Deborah Reed, international territory manager, TrueValue Company (left), shares a joke with John Mahfood, deputy chairman, Hardware & Lumber Limited, at the official launch of Rapid True Value, on October 1.Two Saturdays ago, on Saturday, October 1, Rapid True Value unveiled its new look at the Lane Plaza branch, on Constant Spring Road.
Rapid True Value is the merger between Rapid Sheffield and H & L True Value. Rapid TrueValue operates under the joint ownership of Hardware & Lumber Limited, Pan Caribbean and GraceKennedy.
"Rather than trying to build four different retail brands for similar businesses, it makes good business sense to focus our energies on a single brand," said deputy chairman, John Mahfood. He added: "Research shows customer preference for this name combination (Rapid True Value), which takes key words from heritage companies to create one strong name."
largest retailer
The merger makes Rapid True Value the largest retailer with 15 stores islandwide.
"We are already set apart in the marketplace," said chief executive officer, Anthony Holness. "We have the benefit of an association with the international marketing of True Value. We are currently in the top three in True Value sales out of over 6,000 members worldwide, and we reached here by giving our customers solutions to their problems and ideas that distinguished their projects.
Hardware & Lumber Limited recently restructured its operations and now operates three trading divisions within the group.
These are:
Wholesale Division: Hardware & Lumber
Retail Division: Rapid True Value stores
Agri Division: Agro Grace farm and garden stores.
