United Hardware host ‘United in Excellence Awards’ 2022

UNITED HARDWARE HOST ‘UNITED IN EXCELLENCE AWARDS’ 2022 RECOGNISING EXCEPTIONAL STANDARDS IN THE SECTOR

Hardware and Builders’ Merchant store members of United Hardware from around the country have recently been honoured for achieving exceptional standards in retailing at the third ever ‘United in Excellence Awards’ ceremony, hosted by comedian Mario Rosenstock at the Slieve Russell Hotel, Golf and Country Club in Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan.

EEC Homevalue Balbriggan won the overall and highly coveted award, ‘United in Excellence Store of The Year 2022’, beating competition from over 160 other exceptional stores.

Paul Candon, Group CEO, United Hardware said: “The United in Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate best in class offerings, standards, and customer service across the industry. Our winning members have significantly raised the bar when it comes to excellence in retailing and have proven that they are some of the very best hardware stores in Ireland”.

“The awards come at a particularly interesting time for our sector as we emerge from the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and as we face into new challenges for the future. The awards present a timely milestone to reflect on our journey since our last awards, and to acknowledge the incredible efforts made by all stores and the hardware sector in responding to and supporting the communities in which they operate throughout the pandemic. Congratulations to all winners and to all who were nominated at this year’s event and thank you to our main sponsors on the night Dulux Paints, Irish Cement, Glennon Brothers, Calor Gas, Mannok, Kilsaran, Xtratherm, Grundfos, and silver sponsors Portwest, Milwaukee & Wavin”.

John Clare and Seamus Ennis, Directors at EEC Homevalue Balbriggan said: “We are delighted to be receiving the award on behalf of the whole team in recognition of all the hard work, dedication, and determination they have put in to ensuring that we continue to grow and meet the expectations of our customers”. “Our store recently underwent a significant expansion following investment of ¤4m to ensure that EEC Homevalue customers can get everything they need all under one roof, from simple DIY products to full construction supplies and materials, we carry everything for every project. Furthermore, our knowledgeable and friendly staff make customers experiences with EEC Homevalue easy, pleasurable, and affordable, and we’re proud of the impact we can have in improving customer experiences and supporting them with any project, big or small.”

The event involved the presentation of 33 awards over various key business categories such as paint, customer service, light hardware & DIY, merchanting and best regional store. As part of the nomination process, every group member store across the entire network must comply with a strict set of criteria, to ensure that the highest possible standards are continuously upheld. This involves an assessment by Store Operations which also includes an independent mystery shopper audit by an external third party.

On the evening a cheque to the value of over ¤20,000 was presented to United Hardware’s chosen charity, The Peter McVerry Trust.

United in Excellence Store of The Year 2022 - EEC Homevalue. L-R; Paul Candon from United Hardware, Laura Clare, John Clare and Mairead Ennis from EEC Homevalue, Seamus O’Donoghue from Dulux Paints, Seamus Ennis from EEC Homevalue & Eoin McGettigan from United Hardware.

THE FULL LIST OF NATIONAL WINNERS:

United in Excellence Store of The Year 2022

EEC Homevalue

Best Regional Store in Munster

Bandon Co-op Homevalue Kilbrogan

Best Regional Store in Leinster

EEC Homevalue

Best Regional Store in Connacht

P.J Kelly’s Homevalue

Best Regional Store in Ulster

Donegal Town Hardware Homevalue

Best Garden Centre Kean’s Claremorris

Guaranteed Irish Advocate of The Year Award

Lambert’s Homevalue

Best Regional Store in Munster winner: Martin Groome, Xtratherm with Michael O’Driscoll from Bandon Co-Op Homevalue.

Best Regional Store in Connacht winner: Martin Groome, Xtratherm with Dermot Kelly from P.J. Kelly’s Homevalue.

Best Digital Presence

Smyth’s Homevalue Enniscorthy

Best Merchanting Store

Rooney’s Homevalue

Best Customer Service Excellence Nioclas O’Conchubhair Homevalue

Best Paint Store

Smyth’s Homevalue Enniscorthy

Best Light Hardware & DIY Store in Ireland

EEC Homevalue

Best Heating & Plumbing Store in Ireland

Greenline Plumbing

Best Regional Store in Leinster winner: John Clare from EEC Homevalue, Martin Groome from Xtratherm & Seamus Ennis from EEC Homevalue.

Best Regional Store in Ulster winner: Martin Groome, Xtratherm with Steven Doherty, Lee Whittington & Martin McGowan from Donegal Town Hardware Homevalue.

Best Garden Centre winner: Alan Donohoe from Kilsaran with James Kean from Kean’s Claremorris.

Best Digital Presence: Liam McCaffrey from Mannok, with Betty & Dermot Kavanagh from Smyth’s Homevalue.

Customer Service Excellence overall winner Ailish O’Connor, Dermot Hurley, Calor Gas & Nicholas O’Connor, Nioclas O’Conchubhair, Homevalue. Guaranteed Irish Advocate of The Year Award winner: Rowena Maher, Guaranteed Irish with Ray McGlynn from Lambert’s Homevalue.

Best Merchanting Store overall winner: Mike Glennon from Glennon Brothers, Anne-Marie Rooney & Laura Cassidy from Rooney’s Homevalue.

Best Paint Store overall winner: Betty Kavanagh, Seamus O’Donoghue from Dulux Paint & Dermot Kavanagh from Smyth’s Homevalue