launched an iPad app to help homeowners plan out their new paint projects. The
app includes 72 paint colors, virtual FrogTape products and room prototypes. • At
the ShurTech booth, ..... Paint in San Carlos, CA; Dunn-Edwards Paints in Los.
primecoat
Sponsored by
Chris Mugler: The Paint Dealer Founder—and Dad
primecoat
On the night of April 25th, 2014, the world lost a wonderful, caring, sensitive man; a husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, and good friend. Henry Christopher Mugler Jr, better known to almost everybody as Chris, passed on to a better place after a prolonged battle with Dementia. Born the day after New Years 1937 in Perry, OK., his family eventually moved from the oil fields of Oklahoma to Lake Charles, LA where he was a star basketball player at Lake Charles High, he made his way back to Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Journalism and was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. Chris met his wife Heidi while attending OU, and eventually they started what became a 55 year marriage. During that more than half a century, they lived a colorful life with stays in Wisconsin and the St. Louis, MO area, with Chris toiling in the insurance industry as they began their family in the suburb of Kirkwood, MO. In the mid 90’s, Chris landed a job as publisher of the national trade magazine, Decorating Retailer for the National Decorating Products Association. Then, about 25 years ago, he became a business owner. With helpful advice from a few close friends and mentors, Chris built Mugler Publications, Inc., a publishing house, and a successful publisher Hans Mugler national trade magazine called The Paint Dealer, dedicated to the independent paint store owner. In 1996, Chris and Heidi began the last stages of his life with a move to his “God’s Country”… Durango, CO. Chris was a sports historian as well as a true sports fan who followed with deep, vibrant passion his favorite teams including the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis (baseball) Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Blues and his Oklahoma Sooners Football and Basketball teams. But he didn’t just watch sports, he coached and participated. Even though he had never coached teams before, Chris studied hard and became a very successful coach. As coach of his son’s Peewee hockey team in Kirkwood, one of his players was NHL Hall of Famer, Pat LaFontaine. He loved to ski, golf, go rafting, canoeing and camping, and at one time to hunt upland game birds in Missouri. Chris had a wonderful sense of humor. Always quick with a joke and a smile; it was in part that magnetism that drew people to him. Chris loved to play the guitar and sing, having cut a record in his college days—a song dedicated to his wife, Heidi. As a staunch Republican, Chris loved everything about Durango…except “all the Liberals who have invaded the area”, but he cherished his days in his later years when he would sit on his deck in the mountains of Durango and witness the beauty of the Ponderosas, the Aspens, Hummingbirds and other wildlife while listening to Fox News on the radio. Chris Mugler Jr. is survived by his wife, Heidi Ochsner, his oldest daughter, Heidi Katherine Mugler Wood (Heidi K.), his son, Henry Christopher Mugler III (Hans), and his youngest daughter, Elizabeth Ochsner Mugler Storts (Libby) and their spouses, his grandchildren, Brick and Elsa Storts, and his niece, Whitney Mugler Monroe. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in the memory of Chris Mugler to “Music in the Mountians”, www.musicinthemountains.com, 1063 Main Ave. Durango, CO 81301. tpd
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PaintDealer the
111-A North Kirkwood Road St. Louis, MO 63122-4301 Toll free: 800.984.0801 Main: 314.984.0800 Fax: 314.984.0866 www.paintdealer.com
Publisher Emeritus Chris Mugler Publisher/President Hans Mugler
[email protected] 800.984.0801 x12 Associate Publisher/Editor Jerry Rabushka
[email protected] 800.984.0801 x16 Art Director Kathryn Tongay-Carr
[email protected] 800.984.0801 x 14 Circulation Manager Gail Hern
[email protected] 800.984.0801 x 11
Sales Department Sue Oden
[email protected] Ph: (417) 207-0486 Fax: (314) 984-0866 Melissa Biegener
[email protected] Ph: (314) 239-8248 Fax: (314) 984-0866 Hans Mugler
[email protected] Ph: (314) 984-0800 Cell: (314) 616-9080 Fax: (314) 984-0866 Canada Post International Publications Mail Product (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 40031787. Send returns (Canada) to BleuChip International, P.O.Box 25542, London, Ontario, N6C 6B2. CIRCLATION IS VERIFIED BY US POSTAL RECEIPTS
themix featurestories classads 6 Chris Mugler, an Industry Icon
classads
The Paint Dealer’s founder is remembered by our editor and many who knew him.
10 2014 NHS Wrap Up
New products and concepts from the NHS.
MaY ‘14 TPD volume 23 » no. 5
adindex Name
Page
3M......................................................................................20 3m.com
adindex
American Paint Paddle......................................................11 app-co.com Benjamin Moore..................................................................5 benjaminmoore.com Blue Dolphin.................................................................30-31 bluedolphinsundries.com
16 Color of the Month: Purple
Festool...............................................................................25 festool.com
Fine Paints of Europe...........................................................3 finepaintsofeurope.com
It’s not as radical as all that.
18 Changing Channel Challenges
Hyde Manufacturing............................................................9 hydetools.com
Kelly-Moore.......................................................................32 kellymoore.com
New strategies to strengthen independents.
22 The Colorful and Merry Month of… June
Color trends aren’t so predicable after all.
Lift’n Buddy........................................................................26 liftnbuddy.com Nationwide Protective Coating Mfrs., Inc...........................21 nationwidecoatings.com
28 Devoe Supports Independents
Richard’s Paint...................................................................17 richardspaint.com
Rust-Oleum........................................................................15 rustoleum.com
A message from Independent We Stand.
departments 2 Prime Coat
Obituary of Chris Mugler, 1937-2014.
The Paint Dealer (ISSN 1067-1110) is published monthly by Mugler Publications, Inc., 111-A North Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122 / P: 800-984-0801/ FAX: 314-984-0866 / www.paintdealer.com / Printed in the U.S.A. All material in this magazine is Copyright © 2014 by Mugler Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. The Paint Dealer is available free of charge to retailers who sell paint and paint sundries to consumers or contractors. Subscription rate for applicants who do not qualify for free copies is $36/year in the U.S. and $100/year in foreign countries. Periodicals Postage paid at St. Louis, MO and Additional Mailing Office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Paint Dealer, 111-A N. Kirkwood Rd., Kirkwood, MO 63122-4301.
12 Paint Scene
Contests, meetings, training, anniversaries...
29 Retail Details
Keep your POS system safe.
30 Mark My Words It’s great to talk when someone listens. 4
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On the cover: Chris Mugler:
It’s the reason your customers have been coming to you for years. The reason your counter feels more like a gathering post than simply a place to checkout. You’re the local expert on all things home. And it’s why people trust you to provide the backdrop for their lives. For everything that matters, there’s a rich, enduring paint. And a color for building relationships that last. Benjamin Moore is committed to our independent retailers. To learn more visit benjaminmoore.com/retailer
© 2013 Benjamin Moore & Co. Benjamin Moore and the triangle “M” symbol are registered trademarks licensed to Benjamin Moore & Co.
Chris Mugler,
an industry icon T
his is not as easy an assignment as it sounds. When I met Chris Mugler it was 1992. I was out of work and he hired me on as a part time intern. I wore a tie with ducks on it to our first interview, which was a good coincidence since he liked ducks. In fact, he and his wife, Heidi O., had pet ducks of their own, so my dollar investment at T.J. Maxx was a good deal. Actually Chris had been recently out of work himself, and he started The Paint Dealer almost as a Hail Mary. In fact, the first thing I learned here was that we were competing with the National Decorating Products Association, now the Paint and Decorating Retailers Association, where until a couple years earlier, Chris held the position of Publisher. With a small staff here at TPD (some things never change), Chris made all the sales calls and within about a month after I came on, I was doing almost all the writing. The Paint Dealer quickly by editor developed a personality and a jerry rabushka loyal following. Chris Mugler is without question an industry icon, although many who worked with him and know of his influence first hand are also retired at this point. Still, much of what he stood for in the industry still…well…stands. Like any business owner, he was part icon, but mostly human. Every decision he made wasn’t perfect, for sure, but that’s for a later issue! One decision lives on, that’s to start The Paint Dealer, which was the first time a magazine had been solely devoted to our industry’s independents, and it is still that way today! His message then is one that we still crow—I had it reduced to “all paint, all the time.” We don’t talk wallpaper (who does, these days?), we don’t talk windows
(our office needs new ones), and we don’t talk flooring (it was old when we got here). He was competitive—he had to be, starting up a new magazine. One of my favorite quotes of his is his response to “the competition sold me a cheaper ad.” He would say “what good is a cheap ticket to a bad show?” That, and of course, “Oh, e-mail’s just a fad, it will never catch on.” He liked it old school; we fielded countless calls of “how do you open a word document?” but after a few years, he finally figured it out! Everyone does leave a legacy, good or bad, and his legacy was creating this magazine as THE voice for the independent dealer. With the market as it is, that voice is more important than ever, and as such, even before he passed away, we made a determination to redouble our efforts to help the independent make that voice louder. Chris created a laid back office culture—just do your job and get it done on time. Pay your bills, or not, when you feel like it. But in the long run, put out a good magazine that will help both paint dealers and their suppliers sell product and make money. That’s the point of business, make money, make people’s lives better and make a living doing it. Throughout his years in the industry, Chris would walk the aisles of the Hardware Show, a PDRA show, or a distributor show and share a smile with just about everyone he saw. He managed to stay on good terms with everyone—well no, he irritated some people too, but if you’re selling advertising, that comes along with the turf. If you don’t ruffle a feather or two, you probably need more sales training. As time goes by, relationships change, people change, times change, and ad prices change (actually they’ve gone
I remember meeting Chris at Paint shows in Chicago during the final years of that show. His great enthusiasm for the independent paint dealer and their struggles was an outstanding example of his commitment to the industry. We would discuss the value that the dealer gave to the individual and contractor and how our corporate strategy was in line with their focus. Chris was an exciting voice for the industry and was committed to the dealers’ role in servicing the needs of the painting community. It was especially fun to listen to his stories and jokes over a lunch and refreshment. I truly miss those fun days and Chris’ great personality and infectious smile. Tom White, President, UGL
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Chris Mugler 1937—2014
“The dealers and painters who knew him will feel the loss of a man who had a goo d pre sen ce in our industry for decades.” The Wooster Brush Company
“My tribute to Chris M ugler would be like a tw o page, four color spread shouting ab out what he has meant to me as a small business owner and to the paint and coatings industry. I have known Chris for many years and point to the dream he had to create The Paint Dealer. At a time when the paint dealers needed an additional boost, Ch ris had the vision and the courage to launch the new magazin e. Hard-work and a we -can-make-thishappen attitude are the bedrock of the indepen dent paint dealer owners, and Chris certai nly had these attributes. May God bless Chris and his family.” Dick Hardy. former Presid
ent of XIM Products
and we Chris’ passing of ar he to d paint y shocke e figure in the m ti ng We are certainl lo a as w le with e loss. Chris d a lot of peop he uc are sorry for th to he s ar d. his many ye e will be misse industry. Over knowledge. H d an th m ar w his humor and a Brushes resident, Coron P , an sm ak W Ben
e at Lancaster we On behalf of everyon of Chris Mugler’s were saddened to hear embered as a friend passing. Chris will be rem od voice to keep us to the industry and a go needed it. informed when we most nnector of people. Chris was definitely a co most everyone in the He must have known uld connect you with industry because he co right time. You could the right people at the ease the atmosphere always count on Chris to with a quick joke that and take the edge off He loved the Mounalways left you smiling. town of Durango. tains of Colorado and the e to Heidi O., Heidi We offer our condolenc grandchildren. K, Libby, Hans and the Paul Van Noy ster Category Manager - Lanca e Merit Decor Group Managing Director - Th
www.paintdealer.com
7
idi,
Chris, He
ler, 2007
elle Mug
d Mich Hans an
down!). As things come to an end, so too they start over. Perhaps this would be a good time to start fresh. If you’d had some beef or bad experiences with Mugler Publications (and there are a few manufacturers that have), please give us the chance to make it right. We’ll listen to the hard truth from you and offer you ways that we can work together again! You can even e-mail us...it did catch on, after all. As for me, I have Chris to thank for many opportunities—a lot of travel, a lot of on-the-job freedom, a chance to work in a secure environment, and as time went by, to create and write this magazine. It’s our promise to our readers, advertisers, and the industry to keep this magazine’s voice and quality in honor of his memory as it was during his lifetime. Several paint personalities and companies wanted to pay tribute to Mr. Mugler, and we are happy to share their thoughts on these pages. tpd
Farewell Chris, rroWorthy, everyone at A of lf ha be n O olences; tend our cond ex to e lik ld I wou e news. We to hear of th d sa l al e ar a good we nsidered Chris co y th or oW rr at A rson/magaas the first pe w is hr C . nd frie rtised its oWorthy adve rr A e er h w e zin products. Roland Kolilias ArroWorthy Vice President,
cided the reason I de Chris is really ry and he agazine indust to get in the m y. was a great gu P, PDRA on, Executive V
Dan Sim
I have known Chris Mugler for ove r 40 years. We started working together when I was with the New York Decorating Products Association and Chris was with the National Decorating Products Association (NDPA). I was represen ting Paint & Decorating Retailer for the northeast and Chris was the sales manager for the magazine. On many occasions Chris and I wou ld travel together on his many trips to New York. He was surprise d that someone from New York liked country music and since my name is Nicholas Robert, Chris always called me Nicky Bob. Later in life he went out on his own and established The Paint Dealer which his son Hans now carr ies on in the Mugler tradition. He had a great sense of humor and I fondly remember our travels together. He was a man that was very proud of his children and family. He was well liked in our industry and he accomplished a lot. Our sympathy goes out to the Mu gler family, but they all must remember that Chris accomplishe d many things in his lifetime and he will be missed. We lost a friend. Nick Cichielo, or as Chris would say,
NICKY BOB !!!!!!!
I enjoyed working wi th Chris over the years, he will be missed by all of the family at American Paint Paddle Company. Thomas Hardy, President American Promotional Pr odu
cts
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Chris Mugler and wife, Heidi Mug
ler, 2002
“One lives in the hope of becoming a memory.” In honor of Henry “Chris” Mugler, we wish you many happy memories of a wonderful father, husband and contributor to our industry.
The staff and management of Hyde Tools
2014 National Hardw
The Wrap Up T
he National Hardware Show has gone into the 2014 history books, but it left behind some really cool stuff, and a feeling by many people that things in our industry are a lot more upbeat. If you have been to several shows over the years, you know that the “upbeat” feeling is not an by editor annual event. But this one? jerry rabushka Upbeat! Even Howard Kaufman from Alumin-Nu cracked a smile. If you knew Howard like we know Howard…well, that’s a gauge of industry uptick right there! One of the more eye-popping products we saw in the “why didn’t they think of this 50 years ago” category was very simple—it’s a small light you attach to a brush, courtesy of Proform Technologies of Riverton, Wyoming. This little gizmo is great for getting into corners, tight spots, and other places where the sun don’t shine. We think all you’ll have to do is put a few out there and you’ll make a quick sale! proformtech.com Across the way and down the hall (figuratively speaking), the Lancaster show spurred a lot of business as well, and unlike many Vegas marriages, look for this one to last awhile. “Thanks to our customers, vendors and associates, this year’s Lancaster Show at the Riviera in Las Vegas was a huge success!” said Lancaster’s Geff Lynch. “For the third consecutive year attendance has increased. Co-locating with The National Hardware Show and offering great deals during this time of the year is really resonating with our dealers. We are already making plans for an even bigger and more exciting show for 2015.” lancasterco.com A Graco rep we met was so excited about a new product he came and got us right as the show opened! New in Graco’s TrueCoat 360 line of high-pressure airless handheld sprayers is the FlexLiner. This company’s been making this type of product for awhile, and the new version is lighter and easier to use—a great pitch for your DIY customers!
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“Because there’s no suction tube, the TrueCoat 360 can never lose prime because of its angle—and users can spray the most difficult-to-reach projects such as overhead, under decks, or in tight confines with confidence,” says the company. Easy cleanup, too. graco.com The Made is the USA area had more than 125 exhibitors, giving attendees plenty of opportunities to source products that are proudly made in the USA. “I think it’s great that more people are getting interested in made in USA products,” says Harold G. Warp, president and owner of Warp’s, a manufacturer of top quality plastics. “We’ve had a lot of buyers come by.” warpbros.com
Black+Decker started even before the show opened with free breakfast for us media folks to show off a bigtime rebranding. The company is interested in getting into your store. “The new Black+Decker identity builds on 100 years of trust by providing innovative and reliable products for all categories of the home and paint is no exception,” said a company spokesperson. “We are excited to continue to offer great product solutions to painting needs and wants.” blackanddecker.com Got mold? Eeeww. Concrobium Mold Solutions had a booth in the paint and accessories section of this year’s show, and Concrobium Mold Control was featured in the Emergency Preparedness & Disaster Recovery section of New Product World, said the company’s Frank Kocis. “We also unveiled our new micro spray format of Concrobium Mold Control which uses bag-on-valve technology instead of aerosol propellants to produce an ultra-fine mist to get into hard-to-reach areas. Our outdoor products, Concrobium Mold Stain Eraser and Concrobium House & Deck Wash, rounded out our offering at the show.” concrobium.com There was a wall up at the Ames Research booth, but not to keep people out; it was to show off its new waterproofing product Blue Max. They stacked up a cinder block wall without mortar between the blocks, put on some Blue Max, and once it dried passersby were encouraged to rock the wall back and forth. The bricks stayed together and people were amazed. “The response is that stuff is strong!” said the company’s Pete Cary “This product is innovative in that it’s elastomeric and flexible. If there is movement over
are Show: time the coating will flex. It’s not brittle and won’t crack and let water in. It’s an exciting and innovative product and everyone who sees it likes it. There’s never been anything like it at this point.” For sure, it was a show stopper! It works great in the basement, he said, as it holds up to water pressure coming in from behind the wall. amesresearch.com The folks at Shurtech had several observations to share with us, both about its painter’s tape lines and the industry in general. This company looks at industry trends and markets accordingly—and creatively! • An emphasis on personalization was a trend at the show this year. In recent years, homeowners have had a desire to make homes their own with unique touches, and many companies are working to satisfy this demand. For this reason, FrogTape® brand painter’s tape has introduced Shape Tape™ patterned painter’s tape to allow customers the ability to customize their painting projects from walls and accessories to furniture and floors. To further help homeowners personalize, FrogTape has launched an iPad app to help homeowners plan out their new paint projects. The app includes 72 paint colors, virtual FrogTape products and room prototypes. • At the ShurTech booth, there was a floral wall on display created with FrogTape Shape Tape, which impressed everyone who walked past. Booth design companies and designers at the show came by to take pictures of the Shape Tape wall, and couldn’t fathom that it was created with a painter’s tape. This exemplifies the importance of dealers using sample boards, links to company/product websites, and creative signage. • We noticed an overwhelming response to the new Duck Tape Scents® from all industries, even paint. All booth visitors were interested in taking a whiff of the various scents and finding out the inspiration behind the innovative addition to Duck® brand. It certainly demonstrated what a powerful sensory impact scents can have on all people—not just kids. This also reminded us that there are many opportunities for hot new items outside of the core target audience. shurtech.com And that’s just for starters! If you’re a manufacturer with an NHS story to share with our readers please get in touch! tpd
Ames Research booth at the National Hardware Show featured a variety of innovative products.
Imprinted Yardsticks
retail for about $ ea. 1 Placing this attractive display near check out could be one of the biggest sellers in your store. Everyone needs a yardstick!
1-800-858-8589
www.americanpaintpaddle.com www.paintdealer.com
11
paintscene Happy 40th to Old Fashioned Milk Paint!
paintscene
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the discovery of the modern recipe for a classic, old fashioned paint known as milk paint. In 1974, Charles Thibeau, a furniture maker in Groton, Massachusetts, had his “Eureka” moment while trying to replicate an authentic finish for his Colonial furniture reproductions. He was not trying to revolutionize the paint world, but his discovery changed the concept of what modern paint is and can be. He introduced a whole new generation to a time-tested, back-to-basics formulation in the process. Thibeau had been involved in Boston’s first Earth Day in 1970. His dedication to the environment insured that his milk paint formula kept true to the natural recipes of Colonial America.
Milk paint, an ancient form of paint, is famous for being one of the world’s most durable paints. Milk protein (casein) and crushed limestone form a tough-as-nails coating that hardens over time like concrete, making it nearly impossible to remove. In early America, people made their own homemade versions of this paint with locally found materials including clay, chalk and pigments dug from the earth. Milk paint eventually fell out of favor with the invention of the paint can and modern, latex paint. In the mid 1970’s, Yankee Magazine produced a series of books called “The Forgotten Arts,” which included Charles Thibeau in a chapter on making paint from scratch. When the book came out, Thibeau’s phone rang off the hook with people wanting some of this long forgotten paint. Now, Old Fashioned Milk Paint is used by thousands of people throughout the United States and all over the world, from England to Australia. In the past few years there has been a resurgence in painted furniture. The soft, chalky look is all the craze, as is the “shabby chic” look of restored wooden furniture. The upcycled furniture trend is seen in many homes of modern do-it-yourselfers. milkpaint.com
Moore Power to you Benjamin Moore has been ranked highest in interior paint customer satisfaction by J.D. Power in 2014 for the fifth time and the fourth year in a row. According to the 2014 Paint Satisfaction Study, Benjamin Moore maintained its highest ranked position over all other interior paint brands with a score of 815 on a 1,000 point scale, which is a 15-point increase from 2013. It performed particularly well in the key areas of application, durability, product offerings and design guides. J.D. Power bases satisfaction with paint brands by evaluations from customers who purchased and applied interior paint during the past year. It measures six key factors: application, product offerings, durability, price, design guides, and warranty/guarantee. J.D. Power also ranks paint retailers across five key factors: facility, merchandise, staff, services provided, and sales/promotions. The 2014 Paint Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 8,690 customers who purchased and applied interior and/or exterior paint within the previous 12 months. benjaminmoore.com
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Good to the last drop Getting paint out of the can comes with problems; there’s an entire sundries industry to make it easier. A new product, LiquiGlide, allows paint to glide out of a can with ease. When a coatings manufacturer incorporates this product, your customers, says the product’s developer, will finally get to use every last drop of the paint they paid for. They also won’t have to worry about dried paint flakes on container lids contaminating their fresh paint—with LiquiGlide, the paint won’t stick to the lid. This will also benefit the environment as empty cans will actually be empty, and won’t contain the usual small remnants of paint that contaminate landfills or water. liquiglide.com
PaintCare comes to Colorado The Colorado State Legislature voted to enact a bill requiring paint manufacturers to fund and operate a statewide post-consumer paint takeback program. Bill SB 14-029 ensures the environmentally responsible end-of-life management of leftover paint throughout the State of Colorado, while shifting the managerial and financial burden away from the state and local governments. It will now go to Governor John Hickenlooper to sign into law. Once signed, it will make Colorado the eighth state in the nation to implement an extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for leftover paint. The bill is based on a model program developed through a multistakeholder dialogue facilitated by the Product Stewardship Institute. In 2010, Oregon became the first state to roll out a leftover paint collection and recycling program based on this model, followed by California Connecticut. Rhode Island, Vermont, Minnesota and Maine are expected to implement paint stewardship programs this year. paintcare.org
Veteran Painters In April, members and leaders of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), representatives of the Finishing Contractors Association International (FCA), local political leaders and U.S. Army leaders gathered for the graduation of five military members (photo, top right) from the new Painters and Allied Trades Veterans Program (PAT-VP). “We created the Painters and Allied Trades Veterans Program to not only build our ranks with the best and brightest the country has to offer, but to also do our part to thank the brave men and women of our military for their service,” said IUPAT General President Kenneth Rigmaiden to the graduates and attendees at the ceremony (photo, right). The mission of PAT-VP is to recruit transitioning members from all branches of the U.S. military and train them with the skills necessary to build a successful career in construction. Currently, the PAT-VP program is concentrating on training these new recruits in industrial coatings, one of the fastest growing careers in the Finishing Trades thanks to planned and current investment in U.S. infrastructure, and the construction and maintenance of energy facilities.
The program is funded in part by IUPAT. Its industry partner, the Finishing Contractors Association International, represents the companies that employ the men and women of the IUPAT. Their mutual goal for this program is to give back to the men and women who bravely served our country. The program entailed classroom and hands-on training at the base, as well as IUPAT District Council 5 near Seattle. The IUPAT is proud to report that each of these graduates have been placed on jobs in the United States thanks to their new training. pat-vp.org
www.paintdealer.com
13
paintscene Mid-America Member Meeting
Mid-America Decorating Stores, a national retail buying group for independent retailers of paint and other decorating industries, held it’s annual Member Meeting in April. President Allan Meyer welcomed the new members to the group and also unveiled a new consumer friendly web site. Meyer also discusses new programs ranging from advertising to merchandising. Other speakers covered new technology and retailing trends.
paintscene
Member discussions provided high-powered sales insights from the participating members. “The interaction between the members is one of the key elements of our member meetings,” said Meyer. “Members learn from each other, bring their ideas to share, and leave with an abundance of new ways to grow their own businesses.” Members and suppliers also held one-on-one private meetings throughout the day to review product lines, promotions, in-store merchandising and view new product lines. The keynote speaker, Jean MacDonald of Connect the Dots™, discussed the importance of networking and how members could improve the effectiveness of their networking in driving more customers and sales to their businesses. midamericastores.com
2014 FrogTape® Earn Your Stripes® Contest
FrogTape has kicked off its fourth annual Earn Your Stripes® room makeover contest. Running through July 1, 2014, DIYers are encouraged to share their painting projects in the contest for a chance to win a cash prize of $5,000. To win, contestants must submit before, during and after photos of their most impressive room transformation achieved using creativity, paint, and most importantly FrogTape. In addition to the grand prize, a second place winner will take home $2,500, and third place will receive $1,000. Homeowners also have a chance to be named “Best in Show” in one of eight categories, receiving a $100 Visa gift card. New to Earn Your Stripes this year is a Shape Tape™ category, where homeowners can showcase their use of this new product. They can use one of three patterns: Wave, Chevron and Scallop. In fact, every approved Earn Your Stripes entrant will receive a free roll of it! A furniture and décor category is also being added to this year’s contest so customers can use the tape to decorate frames, serving trays, fabric and even rugs. For complete rules and details visit www.frogtape.com/earnyourstripes.
Mid-America’s member meeting offered participants some good times as well as information, sales advice and the chance to meet and connet with other dealers.
Top: FrogTape spokesman Tom Bury with the 2013 Earn Your Stripes grand prize winner Penny Miller.
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Purple Color of the Month:
Whether it’s bold, brazen, or bucolic, you just can’t look away
I
28-10 Blooming Iris
t’s always nice when you hit the money—our Color of the Month was purple, and lookie here, Pratt & Lambert Paints is on the same page. “We selected May’s Color of the Month to be a springy, fresh purple that has broad appeal,” said Sue Waddell, color marketing manager with Pratt & Lambert. Purple’s an “in” color this year, she noted, pointing to Pantone, which awarded a purple called Radiant Orchid its color of the year honors for by editor jerry rabushka 2014. “Consumers are seeing the marketing behind that color and are reacting to it. Just check out Pinterest and you’ll see all the color chatter about purple,” Sue suggests. Plus, it goes with gray, which is making hay on its own as well. “Gray is an incredibly important neutral these days,” said Waddell. “It has effectively replaced beige’s position as a key neutral. Purple is a great companion to gray and its presence is growing as a result.” Look for this to continue into next year, and the year after! “For 2015-2016, a light, sweet purple is emerging into trend reports. It’s a cooler tone; more delphinium and less violet.”
28-6 Gracie’s Room
Pop with purple
16-30 Catawba Grape
Pratt & Lambert: Blooming Iris [Door], Gracie’s Room [Ceiling], Catawba Grape [Wall].
mountains majesty.’” Kelly-Moore’s 2014–2015 color forecast serves up varying shades on the purple palette: Take the Plunge (KM5662), Wisteria Trellis (KM5656), Indulgence (KM5590), Gypsy Jewels (KMA38), Bella Sera (KMA41) and Truth (KM4981). While some of these colors are color you can visit the Kelly-Moore ColorStudio picturedhere, of the month palette at http://www.kellymoore.com/mycolorstudiocolor-palette/ Blooming flowers are the and see its entire panoply of purple.
Kelly-Moore Paints has some purple popping as well and expects more of it in the future. No matter what your homeowners or designers are looking for, there’s going to be a purple they can purchase, said Mary Lawlor the company’s manager of color marketing. “Kelly-Moore’s ColorStudio Collection offers an array of purples to appeal to individual tastes,” she said. symbol of spring. A “Right now, this color family is not a prominent choicequintessential renewal of growth and spirit, an aromatic playground for our senes for interiors but we anticipate an uptick in the appeal and Purple peace the color canvas for our May’s color palette of all things purple. There are such glorious hues inisenvironment. Waddell us that you probably won’t show bursting with freshness and reminds will breathe spring’s new life this family, from the softest lilac (Ethereal KM5591), someone purple and have them go “meh.” They’ll come into your home. which is ideal for intimate spaces like bedrooms, to down heavy on one side or the or other. strong organic grape purples (Wine Tour KM5548) “Purple is complex; it can be daring and exciting. Most for a transition or statement wall. Purples range from people have a very strong reaction to it—they love it or organic plums (Polka Dot Plum KM5576) inspired by hate it,” she said. “We think purple is versatile. It can be fruit filled gardens to the incandescent purples (Violet a very deep earthy purple brown, an intense bold accent, Persuasion KM5594) revered as ‘America’s purple or an ethereal calming iris.”
May
This image should not be altered, distributed, or copied without consent. Printed color samples approximate the actual paint color.
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sponsored by
We asked her how to help live with purple more easily… perhaps with a neutral to master its extreme nature? “The best advice is to select the hue that speaks to each individual and pair it with a good neutral such as gray, taupe, white or cream and then just run with it,” said Waddell. In other words, once they find the purple they like, they’ll find a neutral to bring it further to life or tone it down. The Kelly-Moore ColorStudio Collection was inspired by the uniqueness of the West, Mary Lawlor tells us, so you can use this western angle to mix a good color combo. “Drawing inspiration from the Coastal regions of the U.S., some neutrals that pair perfectly with a purple like Grape Soda (HLS4247) include creamy whites such as Alhambra Cream (HLS4286) and sand colors like Pony Tail (KM4647),” she suggested. “The purple can also be calmed in this combination with the addition of a sage green like Laurel Leaf (KM4700).”
Purple Passion
You might not want peace. You might want to push it up a bit. “For a rich and sophisticated look, the boldness of Gypsy Jewels (KMA38) is toned nicely with the neutral dark gray of Volcanic Rock (KM5826), a color also in Kelly-Moore’s 2014–2015 forecast,” said Lawlor. “Or make it really interesting—use a more subdued purple like Bella Sera (KMA41) with a harmonious blue like Princess Kate KM5035) and a bright pop like Mango Salsa (KM5336).” Those are two of the company’s 2014—2015 forecast colors, so sell now, and put your clients ahead of the trend!
Magic purple bullets–sales advice for our color of the month
Purple is pretty bold on its own, says Waddell, but it can also be a player in some interesting color combos. “I like to see intense purple in a palette with colors such as yellow (purple’s complement), teal, magenta and citrus green,” she said. “It’s important to balance strong color with a warm and cool palette so the scheme looks harmonious—no matter how bold it is.” If you want to try it out, but not take a whole house approach, try to purple up your front door, she suggests. “It’s a strong statement, but doesn’t mean committing purple to an entire room,” said Waddell. Might just keep those solicitors away!
Nurture with nature
Among your many types of clients, you’ll find folks more connected to the earth—many palettes are all granola, organics, dirt, rocks, parkways and pathways. With all this talk about greys and browns and greens of nature, does purple fit in? Oh yeah! “Look to nature—it is always inspiring,” says Lawlor. “Purples are well known in nature, be it a sunset, field of wild flowers or even your backyard garden.” Plus the ubiquitous eggplant in all its stages of growth, harvest, and dinner. To go back to nature with purple, Lawlor recommends using greyed purples such as Take the Plunge (KM5662), Wisteria Trellis (KM5656), these are comfortable choices for those drawn to organic and earth toned colors. Plus, says Waddell, let’s talk taupe. “Taupe is the neutral equivalent of purple,” she said. “I really love taupe because of its relationship to nature. Taupe is the color of stone and granite. It is on the horizon as the sun sets and the twilight begins. Rich, dark taupe, paired with a gorgeous canyon red is really beautiful.” tpd
From Sue Waddell:
• Help customers find a purple they like. • Encourage them to not be afraid to take a risk—it can
be so worth it!
From Mary Lawlor:
• Search the word “purple” on sites like Pinterest or houzz.com for a wealth of inspiration and uses. • Suggest a seasonal purple be used for a statement or transition wall while playing off a neutral companion hue.
Kelly-Moore color: KM5662 Take the Plunge (above) and KM5590 Indulgence [right].
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17
Changing Channel Challenges
Past the Boundaries
by editor
jerry rabushka
The National Paint Alliance can help independents land that national account.
It wouldn’t be the paint industry if, just when you got used to something, everything came up different. There is no doubt the paint distribution landscape is changing. Independent dealers want to make sure that as the sands blow over the beach, they’re not that castle that gets knocked over by the bully with the big feet. Companies large and small are all trying to find their place on this landscape—and it turns out that everyone needs everyone else for both competition and customer satisfaction. The first part of this article looks at a new alliance of regional paint manufacturers, while the second focuses on PPG and its strategy to help the independent in the wake of its expansion. 18
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S
o you want that big account, but they’re painting all over the country and your main brand isn’t sold past Pennsylvania. Do you surrender, or call…the National Paint Alliance? Before now, that second choice wasn’t an option, but the newly formed NPA links up nine regional manufactgurers to make it easier for you to sell your brand to national accounts, while those accounts can be assured of consistent service as they cross a regional company’s boundaries. This sort of thing has been done before, but not on the level of the NPA, says executive director Jeff Child. “Most of the agreements have been more informal, where two or three of these companies get together to service a customer,” he said. “Most of the companies involved in this alliance have been involved in these handshake agreements in the past.” It made sense, for example, for companies such as Dunn-Edwards, Kelly-Moore and Miller Paint to team up, as they could then cover the entire West Coast. The NPA services much of the United States and parts of Canada. “This is the first time we know of that it’s been a more formal type alliance where there are agreements in place and everyone is funding it. It’s going to be different than the handshake agreements,” said Child. It’s been about a year in the planning stage; a few paint company bigwigs got together over dinner and decided to take this important step, both for the health of their own companies as well as their dealers. For the first time, says the organization, national accounts, their specifiers and buyers—from architects to supply chain managers—don’t have to depend on a “one formulation fits all” scenario for their coatings needs around the country. The NPA provides access to comprehensive coatings portfolios, each formulated to perform in varied regional conditions; and extensive professional field support ensures that each job, at each location, has the best product specified to deliver the best outcome.
Nine is fine
The nine manufacturers represent a diverse geographic cross section: Miller Paint in Portland, OR; Kelly-Moore Paint in San Carlos, CA; Dunn-Edwards Paints in Los
Angeles, CA; Diamond Vogel Paint in Orange City, IA; Farrell-Calhoun Paint in Memphis, TN; O’Leary Paint in Lansing, MI; McCormick Paint in Rockville, MD; SunColor Paints in Orlando, FL; and Cloverdale Paint in Surrey, BC. After almost 20 years of paint company consolidation, the big companies are really big, with many formerly independent brands now under the umbrella of Sherwin-Williams or PPG. “The paint business used to be different,” Child recalled. “Independent dealers had a much bigger place in the market years ago, and small regional manufacturers were the norm. Sherwin-Williams was big, but that was really it. All this consolidation has changed the landscape.” Child has no harsh words for the larger companies— good paint is good paint—but he and the NPA members felt that for the smaller manufacturers to competitively service national accounts, they needed to team up. “We had loyal customers but they couldn’t use us because we couldn’t service their business from coast to coast. With the alliance that all changes,” he predicted. Say there’s a hotel chain, and they’ve got properties to paint in Seattle, Houston, Lake Geneva, and Tuscaloosa. Maybe you can sell Seattle, but you can’t touch Tuscaloosa. You can have Houston, but you can’t lock in Lake Geneva. Your customer might want to use a nationally distributed brand so it can get everything out of the same box. “Now we can service that business with our alliance,” Jeff said. “The National Paint Alliance understands the mar-
ketplace dynamics and the need for performance-proven regional formulations along with local expertise and rapid response,” he added. “Meetings with a breadth of national account managers allowed us to determine that national chains—from Target to Wal-Mart, from Hilton Hotels to Marriott International, and from Cushman & Wakefield to Winn Companies—are limited in their ability to specify anything other than coatings from a national product portfolio. “The NPA’s regionally diverse group of member manufacturers are successful based upon their deep understanding of their home geography—they formulate and manufacture world class coatings tailored to the structures’ needs. Collectively, through the NPA, they cross pollinate their knowledge and expertise so that a national chain can now have the best possible coating for each of its buildings, no matter where they are located, while receiving the best service and local trouble shooting,” he continued. He also promised consistent color matching. “Color expertise abounds across the NPA members—each guarantees exact color matches and 100% color fidelity to whatever national manufacturer’s color is specified,” he said. “It’s a benefit to to smaller dealers as the brand they carry will get a lot more exposure—and the more that name is out there, the more people using it, the better. We will utilize independent dealers,” he assured us. “There is a huge place in our alliance for them!” For more information, please visit the NPA online at nationalpaintalliance.com.
What do Pittsburgh and Louisiana have in Common? PPG explains its dealer strategy and how being big can help you, even if you’re small.
R
emember when the United States made the Louisiana Purchase? Of course not, it was over 200 years ago. But, in effect, it doubled the size of this country. What does that have to do with paint? When PPG acquired the Akzo Nobel coatings brands, it significantly increased its size as well, and just like Lewis and Clark, a little exploration is needed to figure out what to do with all the new territory.
By the way, Louisiana was tons cheaper. After some deliberation, PPG announced its strategy to delineate its operations in all three of its channels— independent dealers, home centers, and company owned stores. Of course, the concerned independent dealer might be wondering: what does it mean for me if PPG is selling through my competitors?
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We spoke with Tom Dougherty, PPG director of pro marketing, architectural coatings, to get some scoop. First off, he pointed out, it’s a three-legged plan, which means if you pull one leg out, the structure will topple. Everyone in this business needs to make money: you, your painters, and your suppliers. PPG sees the independent channel as a very important part if its business strategy. If it fails, Dougherty said, so will the strategy. Therefore, it’s in the company’s best interest to operate in yours. Whether it’s PPG paint or not, these three channels are all going to be selling paint, he pointed out. “If you are a dealer, you will compete against dealers in your own
channel and against stores in other channels as well. We feel that by being involved in a big way in all three, we have a good handle on what’s going on in the business and we can keep our technology at the highest level, keep our costs as low as possible, and have a far reaching distribution network. It definitely benefits the dealer.”
Where’s Sacajawea when you need her?
Speaking of Lewis and Clark, this company is doing a bit of its own journey as it has scheduled several “road shows,” as Tom calls it, to meet with PPG dealers and give them a better understanding of the company as well as what it means going forward. “The reason is to refresh everyone on who we are, what we have to offer and the options we have.” Not all their dealers are alike. “Maybe they’ve been customers for 50 years, maybe we just PATCH acquired their business through our plus primer acquisition, or maybe they signed up as new dealers,” he pointed out. “Even people who have been doing business with us for a long time may not have had a good picture of PPG as the world’s A Competitor 3M™ Patch plus primer largest coatings company. Some people who have known us for 50 years are the last to know that.” Tom added that PPG now devotes about 95% of its business to coatings, whereas not too long ago that percentage was a lot lower—so you are, in fact, dealing with a coatings giant. Still, he’s not taking the tack that PPG will meet everyone’s need in every instance. He’s aware there is plenty of competition out there, and that different dealers have different interests. But he does feel that there’s most likely something this company has to offer that can lead to a good partnership. “With the scale of operations we have, we can offer a variety of products, services, or brand options,” he listed. “We’re not going to be everything to everyone. Some dealers are a deco center while some are a mini commercial network with 50 stores. We have the options to Superior hiding power. help small businesses, big businesses and those in between.” With all the brands and services available, you can pick the ones that suit you best. “Let us know what you want to do 3M™ Patch plus primer is a spackling compound and primer in one. It has superior hiding power compared to a and we can provide you with an option lightweight spackling competitor. There’s no need to prime and plan to do it,” said Dougherty. “It’s and no change in paint sheen – the repair will be virtually not a one size fits all approach. I feel invisible under dried paint. It dries quickly, firmly holds nails really excited about being able to go to and screws, is easy to use, and won’t shrink or crack, any dealer and say ‘what is it that you which means there is no need to apply a second coat. © 2013 3M. 3M is a trademark of 3M. All rights reserved. want to accomplish, and how can we help you get there?’ They can say, ‘this
No need to prime.
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thing here is not for me, but this other thing might make some sense.’” Plus, by being active in all channels of paint distribution, they know what’s going on all over the board.
“Playing in all channels gives us the scale that helps the dealer,” he said, “As a result, we can do things in the dealer channel that we could have never done before.” ppg.com tpd
PPG Dealer Brand Strategy, Official Announcement The 2013 acquisition of AkzoNobel’s North American decorative coatings business significantly enhanced PPG’s stable of brands available to serve the pro through the independent dealer network, and it made possible the creation of a new, dealer-exclusive brand that will combine the heritage of the PPG Pittsburgh Paints and Devoe® brands. The completely new PPG Pittsburgh Paints brand, which will launch in late 2014, will incorporate some of the best-known Devoe paint sub-brands under the PPG Pittsburgh Paints parent brand and be available to professional customers only through independent dealers. “The uniting of the strong equities of the PPG Pittsburgh Paints and Devoe Paints brands Paint into this completely redesigned brand offers a powerful option
to dealers who want to support a brand that will not be in company stores and home centers,” said Tom Dougherty. “We’re really excited to be able to offer this option to our dealers as one of many in our portfolio.” In addition to the soon to be re-launched PPG Paints and PPG Pittsburgh Paints brands, the other strong brand options from PPG for independent dealers include the PPG Porter Paints and Glidden® brands. Finally, a recent PPG acquisition of a minority equity stake in The Coatings Alliance enables the company to add the super-premium C2® Paint brand to its industryleading dealer portfolio. “Simply put, the independent dealer is a critical component of our strategy to reach the professional customer, and we are really proud to be able to work with Dealer our dealers to offer many options,” said Dougherty.
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21
The Colorful and Merry
Month of June Fooled ya, you thought we’d say May, but you know how color can be.
A
s warm weather comes to most of America, other than say Florida, where it never leaves, many paint companies put out new color trends and ideas to help folks who are finally throwing open their windows and doing all the stuff they promised themselves they’d do if only winter would ever…ever…end. We know with color trends by editor comes Colorspeak, a language jerry rabushka spoken by designers and color experts that few people can understand. But, reaction to color is largely emotional, and these folks understand how and why. Knowing why a color card was put together and how it can help someone tap into their emotions or plans might help you sell better. For instance, if you know a certain red or green will have a certain impact on most people, you can help recommend it for a commercial space. Then that company’s sales go up and it’s all because you know a little Colorspeak! Here’s a game—when someone comes in the store, see if you can guess what color they’ll want. If you win, you sell a lot of paint. If you lose, well…shhh!
The Boy is still Dutch We haven’t heard from Dutch Boy for awhile. Currently a Sherwin-Williams brand, Dutch Boy was founded in 1907 by the National Lead Company. Needless to say, the formula’s changed over the past 107 years. So has the color card, so let’s take a look. It’s called Awaken; the brand’s collection of colors represents a renewed commitment to the environment. It’s
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comprised of four distinct palettes—Gather, Connect, Explore and Serene—it encourages consumers to surround themselves with an overall positive synergy through color. You’re not only selling color, you’re selling happiness—in a can! Who says modern technology is bad? “After a period of slumber, we are now ready to face the day with an upbeat, confident composure,” said Sue Wadden, Manager of Color + Design, Dutch Boy. “Our Awaken palettes combine the traditions of yesterday and the fresh tastes of tomorrow to showcase a bounty of gorgeous color.” The palettes were designed to merge cultural influences and connect common with unfamiliar, to help customer unite the new with the old and move ahead comfortably.
Here’s a taste of the four palettes, (information provided by the manufacturer): Gather
There is now a heightened push for farm to table living, so it is no surprise the Gather collection features hues from the farmer’s market and fields. The colors bring an organic and familiar feel- ing, infused with bright new energy. The Gather palette includes:Flaming Torch C2-1; Pimpernel A17-1; Colonial Cobblestone B13-3; Cider B7-1; Stonewall Jackson F15-
3; Glass Block Green D7-4; Northern Places E7-3; and Jalapeño D11-1.
Connect
Our world is intrinsically connected in a global tapestry. Old traditions stand tall as new ones emerge. Bold patterns and palettes come together with classic heritage colors and time-honored traditions, balancing one another with an irresistible blend of cool and warm tones. The Connect palette includes Go Blue E20-1; Court Jester B21-1; Sedona Dust C12-4; Swamp Fog D5-2; Crimson Sky A26-1; Preserves F13-1; Hunter Green E11-1; and October Leaves C6-2.
Explore
Our minds are always reaching for new ideas from new places. We are seekers of the unknown and we explore to find the next discovery. Our quest ends with uncovering mysterious colors complemented by unexpected bright shades. The Explore palette includes Ultra White C4-4; Mosaic Tiles E25-1; Dhurrie Pink A8-3; Yazoo City Yellow C24-2; Down-to-Earth Red A5-1; Half Moon Bay E4-3; Prairie Purple F20-3; and Chanson Bleu E17-1.
Serene
Seeking a sense of serenity, inner peace and acceptance, we have come to realize all actions have consequences—both positive and negative. Knowing this, the Serene palette reflects relationships that are secure and sincere and creates spaces that feel balanced and calm. The Serene palette includes Sandbar White C11-4; Slight Yellow C26-3; Delicate Pink A9-4; Fieldhouse D22-3; Coldwater E18-3; Sheet Metal F15-2; Sewing Bee B1-4; and Baseball Mitt B8-2. dutchboy.com Benjamin Moore image:
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“Color Trends 2014” It’s from Benjamin Moore, and you can’t get an easier name than that for your 2014 color trends. “Our Color Trends 2014 palette is less about where you’re going and more about where you come from,” runs the thinking behind this collection. Many folks are out and about all day trying to earn enough to afford that rent or mortgage, so when they get to the place where the mortgage is happening, it should be fully satisfying—at least from a color standpoint. “The world around us and the currency of the moment affect the way we feel in that moment—and that affects how we look at and create our homes,” the company experts tell us. “To understand those feelings during 2014, we spent the usual time understanding the latest looks in haute couture, home fashion, textiles, the arts and culture—but we also spent time listening to and understanding how the core Benjamin Moore customer lives.” Throughout this year, and a lot of last, we’ve been seeing a redefinition of neutrals. As bolder colors take the scene, neutrals have expanded past the off whites and beiges into hues that in earlier years, your clients might have found a bit more extreme. The New Neutral Palette, says this company, was curated to help people find and create those moments of sanctuary and exhale in their home. “We assembled this palette to work together; to provide the flow and coordination you need to create a home that offers more than just shelter.”
Breathe
Now, breathe again. Might as well, it’s pretty important, and Benjamin Moore’s color of the year is called “Breath of Fresh Air.” Check around and you’ll see that colorists don’t necessarily agree on color of the year. It can be a yellow, a pink, a light blue like this one—but all in all, they’re meant to inspire good feelings where ever they’re employed. Breath of Fresh Air is meant to take its room’s inhabitants away from phones, screens and e-mail, and help them just chill out. It’s that moment in time when you walk in the door after work, yet you haven’t pulled out your phone to check your texts. Those precious few minutes. Perhaps the color of the year can pull out those minutes just a little longer. benjaminmoore.com
Is it 2015 already?
It is in the world of color, so sell it now and tell your customers they’ll be trendy six months early! Pantone (pantone.com), an X-Rite company, is a global authority on color and a provider of professional color standards for the design industries. It just published PANTONE® VIEW home + interiors 2015, a compendium of major color trends that will influence the home and interiors marketplace next year. In fact, your designers might want to take a look at this book to keep on top of what’s to come.
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Benjamin Moore image: Breath of Fresh Air 806, Aura Bath & Spa, Matte.
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“Consumer preferences, behaviors and lifestyles are constantly evolving, spawning a desire for fresh color palettes in both home and interior design,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “While rigid color rules have been replaced by more creative guidelines, style and
color coordination in the home remains a consistent goal. The forecast can validate some pre-conceived color choices, while also giving new color inspiration and direction.” Which is good for you—your creative colorists won’t feel out of place, and your conservative colorists won’t feel left behind. PANTONE VIEW home + interiors 2015, available for $450.00, contains visual inspiration, suggested color harmonies, individual tear-out palette cards for each of the nine forecasted palettes, swatches of the 72 forecasted colors, and images from the forecast for use in presentations and storyboards. Highlighting additional insight and direction, a summary page concludes the forecast with a comprehensive color overview and a look at other factors influencing the ™ world of home furnishings and interior environments. To enable digital design, the book been easier! includes Pantone Color Manager for direct download of all Pantone Color Libraries into design software. The nine palettes for 2015 are called Style-Setting, Abstractions, Botanicum, Zensations, Urban Jungle, Tinted Medley, Past Traces, Serendipity and Spontaneity.
Pail Partner Handling 5 gallon pails has never
Color still has a voice at PPG Available in hand truck style for smaller stores
introducing
Pail Partner from Lift’n Buddy
The Pail Partner™ from Lift’n Buddy is as easy to use as a two-wheel hand truck, but offers the added benefit of powered lifting. Counterbalanced design makes it easy to lift and move pails to and from pallets, countertops, mixers and customer vehicles with no interference from straddle legs found on most small stackers. Using a Pail Partner reduces physical strain on employees, increases productivity and provides opportunities to improve the customer experience. Pail Partner Advantages: ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
Pushbutton linear actuator lifts loads of up to 200 pounds, 36" high Rolls easily on any surface — including parking lots Dual rear swivel casters provide unmatched maneuverability 4-wheel design provides stable transport — up to 3 pails high Special pail yoke handles both plastic and steel pails Flip down yoke cover creates platform to support case packaging Requires no more room to operate than a two-wheel hand truck
For details call (855) 543-8283 or visit www.liftnbuddy.com/paint
BUDDYA Southworth Company 26
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The message from PPG is to chill out— look at color from a clean brain…free yourself from past thinking and see where you’d like to go with a clean slate. Refreshed thinking drives the 2014 color trends from The Voice of Color, says the company. When we take the time to pause and refresh, we are able to see things differently. We are able to see things more freely—without focusing on the confines that previously existed when we were thinking “inside the box.” A room isn’t empty except for paint, so the trend colors need to blend with the other elements of décor to create an overall mood. PPG’s Hi-Breed trend palette uses natural materials, plants, and soft, calming pastels. This color theme can create environments that allow for peace, balance and decompression. By adding additional brighter shades, man-made materials, and synthetic accents, the theme becomes infused with creativity, energy and vibrancy—allowing for an environ-
ment that reinvigorates. To achieve the look of this trend, remove anything dark, heavy or cluttering and begin with that clean slate. It’s about keeping lightness, optimism, and freshness in your surroundings as well as in your spirit.
The key points of Hi-Breed:
• Man-made resins and organic forms come together in perfect harmony. • A refreshing mix of subtle neutrals and delicate pastels. Colors of this trend: • Cranapple PPG1190-5 • New Clay PPG1192-4 • Ballet Slipper PPG1190-2 • City Street PPG1018-3 • Orange Liqueur PPG1198-4 • Midsummer’s Dream PPG1151-3 • Artesian Well PPG1231-4 • Acorn Squash PPG1212-6 • Lemon Grass PPG1220-7 • High Dive PPG1236-5 tpd
PPG Hi-Breed room shot above and color card on the right.
What does a trend mean for you? Trend colors, colors of the month, colors of the year... what does it really mean for you? Do your customers and designers have to give in and use it? That’s not the point, said Dee Schlotter, PPG color strategist. However, staying on top of the trends shows your customers that you know what’s going on and that you can offer them the latest in color currency. It also gives them a starting point to figure out what they really like. For example, as we’ve mentioned in past issues, Turning Oakleaf, an optimistic energetic yellow, is PPG’s color of the year. This doesn’t mean everyone’s going to turn over this new leaf so much as you can let them use this this color as a gateway. Do they like it or not, for one? If they like it, do they like it as is, or would they like to tweak? If a company picks 20 trend colors, it gives your customer a place to start, said Schlotter. “Trends take those 2,000 colors and get them down to about 20. This gives consumers great starting points in conversations,” she said. PPG’s goal, she continued, is to give you and your customers a jumping off point for those color conversations. Plus, you have the advantage over pillows and drapes, in that you can fine tune the paint color. Yellows are in, she’s noticed, and a big player in 2014 décor. If your clients like their yellow pillows, but Turning Oakleaf is a bit too bright or dark for their taste, at least you started them off in the right place. Drip in a little more or less colorant... and bingo! You’re golden (or whatever shade they like). But essentially, your job is to start the conversation, either with you, with the designer, or even with grandma. Showing a few trending colors can do the trick. If you are a PPG dealer, you have a world of color at your disposal. “PPG is in so many different markets, so if I want know what’s going on in Asia or South America I can call them,” said Dee. “We have a person working in that market that can give us information first hand. That’s been a good piece of our global trend story—nobody else can do that.” Look for a big announcement regarding Voice of Color in these pages soon! ppgvoiceofcolor.com
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by executive director, Independent We Stand
BILL BRUNELLE
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America’s Oldest Paint Brand Supports Independent Businesses
ith a legacy that dates back to colonial times, America’s oldest paint brand knows a thing or two about sustainable business practices and supporting the American economy. While Devoe Paint’s product line has expanded over time, its priorities have remained the same. Since 1754, Devoe Paint has embodied what it means to be an American business, and today it helps others to do the same. Devoe Paint supports the American economy and local communities by selling its products exclusively through a network of locally owned, independent dealers. “A big part of the reason PPG/Devoe is our primary coatings supplier is that they have a commitment to helping independent dealers be successful,” says Dan Stauffer of McCoy’s Building Supply. “They recognize the value of consumers buying from independent businesses in their local communities, and the Devoe brand has been associated with independent dealers for decades.” Devoe’s dealers range from generations-old family businesses run by the great-great-grandson of the original owner to new business ventures started by young entrepreneurs. Either way, these local businesses power local economies by reinvesting their profits elsewhere in the local market. For example, the young entrepreneur who starts a hardware store in his or her hometown will spend their hard-earned profits, pay taxes, and pay workers all in that same town. The result is a constant flow of money throughout the local economy and increased revenue for government agencies that supply public services and fund local infrastructure. In fact, the Andersonville Study of Retail Economics reports that for every square foot that a locally owned business occupies, the local economy gains $179. Devoe Paint follows this localconscious business model not just for the economic benefits, but also for the social and environmental benefits that independent businesses bring to local communities. The independent dealer network is good for people in the community because it creates local jobs without requiring workers to relocate to fill a position. Devoe Paint is sold nationwide, but the company relies on
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workers in their hometowns to remain successful. As Devoe’s independent dealers hire and employ local workers, the quality of life for families in the community steadily increases.
Independents are Green
The independent dealer network is good for the environment because small retailers produce less waste and less urban sprawl than large ones. Devoe also takes the environment under special consideration in the production of its paints by complying with all strict environmental regulations. Devoe’s independent dealer network is a win-win-win situation for consumers, business owners, and communities across the country because it encourages people to buy local. Communities thrive thanks to all of the economic, social, and environmental benefits that come from local businesses. Consumers enjoy a more pleasant shopping experience at local businesses, where there is a personal focus on customer service and industry expertise. Finally, local businesses can grow and gain a loyal audience in the community with the support of nationally recognized brands like Devoe and by local advocacy groups like Independent We Stand. “Sedona Paint Center is proud to be a long-standing independent dealer of Devoe Paint, and we were thrilled when we learned that Devoe had become a partner and sponsor of Independent We Stand,” says company owner Michelle Lloyd. “To have Independent We Stand and Devoe Paint supporting us and encouraging the public to shop local first bolsters our advertising campaigns and helps us compete even more against the big boxes and national chains.” As America’s oldest paint brand, Devoe Paint has grown tremendously over the years. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the company’s commitment to the American ideals of independence, entrepreneurship, and economic prosperity. By supporting independent businesses and encouraging people to buy local, Devoe continues to support the American economy, one community at a time. independentwestand.org tpd Michael and Michelle Lloyd, owners of Sedona Paint Center, Sedona, AZ.
ret details retail Make sure your POS systems is secure There has been much written about retail store computer security. One of the bigger and more recent is the 100 million credit card users that had their card data exposed in the Target credit card breach. There are other examples of similar actions in large chains as well as independents. Many existing and many newly sold or being quoted POS systems are including a very minimal computer security package. Too many packages include no firewalls at all. A router that you can buy in the local computer or electronics store is not the solution for a retail store and is usually not a firewall. How do you know if you have a firewall/ router that meets the standards for a retail business and is processing credit cards? If you are not paying for an annual subscription service as part of your firewall, most likely you are at more risk. If the price of the device is under $150.00 to $200.00, buyer beware! The bad guys are really creative. That is why a good firewall includes a yearly subscription service. The definitions are contributing writer regularly updated to address current threats. Fred In addition, it provides ways to block certain fischer types of websites and SPAM. With a good device, you can block X rated websites, sports or social media sites and much more. Access to pre-approved sites can be determined and set by management. SPAM and other intrusions are blocked by the subscription service. Threats get update in the firewall because of the subscription service. As new threats are created, those are included in the new updates. There is a cost for these updates. Usually this type of firewall is a minimum of $500 to $800 or more with a renewal fee of $300 to $500 or more.. If you are buying a new firewall, upgrading equipment, or getting a new POS system, read carefully. When you see descriptions like “Economy” or just the word “router”, that should send up a red flag. A router is not a firewall. And, anti-virus software is not a firewall. We are talking about 2 different things. You need both a hardware/software firewall and an anti-virus software program. Anti-virus software is very important. Yes, there are a number of vendors that offer “Free” versions of their anti-virus software. If it is free, there is a reason! Free anti-virus is better than nothing, but you are running a business, processing lots of credit cards, and you do have liability. Free anti-virus software usually has limited or less functionality. If you want all the features, you most likely will have to pay for the more complete version. When you purchase a good business level anti-virus program, it should offer a control panel that is usually running on the server computer. This way, other users cannot
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alter or change the anti-virus settings. That is for a reason, security! Virus definitions usually are configured to update every two to six hours. There are schedules that can be set as to when the computers are scanned, quick scans, deep scans, and registry scans. If you have an attachment with an email, make sure you know who the sender is before you open the program. Windows requires a mouse click to install programs. Know what you and your employees are doing when they get that email that warns of the lost UPS or FedEx shipment, or to confirm your store’s credit card information. In almost all cases bad things will happen. The emails and alerts can be very compelling and professionally presented. Be careful! Not all anti-virus programs are equal. Some will slowdown your computers and POS system. Do not use the programs you see on a web browser that says “Free scan of your computer”. Those will almost always find a virus (because they are written to display that info because sometimes it is not even doing a scan) and encourage you to buy the program after the scan. Many times, those programs are installing bad stuff on your computer. Talk with your POS provider or you local IT person and make sure you are getting a quality anti-virus product. But, there is some bad news. No one anti-virus product is going to catch all viruses every time. Sometimes the bad guys get in your computer system. Be alert. If you are using Windows XP computers, it is time to replace them. As of April 8, 2014, Microsoft quit providing updates for the Windows XP operating system. A Windows XP computer, even if there is only one in your network, leaves the possibility of an open door to your computer network. Put together a computer replacement plan and start the replacement process. There are already numerous computer programs that will not run on Windows XP because software companies no longer support that operating system. You want software programs that will run on Windows 7 or 8, 64 bit. That is now the standard when you buy a new computer. Windows does support a 32 bit compatibility mode, but that can be risky or may not always work. The old “Fram” oil filter saying, “Pay me now or pay me later,” is so true with computer security. The cost to fix the computer, possible lost data, and down time can be hundreds or thousands of dollars. The cost of re-installing the Windows operating system and other programs can add up. Take action now and know you are protected! tpd Fred Fischer is president of Ganymede Technologies Corp. in Bucyrus, Ohio, which markets the J3 Point-of-Sale retail inventory management system. He can be reached at
[email protected] or visit the company at j3pos.biz.
www.paintdealer.com
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Speak Your Mind and Get Results! As the father of a teenage daughter, I am always shocked when something I say gets listened to. Recently though, I had an experience that I thought you might like to hear about. I wrote a column a few months ago that ran in The Paint Dealer. In that column, I shared with manufacturers my point of view that it is not a retailer’s job to create demand for their product line. I knew my mother had read it, but after that you never really know who is reading. Anyway, at least one manufacturer was! At the time, I had been having conversacontributing writer tions about the possibility of taking in their Mark line. I was not looking to add a new line lipton to my business, but I am certainly always listening and like to know what companies are doing. I do not think that they were aware at the time that those conversations were not going well (for them). They were doing their best to work the relationship, show me the love, in all the traditional ways that manufacturers do that: “we’ll
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give you the best service and big discounts.” All nice, but what if I was already getting great service and discounts from my current supplier? Over the course of several meetings that spanned two trade shows (more on trade shows in a minute) and lots of trips to the Bronx by their managers, I was able to make the point that unless they had a plan to grow my business, I was not all that interested. So, at the second of the two trade shows where we had meetings, they showed me something in 15 minutes that my teenager has not been able to show me in SIXTEEN YEARS! They showed me that they had been listening. I am going to jump to the end because I want to leave some space to talk about the value of attending trade shows. I now have a new line in both my stores, better pricing than I had previously, an outside rep making calls on my behalf (I share his services with another dealer in the area), a marketing budget, and a “map” on how to use that marketing money to help grow my business. This is all new, so it is too early to say whether our plan will succeed; but it is certainly an excellent start. Their job is to generate demand for their
“At an AllPro (or trade) show, I can deliver my message to the top without the filters of all those at the bottom. ” product: check! My job is to inventory, display, deliver, give credit (though they are helping there) and maintain the new customers: check! None of this would have happened, in my view, if not for my regular attendance to the twice a year ALLPRO meetings and show. I have been a member of ALLPRO for over ten years. The discounts are nice. Access to vendors that dealers my size might not otherwise get access to is also nice, as are some of the educational opportunities. But to me, the greatest benefit of being an ALLPRO member is the twice-yearly meetings and shows. The networking and learning opportunities that those shows offer me far exceed the cost of getting and staying there. Information gets smaller and less detailed as it flows up the “chain of command.” You tell your rep that his new product is not right for you because it does not come in a full line of bases. Then that feedback gets put in a call report and his
boss reads, “I saw 50 dealers, and one of them shared that we need more bases in our new line.” Then he puts that into another report which says, “we got feedback on our new line from 500 dealers with no specific topic or complaint being mentioned by more than one dealer...” and BAM….your feedback is now lost forever. At an ALLPRO (or trade) show, I can deliver my message to the top without the filters of all those at the bottom. Also, my message is not pushed aside by someone else’s who buys more paint or screams louder. I can go direct to the source, which in many cases is a person that I would never see in my office. They are a great investment of the time and money and even after years of attending, still yield me results. Mark Lipton is the 4th generation owner of Tremont Paint in NY as well as a consultant to the coatings industry. You can reach him at
[email protected] TPD
www.paintdealer.com
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