True Value Company Honors Exceptional Business Partners

True Value Company recently handed out its 2006 Supplier of the Year awards at the hardware cooperative's annual merchandise partners meeting and awards dinner. This distinction recognizes companies whose contributions have helped drive the growth of the True Value co-op and its members, resulting in successful fill rates and the highest level of quality service and support to its retail stores. Since 2003, True Value has honored select merchandise partners through its Supplier of the Year awards program. In this year's competition, the judging committee reviewed more than 1,700 of the suppliers who had service levels in excess of 97 percent and sales growth with the co-op of more than 5 percent. "Our suppliers play an integral role in helping True Value Company provide our members with the world-class service and retail support needed for profitable growth," said President and Chief Executive Officer Lyle Heidemann. "We applaud this year's winners for their outstanding commitment to excellence, as well as their extraordinary contributions and positive financial impact on the co-op and our members' businesses." The Teknor-Apex Company of Pawtucket, R.I., earned True Value Company's most coveted honor, the Partner of the Year award. A supplier to True Value since 1959, Teknor-Apex provides True Value with high- quality garden hose and related products under the Teknor-Apex and Green Thumb brand names. Teknor-Apex finished 2006 with fill rates to True Value in excess of 98 percent and comparative sales up more than 16 percent over 2005. "Teknor-Apex and of all our 2006 Supplier of the Year award winners do far more than ship product to our stores and regional distribution centers," explained Steve Mahurin, True Value's chief merchandising officer. "Their management teams work hand-in-hand with our merchants to help our members drive sales and maximize profits through competitive pricing, differentiated product lines, and innovative, up-to-date merchandising programs." The following business partners were named True Value's 2006 Suppliers of the Year within their respective product categories: Liberty Hardware � Hardware Shop-Vac Corporation � Hand and Power Tools Pentair Water � Plumbing Raco Incorporated � Electrical Masterchem Industries � Paint Brinkmann Corporation � Seasonal Products Teknor-Apex Company � Lawn and Garden Quickie Manufacturing � Home Gardner-Gibson � Lumber Building Materials Midea America Corporation � Global Sourcing Rocksolid POS, a True Value preferred retail system solution provider, was named True Value's internal Service Partner of the Year. A new category, the Service Partner award winner is selected by True Value Company's senior leadership team to recognize nonproduct suppliers who go above and beyond to provide exemplary service to the co-op and its members. In January 2006, True Value introduced this new point-of-sale technology solution to members. In the first year, more than 300 systems were sold and 230 installed.

The day following the supplier awards ceremony, True Value Company welcomed hundreds of merchandise partners for its 11th annual Charity Golf Classic. All proceeds from the co-op's two-day event help offset the operating budget of the Cotter Boys and Girls Club of Chicago. True Value, headquartered in Chicago, is one of the world's largest retailer-owned wholesale hardware cooperatives with sales of $2.0 billion in 2006. The True Value cooperative includes approximately 5,600 independent retailer locations worldwide operating under the store identities of True Value, Grand Rental Station, Taylor Rental, Party Central, Home & Garden Showplace and Induserve Supply. Additional information on True Value and its retail identities is available at www.truevaluecompany.com.

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