Weekly Industry Insights — 07/26/24
Rusk Hired as Do it Best Foundation Executive Director
Do it Best announced the appointment of Randy Rusk as the new executive director of the Do it Best Foundation. In this newly created role, Rusk will focus on expanding the Foundation’s impact and presence in the communities it serves. Rusk is a hardware industry veteran who has worked in various roles for Do it Best for more than 30 years. Rusk recently led the Foundation’s annual Fore the Cause charity golf event, which raised over $1 million for community nonprofit initiatives. The Foundation has donated to 114 organizations in Fort Wayne and communities of our eight warehouses including Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas. For more information about Rusk and the Do it Best Foundation, see this press release.
House-Hasson Moves to Larger Space for Fall Dealer Market
On the heels of the recently completed deal to acquire Bostwick-Braun, Steve Henry, House-Hasson president and CEO announced that the distributor will be moving to a larger space for its Fall Dealer Market, Oct. 10-12. The Fall Dealer Market will move to the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C. This move reflects the company’s recent and future growth and its need for larger venues to accommodate the increasing number of dealers and vendors who want to attend. For the full story, visit Hardware Connection’s article.
Nation’s Best Acquires Huntington Lumber & Supply Co.
Nation’s Best has expanded into Mississippi, acquiring Huntington Lumber & Supply Co. in Hazlehurst, Miss. Nation’s Best now owns and operates 60 locations in 18 states with more than 1,200 associates. Founded in 1928, Huntington Lumber & Supply Co. was rebuilt after a fire three years ago and has been a supply hub for its community.
Sika Opens Automated Warehouse in Marion, Ohio
Sika, the manufacturer of bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protection products, announced the opening of its Marion Regional Distribution Center in Marion, Ohio. The 150,000-square-foot facility will inventory finished goods for construction and industry markets. Serving as the central/east coast regional distribution hub, the new warehouse is the first of its kind for Sika in the United States, using fully automated equipment including guided vehicles, self-directing forklifts, inbound and picking conveyors, and automated cameras and contour stations for tracking handling units and verifying pallet transport safety throughout the warehouse. For more information, visit Sika’s press release.
Koopman Lumber Partners with 4R for Inventory Management
The family-owned Koopman Lumber based in Whitinsville, Mass., announced that it will rely on 4R Intelligent Inventory Optimization solutions and services throughout the company’s 13 locations to manage inventory.
“We are excited to partner with 4R. If the services they offer yield even half the results they forecast, we will quickly see improvements,” says Dirk Koopman, CEO of Koopman Lumber. “This represents an opportunity for us to leverage cutting-edge technologies; we sought the expertise of 4R to help us anticipate product needs and inventory allocations across our growing network and to help us avoid excess while keeping our lumber yards and store shelves stocked and ready to support our customers.”
True Value Revs Up to Sponsor IROC Again
True Value has once again partnered with IROC (International Race of Champions) by becoming the title sponsor of the IROC Series. At an event July 19-20 at Lime Rock Park, more than a dozen original IROC cars displayed True Value branding. Famous drivers such as Mark Martin, Bobby Labonte, and Al Unser Jr. were in attendance. For more information about True Value’s sponsorship of IROC, read their press release.
Crown Ace Hardware Donates $3,000 to Hawaii Lifeguard Association
Based in Newport Beach, Calif., with stores in California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii, Crown Ace Hardware and its owner Mark Schulein recently presented a check for $3,000 to the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association. “Fundraising is at the heart of everything we do, so it was wonderful to present the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association with $3,000 that our Island Ace Hardware customers raised,” Schulein says.
Ace Hardware on Track to Open 200+ Stores in 2024
Coinciding with the Century Club member co-op’s 100th anniversary, Ace Hardware recently announced it had opened its 100th new store in 2024, Fixit Ace Hardware in Roswell, Ga. The store was also recognized as Ace’s 5,000 domestic location. “I’m so proud to announce our 100th new store opening of the year in the 100th anniversary of the company,” said Ace Hardware President and CEO, John Venhuizen. “This serendipitous symmetry is a beautiful testament to the enduring relevance in our faith that human connection and a servant heart is not the enemy of a successful business, it’s the enabler.” For more information, see Ace’s press release.
Shurtape Technologies Announces Stuck at Prom Scholarship Winners
Shurtape announced its Stuck at Prom Scholarship winners, who crafted prom dresses and tuxes from duct tape products the company manufacturers. Monica Walsh from Dryden, Ontario, and Isaac Cervantes from Pilot Point, Texas, have been named the grand prize winners in the dress and tux categories, respectively. This annual contest challenges high school students in the U.S. and Canada to create prom outfits entirely out of duct tape for a chance to win cash scholarships. Both students were awarded $15,000, marking the largest grand prizes in the contest’s history. The winners were chosen from over 150 entrants, with the top 10 finalists determined by a panel of judges and the final winners selected through online voting. For more information about the scholarship, visit Shurtape’s press release.
