders’ providers and retail minds.

“KCS spends millions every year on product development and innovation. They recognise that not every customer is the same, and what’s important for one customer’s business may not be imperative for another. With KCS products, there’s real potential to make a difference for businesses throughout Ireland.” added Noel.

Paula Hayter, KCS Sales Director said “KCS understands the importance of industry knowledge. We are frequently told by our customers how great it is that their implementation team ‘speak our language’ and are delighted that Noel has joined the KCS sales team in Ireland.” You can contact Noel via +353 (0) 87 1405483 or Noel.Burke@kerridgecs.com.

WINNING WAYS: MANNOK SCOOP FIVE AWARDS The Mannok team are celebrating a collection of new awards, the first of which came just days after their formal name change from Quinn. The company have been recognised on both sides of the Irish Sea for their achievements in innovation, products and service, three areas which they say are at the heart of the new Mannok brand.

Here in Ireland, Mannok took home their first award under their new name at the HR Leadership and Management Awards 2020, winning the Most Innovative Use of Technology Award at this year’s virtual event. This was a hotly contested category featuring giants such as LinkedIn, Bus Eireann, Vodafone and Enterprise Ireland among the contenders.

Mannok won the award for their innovative new Digital Skills Development Programme, which has transformed the way Mannok deliver their training through the use of technology and has resulted in significant benefits for both the company and its employees. The Programme was first developed for Mannok’s packaging facility and is now being rolled out across the business.

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This is the latest in a number of awards the company have received in recent years which celebrate their innovative spirit and focus on responsibility to their people, having previously received awards for their innovative Safety Hub and Creating Futures Programme.

Across the water in GB, Mannok have enjoyed a success at the National Buying Group (NBG) Awards, picking up a total of four awards recognising their products and their service to the merchant industry.

• • • •

Product of the Year: Mannok Master Grade Cement General Building Supplier of the Year Heavyside Brand of the Year Lockdown Hero of the Year January/February 2021

News & Products

ROSSES MEN’S SHED BRING TANK ENGINES BACK TO DONEGAL Men’s Sheds have a reputation as resourceful, skillful, and imaginative. There is no better example of this than the recent submission by The Rosses Men’s Shed to the MyWaste #UpcycleChallenge.

Their Thomas The Tank Engine was a big hit with the judges, winning the ¤750 first prize. Says Shedder Pat Bonner, ‘The inspiration for our project came from a shed member’s better half. She decided to brighten up their back garden by painting a Thomas The Tank Engine face on their oil tank.’

As entrants must use materials that would otherwise be discarded, the men repurposed an old oil tank and some pallets, Perspex, and an old aluminum chimney cap into the stunning tank engine creation that we see before us.

Current restrictions meant that extra health and safety measures were required and building outside in the Donegal weather also posed its own challenges‘Thomas had to be tethered during high winds and covered when it rained.’

Pat continues ‘Of all the projects over the past four years this task has generated the most enthusiasm among the members. It may sound like a childish proposition but as they say, “Adults are just children at heart... but with a few more wrinkles”.

Work in the sheds has stopped for now but the men are keeping in touch with each other and with the IMSA which has been running classes, workshops, and events online to keep everyone connected during these challenging times. The Shedders will be back in the Sheds as soon as they can - building, making, and creating. There are over 450 Men’s Sheds in Ireland - the highest concentration of sheds per capita in the world. If you would like to join a shed or want to know about our work, please visit www.menssheds.ie.

WINTER IN IRELAND CREATES POTENTIAL INSURANCE PROBLEMS Some helpful Insurance Tips from our partners at www.hardwarestoreinsurance.ie Snow and ice bring dangerous driving conditions and heightened risk of damage to your business and indeed your home.

In relation to your property and to prevent or minimise loss: •

• • • • •

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Check brickwork, slates and tiles for any cracks and carry out repairs. This will protect against water gathering and turning to ice, causing damage.

If possible, keep your heating on as this will prevent water in pipes from freezing.

Check gutters and drains, make sure they are clear to avoid the risk of flooding when the ice melts.

If you discover a leak, turn off your electricity and watch for wet electrical fittings.

Clear any snow away from entrances where customers, staff or delivery personnel are entering the shop.

If you notice a build-up of snow on your roof, keep the ground below clear and cordoned off. A fall of this build up could cause injury and damage.

Turning now to driving whether that is in your car or a delivery vehicle, the best advice is don’t drive in such conditions.

However, some journeys are essential for both you and your customers, so the following tips are useful: • • • •

•

Ensure your vehicle has sufficient anti-freeze.

Keep your fuel tank well filled, this helps prevent ice forming in the tank and fuel lines.

Do not pour hot water on your windscreen, this may crack or shatter it.

When driving in ice or snow, you should leave a minimum of eight seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you. In normal conditions driving at 120km per hour it takes 96 metres from the time you brake until you stop.

It is 20 times longer in ice. If carrying a heavy load, this should be factored in also.

Drive in the highest gear possible and avoid sudden braking.

January/February 2021

Are you getting the broadest Insurance Cover at the best available price?

Log on to www.hardwarestoreinsurance.ie to arrange an alternative competitive quotation for all your Insurance Needs. www.hardwarestoreinsurance.ie is a Dolmen Insurance brand.

John Bourke ACII Direct Dial – 01 8022361 Mobile – 086 8146236 E mail johnb@dibl.ie

Dolmen Insurance Brokers Ltd. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

News & Products

KILSARAN EXPAND LEADERSHIP TEAM L to R - Alan Donohoe, James Christian, James Murphy, Sean Keohane, Graham Cumberland.

Kilsaran are delighted to announce new appointments to its senior leadership team CO-CEO’s David & Derry McKeown would like to congratulate Sean Keohane on his appointment to the Board and congratulate James Christian on his new role in the business.

They also welcome Alan Donohoe, Graham Cumberland & James Murphy to Kilsaran and wish them the best of luck in their respective roles.

Seán Keohane has been appointed to the Company Board of Directors and the role of Managing Director of their Road Surfacing & Contracting Division. Seán joined the company in August 2005 as Contracts Manager for Leinster. He was then appointed to the role of Contracts Director in 2008, which he held for 11 years before being appointed MD of Kilsaran Road Surfacing and Contracting in March 2019.

James Christian has been appointed Head of Sales for the Concrete Products & Aggregates Division.

James joined Kilsaran in 2007 and has been an invaluable

member of their Sales team. James was responsible for the development of new opportunities for Kilsaran in the UK which led to the establishment of Kilsaran UK Ltd. Alan Donohoe was made Head of Sales for the Paving & Walling division (UK and Ireland).

Alan joined Kilsaran in 2019 from Tegral Ltd where he spent 15 years, initially as a Technical Sales Representative and subsequently as Sales Manager.

Graham Cumberland has been appointed as Head of Sales for the KPRO Facades & Mortars Division. Graham joined Kilsaran in November 2020. His previous role was Head of Sales for a market leading UK render Company Kilwaughter Minerals Ltd. James Murphy has been appointed Business Development Manager of the company`s new Precast Division. James joined Kilsaran in September 2019 and is a very experienced professional in the Precast Concrete sector in all elements including stairs, beams, walls.

.IE INTRODUCE THEIR NEW COMPANY NAME .IE, the company that manages Ireland’s unique online address .ie, are introducing their new company name and brand new look. From now on, they will be trading as .IE and will stop using ‘IE Domain Registry’ or ‘IEDR’. Their URL has also changed to www.weare.ie .IE’s purpose is to enable and empower people, communities and businesses across Ireland to thrive online. The internet offers a world of opportunity to connect, communicate, learn, educate, entertain and trade online. At .IE they provide the pathway for people, communities and businesses to access and unlock this world of potential and opportunity. They also manage the infrastructure that allows this to happen.

to improve their members’ online presence and e-commerce capabilities. .IE also produces fact-based research for the business community and policymakers, such as the .IE Tipping Point Report, charting the attitudes of Irish SMEs and consumers to digital during the Covid-19 pandemic.

.IE is committed to digital advocacy for the SME community.

Through stakeholder engagement initiatives such as .IE Digital Town they work with and support SME organisations

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January/February 2021

News & Products

APTIMYZ – THE APP THAT USES POS TO OPTIMISE YOUR BUSINESS Customers love the simplicity - and let’s face it - the safety of contactless payments. From one tap on your machine flows all that’s needed to make card payment secure, fast and automated.

For years AIB Merchant Services, AIBMS, have been listening to what businesses want, responding to their need for a solution that bundles speed, ease and finger-tip efficiency together. And it is all done through the beautifully designed Clover system, which impresses customers as much as it does businesses.

Now AIBMS has teamed up with Aptimyz to take that efficiency to another level.

Imagine as a sale goes through it links to your stock levels, checks them and creates a purchase order if needed. And as that sales goes through it builds into scalable reports of sales by department, staff, online or instore, so you have a single view of your business. Think also of a system that links automatically to your accounts, your loyalty systems and to third party ecommerce partners.

That is what the Clover Pro and Aptimyz’s SaaS Point of Sale and Business Management solution can do for you. With no upfront cost, Clover and Aptimyz provide a state-of-the-art retail solution at a significantly disruptive price point.

Find out today how Clover and Aptimyz can help. Call Owen Ball at AIBMS on 086 771 5973.

THE COMPLETE INDUSTRY SOLUTION FOR GREATER EFFICIENCY: DIY-LOGISTICS. DACHSER DIY-Logistics

Your advantages with DACHSER DIY-Logistics: n n n n n n

Global contract logistics solutions Worldwide consolidation by road, air and sea Communication platform between industry and retailer Value-added services Merchandising Warehousing

DACHSER Ireland Ltd. • Dublin Branch • Blackchurch Business Park Kevin Dolan • Rathcoole • Co. Dublin D24 C796 Phone: +353 1 4013367 • Kevin.Dolan@dachser.com

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January/February 2021

dachser.ie

08.01.2021 07:07:57

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Readers Survey

The Hardware Journal Readers Survey 2020 In late 2020 we asked you, our readers, for your feedback on the publication, how we can improve and what you’d like to see more of. Here are the results:

89%

70%

of respondents* regularly read the publication

Top 3 Features

73%

of respondents discuss articles with their colleagues.

of respondents are likely to recommend The Hardware Journal to a colleague.

Q: What interests you most about The Hardware Journal? Rank in order of preference.

1. News & Products 2. Industry Trends & Research 3. Interviews

Top 3 Features you’d like to see more of

Q: What could we do more of or introduce?

1. Regular information on Ecological and Sustainability Products 2. Regular information on Building Materials 3. More Home News Thank you to all who took the time to respond to our survey. Your feedback is invaluable to the growth of The Hardware Journal. We’ve listened, and will make the appropriate changes in future issues.

*Based on the responses of 65 Hardware Journal subscribers who were surveyed via email in November 2020.

If you have any features, product or industry news that you would like to be seen by our readership of over 2000 key decision-makers, buyers and business owners in the sector, then contact Jim Copeland at Jim@hardwareassociation.ie for editorial opportunities.

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January/February 2021

News & Products

PORTWEST - OFFERING EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AND VALUE THROUGH THE MANY CHALLENGES FACED

BY CUSTOMERS As one of Ireland’s fastest growing workwear companies, Portwest retail solution in the form of a Portwest Safety Centre offers retailers an opportunity to grow sales. A dedicated merchandiser will be assigned to their store to help install the area and keep it updated. They will also work alongside you to help you maximise sales within the space. Signing up for a Safety Centre gives you access to the Portwest Marketing Suite, an entire library of high-quality videos and images to take the hard work out of content creation.

The Portwest product ranges have also gone from strength to strength and their latest workwear ranges have had phenomenal sell-through rates for any retailer who has taken them in. The DX4 range, for example, is a contemporary sports-luxe workwear range with four way stretch material featured throughout the garments. It is proving very popular with customers who love the look of the range, as well as the comfort and value. They also acquired Base Footwear, a premium Italian footwear range, earlier this year to add an additional 100 plus footwear styles to their current offering.

Like all companies, Portwest faced unprecedented challenges in Covid-19 and the looming Brexit situation last year and yet the company has managed to continue to thrive. “We have seen a significant increase in customers selling online and utilising the resources Portwest supply to support this”, says Anne Mc Nicholas, Senior Commercial Manager. “We have tried to make it as easy as possible for our customers to move online, providing them with our full image catalogue, easy to upload descriptions and competitions to help launch their website. The uptake on these services have been great and we expect this to continue in 2021.”

For more information about installing a Portwest Safety Centre in your store, please contact 098 51777 or email sales@portwest.ie

PW4470

DX4™ Baffle Gilet

P123

DYNAMIC 4X STRETCH

PW4440 DX4™

Detachable Holster Pocket Trousers

P123

January/February 2021

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News & Products

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FIRE PROTECTION Flame retardant wood panels have been developed specifically for use in fire-rated applications where a Euroclass B or a Euroclass C material is required under the Building Regulations.

MEDITE SMARTPLY’s new SMARTPLY MAX FR Euroclass B OSB3 panel is a market innovation designed to meet this need and offer the specifier more freedom to design, with peace of mind.

The stages in the development of a fire When a fire breaks out every second counts. The more slowly a fire spreads the more time occupants will have to evacuate the area and the greater the opportunity to fight the fire and limit its damage.

In the early stages of a fire, it is the Reaction to Fire properties of a material that will determine how it will contribute to the fire’s development. Once a fire is established, containment is the priority and the Fire Resistance of construction elements, such as walls and floors, in resisting the passage of fire is then the focus. A flame retardant treatment will enhance the panel’s reaction to fire properties, to limit the spread of flame and slow development of the fire.

SMARTPLY MAX FR B is the first Euroclass B board - the maximum Euroclass rating for a timber panel - manufactured in the UK and Ireland to feature wood flakes treated with flame retardant

solution before pressing. This ensures its flame retardance is built in, integral, and will not be affected by cutting or drilling. It also ensures that the panel maintains its structural integrity, making it the safer choice for use within timber frame construction, or projects that will require a large amount of timber product.

Enjoy freedom to design with complete peace of mind. Find out more about SMARTPLY MAX FR B: https://mdfosb.com/en/ products/smartply-max-fr-b

LMA WORKWEAR ANNOUNCE EXPANSION INTO IRISH MARKET LMA-LEBEURRE SAS Workwear with its workwear brand LMA have announced their expansion into the Irish market.

The appointment of Peter Dunican as Country Manager for Ireland will support their current customer base and promote the brand nationally.

Specialists in the manufacture of workwear since 1880, Lebeurre with its LMA brand is a French family run company and one of the market leaders in France.

Operating out of their new logistics hub at Querrieu, near Aimes in the North of France, LMA is perfectly situated to offer their quality product to Irish hardware and builders’ merchants.

The company says that with the uncertainty still surrounding Brexit and with some UK companies deciding to exit the Irish market, this is an excellent opportunity for merchants looking to circumvent the UK and provide certainty and a guaranteed supply chain of quality workwear.

Peter Dunican has been selling workwear in Ireland for many years having previously worked for Dickies and Timberland PRO. When asked about the appointment, Peter said, “I’m very excited to be bringing this range to the Irish Market, the product is of fantastic quality and the range is very modern, 16

truly comfortable and hardwearing. I feel sure the Irish worker will recognise the quality and appreciate the value it offers”.

LMA Products are currently available through Dairygold Co-Op stores.

Peter can be contacted on peter.dunican@lebeurre.com or on 087 9660561. www.lma-lebeurre.com

January/February 2021

News & Products

HAI IS DELIGHTED TO WELCOME ITS NEWEST MEMBERS Fiskars Group The Atrium/Suite 17, Maritana Gate, Waterford Contact: April Brophy Email: april.brophy@fiskars.com Phone: 051 317 000 Category: Distributor/Supplier (Homewares, Tools Hand/Power)

Mannok Build 187 Ballyconnell Road, Derrylin, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

Contact: Paul Dunne Email: paul.dunne@mannokbuild.com Phone: 1800 322 122 Category: Manufacturers of Building Materials

Helske Energy Save Ltd 7 Arrow Building, Old Belgard Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Contact: David Rossiter Email: david.rossiter@helskeenergysave.ie Phone: 01 223 4010 Category: Distributor/Supplier (Plaster/ Insulation)

Timber Ireland Unit 1-3 Advanced Business Park, Old Airport Road, Cloghran, Co. Dublin Contact: Keith McMahon Email: kmcmahon@timberireland.ie Phone: 01 842 7669 Category: Distributor/Supplier (Timber/ Timber Sheeting Products)

January/February 2021

Topform Ltd Tubber Road, Gort, Co. Galway Contact: Steve McCarron Email: steve@topform.ie Phone: 091 631 616 Category: Distributor/Supplier (Timber/ Timber Sheeting Products) Unilin Greenbank Industrial Estate, Rampart Road, Newry, Co. Down Contact: Niall Cassidy Email: niall.cassidy@unilin.co.uk Phone: +44 028 30250477 Category: Flooring Distributor

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New HAI President

Welcome Mr President The Hardware Journal is delighted to welcome new Hardware Association Ireland President, Michael O`Donohoe to his new role and wish him well for his two year term of office.

For those who aren’t familiar with you, could you give us a little bit about your background, and your journey to where you are now?

I am Country Director for Ireland for Wavin and have been in this role for the past six years, having initially joined the business back in May 2008. What a time that was! Talk about having a baptism of fire in what was the earlier part of the longest and deepest recession in Irish history. My path into Wavin might appear to be quite unorthodox, given that I was a total newcomer to the Construction Industry at the time.

Prior to Wavin, I spent most of my career working in sciencerelated commercial positions, mostly in the Pharma/Biotech Industry, which of course is very much in focus today given the successful development of vaccines for COVID-19. I was approached to join Wavin Ireland from the then Managing Director, Brendan Murphy.

It did take a bit of convincing to get me onboard at first, but the role had some very attractive features, allowing me to try something very different and join a market-leading company in Ireland. My previous roles had a lot of international travel and this opportunity gave me a much better work-life balance with virtually no international travel, something which was very important with a young family at the time.

Being a science graduate, I started my working career as a Technical Sales Representative selling Laboratory Instrumentation and I had various roles in Sales & Marketing, all gradually taking on more responsibility, eventually culminating in my role in Wavin.

Wavin has been in Ireland since 1958 and played a key role in the modernisation of the country. The former Taoiseach, Sean Lemass, was Wavin’s first Chairman. The company’s name is an amalgam of water and vinyl chloride (i.e., PVC). Like many companies, Wavin has gone through significant change over the years and the wider Wavin Group today globally has over 12,000+ employees operating in 40+ countries. Wavin is part of Orbia, a community of companies bound together by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world. Today, Wavin Ireland employs 65 people and is part of the UK/Ireland Territory within the European business.

What drew you to the Presidential role and how will you approach your term as HAI President?

I have been a board member of HAI for the past four years, being one of the two supplier representatives on the board (the other being Dulux). I am truly honoured to take on the role of President and see my appointment in part linked to the recognition and legacy which Wavin has in the mindset of the merchant trade in Ireland and my predecessors who successfully founded, developed, and led the business over the past six decades.

I am fortunate to have a great team of people around me on the board, which I think provides a great service to the membership.

I am especially appreciative of the outgoing President, Sean Moran, who will keep a watchful eye on me having just successfully completed his term of office, but also Martin Markey as CEO and the other HAI staff, Jim, Aoife, and Orla.

Notwithstanding the current difficulties our industry faces due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I am really looking forward to my term as President and while I may work for a supplier, you can be assured that I will endeavour to serve and represent all of our members equally to the best of my ability. Sean certainly had some challenges in his time as President and it is my hope to build on his legacy and improve and enhance the organisation in the next couple of years during my term.

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January/February 2021

New HAI President

If you are reading this and feel you want to contribute in any way, please contact the HAI office.

efficiency (insulation, heat sources, water re-use etc.) will be to the fore.

What are the challenges facing the sector over the next two years?

Last and not least we still of course have a shortage of supply in terms of housing and all the myriad issues around it in terms of affordability, building costs, mortgage lending rules, dwelling size, rent levels, planning permission, labour supply, among others. There seems to be consensus between economists that we built less than 20,000 units last year, against a requirement of 35,000. With a waiting list of some 69,000 households in need of social housing, the sector is under considerable strain and challenges remain. Ideally supply should steadily increase in the years ahead rather than having a sudden spike which could lead once again to the boom/bust cycle of the past.

It unfortunately seems to ring true that as time goes on, the level of uncertainly is only increasing. Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic give testament to that. I can still see the wise words emblazoned on my mind, from a business lecture many years ago: ‘’the future is uncertain’’. How true that is.

Whilst the ink is still drying on the post-Brexit deal between the EU and the UK, we are just waking up to the new reality and still learning what it might mean for our sector. The flow of goods is less straightforward than it was before and the added complexity of customs is causing a delay by lengthening the supply chain and increasing cost to clear the red tape. This will settle down but will be a feature of bi-lateral trade for some time, I think.

COVID-19 is at the forefront of everyone’s mind right now. It has affected so many of us in so many ways and continues to have a dramatic impact on the psyche of everyday life in Ireland. We have all had to adjust personally and professionally in the on-again/off-again framework of restrictions. I know many merchants have been under a lot of stress keeping things going implementing rigorous new safety precautions.

This is against a backdrop of strong demand, having to put in long hours with reduced resources at times. Thankfully, there is light at the end of the tunnel with the various vaccines in the pipeline and hopefully we can see our way to some semblance of normality in the second half of this year. COVID-19 has increased the pressure around meeting a surge in demand and we need to try and manage that as best we can and gradually gear up resources for future growth, which I accept is very difficult to plan for.

How you believe HAI helps the sector and what changes, if any, do you plan to implement in your new role?

The HAI has a key role to play in our sector as it is the national representative body for hardware/DIY retailers and builders’ merchants, as well as manufacturers/distributors to the trade. It represents all levels of the supply chain and includes national and international companies, multi-branch chains as well as smaller independent hardware businesses among the membership ranks. HAI is the lone unified voice of the Irish hardware industry.

Hardware Association Ireland’s mission is to advance the mutual interests of, and deliver relevant benefits to, hardware and builders’ merchants through effective representation, training and development, market intelligence and networking opportunities. It supports our sector by: • •

The sector needs to renew itself in terms of attracting employees and new talent. Investment in technology and digitalisation is an important part of this, for example by offering e-commerce solutions (look at the COVID-19 boom in online orders) and providing accurate and accessible webbased information services about products and services. Ours is a great industry and is people-led, engaging, and rewarding and this message needs to be promoted to highlight this promising and interesting career-path.

The sector needs to be seen to lead and not lag in terms of investment in technology, while striving to resonate and engage more with consumers, not just through stores but also online. Many consumers are today using their smartphones for everything except making a phone call!

There is a higher awareness of the environment and sustainability globally, which was also informed in part in the Irish context by the Green Party’s entering government.

Sustainability and environmental friendliness will become increasingly important. For building materials their carbon footprint, certification, and ethical sourcing, building methods (BIM – Building Information Modelling – accurate design and precise bills of materials, minimising waste), and energy January/February 2021

• • • • •

Representing & Lobbying: for and behalf of the hardware and building materials sector.

Business Support Services: advice, HR support, Corporate Partners, articles, and phone assistance.

Market Intelligence: the HAI Business Index, and regular industry research.

Regular News & Updates: including our superb bi-monthly publication The Hardware Journal.

Training & Development: including a regularly updated range of sector specific online and offline courses.

Careers Portal: Hardware Jobs.

Seminars & Trade Shows.

In my role as President, I hope to widen our membership base further as it is clear in these uncertain times that we are stronger together. The focus on representation is also important to ensure our voice is heard clearly when representing the interests of our members and trying to positively influence government policies.

Lastly, this year the bi-annual Hardware Show has been rescheduled to November due to COVID-19. Given everything that has happened over the past year I think the timing of this event is optimal to provide an excellent focal point to bring us together to review and renew our association connections and see the latest innovations and offerings from across our sector.

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Customer Experience

Customer Experience (CX) Report 2020 The CXi Customer Experience Report 2020 by The CX Company has seen unprecedented levels of change in all aspects of our lives and those of our customers.

The sixth year of CXi Ireland Customer Experience (CX) report shows how we have all battled to come to terms with our constantly evolving “new normal”. Companies have also battled to understand what CX Excellence means for their customers and their employees. In some respects, it states that we have almost seen a “re-set” or “going back to basics” of CX with trust, care and reassurance being of utmost importance to customers. And yet there is evidence in the report of huge customer behaviour changes with an upsurge in online usage. Managing this level of change in such a short time period has taken massive commitment, collaboration, energy and passion. And for many companies this had paid off as the report shows an improvement in Ireland’s CX score year-on-year.

Just under 70% of brands in the 2020 survey improved their CX score, compared to only 10% in 2019. An indication that the pandemic has moved customer experience from a boardroom discussion to frontline action.

The CXi survey measures CX Excellence through Six Emotional Drivers and the one that has seen the biggest increase this year is “I Trust You”, indicating that customers only want to deal with those companies that have their best interests at heart, who are genuine, authentic and do what they say they are going to do.

The CX Company have talked in previous years about the importance of getting the balance right between technology and the human touch and it’s still something they firmly believe is critical for CX success. There is no doubt that online plays a hugely vital and valuable role in CX, but it is not enough on its own to deliver the emotional connections that are so important to customers and their experiences.

The most memorable experiences are the ones that engender the strongest emotions which are sparked by

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interacting with others. What stood out for customers in 2020 were the “frontline heroes”, the people who are interacting with customers day in and day out, who have put their own health at risk and gone above and beyond to help customers. This takes a special kind of person and The CX Company wanted to recognise all of these “frontline heroes” in their report for what they contribute and the important role they play as too often they are forgotten.

Giving frontline team members the right tools, supports and training to help them to deliver CX Excellence is vital.

They suggest you make sure as employers you nurture them, look after them, empower them and invest in them.

They are one of your greatest assets.

The Report outlines - Key Business Success Trends that will be Focussed on in 2021 1. Consumers will seek greater value Irish consumers have more time on their hands, allowing them to research and seek the best value deals.

Companies that require premium pricing to survive will only be able to do so by delivering CX Excellence throughout the full customer journey.

2. Customer complaints is the most cost effective and powerful form of retention and acquisition growth Customer complaints won’t be an after-thought. They will be an integral part of the experience from the very first time they make contact with an organisation. When fixed properly, customers will become immediate advocates for the brand.

3. Acceleration of online options Digital delivery has become a necessity for most customers January/February 2021

Customer Experience

who are confined at home. Adoption has grown strongly, even among the most “digitally resistant” customers.

For some companies, the rapid development of digital functionalities is key to ensuring continuity of services.

4. We will not return to a CX normality COVID-19 has traumatized billions of consumers and changed forever the way we engage with our customers.

Irish consumers plan to be cautious, even when the spread of the virus subsides, with substantial implications for economic and social recovery. Shopping online has become the new normal and 40% plan to shop more online in the future, even 65+ year olds say so. The majority of Irish consumers want companies to implement physical protection and distancing measures to help keep them healthy.

5. CX is not fluffy.

It’s very important that we keep it that way. Let’s block all fluffy jargon and language from creeping into the CX discipline. Words associated with marketing, social media, branding, culture change are full of fluff. CX is brilliantly simple to understand and works brilliantly on the bottom line. No need for fluff.

6. Staff will lead brand differentiation We are witnessing a shift toward differentiating your business via your staff. Human interaction matters now - and 80% of consumers globally want more of it in the future. Don’t assume that customers will automatically migrate to existing digital and remote platforms. Rather, actively raise awareness and the internal capabilities needed to support adoption of these experiences.

companies may have sought to dominate the game of personalised customer experience in their given industries, smaller and younger companies are nipping at their heels because they don’t carry the baggage of old systems and red tape.

10. Access to customer networks will be sought after We will segment our customers by how well they are connected. There will be a movement toward ringfencing your most connected customer advocates and reward them with individual moments of greatness in exchange for accelerating their advocacy amongst friends, family and colleagues.

11. The vulnerable are a new customer segment Design customer journeys around vulnerabilities and help customers integrate via new channels. We are not just talking about the aged with pre health conditions, we are all considered to be vulnerable now.

12. Delivering on Company values will pay significant dividends in the future Companies who deliver on their values are proving more resilient in the current crisis, just as they did in the last recession. Consumers are applying greater scrutiny of company’s community support that align with their values rather than contradict them. Companies that do what’s right for the end customer rather than their bottom line will be respected for years to come.

You can download the full report at www.thecxcompany.com

7. Fail fast will replace expensive research initiatives There is a growing awareness from leadership teams of the value that a bad or positive customer experience has on profitability. We will see more companies piloting quick CX initiatives in the short term to hammer the point of ROI in the long term.

8. Leadership emotional intelligence training investment IBM surveyed approximately 5,670 executives across 48 countries to learn more about the skills needed to execute business strategies. According to the research, executives are beginning to place the highest priority on behavioural skills (or soft skills), like the internationally accepted form of emotional intelligence.

Exceptiona l times.

Extraordinar y people.

Fro ntline staff’s dedic has made the ation m the real CX heroes

Ireland Cus tomer Experie nce Report 202 0 Accelerating

CX Excellence

9. Small and young companies are delivering exceptional CX Just about every company in every industry trumpets the importance of the customer experience, while some larger January/February 2021

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Store Profile

A family story of success Hennessy’s of Blessington marks 100 colourful years as a family-run independent business in its Wicklow hometown. The owner, Martin Hennessy shares the story with The Hardware Journal.

The best view is the long view. Hennessy’s of Blessington’s history shows how resilience and adaptability enabled this family enterprise to come through a century of conflict, recession, change and Covid-19, and not just survive, but flourish.

Today, Hennessy’s role at the heart of its Wicklow community is as essential as ever. The Blessington landmark has been providing a vital local service and resource throughout the pandemic.

This year the independent hardware retailer celebrates its centenary with the third generation of the Hennessy family at the helm: Proud of their past, as they look to the future beyond the Covid-19 crisis.

Through thick and thin In 1921 Hennessy’s of Blessington was established as a wine, spirit, grocery and hardware business by Arthur and Kathleen Hennessy in what was the Downshire Arms Hotel.

The young business put down roots through civil unrest in the 1920s, economic depression in the 1930s, World War II and the rationing and scarcity of goods and jobs.

Martin Hennessy recounts how big an achievement this was.

“During the hardships of the 1930’s, they did their best to

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provide goods and materials to customers around the area which was mostly agricultural at that time.”

Following Arthur’s death in the late 40s, their son Thomas (Toddy) took over the running of the business with Kathleen.

For this second generation, the stagnant economy of 1950s Ireland was the major hurdle, recalls Toddy’s sister Beth, who, aged 93, has provided a mine of information in documenting the family history.

The 1960s brought new economic activity to Blessington and a welcome resurgence for Hennessy’s. Toddy and his wife Elsie took the opportunity to renovate the grocery, bar and lounges, and in the 70s secured the premises next door, which became the current hardware store.

But Hennessy’s faced fresh challenges that decade: bank strikes, 35% VAT, followed by recessions in the 80s and in 2007. Despite these setbacks, the store continued to develop its role as a mainstay for the people of Blessington.

In 1987, Toddy passed away suddenly and sons Martin and Ronan took over the running of the business under the watchful eye of Elsie, who died in 2002.

“Great credit must be given to this wonderful woman for persevering in the business. She is remembered in our hearts always,” says Martin.

January/February 2021

Store Profile

Homeware department.

Shed and storage yard.

Covid-19 is only the latest obstacle this hardworking family has overcome. This knowledge helps Hennessy’s look ahead with confidence.

Hennessy’s is still very much a family enterprise and the dedication and care is obvious. The team comprises four fulltime and four part-time staff, headed by Martin who oversees the running of the business, sales, meeting reps and ordering stock.

Rena, Martin’s sister, looks after sales and accounts, and his daughter Cara and nephew Eoghan, young part-timers, are bringing another new generation to the business.

Long-time sales assistant John Griffin, delivery driver Niall Dunne and part-time staff Felipe and Conor also play crucial roles as part of the wider Hennessy ‘family’.

“Product knowledge is a distinguishing quality among our team, helping them to deliver a personal service,” Martin affirms. Regular on the job training keeps skills fresh and staff product knowledge up to date.

This ethos is especially important for today’s savvier consumers. “Customers often research online first and then come looking for products. We can provide them with advice on our large range of hardware and homewares.”

Better and better Confidence comes too from the firm foundations built in recent years, to offer customers a bigger product range, a better shopping experience and enhanced service.

As Martin explains: “In 2005 we extended the hardware at the rear of the premises and expanded the shop floor.”

This extension means the shop now comprises a 250sqm area and a 300sqm shed, hosting a wide range of products in building materials, paint, DIY, household goods, ironmongery, plumbing and electrical, in an easy-to-navigate, well merchandised layout.

“We are lucky to be located on the main street and use the space outside the front of the shop to display larger items, flowers, garden features etc.

The store stocks the quality brands customers are looking for, like Dulux, Crown Paints, Bord na Mona and Calor, in addition to in-store services including key cutting, paint tinting and deliveries.

Such services are part of Hennessy’s commitment to customer care. We offer one to one personal attention, providing advice on all aspects of our stock and how to use our products.”

Many of the latest changes are driven by the need for greater sustainability. Responding to market demand, “We now take back old electrical bulbs and appliances for recycling and provide paper bags to customers. We’ve introduced eco products including eco-glow coal, wood pellets and waterbased paint”.

The business also reduces waste by recycling all cardboard and reusing packaging wherever possible.

A family welcome Customers also value the unique ambience and a sense of place that comes only when a family retailer has been part of the community for decades, where service is delivered by local people they know.

January/February 2021

Local advantage Hennessy’s product knowledge and customer focus proved particularly helpful during the Covid-19 restrictions: “We were fortunate to experience very strong sales growth as people began to shop locally.”

“People became aware of the wide variety of stock we offered and began to realise that they could shop locally and still get value for money.”

Customers are their most important source of information, guiding improvements and changes. Thanks to customer feedback, the store has made changes and improvements to keep stock regularly updated, tailoring their offer to local needs.

“We regularly keep in touch with customers around special offers, new/innovative and in-season products.”

“Now, in addition to advertisements in local publications and programmes for community events, we engage with consumers through our Facebook page.”

Technology has also helped Hennessy’s innovate and streamline business processes, be it accounts management or communications with customers and suppliers.

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Store Profile

Rena O’Neill (Hennessy), Bernie and Martin Hennessy and Cara Hennessy.

Previous Hennessy shop 1930’s.

At the heart of Blessington

Responding to the surge of interest in gardening and grow your own, Martin plans to expand Hennessy’s range of garden products. “We’re preparing to meet the growing market trends in gardening, organics and self-sufficiency.”

“The best way to future-proof your business is to keep an eye out for new stock, products and ideas.”

It’s a formula that has worked for a century.

Looking back on 100 years of success, Hennessy’s Hardware owes it to: “Personal service, knowledgeable staff and a willingness to help solve problems, these have all been and continue to be essential.”

Martin offers his sincere thanks to all staff and to the faithful customers who have supported Hennessy’s of Blessington then and now.

Because the Blessington community has proudly supported Hennessy’s for a century, the family, as locals themselves, are committed to giving back.

“Our name says it all. We are a Blessington-owned and operated company, employing all local people.”

“We also sponsor a number of community charities and the GAA club, and regularly bring in students for Transition Year work experience programmes.”

On the horizon Post-2021, Martin sees the resurgence of interest in DIY as a positive development, but growing competition is a concern.

“Larger retailers are becoming an increasing challenge. Our advantage will be the unique experience we offer to our customers and in continuing to provide a wide variety of stock to suit and adapt to our local customer needs.”

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Supplier Profile

Topform has come a long way Steve McCarron from Topform talks to The Hardware Journal about their 45 years of success in the worktop manufacturing sector.

Reflecting on the challenges of 2020, Marketing Manager Steve McCarron is proud of their progress through the year.

“Despite 2020 being a tumultuous year for business and society throughout the world, it marked the most successful year in our 45-year history. Returning from the first lockdown, production has been running at capacity to meet demand from across Ireland and Europe.”

History Topform has come a long way from its initial formation in the original Shannon Free Zone in 1976 as an export company manufacturing laminate worktops. Its presence in Shannon did not last long with the company relocating to its current location in Gort in 1977. Managing Director Paul Glynn completed a management buyout in 1996 which began the modernising of the manufacturing process and pursuit of offering the best worktops in the world.

Since then, the company has gone through big changes to adapt to the markets and the shifting landscapes through the creation of a long-term strategy and vision.

Covid-19 is obviously a new challenge to a company that went through the oil crisis, three recessions, dot.com crashes, and more. “We were well equipped to deal with the last year.”, says Steve, referencing their record results in 2020, “Key elements to this success were excellent customers, a strong supply chain, strong leadership, and universal buy-in from all staff to achieve our goals.”

TopShape Custom A major breakthrough in the market occurred in 2008 with the introduction to the product range of the first square edged laminate worktop sold as TopShape. “People love laminate

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worktops but were tired of bull-nosed profiles. The new square presentation was an instant success. It became the fastest growing new production introduction for us and has now become 85% of the domestic worktop sales.”

Steve went on to explain that their range of colours was a major strength in this, which he said they seek out from all around the world, keeping track of the latest and upcoming trends for their customers.

You Design, We Make Investment by consumers in a new kitchen has never been more popular, and Topform got on top of this search for personalisation and innovation within their custom design facility. “People are looking for new ideas and with our TopShape Custom program, they can have exactly what they want. If a central island or breakfast bar is sought after, Topform will make the exact shape and size they want. “You Design…

We Make” is how we present this popular product which just celebrated its 18,000th piece prior to Christmas 2020.”

Social Media Success Steve and his team have made great use out of the aesthetics of their products on social media, having recently run a “12 Shapes of Christmas” campaign in December to promote their TopShape Custom programme. Steve explains, “Using our state-of-the-art CNC machines, we manufactured two Christmas tree shape worktops to be placed in a Christmas Grotto in conjunction with a Facebook campaign. Each day we posted a worktop that a customer designed which resembled a symbol associated with the holiday period. Examples such as bauble shapes, a Christmas cracker and even Santa’s sleigh were featured.”

January/February 2021

Supplier Profile

TopShape custom piece (Causeway) in finished kitchen.

TopShape custom piece in production.

Steve continues: “There was fantastic engagement with the campaign and a recognition of how far we have come since the initial launch of TopShape.”.

us.”, says Steve, “We continuously look to invest in the area and work with community groups, this has been especially important in the last year.”.

During the initial lockdown, the company`s management came up with an idea to improve morale with an inspirational mural by a local artist. The aim of which, Steve explains “was to show a message of hope and to support the people of our community who make that community so great.” The mural says ‘We are still here, not the same as before, but new and beautiful.’, capturing the mood in the area at the time.

Awards and Ambitions The company`s efforts have come to fruition this year after being nominated for the both the Export and Manufacturer of the Year at the Small Firms Association Awards. Steve explains what this means to the team: “Having previously been a winner of the Exporter of the Year and the top award National Company of the year, we are acutely aware of how important that recognition can be.”

“To be nominated for manufacturer of the year is the culmination of years of hard work and concerted strategy to be as efficient as we can in our manufacturing processes. The driving focus at the company and at the heart of manufacturing is the adoption of best practice and principle of Lean and other similar philosophies.”

These nominations and wins are not an end to Topform’s ambitions, as they head to their ultimate goal and challenge of winning a Shingo prize (an international award in recognition of organisational and operational excellence) by 2024.

Motivation and Growth Steve mentioned previously that the “universal buy-in from all staff”, was one key element of their success in achieving their goals.

“Excellence in hiring, inducting, training, motivating and personal development for all staff is routine leading to staff that feel a part of the family and long-term employment.”

“At the heart of manufacturing are good people and how they are motivated.”, Steve continues, “A number of employees are in the process of achieving their Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Awards.”, granting those team members a highly specific certification within their role in manufacturing, a testament to their commitment to Topform!

Community Focus Giving back to the community that has proudly hosted them since the 70s is very important to Topform. “We have a long history of employment in Gort and we are extremely proud of being based here. Seen as a community leader in the area, we believe in investing in the community and the people around January/February 2021

What Does the Future Hold?

Unfortunately, as last year showed us, nobody knows what the future holds but that’s not stopping Topform from making plans to allow them to achieve their goals, and they are already focussed on their plans for this year: “In the coming months, we have two key areas of focus - launch of new décors and our export business.”, says Steve.

“Aiming for a launch in Q1, we will be adding to our range of décors that are incorporating the most recent trends on the international stage that will appeal to the Irish market. This is the culmination of nearly two years of work to select the best laminates to offer to our customer base.”, Steve continues, “It is an exciting time to be launching a new range as our suppliers are making laminate that is getting closer and closer to the actual textures of solid materials”.

Pockets of Opportunity Amid the ongoing challenges with Brexit and Covid-19, Steve and the Topform team remain optimistic, and continue to seek opportunities. “We are continually looking for pockets of significant opportunity that will be profitable in the long term to allow us to meet and exceed our ambitious targets in a sustainable manner. To achieve success in Europe, we compete on quality so we will continue to pour resources into R&D to develop innovative solutions for the specific segments we believe we can be successful in.”

Steve concluded by reiterating that none of these achievements were a fluke. “Success at Topform does not happen by chance. Plans are detailed and well advanced with our exceptional management team available to steer us through the most difficult years in recent history.”

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Industry Leader Interview

Industry Leader Interview As part of our Industry Leader interview series, The Hardware Journal caught up with Paul Candon, recently appointed CEO of United Hardware, in what has been a very interesting first few months of his tenure.

Can you tell our readers about your background career and how that experience will help you in your current role as CEO of United Hardware?

Most recently I served as CEO of Bunzl in Ireland. Bunzl is a leading supplier of foodservice disposables, washroom systems, hygiene & janitorial supplies as well as beverage and retail solutions within Ireland. Bunzl Ireland is part of a global PLC that sources, consolidates and sells a large range of products to thousands of customers every day.

Before I finished with them in April 2020, I was extremely busy managing the operational challenges brought on by the pandemic while also meeting the massive demand for sanitation and safety products.

Prior to that I was CEO of McCabe’s Pharmacy Group, where I led the development of a strategy to optimise the structures of the business and to drive growth and profitability. We achieved a lot during that time, adding several new locations and implementing new systems, all of which were best evidenced

by McCabe’s being recognised as a Deloitte Best Managed Company. In many ways, McCabe’s was a brilliant learning experience for managing a very well-recognised retail brand and operating a nationwide network of locations as we do in United Hardware through our Homevalue brand.

Before McCabe’s, I held senior positions with Statoil, Topaz Energy Group, and Roches Stores, so it’s fair to say I’ve built a career very specifically around the retail and wholesale sectors. With United Hardware I now have the perfect blend of wholesale and retail. Our model puts the members at the forefront of everything we do from our buying function, marketing, supply chain and warehouse support. In addition, our retail services proposition is increasingly critical to our members and more and more are availing of this to help them drive on their businesses.

Throughout the earlier part of my career I was lucky enough to gain exposure to the various functions of running a business; in Roches I held both retail operations and HR related roles; in Statoil I was responsible for supply chain, operations and HR. When Statoil was sold and rebranded to Topaz I was appointed as Sales and Marketing Director and managed purchasing, category management and property. This exposure to different parts of businesses was invaluable to making the eventual leap to becoming a CEO, where ultimately you’re responsible for the overall running of a business.

All that said, the single biggest advantage I had when taking over as CEO of United Hardware was that I was previously

28

Paul Candon, CEO United Hardware.

Non-Executive Chairman of the Group. This meant I had intimate knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing the Group as well as relationships with the Board, and very importantly, understood the nuanced priorities of our members, who are all very successful businesspeople with differing needs and expectations.

What main differences do you see when you compare this industry sector to the others in which you have worked?

For me the differences are less about the industry and more related to the uniqueness of United Hardware. Clearly the hardware industry is intrinsically linked to the construction sector which is more cyclical than previous industries I’ve worked in but the core principles remain the same.

United Hardware is no different to Topaz, McCabe’s or Bunzl in that we have suppliers with whom we have important commercial relationships, and then we have customers who we’re focussed on delivering the best possible price, service and offer to. A key difference is that our primary customer at United Hardware is also our most important partner, in that they are our members, and there’s over 150 of them across the country.

Increasingly though, as we’ve evolved into a truly full-service wholesale and retail group, the consumer has become a second customer to us in United Hardware. This is what makes us unique in that we have to deliver on the wants and needs January/February 2021

Industry Leader Interview

of two separate customer bases. Generally, their priorities are mutually aligned in that they want high quality goods at attractive price points, so this remains our key focus. But consumers also now want and expect rewarding shopping experiences, and this is where we are adding real value and differentiation to our members.

Can you tell us a little about United Hardware today and outline your short to medium term plans for its future?

Truth be told the last year has been like no other. While we’ve faced the same operational and supply chain challenges as every other sector as a result of the pandemic, we’ve been fortunate enough to benefit from some of the more transitory effects such as people spending more time at home and therefore investing more money upgrading their homes.

We’ve seen very strong sales growth across all regions and categories and 2020 finished as a very positive year for our members and our overall business.

Many of our members have attracted a new cohort of customer into their businesses over the period and a big focus area at the moment is to look at ways to re-attract and retain these new customers once the current restrictions are eased.

More broadly than that, we’re currently finalising a growth strategy that’s aimed at significantly growing the United Hardware business, Homevalue brand and enhancing the services and product ranges available to our members.

Our greatest strength is our membership; primarily local, Irish family-owned businesses that provide fantastic expert level service and product ranges to their communities. Through the pandemic many have been front line heroes in their communities. Through them, and their unique qualities, we feel we have a genuine opportunity to establish Homevalue as a leading indigenous retail brand. As with the grocery sector, the Irishness factor is becoming increasingly important for hardware, DIY and builders merchants, with consumers wanting and choosing to support Irish where possible, and this is an area where our members stand to benefit most in the marketplace. It was with this in mind that we and our Homevalue brand recently became members of Guaranteed Irish and we have exciting plans to work with them to leverage this going forward.

Part of our mandate is also to grow United Hardware’s membership. The greater our scale, the stronger our purchasing power and indeed the penetration of our retail brand. We’re very strategic around member growth, in that we’re focussed on attracting likeminded business people to the group that share the same characteristics as our wider membership; locally owned, embedded in their community, great at customer service, and ultimately ambitious about their future. We had really strong momentum behind our member growth programme last year and added five new members to our network, bringing in additional revenues to the Group, and we’re now looking to add further members this year.

How will the members of United Hardware see the benefits of these changes in their own individual businesses?

Our members have big ambitions, and we have big ambitions January/February 2021

for them. The only way we can help our members realise those ambitions is to provide unrivalled products, services, and benefits. We’re very confident that our current trajectory, in implementing our new strategy and in truly leveraging the unique characteristics of our membership, and indeed the existing strengths of United Hardware, like our 140,000sqft purpose-built national distribution centre, will deliver very significant benefits to our members.

We’re investing in a market leading product proposition that extends all the way from heavy build, to homewares, DIY and garden. We’re working closer than ever with suppliers to enhance the competitiveness of our pricing so that value is one of the first things that comes to mind when thinking of Homevalue. We’re working with our members to strengthen the shopping experience in-store through better branding, merchandising, customer service and overall standards.

We’re developing eCommerce solutions that will enable our members to compete with confidence against some of the more online focussed retail groups. And finally, we’re investing in our own operations so that our service levels are the very best they can be for our members. Put all those ingredients together and you have a very successful membership that will continue to grow and prosper long into the future. That’s a strong promise.

What are the main opportunities and challenges for your organisation, its members and the sector as a whole in the next three to five years?

Outside of any potential further lockdowns the biggest challenge facing our industry will likely be the supply chain.

It’s become increasingly difficult to source produce from key manufacturing markets like China as a result of Covid-19, and with the pandemic still raging globally, those challenges will persist throughout 2021. The UK’s recent departure from the EU adds further to the complexities of supply chains but we’ve been doing a huge amount of work in the background to shield our members from the full force of those challenges.

One of our biggest opportunities is to protect the increased trading activity that our members have benefitted from recently. This will become more difficult as discretionary spends such as holidaying, leisure and luxury spends come back into focus for consumers once the economy begins to open fully again. That said, the home has become a source of great pride for people over the last year, and a big opportunity for us and our industry will be to preserve and even grow people’s appetite for home improvement.

Our other big opportunity is to really dig into the untapped value that exists within the Homevalue brand. Research we’ve carried out shows that our brand resonates very strongly with consumers. Just recently, Homevalue received independent recognition from CXi Ireland, www.thecxcompany.com, as being one of the top brands in the country for delivering a rewarding customer experience during the pandemic. Our brand and members are exploding with potential and we’re determined to further develop them into one of Ireland’s leading businesses and brands.

29

Home Environment Survey

Home Environment Survey School of Architecture UCD HAI would like to thank Paul Kenny, Lecturer in Architecture in UCD, for his kind permission to publish the results of this survey.

Background

Reasons (not) to be Cheerful?

In October and November 2020, the School of Architecture at UCD conducted a survey to assess levels of satisfaction with the home environment and the various factors that impact upon this satisfaction.

Not satisifed with Temperature

46%

Not satisifed with Ventilation

46%

The survey was conducted by email. In total it received 984 responses.

For this selection of charts HAI have distilled the sample to those aged over 30 who are either homeowners or live in a home that is owned. This group is more likely to be the target market for our members. This gives us 253 respondents - which is a very large and useable sample.

Not satisifed with Lighting Not satisifed with Noise Levels

37% 9%

Reasons (not) to be Cheerful?

The survey addressed five fundamental issues:

38%

Too Cold

Temperature levels – satisfaction and desired changes Ventilation – satisfaction with air quality and issues Lighting – satisfaction with lighting levels and issues Noise levels – satisfaction with noise levels.

And the relative impact of each of these subjects on respondent’s satisfaction with their overall home environment.

Findings • • •

• • • • • • • •

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46% of respondents are not satisfied with the heating in their home.

38% say that they would like a warmer home, 8% a cooler one.

Of the 38% who say that they would like a warmer home, 75% of them believe that their home is draughty and expensive to heat.

46% are not satisfied with the air quality in their home.

26% believe their home to be too stuffy.

20% believe their home to be too draughty.

37% are not satisfied with the lighting in their home.

27% say that spaces in their home need electric light during the day.

9% use half electric light and half natural light during the day.

1% have to brighten their homes with electric lights, even during daylight.

9% say that their homes are too noisy.

26%

Too Stuffy

20%

Too Draughty

Too Dark

10%

Too Noisy

9%

Too Warm

8%

Almost half of home owners want better heated, ventilated and well lit homes. HAI members have the products and expertise to help!

Source: 253 Respondents

January/February 2021

REASONS MAGAZINE ADVERTISING WORKS At The Hardware Journal (THJ) we are often asked about the advantages of Trade Magazine Advertising and, how to get the best out of it. There are many books and articles written on this subject. Here are some of our thoughts.

You’re sitting in a reception area and spot some trade magazines on an adjoining table. Do you put down the phone, pick one up and get immediately drawn in? Of course! Even in this digital age, magazines are very much alive and kicking.

Magazine advertising offers benefits that no other media can deliver, providing an outstanding showcase for products and services. Particularly in the Building Materials, Hardware / DIY Sector, the visual can be all-important. Readers want to see the products and the results, not on a tiny smartphone screen, but in larger print format. People still love their magazines. And it’s the specialist publications that are doing the best of all.

But with more media channels vying for attention than ever before, ensuring your magazine advertising stands out, works hard for you and delivers your message clearly and compellingly, is vitally important.

Every marketing communication is your calling card and reputations are easily won and lost on the quality of your advertising. So, it’s vital to choose your publication wisely (think of them as your partner in promoting your brand) and be sure your advertising is a quality production - professional, engaging and motivating.

We are also asked by our advertisers to provide a steer on best practice in trade magazine advertising. But before we even get to that point in the conversation, they want to know why this traditional medium still matters as part of the marketing mix. We will get to best practice on page two.

So, here are eight compelling reasons for choosing trade magazine advertising.

1. Stand-out Magazines allow brands to stand apart in an overcrowded digital market and create lasting, memorable engagement.

Magazines give you the option to place your ad in an environment that entices your readers and says the right things about your company. Profile and Prestige!

Sure, many customers spend a lot of time online, but most readers only scan a website for 15-20 seconds before moving on! But there is something about settling down with a magazine, scanning through and deciding what to read and when, and in the process, seeing your ad several times before actually reading it.

2. Flexible

6. Precision and reach

Your printed content can still be repurposed in digital channels to reach a broader audience: on your website, as e-advertising, as pop-ups or display ads on search engine pages, or on any specialist sites your customers use, as part of your overall brand strategy.

Magazines allow for highly targeted advertising, so your budget is used only to reach the people who are interested in your offer. Your own captive audience of interested potential customers. The publisher will have detailed data on customer profiles to help you choose not only the right publication, but also the right issue and even placement within the magazine.

3. Staying power Magazines are typically kept around for a long time. One single magazine left in a reception area can generate valuable repeat exposure. Particularly for specialist/trade publications, readers will collect and keep a library of reference magazines, extending their shelf life.

An ad placed today will reach people months from now, which can’t be said for all media channels, where the ad and the information can be fleeting.

7. Brand Recognition Advertise in a reputable, high profile national magazine, and readers instantly become familiar with your company.

This recognition is reinforced when this audience meets you in person, at your place of business, or a trade show or networking event. In time brand recognition becomes brand loyalty.

4. Safety

8. Credibility

We’ve all become a bit wary of the internet, following advice not to click on pop up or banner advertising, unless from a trusted source, due to the proliferation of malware viruses and scams. But consumers have nothing to fear by reading your print ad.

Print magazines are highly valued and respected publications that build a sense of community among readers.

Many people turn to these trusted publications as their main source of information and advice. Advertisers can greatly benefit from this credibility when their ads are viewed not as ads but as recommendations from a trusted source. This trust, combined with innovation in design and delivery, will continue to make magazines and attractive proposition for brands well into the future.

5. Space to read Nobody likes pushy advertising messages intruding on their space and time. With print, your potential customer can choose if and when and how to read your message, and this makes them more relaxed and receptive.

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HAI Corporate Partners

C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R

CASH MANAGEMENT

Brink’s Cash Services

Denise McCarthy

1890 474 000 denise.mccarthy@brinks.com www.brinks.com

CREDIT & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Credit Risk Brokers

James Riordan

01 491 6007 james.riordan@creditriskbrokers.com

www.creditriskbrokers.com

JPA Brenson Lawlor

Ian Lawlor

01 668 9760 ian@brensonlawlor.ie

www.brensonlawlor.ie

LCMS Ltd

Billy Nolan

087 2604625 billy@lcms2.com

www.lcms.ie

Contact us today to become a HAI Business Partner. info@hardwareassociation.ie or phone 01 2980969 32

ECOMMERCE AND IT SUPPORT

Intact Software

Mark McArdle

042 933 1742 mark.mcardle@intactsoftware.com

www.intactsoftware.com

.IE

Alan Finneran

01 236 5400 afinneran@weare.ie

www.weare.ie

Kerridge Commercial Systems

Noel Burke

087 1405 483 noel.burke@kerridgecs.com

www.kerridgecs.com

Monsoon Consulting

Ed Wyeth

01 4750066 ed.wyeth@monsoonconsulting.com

www.monsoonconsulting.com

Profile Technology Ltd

Peter McCullagh

071 9162122 petermccullagh@profteck.ie

www.profteck.ie

Sales-i

John Downes

0044 121 4891070 jdownes@sales-i.com

www.sales-i.com January/February 2021

HAI Corporate Partners

HR SUPPORT

PAYMENT SERVICES

AIB Merchant Services

Owen Ball

087 7715973 owen.ball@aibms.com www.aibms.com

TSA Consultants

Tommy Smyth

021 4634154 tommy@tsaconsultants.ie

www.tsaconsultants.ie

INSURANCE

SHOPFITTERS

Dolmen Insurance Brokers Ltd

John Bourke

01 8022361 info@hardwarestoreinsurance.ie

www.hardwarestoreinsurance.ie

tRetail

#WeGe

Johnston Shopfitters

Shane Brennan

01 4190419 sales@johnston-shopfitters.com

www.johnston-shopfitters.com

LOGISTICS

Woodland Group

Lee McMullan

01 8111500 lee.mcmullen@woodlandgroup.com

www.woodlandgroup.com

C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R

Why become a HAI Corporate Partner?

By becoming a Corporate Partner, you can link your organisation to the pursuit of excellence and quality in the Hardware, Building Materials & DIY sector.

•

Preferential rates and early access to event sponsorship and networking opportunities

•

A preferential rate for exhibitor space at The Hardware Show

•

Positioning your company as a solution-provider for the hardware, building materials and DIY sectors Access to all the latest industry news via regular emails and updates.

Hardware Association Ireland will help you to promote your company to all key decision makers in the sector with; •

A listing on the HAI website

•

The use of the widely recognised HAI Corporate Partner logo and a Corporate Partnership Certificate

•

•

A free listing with logo and contact details on The Corporate Partners Page in each issue of The Hardware Journal

Want to find out more?

•

A Preferential member rate for advertising in The Hardware Journal, plus three free classified advertisements

January/February 2021

Contact us today to become a HAI Business Partner. info@hardwareassociation.ie or phone 01 2980969 33

Hardware Show

The Hardware Show set to help industry rebuild in November 2021 Trade Fairs & Exhibitions to resume later in the year.

Rescheduled from February 2021 until November 2021, the official show of Hardware Association Ireland - The Hardware Show - will now run from 14th - 15th November 2021 at the Citywest Convention Centre, Citywest, Saggart, Co. Dublin.

Government clarity has now been secured by The Irish Exhibition Organisers Association (IEOA) which outlines that trade fairs and exhibitions may run under levels 1 and 2 of Covid-19 Government guidelines. This is an important milestone and signals that planning can re-commence for the organisation of the event.

On behalf of the entire trade fair and exhibition industry, the Irish Exhibition Organisers Association (IEOA) is calling on exhibitors, SMEs and industry bodies to re-engage with trade fair and exhibition professionals as we look towards the rest of 2021.

Robert Troy, Minister of State, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with responsibility for Trade Promotion, acknowledged his support for enabling trade fairs and exhibitions to recommence in 2021.

Minister of State Robert Troy said: “I am delighted to see first-hand the level of preparedness that venues are making to ensure that they can reopen safely when permitted under public health guidance and the Government’s Living with COVID-19 Roadmap. A significant effort has been made by the industry to develop protocols for the safe return to business. I envisage no reason that trade exhibitions cannot reopen in Level 2, subject to a decline in trajectory of the virus.

“As Minister for Trade Promotion, I recognise the value of faceto-face engagement and business networking and I look forward to the reopening of the business events and trade shows in the coming months. 2021 is the year we make trade a priority, and I will continue to work with my Government colleagues to see the safe return of trade exhibitions which give businesses the space to make connections and work together.”

our exhibitors, visitors and teams. Minister Troy and his officials engaged with us early and his efforts have helped our industry in achieving clarity in a time of uncertainty. Government clarity is a crucial first step in restoring confidence.”

Under levels 1 and 2 of the Covid-19 Government guidelines, IEOA-drafted Covid-19 protocols will be in place to ensure best practice health and safety standards are delivered once trade fairs and exhibitions recommence.

Garret continues: “We have high hopes for a rebuilding of the economy later in the year; certainly, by the latter half of the 2021. The Hardware Show is now well positioned to avail of the returning confidence of both exhibitors and visitors who have been denied business, and face-to-face contact for so long.

“If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s the importance of human interaction. There is no better marketing or sales funnel than face-to-face, and as Ireland rebuilds, we are very hopeful that trade events will be well supported by their sectors who recognise the immense value that they deliver.”

The IEOA protocols ensure the safety of all exhibitors, visitors, and staff, and have been reviewed by the Health and Safety Authority and the Department of Health. They are an important structure in contributing to make trade fairs one of the safest indoor environments possible. Under Levels 1 and 2, trade fairs and exhibitions can resume on the basis of these protocols, without requiring a national vaccination programme to be completed, as has already happened in Asia and parts of Europe.

The Hardware Show is taking place at the Citywest Conference Centre, Citywest, Saggart, Co. Dublin on 14th - 15th November 2021. Contact Margaret Andreucetti for further information on margaret@eventhaus.ie.

See www.thehardwareshow.ie

Chair of the IEOA Garret Buckley, MD of Eventhaus, organisers of The Hardware Show - and event partner of Hardware Association Ireland - adds: “The closure of exhibitions and trade fairs since March has been devastating for the many SMEs that rely upon our events to get their product or service to market.

“As an industry, the IEOA has been working tirelessly since April to create a robust set of protocols to ensure the safety of 34

January/February 2021

Hardware Show

EXHIBITOR LISTING 2021 • Ames True Temper • Arc Building Products • Ard Ri Marble • Ashtown Trading • Axus Décor Ltd • B&G • Basta • Blåkläder Ireland • Bluewater Filtration Ltd • Bolle Safety Ireland • Bolton Adhesives • Bord Na Mona • Bostik • Botament Systembaustoffe - MC-Building Chemicals • Brett Martin • Bryko • Build Box • Calor • Canadia Flooring • Cardboutique.ie • Classic Hardware • CPL Fuels Ireland Ltd • Credit Risk Brokers • Crown Paints • Dargan Tools • DEFE Flood Barriers • Dosco • Draper Tools • DS Supplies Ltd • Dulux • ECC Timber Products • Elite Fence • Fleetwood Paints • Flogas • Galco Steel Ltd. • Glennon Brothers • Gold Crop • Green Equipment Ltd. • Guardian Distribution • Halo Ltd • Henkel Ireland Dist.

• Herron & Son • Hightower Painting • Homeline • Hultafors Group Ireland • Hygeia Group Limited • Instantor • Intact Software • International Tools Industries • Irish Abrasives • Irish Cement • Irish International Trading Corporation • Irish Wire Products

January/February 2021

• IS Varian • Jefferson Professional Tools & Equipment • Johnston Shopfitters • Joseph Murphy Ballina Ltd • Kärcher Ltd. (Ireland) • Kilsaran Ltd. • Larsen Building Products • Laydex Building Solutions • Locks & Hardware • Mannok • Mascot International • Mercer Agencies • OHRA Regalanlagen GmbH • O’Neill Wholesale • Origo • Passive House Systems • Paul Small Wallcoverings Ltd • Pipelife Ireland Limited • Portwest • Power Providers Ltd. • PVC Fabrication • Reisser Ireland • Rhino Distribution • Ronseal Ireland • Saint-Gobain Construction Products Ireland • Sichern Hardware • Solvall Ltd. • Stafford Fuels • Sterling Safety Workwear Ltd. • South Coast Sales • Tec7 - Contech Building Products • T.I.Midwood & Co Ltd (TIMco) • Toolbank Ireland • Tucks Fasteners & Fixing • TW Clarke Ltd. • United Hardware • Uppercross Enterprises Ltd. • Unilin Flooring • Vendek Ltd. T/A Powerline • VF Corporation • Wavin • Westaro Hosing Ltd. • Westland Horticulture • Whiteriver Group • Wood Mouldings • Xtratherm

35

MEDITE makes it real

®

From windows and doors to tables and chairs. To kitchen cupboards, skirting and bespoke-crafted stairs. For dolls houses and toys, putting smiles on little ones’ faces. And planters and baskets in our beloved green spaces. The clocks, the picture frames that adorn living room walls.

The desks for home working and learning in schools.

Engineered wood panels for imaginative builds, whether practical or playful, MEDITE® makes it real.

Join the MEDITE MDF community online to receive the latest updates and to be entered into a competition – sign up to receive a free gift.

Visit meditemakesitreal.com for more information.

Dreamers welcome!

Training

HAI Training & Development 2021 With Covid-19 continuing its presence in business and society into this year our training and development continues to remain available virtually, in the form of webinars, online workshops and on-demand recordings of previous workshops and events.

• • • •

To help those who are looking to revitalise their skills and to change/update how they interact with their customers we have made available virtual and online training options for the hardware and building materials sector.

Access to the above is FOC for HAI members.

Non-members can access them at just ¤15 each.

Upcoming Webinars: 9th February Four Stages of Sales Communication for Hardware Retailers and Builders Merchants: We’ve collaborated with Terry Harmer, one of our regular trainers in the HAI classroom, to present a Sales webinar for Hardware Retailers and builders’ merchants. This 30-minute webinar will explore the entire sales process in the new Covid-19 world, from opening statements, to asking the right questions, to giving the right information, and asking for the final sale.

10th February Improving Selling Efficiency Through Sales Tech: Sales-i, a leading provider of sales optimisation software, will present a webinar on how businesses can effectively use tech to sell and manage their sales. This will cover topics including selling via video, and using cloud-based tools to sell and manage information.

Access to the above is FOC for HAI members.

Non-members can access them at just ¤20 each.

On-Demand/Webinar Recordings Available The following webinar recordings are now available to view on The Hardware Education Hub: • • • • •

Cash Management Solutions for Modern Retail Corporate Governance - Legal Checklist Credit Control Debt Recovery/Commercial Property Issues Digital Marketing

Employer Tips During Covid-19 Insurance Policy advice for Hardware and Building Material Retail Sales - Key Account Management and delivering bad news Sales - Prospecting and Contracting

Coming Soon: Retrofitting Product Webinars HAI is collaborating with suppliers and manufacturers in sectors including Airtightness, Heating & Plumbing and Sealants to present a series of product webinars covering best use and practice of different product applications.

These webinars will be for trade counter and store staff in hardware retailers and builders’ merchants looking to refresh their product knowledge, so they can present the right information to end users. More information to come soon, watch this space!

Company-Specific Virtual Training: If your organisation is looking for company-specific training we have a number of instructors available to deliver tailored workshops for your team in topics including Stock Control, Sales, Customer Service, Credit Control, and more! eLearning – Hardware Education Hub: As always, the Hardware Education Hub, our e-learning portal, is available to HAI members on www.hardwareeducationhub.ie for access to a suite of modules in topics including: •

• • •

Social Media Fundamentals - video courses in topics including Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more.

IT and Desktop Skills - including Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word, and Cyber Security Personal Skills - including Assertiveness, Conflict Handling and Negotiating Skills Commercial Skills - including Telephone Skills, Handling Customer Complaints and Remote Working.

For queries about any of our training opportunities please contact Aoife Kinsella at aoife@hardwareassociation.ie or call 01 2980969.

38

January/February 2021

Garden & Outdoor

RENEWED FOCUS ON THE GARDEN IN 2021

Garden & Outdoor

e g a s s A me

r o t i d E e h from t

You would be forgiven, during a global pandemic, the early days of what Brexit looks like in reality and the current weather conditions outside for thinking that Spring is a long way off.

It`s not, and we have in this issue of The Hardware Journal our regular Garden & Outdoor Supplement with some inspirational and informative articles on products and services that will get you and your colleagues set for the gardening and growing season ahead.

We have taken some recent research from our colleagues at www.lovethegarden.com on what has been trending on social media relating to Garden & Outdoor Décor for 2021. They have analysed over 100 gardening hashtags and distilled them down into a top 10. These are what your customers are thinking about for the season ahead and it will give you a heads-up on what to tempt them with in spring!

Excellence Ltd brings you the Ciret range, the go-to manufacturer for painting and decorating products providing expert solutions for your trade and retail customers alike.

Whether it`s paint rollers, brushes, masking tape or preparation products, they have it covered.

Our friends at Dulux are bringing all of their exterior brands together under the umbrella of Dulux Exteriors. Recognised as experts in exterior paints they are putting your customers at the core of the decision-making process by making choosing just the right colour and finish as easy and enjoyable as possible.

A revamped woodcare range is instore for your customers from Fleetwood Paints. Offering a full point of sale solution for their woodcare range including real paint chips showing the individual textures of the wood and specific selling points at shelf edge to ensure that your customers can make informed decisions on buying the correct product for the job in hand.

Rustin’s, again by Excellence Ltd, let us in on the legacy of their very successful and sought-after brand. With almost a century of supplying wood finishing products from humble beginnings in Shoreditch to their present home in Cricklewood, London.

They survived a World War ll bombing to formulate their world famous Strypit brand of paint remover in 1947 and were the first manufacturer of Danish oil, still a firm favourite today. They are now a leading manufacturer of wood finishes, speciality paints and performance household cleaners.

Despite the many challenges of 2020, Ames True Temper have had their most successful year on record. They experienced unprecedented demand in all of their categories, particularly outdoor heating, garden tools, bagged aggregates, and garden furniture. They still managed to supply customers with product within a 24-to-48-hour time period from date of order and had 94% stock availability on most categories. They are looking

40

forward to 2021 with new ranges of garden pots and an extended range of water features.

Bord Na Móna have exciting news about a significant shift to non-peat-based products and peat reduced products in their ranges. They are focused and committed to taking their loyal customers and consumers on a journey based on reducing peat and developing alternative growing media solutions. They will continue to develop, extend and deliver a more sustainable range of quality composts to optimise plant health and performance into the future.

Paving the way for outdoor sales in 2021 are Halo Tiles & Bathrooms with their new Halo Pave range of outdoor porcelain paving tiles. Their large range offer solutions for commercial and residential spaces providing a selection of benefits ideally suited to the Irish climate. Manufactured to the highest quality standards they have an outstanding technical performance rating, high resistance to wear and mechanical stress, are antislip and all without compromising on style. Available in a range of sizes to accommodate contemporary landscapes they have a corresponding indoor range to bring your customers outside, inside!

New products, improved formulas and an extended colour palette are all available to your customers from Ronseal. At the forefront of decking for decades, Ronseal have relaunched their Ultimate Range that offers brilliant performance and coverage, it can be used on new or existing decks is available in 13 colours and will help your customer ‘do decking right`. They also bring you Ronseal Direct To Metal (formerly Triflow Total Metal Care) now with an improved water-based formula still offering 15 year protection against weather, wear and tear and rust.

Keypoint bring you the ATG range of gardening gloves with a promise of comfort, performance and cleanliness. These gloves offer the wearer the protection they need, but in a glove that is kinder to the skin and the environment. With a number of styles available for a variety of uses around the home and garden your customers garden will be in safe hands.

Springing into action and getting consumers back to the garden are Whelehan Gardening with their Evergreen range of bestselling products. As well as providing retailers with best sellers in the category, Whelehan`s also offer retailers support in developing their online presence and provide product training to retail staff through Evergreens trade website. The website is the go-to destination to source all their latest product information for the 2021 gardening season.

Jim Copeland Editor – The Hardware Journal January/February 2021

Garden & Outdoor

Ciret - for all your decorating needs Silver Stripe (Woven Polyacrylic) Silver Stripe rollers are durable and together with long life woven fabric refills give excellent all-round performance, coverage and finish. They’re suitable for smooth and semi-rough surfaces and are ideal with emulsion and water-based paints. Their polyacrylic jumbo refills give 40% greater coverage than standard refills.

Ciret is the go-to manufacturer for painting and decorating products providing expert solutions to the trade and retail industries in Ireland through their distributor, Excellence Ltd. Ciret brands ROTA! - paint rollers and roller accessories, Kana - paint brushes and accessories, masq - masking solutions and prep – preparation products provide quality solutions for every stage of your customers decorating project.

Kana All Purpose The Kana All Purpose synthetic brush is suitable for use with all paints and provides optimum performance with water soluble paints. It features a stainless-steel ferrule and wooden beavertail handle for comfort.

Kana 3 Piece All Rounder The All-Rounder synthetic brush is a quality mix of 20% natural and 80% synthetic bristles with excellent paint loading for use with all paints and varnishes. It has a stainless-steel ferrule and flagged filaments for smooth paint release and finish.

Kana Contractor The Kana Contractor synthetic brush has a quality mix of 30% natural and 70% synthetic bristles for use with all paints and varnishes. It provides excellent paint loading for great coverage and contains flagged filaments for smooth paint release and finish. It features a stainless-steel ferrule and Kaiser shaped handle that allows for superb control of the brush.

Dualon Refills Dualon (polyamide) sleeves are outstanding for masonry, emulsions and water-based paints. Their long lasting and durable fabric give them excellent paint loading with superb coverage and can be used on semi rough to rough interior or exterior walls and ceilings.

Woven Polyacrylic 12mm Roller Kit-XL Kana 3 Piece All Rounder

Mini Dualon Refill XL

Kana All Purpose Excellence LTD., 43 Grange Parade, Baldoyle Industrial Estate, Dublin D13 Y860 Tel: +353 1 8323300 Fax: +353 1 8323584 Email: info@excellence.ie / orders@excellence.ie Follow us @ExcellenceFS

Kana Contractor Mixed Bristle Brush Set

www.excellence.ie

Excellence Ciret half page Hardware Journal.indd 1 January/February

2021

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Garden & Outdoor

Dulux Exteriors, bringing their brands together Dulux have long been the expert in exterior paints for masonry with Dulux Weathershield and garden colour with Cuprinol.

In 2021, Dulux will continue with their vision of bringing all of their exterior brands together under the umbrella of Dulux Exteriors. The purpose is to put the consumer at the core. Dulux understand that shopping for that perfect colour or product can often be a tricky task so their aim is to make that task as easy and enjoyable as possible.

Whether your customers need help with choosing a product to use or are simply looking for a recommended colour scheme for their exteriors, Dulux are here to do the hard work for them so they can get back to the things that matter most to them.

Dulux Weathershield Colours that Last We all know how unpredictable Irish weather can be and that’s why Dulux Weathershield has been designed in Ireland especially with Irish homes in mind. Dulux Weathershield has been the most trusted choice for exterior paints for many years. Not only does Weathershield have great product qualities - superior dirt and mould resistance, colour retention and fast shower resistance it is available in a beautiful selection of exterior colours, chosen specifically by their expert colour consultants with the Irish landscape in mind.

For 2021, Dulux will continue to showcase beautiful Irish homes across the country in their new Weathershield colour card. They have made some big and exciting changes with lots of beautiful new photography, a bigger A4 size and the biggest change of all is how they’re displaying their colour chips in the form of colour trios. All of which have been carefully curated by their expert colour consultant Cora Collins which means your customers will find choosing their perfect colour scheme easier than ever before.

Keep an eye out for the launch of the 2021 Weathershield colour card coming to stores early March 2021.

Cuprinol - Garden Living - Colour & Protection Inspired by Nature When it comes to a garden that is as colourful as it is cared for, the Cuprinol woodcare range takes a leaf out of Mother Nature’s book with two expert formulas.

Cuprinol Garden Shades protects for up to six years with ‘Nature’s Neutrals’ and ‘Nature’s Brights’: the former are inspired by the world around us - raw materials such as water and earth - and offer a soothing backdrop for bigger surfaces; while the latter take their cue from flowers to add impact to smaller details.

Cuprinol 5 Year Ducksback, its specialist fence treatment, has been given a new look for 2021, however the same great product qualities haven’t changed. It is enriched with wax (just like its namesake) to protect from the elements for up to five years perfect for rough-sawn surfaces. Whatever projects your customers are planning, they can be confident that Cuprinol’s garden woodcare has them covered with products rooted in nature. The Cuprinol colour guide is packed full of inspiration and little hacks on 42

how to bring your customers garden to life. On their website there are lots of ‘how to’ videos allowing your customers to be inspired to create these looks in their own back gardens.

Cuprinol Ducksback - Perfect for painting your fences…

A fence is not just a border, but a stylish backdrop for a family garden - so encourage your customer to make a playful statement with two tone panels, highlighted with bright furniture and plenty of green foliage.

They can choose 5 Year Ducksback Silver Copse and Black to create a striking look for their fence in two different tones. Keep the darker colour at the bottom to show off bright furniture. All it takes is a bit of masking tape to get a sharp line between the divide.

It isn’t easy keeping the weather at bay, but 5 Year Ducksback has it covered. This wax-enriched formula is water-repellent and gives excellent frost protection. From harsh winters to wet autumns, their protective treatment will ensure your customers fencing stays looking great for up to five years. Easy to apply and non-drip, it’s shower-proof in an hour.

Hammerite Customers can often forget that the metal elements of their gardens can be protected and totally transformed by a pop of colour. From gates to garden furniture and even the smallest of garden tools, don’t be afraid to recommend they add colour with Hammerite. Even better, Hammerite contains a special formula that protects metal against knocks and scrapes - apply to new or previously painted surfaces for a flawless finish, for longer.

Three Reasons why you should choose Hammerite….

• 8 Year Protection - Hammerite protects and rejuvenates metal and is formulated to offer 8 year corrosion protection. Using a unique alkyd technology, the special metal paint is formulated to form a tough barrier that sheds moisture to provide long lasting protection.

• 3 in 1 paint - Hammerite Direct to Rust paint can be applied directly to rust with no need for a primer or undercoat due to its strong adhesive properties.

• Over 35 years of leadership - Hammerite are the creators of the category and have maintained leadership for over 35 years.

Through their heritage they can truly say they know metal better than anyone.

For lots more tips, tricks and how-to videos visit DuluxIRL on their youtube account or Dulux.ie and Weathershield.ie to see lots of helpful advice.

January/February 2021

EXTERIORS

Exteriors beautifully protected Dulux Exteriors has all you need for painting exterior wood, metal and masonry.

For more handy colour schemes, tips and inspiration, visit:

weathershield.ie

dulux.ie

Dulux, Dulux Exteriors, Weathershield, Cuprinol, Hammerite, Let’s Colour and the distinctive colour names are trade marks of the AkzoNobel group. Š AkzoNobel 2021

Garden & Outdoor

Fleetwood Paints woodcare range revamped Fleetwood Paints have revamped their woodcare range offering for 2021 with an exterior wood paint which is tintable into any colour, (Superflex Wood Paint), an exterior woodstain (Fleetwood 10-year Exterior Woodstain) and updated garden decking oil (Fleetwood Mould Resistant Decking Oil).

There is a full POS solution for all three products including real paint chips showcasing the colours on different wood textures as well as selling points for each range on aisle fins, shelf strips and shelf talkers. The tactile nature of the boards will ensure customers can make informed decisions on purchasing the product which is right for their job.

The exponential rise of DIY in home décor in 2020 was a very much unexpected and a welcome occurrence within the sector.

From interior emulsion to exterior masonry, the nation as a whole seemed to turn to painting everything including the kitchen sink!

The good weather for the painting season allowed homeowners to spend more time in their garden and beautify their surroundings.

From sheds, fences and pergolas to front doors and garden furniture, there was nothing left without a brush of colour or gloss. The Fleetwood Paints R&D team have spent the last year perfecting an eco-friendly woodcare range for budding garden designers and innovating diyers.

One to watch in 2021 is the Fleetwood Super-Flex base range which is fully tintable. This premium, water-based paint is for all exterior wood, joinery and is ideal for cladding. The R&D team have developed a Super-Flex base system to allow any colour to be mixed into this product, over 30,000 colours from the Fleetwood tinting system. This self-priming paint is available in a stunning satin finish and provides excellent coverage. Fleetwood Super-Flex will give up to 10 years exterior protection on wood and will resist crackling, peeling and flaking. Fleetwood Super-Flex is available in eight ready-mix on-trend colours including black and white and in 1l,2.5l and 5l cans. It takes 30 minutes to dry once applied.

Fleetwood 10 Year Exterior Woodstain is a specially formulated water-based woodstain that is ideal for decking. This was designed to provide exceptional 10-year exterior protection on all exterior hard and softwoods, and to resist flaking, peeling and blistering.

The hardwearing 10 Year Exterior finish enhances the natural beauty of the wood by accentuating the grain. It is available in six ready-mix colours and in 1l and 2.5l cans. It usually takes four hours to dry once applied.

Fleetwood Mould Resistant Decking Oil is a solvent-based oil that will provide year-round protection thanks to its hardwearing formulation. It is used to penetrate the wood to replace the natural oils and resins lost through weathering. This nourishing and protecting garden decking oil is available in four ready-mix colours in a semigloss finish and in 2.5l and 5l cans. It will take five-six hours to dry once applied.

Contact your local representative for more info on these ranges and to view the available POS solutions for order.

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January/February 2021

WOODCARE Full range of bases available so you can tint to any colour from the Feetwood Colour Perfect mixing system

Grey Morning Light

Garden Sage

Heather Bell

Cornflower Blue

Spring Dew

Birch Bark

ALSO AVAILABLE IN 6 READY MIXED COLOURS AND BLACK AND WHITE

SUPER-FLEX

WOOD PAINT TOUGH WATER BASED FORMULA FOR ALL EXTERIOR WOOD, JOINERY, GARDEN FURNITURE & WOOD CLADDING For all exterior wood, joinery and cladding

Up to 10 years protection

Superior performance.

Resists against cracking & peeling

For more information ask your local Fleetwood account manager or call 049-854 7209.

Fleetwood Paints, Virginia, Co. Cavan. Fleetwood.ie

Garden & Outdoor

Rustins continues to research and develop core products

The Early Days In 1924 Sidney Rustin opened his first shop in London’s Shoreditch district where he sold wood finishing products to local residents and trades people. During World War II, the first night raid on London destroyed the original 1932 factory and the business moved to its present location in Cricklewood, London. Rustins formulated its world famous Strypit paint remover in 1947 and was the first manufacturer of Danish Oil which remains a famous and popular product. Since then, Rustins has grown to become a leading manufacturer of wood finishes, speciality paints and performance household cleaners.

Product Range Today, Rustins continues to research and develop core products in wood finishing, speciality paints and decorating using new materials and technologies whilst maintaining superlative customer service and dedication to quality. In addition to a range of traditional solvent based products, Rustins have a growing range of high-performance water-based coatings for wood and metal that are quick drying and have low VOCs.

Rustins Danish Oil is suitable for all types of wood and turned woodwork. It contains special ingredients giving it a low lustre finish. It’s an easy wipe on finish, which brings out the beauty of the timber and gives a natural, open grained, soft lustrous finish.

Outdoor Wood Finishes Their extensive range of outdoor wood finishes includes quick drying Garden Paint that doesn’t require a primer (even on metal), contains wax and dries to a smooth satin finish.

Rustins Quick Dry Outdoor Clear Varnish and Woodstain are water based, durable and come in a range of sizes and shades.

They’re touch dry in 30 mins and can be recoated in four hours.

Rustins Yacht varnish is formulated with Tung Oil to give maximum protection and durability to marine and other external woodwork and is ideal for exterior doors and window frames.

Rustins brands include Briwax, Brummer, Oven Mate, Bonda, Hotspot and Big D and are available throughout Ireland from Excellence Ltd.

Indoor Wood Finishes Rustins carry a wide range of indoor Quick Dry Clear and Coloured Varnishes in various colours and sizes. These are water-based, hard wearing coatings for all interior woodwork.

They are touch dry in 20 minutes and brushes can be cleaned in water. These are also low odour, toy and food safe.

Their range of Polyurethane Clear and Coloured Varnishes come in a range of gloss, satin and matt finishes providing a tough and durable finish for all woodwork and cork. Their coloured varnish comes in a range of seven attractive natural wood shades in gloss and satin, staining and varnishing in one operation.

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January/February 2021

Expert finishes for wood and metal Full range of varnishes and woodcare available in a wide range of colours and finishes

Please contact your local sales rep or the team at Excellence below: Excellence LTD., 43 Grange Parade, Baldoyle Industrial Estate, Dublin D13 Y860 Tel: +353 1 8323300 Fax: +353 1 8323584 Email: info@excellence.ie / orders@excellence.ie Follow us @ExcellenceFS

www.excellence.ie

Garden & Outdoor

Garden and Trends 2021 In recent research completed by Love the Garden (www.lovethegarden.com) by closely monitoring activity on Instagram, some of the top trends for Garden and Outdoor décor for 2021 have been revealed. By analysing over 100 different gardening hashtags they were able to find those trends growing in popularity and set to become even more dominant in 2021.

Here are the trends that your customers are thinking about:

#WildGarden Instagrammers are going wild for wild gardens! One of the biggest trends is the wild garden that encourages life and wildlife. Long wild grass is ideal as are plant vines that ramble over fences or walls – they can hide these human-made structures and create a wild and untamed look in just a single season. Singleflowering varieties of plants and open flowers are ideal for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.

into the other. The garden should feel like an extension of the home. Both your customer’s interior and exterior design must work in harmony. Choose plants that work both indoors and out to create a transition between the living and outside space.

#RaisedBedGarden Raised bed gardens are a simple and effective trend growing among Instagram gardeners, creating a fantastic feature in an outside space. It’s an ideal option for customers with little room in their garden, giving them better control over the soil and making plant caring much easier. Old railway sleepers work well for a rustic look. Raised flower beds can be used to grow whatever plants or fruit and veg your customer desires once they will work in the chosen garden spot.

#TinyGardens

#InsideOutside The inside outside garden trend is all about creating flow from inside space to outdoor space, so one naturally flows

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Many homeowners and renters have little outdoor space to make do with. So, with a tiny garden, it’s all about making the space look bigger. Options include growing up to use vertical space, laying borders, having clear pathways, and creating specific zones or outdoor rooms.

Long flowering perennials, evergreens and climbers will all do the job in your customer’s tiny garden space.

January/February 2021

Garden & Outdoor

Outdoor #PermacultureGarden

#WindowsillGarden

#CottageGarden

Permaculture gardening means “permanent agriculture” and it’s defined as working with natural forces – wind, sun, and water – to provide food, shelter, water, and whatever else your garden needs. The key principle behind a permaculture garden is that you are replicating patterns of growth and harvest that occur naturally. Key design features also include stacking (just like in the forest), succession planting and companion planting. Opt for annual vegetables like beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers and squash, while adding in plenty of flowers and greens to create a permaculture look.

With a lack of space comes real creativity.

Love the Garden recommends a windowsill that gets at least six hours of sun a day, pots with plenty of drainage and some good potting mix to get things started. A windowsill garden is ideal for growing plants that will add a little something extra to your cooking, including herbs, chilli, kale, baby beetroot, pea shoots, onion, spinach. The list goes on.

Key design features are an informal style with use of traditional materials, and dense plantings with a mixture of ornamental and edible plants.

Remember, it’s all about grace and charm. Think traditional and charming with the likes of roses, foxgloves, poppies, sweet peas, and delphiniums.

#GreyGarden

#WhiteGarden With a backdrop of dark green, white flowers are really catching the eye in this next Instagram trend. There’s something so pure and classic about them. Key steps to create a white garden include choosing a dark backdrop, varying up the foliage and changing up shapes and sizes, repeating form, and finally adding some eye-catching white flowers to fill the space.

According to the latest Instagram trends grey is really beginning to make an impact in garden design. Bringing grey into your garden is all about those manmade touches that really let the space sing. From your choice of patio paving, fence paint, gravel, or garden path, grey is a way to go. Match your choice of plants with your grey man-made touches to really complement and make the colour pop. Purple is a fantastic colour to match with grey.

January/February 2021

#BalconyGardening With one in eight homes (in the UK) with no access to a private or shared garden, and many people are living in urban areas with little outdoor space high above the city. Balconies make the perfect space for a garden – you just have to know what to do with it. Balcony spaces can be brought alive with a minimalist design or with wildlife stylings using plant life like jasmine, lavender, foxglove, bamboo, eucalyptus, snake plants, and peace lilies.

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Garden & Outdoor

Ames True Temper record their most successful year Despite the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, 2020 proved to be the most successful year on record for Ames True Temper says Niall Nugent, sales and marketing director for the Cork based company. Unprecedented demand was experienced for almost every category within their wide portfolio range. In particular outdoor heating, garden tools, bagged aggregates, and garden furniture. Very much driven by lockdown and complemented by some great weather, it was by far the best ever season for most businesses involved in anything relating to the garden.

“We are very proud of how we adapted to such a massive surge in demand and still continued to supply product within a 24-to-48-hour time period from date of order” says Niall.

Availability remained strong with most categories running at 94% throughout the entire season, with the exception of outdoor heating, which was nothing short of phenomenal in terms of demand. “The very successful new range launched in 2020 of Plant Avenue garden pots, Vida garden décor and the greatly expanded range of water features certainly complemented everything we do”.

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2021 is already shaping up to be yet another record-breaking year with pre-season orders ahead by over 600% on 2020.

Innovation continues to drive the business with many new products across all brands and complemented by the most eye-catching and shop friendly point of sale solutions. Niall goes on to say, “Our parent company based in the USA have made significant investments in our European operations over the last three years with a total of four acquisitions in that short timeframe. Apta Pots being the last purchase in early 2020 will now be the next new addition to our ever-expanding range with plans afoot to distribute from our Irish warehouse in 2022”.

As retailers continue to focus on streamlining their supplier base, we focus hard on simplifying the supply process for our customers by offering a wide range of categories at direct supplier costs, best in class POS solutions, 95%+ stock availability, next day delivery and a complete merchandising service.

January/February 2021

Garden & Outdoors

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! r e h t e g o t g n o l e b t s u j s g in h t e m So

Ames True Temper Whites Cross, Cork, Rep of Ireland Tel: 00353 21 4302433 Email: sales@truetemper.ie January/February 2021

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Garden & Outdoor

Bord na Móna at the forefront of developing top quality growing media Bord na Móna, BNM manufacture and supply a range of growing media products for the horticulture sector and is at the forefront of developing top quality growing media including peat, peat-free and peat-reduced composts.

The business recently announced that its Brown to Green strategy is now permanently ending all peat harvesting on Bord na Móna land. From a Retail Growing Media perspective, it is business as usual for the foreseeable future.

Kilberry horticulture facility will continue operating as normal, supported by existing peat reserves. However, there is already a significant shift to non-peat based products and peat-reduced products in their ranges. In line with their overall Brown to Green Strategy and coupled with the required climate solution proposals they are focused and committed to taking their loyal customers and consumers on a journey to reduce peat and develop alternative growing media solutions into the future.

As it currently stands much of their current Growise range already features a percentage of sustainable ingredients such as coir, wood fibre, bark and green compost all of which are either completely renewable, recycled or by-products of other industries.

With the largest green waste composting facility in Ireland, BNM compost thousands of tonnes of green waste annually that would otherwise go to landfill - reducing both carbon and methane emissions. The green waste is combined with forestry by-products, naturally sourced nitrogen, and composted through a closely monitored process. The site is licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency and must comply with the EPA ‘s stringent standards and testing criteria.

The process is subject to intensive quality control measures and analysis, and the duration of the compost process is, on average, an 18-week cycle. The result is a high quality, highly stable, sustainable ingredient with a long shelf life and is used as part of their award-winning growing media. The exacting standards and the duration of the cycle ensures optimum compost stability.

With a passion for quality and a commitment to sustainability and innovation, Bord na Móna continues to research and trial different blends and mixes to further boost and grow their sustainable growing media recipes. To this end they have recently launched a new Go Greener Multipurpose Compost

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available in a 50l format. This product features a blend of their highly stable Green Compost with significantly less peat, bringing a more sustainable, premium quality compost to market. This Go Greener Multipurpose blend features many natural benefits, is packed with macronutrients for strong growth, has excellent re-wetting properties and is rich in micronutrients for healthy plant growth.

Bord na Móna have received excellent feedback from their customer trials on Go Greener. The product also delivered an outstanding performance in their 2020 Independent Growing Trials providing optimum growing performance and promoting all-round healthier plants. The trials measured plant growth and plant health compared with a range of other multipurpose composts in the market.

The Bord na Móna Growise range already features several peat-free and peat-reduced products, including, barks and soil improvers, available to customers and consumers interested in more sustainable growing. Their Grow-Your-Own Organic Vegetable Compost and Peat-Free Multipurpose Compost with John Innes continue to grow in demand with consumers.

The business recently launched a cubic metre bulk bag Green Compost Soil Improver, ideal for landscaping, large bedding areas, improving soil fertility and water retention.

Bord na Móna will continue to meet their customer and consumer requirements for peat, peat-reduced and peat-free product, whilst undertaking ongoing research and development in order to extend and deliver a more sustainable range of quality composts to optimise plant health and performance well into the future.

January/February 2021

Garden & Outdoor

Halo Pave offer a new porcelain tile range Halo Tiles & Bathrooms are pleased to announce an expansion to its product offering with the addition of an outdoor porcelain paving range, Halo Pave.

Halo Tiles & Bathrooms, an Irish company and part of the Rhinecourt Limited Group have been in business for over 45 years supplying tiles and bathrooms across the Irish market. Based in Camolin, Co. Wexford, Halo Tiles & Bathrooms supply products to retail, wholesale and commercial customers.

Outdoor porcelain tiles offer a paving solution for commercial and residential spaces, providing a range of benefits that make them ideal for the Irish climate. A durable 2cm thickness, stylish aesthetics and a wide range of sizes from 60cm x 60cm to 120cm x 120cm, make them a perfect fit for contemporary landscapes.

Products in the Halo Pave range have been manufactured to the highest quality standards and have outstanding technical performances, including high resistance to wear, to mechanical stress, to weather and are anti-slip, all without compromising on style.

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The range offers corresponding porcelain indoor tiles, in standard thickness, so indoor and outdoor décor can be matched.

The range allows for quick and easy dry installation on grass, sand and gravel. Suitable too for terraces and rooftops, they can also be used for raised flooring installations. Tiles in the range can also be installed on a concrete slab using traditional tiling methods with a suitable adhesive.

Thanks to their durability and weather-resistance, Halo Pave porcelain tiles can be cleaned with almost any detergent.

The Halo Pave range includes: • Stone effect porcelain tiles • Wood effect porcelain tiles • Marble effect porcelain tiles • Concrete effect porcelain tiles For further information contact sales@halotiles.ie or call 053 9383700.

January/February 2021

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Garden & Outdoor

New products, improved formulas and an extended colour palette They have been at the forefront of decking care for decades and now, Ronseal have relaunched their Ultimate Range. They are offering their most extensive range yet to help ‘do decking right’ in 2021 and beyond.

The DIY giant`s Ultimate Decking range includes amazing colour choices, improved formulas and new products. Available nationwide, it includes everything needed to keep decking looking great and protected. The Ultimate Decking Paint range offers brilliant performance and coverage and can be used on new and existing decks.

It is available in 13 colours, including new Sage, Willow and Blackcurrant shades. The strengthened formulation will lock down splinters and fill cracks after just two coats.

The launch is supported by `How to Guides` and `step-by-step` videos to make application easier than ever.

Jane Ryder, Ronseal’s Marketing Director said: “We have a proud history of providing the best specialist decking products and for developing products that helps show outdoor spaces the love they deserve.

We’re delighted to be extending the range to include even better performing products and colours.”

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Ronseal Launches Direct to Metal Paint Following a long reputation of protecting Metal Substrates, the makers of Triflow Total Metal Care developed a formula giving 15-Year Protection. Customers may have used this product before, when it was sold as the popular Triflow Total Metal Care.

Now, its improved formulation sees it join the Ronseal family, alongside their Performance Paint range.

Finding products that are easy to use and that offer long-lasting protection against rust and the elements can be a challenge, but Ronseal’s new Direct to Metal paint does just that. Waterbased and easy to use - even without primer - it can be applied to a range of surfaces. Ronseal is expanding its popular performance paint range to launch the Direct to Metal Paint this Spring. Offering 15 years of protection, it can be used directly on aluminum, cast iron, galvanised/stainless steel, bare metal, wood and PVC. The versatile colour palette includes gloss, satin and matt finishes. Touch-dry/showerproof in 30 minutes, it’s low-odour, water-based and has a re-coat time of two-four hours. Sold in 250ml, 750ml and 2.5L, it’s perfect for any job.

January/February 2021

There’s a new tin in town.

Triflow is now Ronseal Direct To Metal.

But it isn’t just the name that’s changed.

The new and improved water-based formula offers superior results, protecting against weather, wear and tear, and rust for an incredible 15 years. With no priming necessary, it can easily be applied directly to almost any surface, and comes in a wide range of colours.

For more details contact your local TSM or orders@ronseal.ie

Garden & Outdoor

Comfort, performance and cleanliness from ATG Gloves How often have you heard gardeners say they don’t like to wear gloves when working in the garden and in particular when planting, as they like to feel the soil. With some gloves, this is completely understandable. They tend to be bulky and cumbersome, with little dexterity and very little tactile sensitivity. If that wasn’t bad enough, they are sometimes made using compounds and coatings that are not only harmful to the skin but made in a way that isn’t kind to the planet either.

That is where ATG gloves differ. Made with a simple philosophy at heart - Comfort, Performance and Cleanliness, they offer the wearer the protection they need, but in a glove that is kinder to the skin and the environment.

At ATG they understand that the primary concern of any glove wearer is comfort. The hand is made up of over 3,000 individual touch receptors and while a traditional cut and sewn glove will offer protection to the hand, it will just inhibit its ability to move and feel what is being held. The lack of dexterity will also mean that more force needs to be applied to hold common garden tools, increasing fatigue and

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strain on the hand. ATG gloves use the latest in seamless knitting and dipping technology to deliver a second skin feel, while the super thin coating offers more grip with less force exerted, while still being extremely durable.

All ATG gloves are washed prior to packing in water that is rain harvested and treated in their own water recycling facility, meaning that their gloves truly are fresh from the pack. They are then independently certified as skin friendly by the Skin Health Alliance and are the only gloves for gardening to have this accreditation. ATG gloves can all be washed between uses and are certified to retain their mechanical protection properties, meaning they last longer and need replacing less often. ATG take great care in ensuring their gloves are not only kind to the skin, but gentle on the environment as well.

With a number of styles available for a variety of uses around the home and garden, ATG Gloves are available from all leading garden centres, hardware and DIY stores nationwide.

January/February 2021

Advertise your job vacancy with Hardware Jobs Hardware Jobs (www.hardwarejobs.ie) is HAI’s hardware industry-specific job board website, which gives hardware retailers, merchants and suppliers the platform they need to reach out to ideal candidates for their roles.

Why advertise with Hardware Jobs?

No more going through generic recruitment agencies Targets those interested in entering or upskilling through the hardware industry Find candidates for highly specific job openings Weekly promotion of vacant jobs through HAI’s social media activity

Register your business for 2021 now €80 (HAI Member) €100 (Non-Member)

Unlimited job postings Dashboard access to monitor and filter

applications Access to a growing pool of candidates who you can contact directly Added publicity through HAI’s social media.

To find out more and to avail of our member-exclusive offer please contact Aoife Kinsella at aoife@hardwareassociation.ie or call 01 2980969.

Careers in Hardware

Careers in Hardware Since the launch of www.hardwarejobs.ie, Ireland’s first and only hardware industryspecific job board website, HAI has been highly active in promoting long-term career opportunities in the hardware industry to students, school leavers and jobseekers alike.

Going by feedback from visitors at careers fairs like Ireland Skills Live and from career guidance counsellors the interest in the sector is higher than ever.

For this issue of The Hardware Journal we spoke to Brian Murphy, Hardware Manager at Irish International Trading Corporation (IITC), about his career highlights to date, and his advice for anyone interested in a career in the sector.

What were the main ‘career decision’ milestones in your life so far?

When I started working for IITC I was in goods inwards. Over the last 21 years I have been granted plenty of opportunities along the way. I have worked in different departments fulfilling different roles, from picking orders, dealing with company logistics and salt sales, to internal sales. I have worked most of my career in the Hardware department. My biggest decision and milestone to date was being offered and accepting the position of the hardware department manager, my current role.

Does your job allow you to have a lifestyle you are happy with?

Yes, I believe I have a good balance between work, family and leisure. Being able to work remotely when required helps to maintain that balance.

Describe a typical working day.

brochures that we run throughout the year, and managing stock levels.

What are the main challenges?

There are many challenges I could encounter throughout the year. Those could be fluctuating exchange rates, breaks in the supply chain, shortage in raw materials or unexpected price increases. Most recent would be the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and the shortage of empty containers in Asia, compounded with shipping lines restricting their services and, in some cases, increased shipping costs.

What do you really like about your role?

Some of the most rewarding parts of my job are: launching new products, signing exclusive distribution contracts, traveling to trade shows, meeting and working with international companies.

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

Experience at this stage is one of my leading attributes.

I have over 21 years of experience in this field and I was fortunate enough to join IITC, where hard work and dedication is recognised and rewarded with progression within the company. Skills that helped me along the way are attention to detail, completing tasks efficiently, having a positive attitude and working well with people.

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

Having an interest in the wholesale side of business, people skills and the ability to work well under pressure.

For more information or to start advertising your vacancies with Hardware Jobs visit www.hardwarejobs.ie or contact Aoife at aoife@hardwareassociation.ie.

Each day brings its own challenges, no two days are ever the same. A typical day would involve managing the staff, attending department meetings, setting targets and communicating with suppliers and clients.

What are your main tasks and responsibilities?

I am responsible for the entire Hardware department, both in Cork (head office - where I am based) and our central distribution centre in Osberstown Business Park, Naas, Co. Kildare. Some of my many duties include managing the Hardware staff, working with our experienced buying and selling teams, sourcing new products, overseeing promotional

62

Brian Murphy, Hardware Manager at Irish International Trading Corporation.

January/February 2021

ECommerce

eCommerce Case Study: Stakelums Home & Hardware In this issue Aoife Kinsella speaks to Robert Harris, Marketing Manager at Stakelums Home & Hardware about their ecommerce journey to date, how their online functionality helped them through Covid-19 restrictions, and their plans for the future.

Tell me about Stakelums’ ecommerce journey to date.

What have been the main developments?

Stakelums Home & Hardware’s first eCommerce website was launched back in 2014 and in January 2020 they recruited me as a dedicated marketing/eCommerce manager to drive both their instore and online business. During the first lockdown we reviewed the website and began researching potential partners to collaborate with to improve our online offering.

Following a successful application for the government’s COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme, we were able to move to a new platform with Magico/ABCommerce that integrates with our EPOS for live stock levels. Our new website has brought additional functionality and has addressed issues with load speed, responsive design and UX that were present on our old website.

How did your online functionality help you in recent months?

Having a functioning eCommerce website is extremely important, especially in times of lockdown, as we were able to continue selling online and processing orders behind closed doors. This year we saw more customers online orders than ever before, many of whom were purchasing online for the first time.

Since the launch of our new website in early October, we were also able to add extra categories and products that we never sold online in the past. This allowed us to expand our online offering to better represent the range of products we have available in our physical store.

We now currently have over 5,000 products live and the integration with our EPOS now allows us to easily “web-enable” products at the push of a button. Integrating our website with our EPOS has created a smoother workflow allowing us to monitor stock levels, prices, download reports, monitor real-time analytics and process orders more efficiently.

We now also provide online finance options to our customers, allowing successful applicants the ability to “Pay in Slices” thanks to Humm by flexifi.

Can you tell me about any of your future plans?

The new platform we are using will allow us to continually adjust and improve our websites functionality and customer’s online shopping experience. The team at Magico/ABCommerce provide a community of experts who offer support and advice with a huge archive of step-by-step articles.

They listen to feedback from us and other clients to carefully select 3rd party plugins (advanced search, related items etc.) that add functionality and we look forward to using these and others in 2021.

What top online sales trends did you see last year?

We sell a wide range of products including electrical, paint, bathroom & tiles, garden centre, homewares, furniture, garden machinery & tool hire. The top online trends we saw since the launch of our new website in October were: • • •

Small Appliances (Cooking, Floorcare and Food Preparation) Technology (Phones, Tablets and Laptops) Christmas (Tress, Lights and Decorations)

What advice would you have for any similar hardware retailers/builders’ merchants looking to get started on their own online journey?

Having an eCommerce website is essential now, particularly during the turbulent times we’re all facing as businesses.

Research the supports available to your business to start building an eCommerce website if you don’t already have one and talk to Irish eCommerce providers to make sure you get the right fit.

Your website has a .IE domain. What inspired you to make this choice?

Choosing a .IE domain identifies us instantly as an Irish company and we feel that Irish customers are more willing to support local companies, especially during the challenges of COVID-19. We have found that using an Irish domain name has helped us rank better locally for targeted keywords, improving traffic and sales.

January/February 2021

63

Industry Stats

CIS share some Industry Stats In this article Construction Information Services (CIS), www.cisireland.com takes a look at the volume, and value of construction projects across the various sectors and stages within the Construction Industry that have been added/updated to CIS Online from 1st Jan to 31st December 2020 by the CIS Research Department.

Projects Published (Summary by Sector) Stage

ROI Projects

NI Projects

ROI Value

NI Value

Agriculture

2116

210

¤460,045,606

£60,072,543

Civil and Utilities

1452

473

¤13,029,939,765

£3,007,542,526

Commercial

1604

644

¤5,323,629,129

£2,213,583,763

Community and Sport

1265

538

¤1,100,578,649

£499,197,317

Construction Supplies

30

25

¤246,491,720

£13,430,242

Design and Professional

6

23

¤1,177,716

£1,276,495

Education

1517

244

¤1,815,628,248

£1,046,823,283

Hospitality

654

272

¤3,136,280,999

£458,855,862

Industrial

1078

400

¤4,299,980,606

£681,815,462

Medical

538

144

¤3,865,456,111

£813,945,027

Residential

3736

1681

¤28,067,117,053

£3,393,465,531

13996

4654

¤61,346,325,602

£12,190,008,05

ROI Projects

NI Projects

ROI Value

NI Value

Completed

334

25

¤1,786,285,492

£60,188,631

Contract Awarded

509

215

¤1,424,694,615

£836,679,327

On Site

1880

486

¤17,581,161,364

£3,285,097,323

Plans Granted

4819

1708

¤17,738,211,072

£2,713,457,030

Plans Refused

741

101

¤3,741,531,626

£147,111,750

Plans Submitted

1896

1462

¤7,496,620,117

£1,699,691,079

Plans Withdrawn

1589

43

¤1,502,269,612

£46,163,947

16

69

¤4,273,920,000

£522,116,884

2648

554

¤5,785,431,704

£2,879,502,080

14432

4663

¤61,330,125,602

£12,190,008,051

Projects Published (Summary by Stage) Stage

Pre Planning Tender

64

January/February 2021

Industry Stats

Projects Published (Summary by Location) Region Connaught

Leinster

Munster

Northern Ireland

Ulster (ROI)

County

Projects

Total Value

Co. Galway

823

¤2,548,185,363.00

Co. Mayo

378

¤909,218,817.00

Co. Roscommon

233

¤268,762,162.00

Co. Leitrim

134

¤64,638,395.00

Co. Sligo

214

¤432,962,397.00

Co. Kildare

628

¤2,985,908,869.00

Co. Longford

184

¤356,837,156.00

Co. Dublin

2950

¤29,013,093,358.00

Co. Carlow

227

¤372,165,708.00

Co. Wicklow

404

¤1,510,426,787.00

Co. Laois

285

¤611,957,574.00

Co. Westmeath

270

¤406,261,067.00

Co. Wexford

422

¤1,325,669,319.00

Co. Meath

581

¤2,895,830,269.00

Co. Offaly

286

¤649,429,960.00

Co. Louth

403

¤1,791,169,286.00

Co. Kilkenny

404

¤819,169,050.00

Co. Tipperary

713

¤885,391,638.00

Co. Limerick

648

¤2,001,878,024.00

Co. Kerry

511

¤1,274,877,424.00

Co. Clare

386

¤560,522,414.00

Co. Cork

1720

¤7,233,883,049.00

Co. Waterford

353

¤881,185,577.00

Co. Armagh

366

¤392,140,889.00

Co. Tyrone

613

¤1,268,738,827.00

Co. Antrim

1860

¤8,280,703,714.00

Co. Derry

618

¤989,302,082.00

Co. Down

1027

¤1,081,426,359.00

Co. Fermanagh

180

¤177,696,180.00

Co. Donegal

725

¤744,185,161.00

Co. Monaghan

306

¤310,646,457.00

Co. Cavan

266

¤492,070,321.00

19118

¤73,536,333,653.00

About CIS Construction Information Services (CIS) is Ireland’s leading provider of business intelligence to the Construction and Allied Industries. Founded in 1972, CIS is celebrating 49 years of providing comprehensive, researched, verified and real-time information on all building projects throughout Ireland - North and South. Their highly qualified research

January/February 2021

team investigate valuable projects in great detail to ensure businesses can make important decisions quickly and generate the right contract and supply opportunities for their pipeline.

For more information, call 01 2999200 or email sales@cisireland.com.

65

Business Support IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Measuring and Making Time Work!

Ciaran Rowsome, CEO of FlexTime, an Irish Company that develops & supplies working time solutions for flexible, home, mobile & shift work arrangements. Their systems work for organisations of any type and size.

When passing through Bristol Airport some time back, I was called aside by Police, and in routine questioning I was asked my occupation, to which I replied that “I’ve been doing time for over three decades now”. When I explained the context, that my company develops and supplies systems for Time and Attendance purposes, we had a good laugh between us and thankfully, I was allowed to move on.

In its odd way, I feel the story underscores our longevity in business. FlexTime is just one of those many Irish companies that have worked through these past three challenging decades, by providing innovative solutions to happy long-term customers.

Our system is called VisionTime, and we are based in Churchtown, Dublin 14. This is where all the software development happens, and we have our core team of support, installation and sales personnel. Many of our highly skilled staff, similarly have two or three decades experience, and with a common focus supplying quality working time solutions.

Initially, FlexTime as our name might imply, was associated only with flexible working solutions mainly for office staff. However, we have long since widened our horizons. Now you will find a FlexTime system capturing time for staff for payroll purposes, on factory floors, retail outlets, and distribution centres. This includes customers involved in Manufacturing, Distribution, Retail and Construction etc.

Indeed, to underpin the diverse nature of our user-base, our attendance system can also be found in 60% of Government Departments including the Houses of the Oireachtas where it is in use for TDs and Senators, as a means of their verifying attendance for the payment of expenses. Also, on all Education Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), Solas (formerly FAS) Training Courses throughout Ireland, as over 10,000 Trainees clock in an out each day to record their times for outputting to the payroll system. They depend on the system each week to be paid accurately and on time.

So how does it all work?

VisionTime is a web, cloud and mobile system for managing time and attendance, accommodating many approaches to the subject with automated features for handling: • Shifts, Rosters, Overtime, TOIL (Time off in Lieu) • Late`s, Grace/Rounding Rules, Breaks 66

• •

CIARAN ROWSOME FlexTime

Job Times Flexible Working

VisionTime operates on the company’s computer network or alternatively, as a hosted SaaS cloud solution. The system provides multiple methods to allow employees and users to clock in and out seamlessly. Examples are clocking at Time Terminals (Time Clocks), PCs, Tablets and/or Mobile Phones.

Time Terminals (Time Clocks) can be activated by touchless cards, finger touch, facial recognition, or by Bluetooth whereby the employee points his/her mobile phone at the Terminal.

We have also created a software link to the world-renowned Gallagher Access Control System, so that once employees use swipe cards at the access Security readers, that time record goes straight to our VisionTime software. Some customers love that there is no need for two devices!

There are also multiple ways to keep time & absence records up to date so that adjustments for holidays and sickness can be handled by central administration, payroll office or supervisors. Alternatively, there is a workflow process whereby the employee can request a holiday, look to have a late excused, submit sickness details with supervisor’s sign off at PCs, Tablets, mobile phones. The system also has Visitor Management features.

Covid-19 – new developments Great news about vaccine releases is being tempered somewhat by the effects of the shutdowns. Therefore, to support our customers, during the recent shutdowns we took the opportunity to develop new system features - such as for remote and home working arrangements. Then just as vital is the return-to-work aspect and for that VisionTime now caters for:• electronic request forms completion by employees and visitors before permission to be at base is approved, • a roster programme to ensure social distancing • indication when a building is full via a building capacity module • employee and visitor temperature checking on Time Terminals.

Ciaran Rowsome can be contacted on 01-260968 or at ciaran.rowsome@flextime.ie.

January/February 2021

Business Support IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Labour Cost Planning 2021 TARA COONEY Tom Smyth & Associates

While most people are happy to see the back of 2020, this year 2021 will also contain many challenges. The rollout of vaccines is encouraging from a public health viewpoint, however, economically it is uncertain what will happen once the Government cut the financial supports to business and individuals. We have asked Tara Cooney, HR Consultant with TSA Consultants to set the scene.

It is important that employers plan for varying economic scenarios as the year progresses. The management of labour costs, a substantial cost to any business, should be a key part of any set of business scenario planning. It is, however, an area of cost with substantial legal protections in the form of employment legislation and managing the expectations and morale of a team who have already been through a very challenging 12 months.

TSA Consultants are advising clients at the beginning of 2021 to focus on, and strive for, a positive business performance for the year ahead.

We hope the contents of this article will lay some foundations for creating an appropriate business employment plan. Please note that each employer should seek individually tailored advice from their HR or legal support as their contracts of employment and/or work practices will impact uniquely on the creation of their plan.

General ways to reduce labour costs Wage cuts As a rule, you must get written acceptance for any wage cut or an employee may successfully claim a breach of contract. Explain the position to employees and if they indicate agreement to a wage revision ask them to sign a letter accepting it on a temporary or permanent basis as agreed. To maximise the chance of success try to ensure fairness across the board with all colleagues. If everyone is contributing pro-rata, they will feel a solidarity and hopefully agree to play their role.

Hours cuts Analyse the Contract of Employment for clauses regarding ‘hours of work’, ‘flexibility’, reference to ‘lay-off/short-time’ and reference to any ‘unforeseen emergency situation’. Ideally the Contract provides some ability to revise or reduce the hours. Some options for reducing rostered hours include: • Lay-Offs on a last in, first out (LIFO) basis where those with the least service are temporarily removed from the roster while more senior colleagues retain their hours.

• Rotated lay-off where a roster for a set period of weeks is prepared and everyone shares work and lay-off time on rotation.

Three-day week If an employee who works more than three days a week is reduced to three days or less, they can claim ‘Short Time Work Support’. This welfare payment is ¤40.60 per day. It is advised that the employer would look to implement this in a fair and transparent manner across the board on a LIFO basis.

January/February 2021

Redundancies: Redundancy is a form of dismissal, there is no sugar coating it. For this reason, it is critical that employers follow a correct and legally sound procedure if considering departures from the roster.

Employers should conduct a genuine business review and develop a credible plan for their business. This plan may indicate that some positions are subject to a viability review.

• The initial stage to this is to communicate with all employees informing them that tough decisions will have to be made in order for the business to survive and that some positions will have to be considered for redundancy in order to secure many others. If a voluntary redundancy scheme is being offered this will need to be announced at this stage also. If voluntary redundancy is not on the cards, an employer needs to identify positions that are at risk and notify these positions that their role is at risk of redundancy, this must be in writing.

• Usually, the safest means of identifying positions (where multiple exist) is on a LIFO basis. Employers can also base their selection criteria on a ‘skills matrix’ and score all candidates.

The headings under which employees are ‘rated’ should be as tangible as possible. Employers must be aware that the skills matrix approach can cause more grievances as you are comparing employees and making judgements on who is better than who.

• At the ‘at risk’ meeting, the employer must explain to the employee in the position at risk the logic of the situation and invite him/her to come back with comments, thoughts, and criticisms, all of which should be considered by the employer. If no suggestions are brought forward and the consideration time elapses, the employer will likely indicate that the job is therefore being made redundant.

• Statutory redundancy is two weeks’ pay per year of employment plus one bonus week. For example, an employee with 3.5 years’ service is entitled to ((3.5 X2) +1) eight weeks’ pay tax free.

• There is an online calculator on the welfare.ie website which will produce a one-page PDF outlining the exact figure an employee is due.

In many ways, as stated, we hope the contents of this article will not be required by HAI members this year, however it is important to have a grounding of how to consider managing labour costs now to support contingency planning in case more difficult economic times are coming.

Should you have any queries our office is contactable on 021-4634154 or e: info@tsaconsultants.ie 67

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To advertise to key decision makers in the industry, contact Jim Copeland at 01-298 0969 or email jim@hardwareassociation.ie Classified advertisements (text plus logo) can be emailed to: jim@hardwareassociation.ie and are to be prepaid, at least two weeks prior to publication.

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January/February 2021

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January/February 2021

Heritage of PROFESSIONAL SERVICE for over 100 Years A

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SINCE 1916

Who We Are?

As one of Ireland’s leading hardware distributors, our team of experienced staff holds a personal relationship with our customers and as the business has expanded over the years we have never forgot the importance of personal service and good personal relationships. We ensure that we retain one of our main core values as a business which is Customer Satisfaction.

What We Do:

We supply a vast range of Agricultural, Gardening, Household, Electrical, D.I.Y., Paints and Building products throughout Ireland. We hold extensive stock levels in over 6,500 products throughout the year.

Our Moy Brand:

We are the leading suppliers of Moy Agricultural Ironmongery, Hand Tools, Wheelbarrows, EN-131 certified Ladders, Sprayers, Wire, Bird Care, Fireside and many more. Over the past 10 years the Moy range has expanded each year and we currently have over 350 unique products.

Our superior Moy brand has gained a very good reputation for quality and has become a strong favourite with our customers.

The Moy Brand popularity is growing exponentially. We are adding additional products in 2021/2022 and you will be able to find our Moy Brand in all the large retail stores. We also hold extensive stock of thousands of additional popular brands where we work in partnership with the manufacturer.

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