True Value recognizes business partners of the year

True Value has recognized its 2007 Suppliers of the Year and Service Partners of the Year, the latter of which acknowledges a non-product supplier that has provided True Value with excellent service during the past year.

"This year’s winners stand out among an impressive group of suppliers to True Value Company," said president and CEO Lyle Heidemann. "We recognize this year’s winners for their dedication and exceptional contributions to the co-op."

Master Lock, the padlock and security products company, earned True Value’s top honor, the Partner of the Year award. Master Lock has supplied True Value since 1958, and the manufacturer finished 2007 with fill rates to True Value in excess of 96 percent and comparative sales up more than 32 percent over 2006.

The following business partners were named True Value’s 2007 Suppliers of the Year within their respective product categories:

• Master Lock -- Hardware and Partner of the Year

• Irwin Industrial Tools -- Hand and Power Tools

• Pentair -- Plumbing

• Energizer Battery -- Electrical

• Sunnyside Corp. -- Paint

• Weber-Stephen Products -- Seasonal Products

• North American Salt -- Lawn & Garden

• Midea Group -- Home

• Bonsal American and Sakrete -- Lumber & Building Materials

• Neo-Neon International -- Global Sourcing

The co-op also recognized OLR, a True Value preferred system solution provider and global supplier of services to implement Oracle Retail software, as Service Partner of the Year at the event.