This week, I delivered and set-up product at Sissiboo Home Hardware in Weymouth. I attend a CME breakfast with the Honorable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defense and Member of Parliament for Central Nova. I visited Scotian Gold in Coldbrook and Fraser’s Pro Home Centre in Bridgetown, Kentville & Kingston.
As chairman of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters in Nova Scotia , I joined the board of directors for a meeting Monday morning at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Just prior to our meeting we all were enjoying breakfast as we waited for our special guest. We invited the Honorable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defense and Member of Parliament for Central Nova, to join us before catching a flight to Ottawa. We wanted to thank him for all his contribution to Nova Scotia and for being instrumental in supporting ship building in Canada. We also took the opportunity to discuss some concerns our Nova Scotia members have & ask Mr MacKay if there is any way the federal government could help. At the conclusion of our meeting, I had the privilege of presenting him with a Trail Blazer Telescopic Jumbo Anvil Ratcheting Lopper, made in Nova Scotia, as our token of appreciation.
Peter MacKay was born in New Glasgow. After graduating with an arts degree from Acadia, he studied law at Dalhousie. With strong family ties, he returned to New Glasgow to open a private law practice and soon accepted an appointment as Crown Attorney for the Central Region of Nova Scotia.
I enjoy delivering & setting up end aisle displays at stores like in Weymouth. Sissiboo Home Hardware is a family business since 1986. They retail Electrical, Plumbing, Hardware, Paint supplies including the Premier Professional paint poles manufactured in Nova Scotia, Building Supplies, and Farm Supplies including Trail Blazer products. Their goal is to provide you with friendly customer service … Visit them and be surprised with the many items they carry in one handy location!
While I was in Weymouth, I visited Sissiboo Farm Supplies owned and operated by the same family as Home Hardware. They build a number of different products out of wire and I was enquiring if they would be able to produce wire display for Trail Blazer products & our Xtend-A-Poles.
When I delivered & set-up Mark’s Choice & Trail Blazer products at Sissiboo Home Hardware in Weymouth, I visited Fraser’s Pro Home Centre in Bridgetown, Kentville & Kingston Nova Scotia. I wanted to offer them in-store merchandising and point of purchase signage for their use. I just started working with Fraser’s Pro Home Centre, who is also a Tim-br Mart Dealer with four locations in the Annapolis Valley and I look forward to servicing them more in the very near future. I also visited Scotian Gold in Coldbrook to buy apples … Dawna (my wife) is going to be baking some pies!!! … I love pies!!! While I was at Scotian Gold I checked our display of products and received an order for more of Trail Blazer’s products. I look forward to delivering the order to them next week and freshening up their 4 foot wall display.
This week I checked in-house orders and 20 % of May’s orders have been shipped while they wait for more aluminum & plastic parts to be delivered. I have received enough orders in house to cover 77% of June’s projections … Well I better visit some more stores next week.
We continue on financial objectives. Betty Millard, our shipping coordinator, visited the Home Hardware distribution center and Poly Cello to learn some trade secrets and best practices. Monica Furlotte has seen great improvements with customer discounts & is now making sure it’s sustainable. Robert Woodman & Justin Caldwell will work with suppliers & study production lines to lower costs & increase margins.
I was visited by Lorie McCarthy with BDC Consulting to discuss when we should have a follow up with Dale Thibodeau and see how we’re doing with our financial objectives. We also discussed the possibility of finding a consultant who could assist us with our marketing efforts in the future.
Looking back, May 22nd, 2011
One Year Ago, I was proud to become the chair for the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters in Nova Scotia’s division.
Today, I am still chair for the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters in Nova Scotia’s division and I am still proud.
All the Best, Shawn Levangie