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Orgill holds fall market in Las Vegas

Orgill’s three-day fall market focused on areas like builders hardware, rental, agricultural and sporting goods, bagged goods, hand tools, housewares, kitchen and bath, lawn and garden and paint and sundries. The event included a “worldwide sourcing” display with more than 400 new products, including high-end work clothes, space heaters, patio furniture, cast iron cookware and gift items. Other market highlights, according to Orgill president and CEO Ron Beal, included a completely revamped plumbing category and an expanded Pro Source department incorporating a broader range of construction supplies, safety equipment and rental options. The Orgill market ran through Aug. 18.

Housing starts fall 6.1 percent from June

Housing starts for July fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.381 million units, 6.1 percent below the revised June rate of 1.470 million units. Starts were 20.9 percent below the revised July 2006 number of 1.746 million units. According to the statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development, single-family home starts in July were at a rate of 1.070 million units, 7.3 percent below the June figure of 1.154 million.

IKEA to open Georgia DC

Swedish retail giant IKEA plans to open a 685,000-square-foot distribution center in Savannah, Ga. The distribution center, to be located at Savannah’s International Trade Park, is slated to eventually expand to 1.7 million square feet. The distribution center reportedly will support stores in Atlanta and Texas, with future stores on deck in Charlotte, N.C., and Florida.

July same-store sales up 2.6 percent at major chain stores

Retailers posted an industry-wide comparable-store sales gain of 2.6 percent for the month of July, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers’ (ICSC) tally of 60 leading retailers. Luxury stores outperformed other retail sectors during the month, growing their comparable-store sales 10.3 percent. Furniture chains reported the steepest decline, at 8.6 percent.

BlueLinx reports lower Q2

BlueLinx Holdings, the Atlanta-based building distributor, reported $1.08 billion in revenues for its second quarter, which ended on June 30. This reflects a 21.5 percent decline when compared to revenues of $1.38 billion for the corresponding period a year ago. Net income for the second quarter was $5.4 million, compared to $9.6 million a year ago.

Simpson Strong-Tie in national sponsorship with Habitat for Humanity

Building products supplier Simpson Strong-Tie has announced a national sponsorship agreement with Habitat for Humanity. Over the next four years, the company will donate $1 million in cash and products to help support Habitat for Humanity projects in North America.