Technology

This week, California-based Orchard Supply Hardware is leveraging its Sears connection, by marking 25% off of all Craftsman brand products.

Hot Deals

• A Craftsman 12-volt Li-Ion drill for $52.49
• A 17-in. plastic toolbox for $11.24
• 260-piece mechanic’s toolbox for $149.99

The Skinny: A circular within a circular

Hampshire, Ill.-based building materials manufacturer W.R. Meadows launched a new website -- wrmeadows.com.

Among the new changes are more project photos, a product spotlight for new products and new social media features. These features include a live Twitter feed, so users can follow tweets as they happen, and links to their Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube pages. 

Some 23,000 Toro Power Clear snowblowers and another 6,200 or so 20-inch Recycler mowers are being recalled.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with Toro announced a voluntary recall of the products because the carburetors develop fuel leaks and can ignite when exposed to an ignition source, posing a fire or burn hazard.

No fires or injuries have been reported, but there have been about 500 reports of carburetor leaks. 

Twin brothers Craig and Jeff Smith opened Twins Ace Hardware in Fairfax, Va., in a 16,000-sq.-ft. store on Main Street.

The brothers have a combined 19 years experience in hardware retailing with the independent chain Strosniders Hardware. 

The new store, which has no other connection to Strosniders, is located in the Main Street Marketplace Shopping Center next to a Walgreens.

Ashland City, Tenn.-based A.O. Smith signed on as the Official Education Sponsor for Quality Service Contractors (QSC). 

QSC is a trade organization serving plumbing and HVAC service and repair contractors.

As sponsor, A. O. Smith will provide many of the tools and resources used to supply contractor education to QSC members throughout the year as well as at the upcoming QSC Power Meeting XXXIV April 7-9 in Nashville, Tenn. A. O. Smith will also provide bi-weekly tech training, QSC HR consulting, and other online resources to contractor members.  

CertainTeed has announced the launch of a new website, designed in partnership with ARCAT Inc., that offers architects, contractors, spec writers and building engineers a comprehensive line of Building Information Modeling (BIM) objects for use in project design and specification.

The objects, 3-D models with embedded data, enable a project to be shown in a three-dimensional model and include all the additional properties that go along with it -- including specification documents, technical data sheets and relevant product websites.

“There are no sissies left in this business.”


That’s the official Home Channel News quote of the month, from Rick Frost, the CEO of Nashville, Tenn.-based Louisiana-Pacific.


St. Louis-based urban redevelopment firm EcoUrban is filling vacant lots in St. Louis with energy-efficient and affordable prefab and modular homes.

The redevelopment project involves a modular building manufactured off-site with green, sustainable features, then trucked to St. Louis, placed on a precast foundation and finished on-site.