Page 49 - HW September 2020

then as now
Then as now – Sept 2010
IN OUR SEPTEMBER magazine 10 years ago, we were talking about pundits talking July 2010’s building consents both up and down...
We were also talking about the industry both shrinking, thanks to a large scale shift of industry personnel to Canada, and growing thanks to local store openings and the much vaunted arrival of a major new home improvement chain across the ditch.
VANCOUVER WELCOMES KIWIS
Our September 2010 magazine reported that the Kiwi hardware industry shrank slightly in July. However it was but a temporary emigration and, ve days later, the same 250 people arrived back in Auckland.
e reason for this temporary relocation was the occasion of John Hartmann-led Mitre 10’s rst conference for a couple of years, in glorious Vancouver, Canada (1).
We said at the time: “All were slightly worse for wear, mainly due to having been on an airplane for some 14 hours straight – although some were undoubtedly showing signs of sustained and committed networking... All were tired but somehow also energised.”
Among the highlights was former Home Depot senior executive Winston Ledet opining that in his experience
price matching was a waste of time and that it was all about perception. He also said however that you need an attitude when it comes to pricing – i.e. don’t try to play in the middle, have a policy and stay with that.
Another keynote speaker, Ram Charan (Named by Fortune magazine at one point as “the most in uential consultant alive”), shared his picks for sustained corporate success. Apple was one and the other was Haier.
A decade ago Haier was massive in its home market, in fact the number one Chinese appliance manufacturer but, for most Kiwis, the brand at that point was still well under the radar.
Two years later however, with the purchase of Fisher & Paykel Appliances and the broader distribution of its products, Haier would become a serious player in New Zealand whiteware.
PlaceMakers CEO, John Beveridge (far left), with the blue brand’s brightest talents for 2010.
MORE STORES IN STORE
Fletcher Building’s positive year to end June 2010 showed PlaceMakers’ year as nishing strongly. With the residential market having picked up some 13% on 2009, further progress was expected, with the caveat that any increases were still building o a low base...
Fletcher Building’s annual report talked of being cautious about the year ahead and back then it was common around the traps to hear that it was infrastructure projects that appeared to be the only saving grace for the year ahead, an outlook that also resonates today, in 2020
Although PlaceMakers’ FY 2010 sales were down by 1% (to $878 million), its EBIT was up a massive 27% thanks to “cost control across all aspects”.
e Fletcher Building presentation talked about part of the overall strategy going forward being to “strengthen channels to market”. PlaceMakers CEO, John Beveridge, explained that meant 10 new stores to plus gaps in the network and 8 refurbishments.
Vancouver, July 2010:
Mitre 10 NZ’s temporary emigrés...
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SEPTEMBER 2020 | NZHJ 47