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A survey of members of the American Hardware Manufacturers Association (AHMA) members shows about 20% are expecting to add employees over the next six months.

In a supplemental question attached to the association’s June Confidence Index survey, 19% of respondents replied yes to the question: “Does your company have plans to add employees over the next six months?”

Most respondents, 54%, replied “no,” and 27% said “not sure.”

San Diego-based HD Supply Facilities Maintenance, a leading distributor of maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products, recently released its 2012 full-line catalog of more than 22,000 products 

“Customer feedback is the driving force behind our investments and is reflected in each of the new products and services featured in the catalog,” said Anesa Chaibi, president and CEO of HD Supply Facilities Maintenance. “We are committed to providing the products, services and solutions that best serve the needs of our customers.”

“The last four years have been tough for the building community, especially the smaller, family-run stores. 

“It has been hard to deal with changing bank regulations after you have been in business more than 30 years, and everything as you knew it has changed. We have watched many of our friends go down, both competitors and customers. We are still standing, but every day is a challenge. 

At The Rental Show in New Orleans, the Chicago-based hardware co- op True Value Co. recognized its partners that make rental successful.

Toro Company, Hilti and Warner Shelter Systems received special recognition.

A price index of lumber and panels used in actual construction for Jan. 27, 2012

Home Depot is running a mobile ad campaign that allows consumers to click on ads to make a direct purchase, according to an article in Mobile Commerce Daily.

The list of improving U.S. housing markets tracked by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) almost doubled in January 2012 with the addition of 40 new metro areas. The NAHB’s First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) now counts 76 improving markets, up from 41 in December, with 31 states and the District of Columbia represented by at least one entry.

Consumer Confidence made a surge in December, pushing the needle from an index reading of 55.2 to 64.5. Total housing starts also surged, while single-family starts increased slightly. 

The Natural Marketing Institute’s (NMI) new white paper, "Is Sustainability Sustainable?" contains insights from the group's consumer trends study.

Written by Frank J. Lampe and Monica Emerich, Ph.D., the white paper on green attitudes is available here.

U.S. retail and food services improved slightly in November, but NAICS code 444 retailers took a step backward. 

The U.S. Census Bureau announced Tuesday morning that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for November, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $399.3 billion, an increase of 0.2% from the previous month and 6.7% above November 2010.

A price index of lumber and panels used in actual construction for Dec. 9, 2011

Don Riley, the former chief information officer of carpet manufacturer Mohawk, has been selected as the new executive VP supply chain and technology for ProBuild. This surprise appointment, announced Nov. 23, reached outside the LBM industry to fill a role overseeing the largest pro dealer’s supply chain, information technology and manufacturing organizations.