New below-ground green seal from Wavin widens choice and adds to environmental protection.

NEW BELOW-GROUND GREEN SEAL INNOVATION FROM WAVIN WIDENS CHOICE AND ADDS TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Wavin has long been an innovator in the use of underground and overground pipe and fittings to contribute to sustainable, healthy environments. It has now developed a new technology to provide added protection from trees that may be planted close by in residential areas.

Called RootSeal Technology, it repels tree roots which solves a number of challenges for architects, specifiers, developers and planners. RootSeal Technology enables drainage systems to be future proofed by using a naturally sourced inhibitor to harmlessly repel tree roots and to reduce the risk of damage and upheaval. It also removes the disruption and environmental cost of repairing or replacing drainage systems damaged by tree root ingress.

The inhibitor is embedded in a new easily identifiable green coloured seal acting like a natural force-field. It deters roots from penetrating the pipe fittings, reduces the intensity of root growth around the socket and seal, while having no other impact on the roots, surrounding soil or wildlife.

RootSeal Technology provides an extra level of safety and can extend the life of a drainage system. It was developed by Wavin and the scientifically proven inhibitor has been independently tested. Michael O’Donohoe, Wavin’s Country Director for Ireland says, “As more and more trees are being planted in residential settings below ground there is an increasing interaction between tree roots and drainage systems that carry the very thing that trees are seeking to survive; water, air and bionutrients.”

“RootSeal Technology addresses this issue by building an effective inhibitor into the pipe seal itself to repel roots, inhibit ingress and leave both pipe and tree undamaged. It builds on the existing Wavin seal technology. In the coming months we will begin the roll-out process, as a no-cost enhancement, which will ultimately see RootSeal Technology introduced to our full range of underground pipes and fittings”

For more information contact: wavin.ie/rootseal

COMPOSITE COMPOSURE

Whiteriver Group were one of the first companies to introduce composite decking to the commercial and residential market in Ireland and stock a wide range of products in their “Portland” and “Ultrashield” ranges. They have recently launched a range of composite cladding which Sales Director, Iain Wogan says “Has been well received to date with additional stocks due to land towards the end of June to meet current demand.”

When it comes to home improvement, there is one space we have all spent considerably more time in over the past two years and that is our gardens. Our appreciation for this outdoor extension of our home has grown considerably and people have gone to great lengths to make this space their own. We have all witnessed an explosion of awnings, gazebos, lighting, brightly painted fence panels, garden furniture, BBQs and even the occasional pop up Shebeen in our neighbourhoods.

This additional gardening spend has been a welcome boost for retailers and it is hoped the weather holds for the season ahead and people continue to embrace the outdoors.

While lawns and plants are a given, it is important to get the groundwork right in the form of a functional patio to accommodate the BBQ, furniture and the odd decorative plant pot.

Paved patios have been a staple of many Irish homes with materials ranging from porcelain to granite and designs ranging from plain flags to plain crazy! When it comes to decking, composite has become the first choice for most as a low maintenance alternative to traditional timber.

Composite decking first arrived on our shores around 12 to 15 years ago and since then has become a must have product for our industry. While homeowners were the early adopters of this versatile material, the commercial sector quickly followed and composite decking is now the choice for most developers and contractors. It is widely used in apartment balconies and now we see it featured in roof top gardens, board walks and marinas as a perfect complement to paved and grassed areas.

We are all familiar by now with the two main types of composites on the market: first generation, with its standard groove designs and second generation with the more attractive wood grain effect. This second generation has all the attributes of first generation with added protection in the form of a capped shield which gives the boards an additional protective coating.

Brochures and Trade Price Lists are available by contacting the Whiteriver Customer Services Team sales@wrg.ie / 041 6861000.

HAI IS DELIGHTED TO WELCOME ITS NEWEST MEMBERS

Bellota Tools

Calle Urola 10, Apdo No 1 20230 Legazpi (Guipuzcao) Legazpi, Spain Contact: Les Ashley Email: les.ashley@bellota.com Ph: 087 4408077 Category: Manufacturer & Distributor of quality hand tools and protective equipment

Curust Industries Ltd

Unit 7, Bromley Business Park, Farankelly Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow Contact: Richard Brocklesby Email: info@curust.ie Ph: 01 2760800 Category: Suppliers of solvents, specialist paints, general hardware and security products

OZX Group

Level 1, Portfolio House, Kilbarrack Industrial Estate, Raheny, Dublin 5 Contact: Tony McMullan. Email: tony@ozxgroup.com Ph: 01 6933445 Category: Specialist supplier and distributor of products and machinery to the construction retailer and the hire trade

Tradex Supplies Ltd

Mahon House, Moraghy Business Park, Monaghan Road, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan Contact: Rory MacMahon Email: tradexsupplies@yahoo.com Ph: 042 9754573 Category: Distributor of Paint / Decorating, Hardware / DIY Products.

Varo Tools

Joseph Van Instraat 9, 2500 Lier, Belgium Contact: Les Ashley Email: les.ashley@varo.com Ph: 087 4408077 Category: Manufacturer & Distributor of quality hand & Power tools for Construction, DIY and Garden

AB COMMERCE SUMMIT 2022

March 10th marked an important milestone for AB Commerce and Magico, the launch of the second AB Commerce Summit in The Heritage Hotel in Co. Laois. The conference saw 80 delegates (56 of whom were retailers) and 12 exhibitors (including AIB Merchant Services and Humm) join for a day of presentations, expert speakers and panel discussions on how retailers can build brand loyalty and increase revenues through innovative eCommerce and online developments.

A Retailer’s Journey with Stakelums

Magico’s Ursula Normoyle welcomed delegates before introducing Stakelums Hardware’s Joe Connolly for an insightful interview on Stakelum’s online journey. The conversation outlined how they built their eCommerce platform and successfully promoted it and engaged with customers throughout Covid, using innovative collaborations and activity to double-down on brand exposure and combat storage and logistics challenges. “The catalyst for change was Covid”, explained Joe. Stakelums had an eCommerce platform in place at the time of the first lockdown, and when the effects of the lockdown kicked in and online orders kicked off, he and his team leaped into action.

Awareness and Acquire

The first session of the day – Awareness and Acquire – covered how to build awareness among your target market, convert them to a sale, and retain them as customers into the future. Magico’s Breige Grogan started her presentation by pointing out the No.1 eCommerce myth: “If they build it, they will come”. “When you get your business, your journey is only starting.” explained Breige, reminding delegates that it’s not enough to set up your online platform, you must reach out and connect with potential customers. Acquiring a potential customer’s attention requires a marketing investment. When it comes to choosing the ideal marketing mix, it’s all down your target audience. Who are they? Where are they? What channels of communication do they use? What are their motivations and what messaging are they likely to respond to? Once you have your target audience and a strong eCommerce and communications team, the next step is to start planning. “It’s better to be proactive than reactive,” explains Breige, “because being proactive means you can react more effectively.”

An Agency View

Giving an agency’s perspective on communications, Paul Walsh from Adhere Digital discussed the usage of Push and Pull marketing in raising Awareness and Acquiring new customers.

Push Marketing

Paul recommends using Push Marketing (pushing your products/ brand to customers to raise awareness through content-based communications like emails and social media) in the following types of situations:

• When trying to sell a new, niche or unique product • When launching a new website • During holidays or seasonal events • When clearing out end-of-season or excess stock • When promoting brand awareness while competing against competition

He gave a caveat that Push campaigns tend to reach a wider audience but may yield lower conversion rates than Pull campaigns in the short-term.

Pull Marketing

As for Pull Marketing (where you draw customers to your products/brand through less intrusive communications like SEO), Paul recommends this channel:

• When you have high-demand products and you’re trying to sell them on your website • To build a steady stream of users to your website • When you want to maintain dominance in a certain search category

In contrast to Push Marketing, Pull Marketing will reach a smaller, more targeted audience, but will yield better conversion rates. An insightful panel discussion on Acquisition Marketing including heavins.ie, stakelums.ie, pharmacystore.com and pharmadirect.com wrapped up this session.

In the next issue, we will cover the second session of the day, which covered: Convert and Fulfil.

NEW APPOINTMENT AND GROWTH AT DRAPER TOOLS

Kevin Smith has been appointed Marketing Director at Draper Tools, joining the company’s board of directors as part of ongoing plans for growth and innovation. Kevin initially joined the 103-year-old tool firm in January 2020 as Head of Marketing and played an instrumental role in helping the business successfully navigate the challenges brought about by the pandemic. Since his arrival, Draper’s marketing function has gone from strength to strength with several new initiatives and appointments to the department, bringing in a wealth of new talent across digital marketing, communications, strategy, design and e-Commerce. Prior to joining Draper, Kevin co-founded two successful marketing agencies, as well as working as an independent consultant, with the likes of Canon EMEA and Sage to modernise their marketing functions. Speaking about the new appointment and his time at Draper, Kevin Smith said: “I love what I do. I always have. Not everyone can say that, so I count myself very fortunate. In January 2020, this passion led me to the doors of Draper Tools”. Originally established in 1919 by Bert Draper, Draper Tools is still family owned and run today by the fourth generation of the Draper family. The business remains as committed to growth as ever, with a state-of-the-art new warehouse build currently underway at its UK Hampshire headquarters. The international operations are also expanding, with the company now exporting to over 70 countries worldwide. The rapid growth and expansion plans at Draper Tools have seen a recruitment drive with a number of exciting new roles being created across the business – for details visit drapertools.com/careers.

Kevin Smith, Marketing Director, Draper Tools.