Attendance momentum continued to grow as the International Hardware Fair began its second day this morning in Cologne, Germany (with an estimated 55,000 people scheduled to attend). The theme of the day was clear to all who came—innovation. From the …
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Retail Employment Down 6,700 in February
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 175,000 in February, with the unemployment rate at 6.7 percent and the labor force participation rate at 63.0 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported. The National Retail Federation calculated retail employment …
Read More »New Distributor to Join Distribution America
Distribution America has announced the addition of wholesale distributor PACOA to its membership. Headquartered in Port Washington N.Y., PACOA services independent hardware, paint and lumber retailers throughout much of New York, New England, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. “Adding PACOA as …
Read More »International Hardware Fair Opens in Cologne
Languages from around the world could be heard throughout the convention center in Cologne, Germany, as the International Hardware Fair opened the doors on its 39th annual show this morning. More than 80 percent of exhibitors will come from outside …
Read More »PRO Group Expands Membership
Denver-based PRO Group recently announced BTL Distributors, a wholesale distributor in Monsey, N.Y., became the group’s newest member. BTL serves hardware and paint supply stores throughout New York and New Jersey and has joined PRO Group to take advantage of the organization’s …
Read More »Orgill Unveils Exclusive Paint Line, Comprehensive Showcase Displays
There were a lot of goals from the attendees of the Orgill Spring Dealer Market as they browsed the halls of the Orange County Convention Center last week—everything from finding new niche opportunities to learning more about how to increase …
Read More »SPONSORED: Position Your Rental Department for Success
Like most every department in the store, rental should see a flurry of activity once the spring weather hits. Tillers and sprayers will likely be rented out every weekend as consumers start spending time in their lawns and gardens. As …
Read More »HR STOCK INDEX: The Year Starts Off with a Bang—But Not the Good Kind
After a robust and record-setting 2013, markets headed south in January. Stocks tanked when emerging markets fell overseas: A preliminary survey of a purchasing managers’ index of Chinese manufacturing dropped to 49.6, the lowest reading since July. Consumer sentiment dipped …
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