Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/300987
H a rd wa re & H o u s e wa re s Re vi e w 3 3 W e d n e s d a y, M a y 7 , 2 0 1 4 LEDingEDGE: THE SOLUTION TO ALL YOUR LIGHTING NEEDS Today, many manufacturers of retail store fixtures use LEDingEDGE LED products for their in-store displays because they provide simple solutions for the problems that they are encoun- tering. Robert Semerau, National Sales and Marketing Manager of LEDingEDGE says, "With our success at commercial/OEM manufacturing, the transition to selling at retail is a natural next step." For most consumers, LED Lighting is the great mystery of the new millennium. Which light is best for which application and how they all come together in the home environ- ment are just a few of the issues trou- bled buyers face. With the introduction of the LEDingEDGE Mini-Orion Retail pro- gram, the great mystery is solved. Consumers can now easily find every- thing they need in one simple display. "I like the way I can mix and match lengths using the plug and play jumpers or extension connectors," says Robert D. of Denton, Texas. "The easy to understand instruction sheet makes any installation a breeze." The power supply connections can be plug and play or hardwired to suit any application. Consumers that want a simple solution can plug the power sup- ply into any convenient outlet and begin using their LEDingEDGE Mini-Orion LED under cabinet lights immediately. For the handyman with more advanced skills, the hardwire power supply comes with everything needed to get the job done. Even the special J- box, used to house the hardwire AC connections, is UL and meets NEC regulations. With the launch of the all new LEDingEDGE Mini-Orion retail pro- gram, retailers can now offer the solu- tion consumers are searching for in LED under cabinet lighting. Mystery solved. For more information, visit LEDingEDGE at booth 1920, call 805-383-8493 or go online to www.ledingedge.com. THE LIGHTWEIGHT HOSE WITH THE HEAVYWEIGHT GUARANTEE Breaking ground once again in the cat- egory of user friendliness is the new NeverKink Lite ® garden hose from the innovators at Teknor Apex. It's lighter by a full 30 percent, which makes it virtually 100 percent easier to handle. As the newest addition to the NeverKink ® product line, this light- weight design contains patented NTS ® Reflex Mesh ® technology. What that technology translates to is a user experience that's easier and more enjoyable than ever before, because there are no more kinks, twists or tangles. The NeverKink Lite is flex- ible, easy to maneuver and easy to coil, yet durable enough to stand up to everyday use. As you would expect from a glob- al leader like Teknor Apex, this new product has been tested to the highest standards for quality and performance. It's proudly made in America and comes guaranteed to last a lifetime. Teknor Apex is a worldwide leader in custom compounds that range from vinyl to nylon to bio plastics. Since its beginning back in 1924, it has held fast to a philosophy of innovation and uncompromising quality. This 70-year tradition is evident in breakthroughs like the first kink-proof garden hose with patented technology, and the award-winning Eco-Smart line of Family Safe products. In addition, Teknor was first to market with a pro- gressive color palette, a result of its commitment to quality market research. Teknor Apex is proud to introduce this new, lighter weight garden hose, aptly named NeverKink Lite, provid- ing solutions to meet the need of con- sumer demands. For quality, value and innovative engineering, all hoses lead to Teknor Apex. Visit Teknor Apex in room N225. For more information, go to www.apex- hose.com or call 800-289-6786. DL: Our guiding principles are based on innovation for growth. We strive to develop and launch new tools that ben- efit end users. Our goal is to help our customers work smarter. From profes- sional to consumer facing brands, inno- vation is a fundamental tenet for our organization. We believe there is always room for improvement across all Apex Tool Group brands. Enhanced technologies create opportunities for better, more effective and more effi- cient products. HHR: What types of programs do you have in place to foster innovation and creativity? DL: Our product managers are charged with regularly meeting with customers on jobsites and in factories to better understand how we can help to make their jobs easier. Conversations with cus- tomers are critical and directly impact the new product development process. Customers often have ideas for improv- ing existing tools, as well as thoughts for brand new tool innovations. We also encourage inventors to share their ideas with us through our Inventor Connect website. We look outward as well as inward when soliciting ideas for new products to harness the best ideas for innovation. HHR: Why did you choose the National Hardware Show to unveil new products for Wiss, Crescent and HK Porter? DL: In North America, the National Hardware Show is the best venue for reaching the retail, wholesale and hard- ware market. From traditional hard- ware stores and home centers to farm and agricultural retailers, this show brings together a diverse audience. Given this, we decided to provide an early look at some of our newest inno- vations. We know our customers like to learn about new products so they can prepare their promotions and programs for the year. HHR: Wiss is introducing several new innovations at the National Hardware Show. Tell us more about the new Wiss Edge™ Aviation Snips. DL: Our new Wiss Edge Snips are high-end professional aviation snips that take our popular snips and make them even better. Wiss Edge snips redefine performance with a total sys- tem design for increased durability, Apex Tool G roup ( Cont'd. from p. 1) consistent control and exceptional comfort, and the redesigned blade and handle combination reduces the amount of force needed to make a cut by an average of 20 percent. HHR: How do such product innovations help the hardware retailer? DL: Product innovation brings cus- tomers into a store. It helps generate excitement and justifies regular visits to see the latest and greatest in new tool innovation. Carrying brands from Apex Tool Group means you'll have increased foot traffic in your retail store. HHR: What's next for ATG with respect to innovation? What can National Hardware Show attendees expect to see next year? DL: Attendees can expect even more innovation, especially in tools that per- form multiple functions. Many DIYers want to streamline the number of tools in their box, and so are looking for tools that perform multiple jobs. For these con- sumers, we'll again focus on multi-pur- pose tools. For our professional tool user customers, we'll continue to provide tools with unprecedented features that deliver benefits of higher performance and longer tool life. For more information, go to www.apex toolgroup.com or stop by booth 6617. of the line filtration systems with the prom- ise to provide great tasting water and supe- rior customer service. HHR: What would you say makes your company unique? PH: The fact that our products are all made in the USA, right down to box, makes our company pretty unique. We produce a drinking water filtration sys- tem that can be easily installed under your sink, utilizing your existing plumb- ing. You can have great tasting water within 30 minutes. Our systems even include a metal filter wrench so you can change your filters with ease. HHR: What products do you see as being hottest this year? PH: Our unique under the sink drinking filtration system is going to be this year's hottest water filtration system. Our system comes in a complete kit with every part being made in the USA. Everything you need to install is includ- ed. This system removes impurities in USA Filtration Systems ( Cont'd. from p. 1) the water, replacing the counter top, faucet mount and filter pitcher. This is the No. 1 alternative to expensive bulky reverse osmosis systems. HHR: What has been your greatest suc- cess in launching your company thus far? PH: Our online presence has been a huge success for us. We are selling our systems through several web sites including HomeDepot.com and Menards.com. We even fly with Sky Mall. HHR: What goals do you hope to achieve in the year ahead? PH: We hope to have our systems on the shelves in every hardware and home improvement store across the nation. There are millions of consumers who would benefit from our affordable water systems, which produce safe, great tast- ing water. Visit USA Filtration Systems at booth 2044. For more information, go to www.usafiltrationsystems.com, email phil@usafiltraionsystems.com or call 800-728-1041.