Technology

The Hillman Group, a Cincinnati-based fastener manufacturer, has announced its entry into the Builder's Hardware segment with the release of its Hardware Essentials collection.

A survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,000 consumers conducted by San Francisco-based research firm MarketTools suggests that their next home improvement project will most likely take place in some room other than the kitchen or bathroom.


Almost a third of future projects were described as “other room” in the study, conducted July 8 to 10 using MarketTools ZoomPanel of opted-in consumers. 


Brick-and-mortar retailers pay taxes. Online retailers often don't. That scenario along with a recent story about the online taxation debate raging in California led to the following reader comments about the relative fairness of sales tax rules in our increasingly digital world. 

EcoBlu Products has been awarded a contract to supply Red Shield coated lumber and trusses for 88 home developments being built in Ontario, Calif. 

Frame Right Construction was awarded the framing contract with the inclusion of Red Shield lumber and truss package for all 88 homes. These two-story homes range from 1828 to 2054 square feet and the contract represents 88 out of a potential 110 lots left to be built. The contract is in excess of $1 million in gross revenues for all 88 homes, with 3 models shipping immediately. 

One of the largest Florida suppliers of tainted drywall has reached a preliminary settlement with a group of plaintiffs, counsels for the parties announced June 15. 

The insurers of Banner Supply Co. and its various subsidiaries have agreed to pay $55 million to homeowners in Florida who claim their homes were built with contaminated Chinese drywall.  

Continuing the alphabetical, coast-to-coast rundown of all-star hardware stores, here are three standouts from Massachusetts, Michigan and Minnesota.

Per the study, 84% of respondents said willingness to shop at certain retailers is impacted in the event of a breach.

Knoxville, Tenn.-based regional hardware distributor House-Hasson Hardware completed its $2 million, 100,000-sq.-ft. expansion of the company’s Prichard, W.Va., warehouse.

“We’ve moved in, the racks are up, and the bins are being filled,” said Don Hasson, House-Hasson president. “Our West Virginia warehouse will have the same items as are available through our Knoxville warehouse. This means faster and more efficient shipping and delivery of all our products to our customers.”