Page 10 - D16602 - LBMAO - Oct 2020 Reporter - web optimized

Industry NEWS

productive as we move forward.”
Orgill is scheduled to hold its Spring
Dealer Market from February 25-27 in
Orlando.
About Orgill: Orgill, the industry’s fastest-
growing hardlines distributor, was founded
in 1847 and is headquartered in Collierville,
Tennessee. Orgill serves more than 10,000
retail hardware stores, home centers,
professional lumber dealers and farm stores
throughout the U.S. and Canada, and in over
50 countries around the world.

2021 wrla showcase
changes format
strict social distancing would likely still be a more robust and interactive experience.”
required,” says Moore. While meeting online might not replace
Recognizing how important it was a live market, the e-Volution platform,
for both customers and vendors to still combined with the functionality of Zoom,
be able to get together for a seasonal enabled vendors and retailers to interact
buying show, Orgill’s team quickly went with ease throughout the event.
to work developing the framework for the “The engagement with video was great,”
e-Volution Online Buying Event. says Todd Stocks of M-D Building Products.
“We went into overdrive,” says Stine. “This allowed us to focus one-on-one with For the first time in its history, the Western
“This was truly an all-hands-on-deck effort the retailer much like a physical show but Retail Lumber Association’s (WRLA) Building
that involved teams from nearly every area actually be completely focused on the needs & Hardware Showcase in-person event
of our business. We are extremely thankful of that retailer with no distractions that has been cancelled due to the COVID-19
for all their efforts and we think the results might come at a physical event.” pandemic. But as the saying goes, “the show
speak for themselves.” Brent Perry of Alf Curtis Home must go on” and in this case, it’s going on
In addition to the ability to browse Improvements in Ontario said he was with the association’s publication, Yardstick,
through and buy products from Orgill’s extremely pleased with how Orgill launched and app.
wide array of vendor partners, attendees the Online Buying Event in the timeframe To ensure that the WRLA can safeguard
of the Online Buying Event could also take they did. “I think Orgill has done a great the health and safety of members while
advantage of special promotional offers, job for this first round and I think they continuing to create success for the industry,
pre-season booking programs and even have a great platform to build on and move the robust and engaging publication and app
schedule live meetings with vendors and forward with,” Perry says. “I think we learned will provide a new platform to engage vendor
service providers. a lot here about how to work an online event and dealer connections, offer education
“I think it’s safe to say that I probably like this and I think we will actually find opportunities, and build industry awareness
had more remote vendor interaction in the ourselves maybe buying more at an event in an effective and efficient way.
last couple weeks than I’ve had in the last like this than we have in the past.” “While we recognize the value of in-
couple years,” adds Mims. “This was really Based on this kind of positive feedback person events cannot be replaced, we want
helpful in allowing us to reach out and from both vendors and attendees, Moore to make this a win-win situation to create
connect with the vendors we needed to talk agreed that this first e-Volution Online success and sustainability,” says Liz Kovach,
to.” Buying Event will serve as a great launching WRLA president. “The WRLA board and staff
To help facilitate these meetings, pad and learning opportunity for the are disappointed that we had to cancel one
Orgill partnered with Zoom, the industry company. “We are very pleased that, given of the industry’s largest shows. We recognize
leader in online meeting technology. “The the challenge of holding live events right this event is important to members’ business
partnership with Zoom and our ability to now, we were able to offer a platform development and these alternatives will
integrate their state-of-the-art technology through e-Volution that helped both our allow everyone to still collaborate, network
into our e-Volution platform went a long vendors and our customers keep their and showcase innovation to the industry.”
way toward helping us facilitate more businesses moving forward,” Moore says. The January issue of the association’s bi-
interaction between our customers and “We will undoubtedly learn a lot from this monthly Yardstick magazine, which is sent to
our vendors and team members,” Moore event and plan to use it to make our vendor all members, will now contain a special WRLA
says. “By now, everyone is familiar with how and customer interactions even more Building & Hardware Showcase section.
Zoom works and we think this helped build
10 LBMAO Reporter - September-October 2020 www.lbmao.on.ca