Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/679155
H a r d w a r e & H o u s e w a r e s R e v i e w W e d n e s d a y, M a y 4 , 2 0 1 6 3 4 to take as much time as needed to posi- tion pieces properly. Then when they shine the special LED flashlight that's included with RapidFix UV on the adhe- sive, it hardens in about 10 seconds and dries clear. HHR: How can people use RapidFix UV? LK: It's great for making emergency repairs on plastics, glass, metal and fiber- glass. At home, it'll bond ceramics and jewelry. You can even use it to repair a gap in a wood floor. You can sand it light- ly and spray polyurethane or paint, and you won't see it – it's like it's just not there anymore. You can use it in chil- dren's toys or to glue together the pieces of a model airplane. You can apply it to cracks in windshields to stop the cracks from spreading, or cracks in headlights and taillights. It can also be an insulator with low voltage electricity and you can even repair circuit boards. Really, the uses are just endless. At a retail price of $25.95 for both the adhesive and the special LED UV flashlight, it's very affordable, too. HHR: With its UV curing process, this is clearly different from the RapidFix product we already know. Can you tell our readers more about the differ- ences? R apidFix U SA (C o nt'd. fro m p. 1 ) LK: The RapidFix Dual Adhesive System incorporates an instant adhesive and a welding powder, a combination that can be used to repair almost any- thing. You can repair copper pipe, PVC, jewelry, glass, ceramics – so many things. Glass, rubber, metals, fiberglass. It can be used by professional trades per- sons, DIY, model-making and to repair sports equipment. The RapidFix product combines an instant adhesive and a welding powder. The adhesive can be used on its own to instantly bond most materials, including rubber, glass, copper, aluminum, steel and most plastics. The RapidFix Welding Powder is used in conjunction with the adhesive to instantly fill all types of holes, cracks or gaps, and it'll produce a strong weld seam that supports the repair, just like you see with a soldered or weld- ed joint. You know how when you break a ceramic or glass item, you often get those shards or slivers that are too small to work with? RapidFix Welding Powder can fill that gap when you glue the pieces back together. Then you can sand it or file it smooth and repaint it to have a per- fect repair. RapidFix saves time, saves money and is just amazing. Best of all, it will not dry out in the bottle, we guaran- tee it for 12 months. For more information, visit booth #4708, email lenkelsey@aol.com, call 231.793.3600 or go to www.rapidfix.com. opening a permanent showroom? When approached in the fall of 2015, the timing was right and it just seemed to make sense that this be Jordan's next step. The company has experienced phe- nomenal growth since 2005, and that growth shows no signs of slowing down. As a privately owned and operated com- pany, Jordan tends to refer to itself as "a very big small company," where all of the staff is like an extended family, from the administrative staff, production workers, sales staff, design team and more. Staff tends to "wear many hats," which helps to maintain a handle on all aspects of the company. Jordan prides itself on being a very vertical forward- thinking company, allowing for change when necessary and implementing and experiencing new things. Jo rdan Manufacturing (C o nt'd. fro m p. 1 ) These are just a few reasons Jordan is able to offer customers the choices and programs that allow them to con- tinue to achieve growth in their cate- gories. The Las Vegas Market in January was a great success for the company, and helped to solidify that it had made the right decision. Jordan had attended the market in the past with temporary space and had good results, but they paled in comparison to the traffic and leads generated from the permanent showroom. The World Market Center seems to be gaining lots of interest, and with so many wonder- ful Las Vegas attractions, what's not to love? Jordan feels that the market will continue to gain momentum and become the hub for buyers everywhere. Visit Jordan Manufacturing at booth #12203. BV: The whole building thing, I think, is genetically linked. I think it's passed on. My dad built the house we grew up in. TV is my accidental career. Much to my sur- prise, after we shot 13 half hour programs, we were put up for an Emmy award for the New England region and we won it. Everything changed very rapidly. HHR: You decided to go all-digital after Bob Vila Home Again ended in 2007. Why? BV: I have three kids who are part of the Millennial Generation, and like others in their 20s and 30s, they have moved into their first homes and started their own lives. Some young people are in fixer- uppers, some are juggling household and day-care expenses and many are getting their first set of tools. They are budget con- scious, environmentally aware and tech savvy – and so is the new BobVila.com. HHR: What attracted you to working on the restoration of Ernest Hemingway's home outside of Havana? BV: This has been a unique project. I've V iatek (C o nt'd. fro m p. 1 ) been involved in so many home restora- tion projects over the course my career I've lost count, and this is the only one that's had this really special status. It's not just restoring a house, it's building relationships and trust. It's an important thing to be doing because it really repre- sents the collaboration of an American novelist and the Cuban people. It cements what his legacy is all about. HHR: You recently began production of your own line of tools and DIY products. Why did you decide to branch out in that direction? BV: My website, BobVila.com, was developed to serve as a coach; taking folks from inspiration to how-to instruc- tions, and then to links to products that help them realize their vision. By designing my own line, Bob Vila Products, I will be able to offer what people need without having to use a middleman. My partnership with Viatek will assure that what I am offering is of the highest quality and something peo- ple can rely on. Visit Viatek at booth #4124-4126. To request a meeting, email sales@viatek.com. West and Emery-Jensen Distribution serving areas not covered by Emery or Jensen, as well as handling national accounts. Between these three compa- nies, there is more than 300 years of hardware and distribution expertise. HHR: What makes AWH different from its competitors? HP: Because we are backed by Ace Hardware Corp., one of the most trusted names in the hardware industry, AWH has the resources to offer more to our customers. We provide independent retailers the largest selection and most inventory depth with more than 70,000 SKUs. Our 17 distribution centers are spread across the country, so we are able to quickly deliver to all 50 states. The bottom line, our purchasing power (scale) coupled with the most expansive, efficient supply chain in the industry enables Emery, Jensen and EJD to serve the independent retailer like no other wholesale distributor. We are per- fectly positioned to help our customers make more money. HHR: What are some of the benefits A ce W holesale Holdings (C ont'd. from p. 1 ) AWH offers its customers? HP: Besides the largest selection, most inventory, best service and our world- class supply chain, our customers get transparent, easy-to-understand pro- grams and pricing. We're proud to offer: no cost to join and no annual fee, com- petitive pricing and programs, 97 percent plus fill rates, knowledgeable account managers, dedicated customer service department, EDI capable, cutting edge online ordering portal and cross-dock programs. HHR: Profit margins are notoriously thin in this industry. How can AWH help retailers save on product costs? HP: As AWH continues to expand, cus- tomers will see incremental cost savings as a result of increased buying power. Rather than keep all this for ourselves, we pass the savings on by reducing prod- uct costs. The truth of the matter is this – scale matters. As the largest, fastest growing hardlines distributor, we believe it is our job to continuously deliver cost savings to our customers. Visit Ace Wholesale Holdings at booth #7439. SPARQ HOME CREATES LOCATION-SPECIFIC DESIGN SPARQ Home has recently taken to sup- porting local. As SPARQ began brain- storming shapes to cut for its new slate products, the idea to cut designs that cater to individual cities came to mind. For six months, SPARQ allowed any customer to send in their custom request to have their shape idea turned into a Slate Cork Topper, Slate Wine Note, Slate Wall Note or Slate Cheese Board. Shapes like bicycles and mustaches for the ever-so-trendy Portland popped up, along with anchors, sailboats and light- houses for East Coast cities. Forest crea- tures like foxes and bears and greenery such as spruce, pine, oak and elm trees for scenic and mountain towns were also popular. Music notes for cities like Nashville and Austin were created as well and have shown much popularity. "In a sense, we're giving back to our customers. We've allowed them to come to us and say 'this is what we want' and we've been able to provide it," explained SPARQ partner, Justin English. "It's been inter- esting to see what each city has wanted to have represented." Some distinctive designs like a loon are often requested for the Midwest states, with palm trees for cities in Florida and California. Southern loca- tions like New Orleans often chose the fleur de lys design, while Texas stores have continued to order the cowboy boot. "If we can provide a unique product at a fair price point and that can help a boutique raise their sales, then we're all for it," stated Jessica Purple, SPARQ Home's Sales Manager. Along with cre- ating a line of custom shapes to symbolize differ- ent areas of the country, SPARQ also released a line of state shapes for each slate product, including shapes of the U.S.A., Mexico and Canada. "State pride is a trend we are seeing in every industry – kitchenware, jewelry, apparel – it is something we think is here to stay," explained Marketing Coordinator, Kate Naylor. To see an always-updating list of shapes available for the slate products, visit www.sparqhome.com/slateshapes. For more information, go to www.sparq home.com or call 303.800.6591.