Page 20 - Hardware July 2019

18 NZHJ | JULY 2019 MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz
BuildLink – STAYING CONNECTED
Despite a retro theme, BuildLink’s 2019 Conference and Supplier Trade Show was all about jointly forging ahead. Steve Bohling reports.
BUILDLINK CELEBRATED ITS first 10 years in Taupo in April last year.
For 2019 and year 11, the co-op stayed in the central North Island but moved to the sulphurous climes of Rotorua.
Themed “Back to the Future”, BuildLink’s Annual Conference (sponsored by Steel & Tube and GIB) and Supplier Trade Show was based at the Distinction Rotorua over 29-31 May.
Proceedings kicked off on the Wednesday with group conference sessions presented by Grant Boddington of business development specialists Mind Mechanics and Jeremy Wilson of industry recruitment experts Build People, followed that night by dinner at Skyline Rotorua.
Thursday morning, delegates spent time with the group’s preferred suppliers, taking in the extensive BuildLink Trade Show (see our coverage starting on page 22), while the evening
brought a 1980s-themed dinner and the promise of very-80s live band, The Monroes, to close off the day.
With Ben Hurley as MC, this was also the moment for BuildLink members and suppliers to be recognised.
The 2019 award winners were:
• The BuildLink Attitude Award – BuildLink Selwyn.
• Store of the Year (up to $2m turnover) – East Taratahi
Building Supplies.
• Store of the Year ($2-4m) – Peppers Building Supplies.
• Store of the Year ($4m+) – Hautapu Rural Supplies.
• Store of the Year (voted by suppliers) – Matamata Timber
& Hardware.
• Premier Supplier of the Year – MSL / Fortress Fasteners. • Supreme Store of the Year – Cocky’s Corner.
With a business that’s barely a year old, BuildLink Selwyn’s David Lemon says of receiving the Attitude Award: “I was absolutely stoked, it was completely unexpected being less than my first year in business. So yes, it was a heck of a surprise, but I feel super chuffed!”
A newbie to Buildlink but no newcomer to the trade, David reports he’s getting a lot of local support based on bringing a slightly different attitude to the region: “Even though we are a remote store I don’t see why people should pay rural prices.