HBSDaily

Fermacell is one of Europe’s largest producers of gypsum board. 

Here’s how Tractor Supply Co. will build on $6 billion in sales.

Emery-Waterhouse CEO Steve Frawley anticipates changes now that Ace Hardware has acquired the 170-year-old regional wholesale distributor. Some will be subtle, some substantial, and some as yet unknown. 

The deal, terms of which were not revealed, also marks the beginning of a separation between Portland, Maine-based Emery and Distribution America, the co-operative of nine regional distributors that pool together as a buying group. 

Minneapolis paint giant Valspar reported second quarter net sales of $1.03 billion, essentially flat with the prior-year quarter.

The company, which recently signed a deal to become the key supplier of paint for Ace Hardware, reported net income of $76.9 million, up from $76.5 million in last year's second quarter.

Volume was up 7%, including the Ace deal, up 3% excluding Ace. 

If you’re thinking of using a naked man tumbling down a hill to advertise your home improvement business, forget it. The idea has been taken.

Housing starts dropped for the second month in a row in June, this time even more sharply -- at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 893,000, starts were down 9.3% from May's downwardly revised rate of 985,000.

The decrease rode almost entirely on the back of the southern United States, which dropped 29.6% since May. Every other region of the country posted increases, led by a 28.1% gain in the Midwest.

The maker says it's the first legally approved, UPC-certified diverter for residential use.

Stamford, Conn.-based Revolution Lighting Technologies, an LED lighting technology company, announced it has acquired a portfolio of general illumination LED lighting products, including several product lines from CMG Energy Solutions.

Under the terms of the agreement, Revolution Lighting acquired CMG’s Energy Star-listed architectural, PAR lamps and spotlights for indoor commercial applications. CMG’s LED products will be rebranded under Seesmart, Revolution Lighting’s brand for indoor LED applications.