RONA announces the addition of five new dealer stores in Quebec and Ontario
The five stores owned by Groupe Godin are back under the RONA banner
Boucherville, QC – April 19, 2018 — RONA, a banner of Lowe’s Canada, is pleased to announce that the five stores owned by Groupe Godin have returned to the RONA family. Founded in 1979, Groupe Godin opened its first store in Namur, in the Outaouais region. Today, the company—which is co-directed by the founders’ children, Joël, Jérôme, Marc, and Nathalie—operates five home improvement centres, three of which are in Quebec and two in Ontario.
"Our business is constantly growing and we were looking for a strong business partner, one that listens to its dealers and will be able to support us in our development and with our plans for the future," explains Joël Godin, President of Groupe Godin. "For the past two years, we have seen a real commitment from Lowe’s Canada towards its dealer network, and we are confident that its seasoned team will help us achieve, and even exceed, our business goals."
"The retail industry has evolved significantly in recent years, and having an e-commerce platform is now a must, even in the home improvement industry. The omnichannel sales strategy set forth by Lowe’s Canada and its RONA banner is the most advanced I have seen in the industry. Combined with the organization’s large purchasing power, it was the key element in our decision to return to the RONA family,” added Jérôme Godin, co-owner.
Over the last 24 months, Lowe’s Canada has implemented several initiatives to support its dealers and better equip them to ensure the success of their stores. RONA dealers also benefit from the banner’s transactional website and parcel shipping program.
"The return of Groupe Godin demonstrates the pressing need for independent dealers to count on a strong banner that understands their reality and takes tangible measures to support them in their growth projects," said Philippe Element, Divisional Vice-President, RONA Dealers. "We are delighted to welcome Groupe Godin into our network and are proud to work with them to help them grow their business."
The Godin family is well known for offering its customers an outstanding service for almost 40 years. In addition to its first store located on Road 315, in Namur, Groupe Godin now has four more stores in Quebec (Saint-Jean Street in Lachute and Maple Street in Grenville) and Ontario (Stewart Glen Road in Dunvegan and County Road in L’Orignal). Four of the group’s five stores have been renovated in recent years to better meet the needs of local customers. In 2015, Groupe Godin was awarded the Conqueror award by the Quebec Hardware and Building Supply Association (AQMAT) for its numerous growth and improvement projects.
About RONA
Created in 1939, RONA is a banner of Lowe’s Canada, one of Canada’s leading home improvement company headquartered in Boucherville, Quebec. Spanning the entire country, its vast network of more than 430 stores includes both corporate stores and independent affiliated dealers. Known for its large in-store and online product selection as well as for its installation services, RONA also provides expert support and advice to its retail and pro customers for their building and renovation projects. For more information, visit rona.ca or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
About Lowe's Canada
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than 18 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2017 sales of $68.6 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,390 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 310,000 people. Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Lowe’s Canadian business, together with its wholly owned subsidiary, RONA inc., operates or services more than 630 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores in a number of complementary formats under different banners. These include Lowe’s, RONA, Réno-Dépôt, Dick’s Lumber, Contractor First, and Ace. In Canada, the companies have more than 28,000 employees, in addition to nearly 5,000 employees in the stores of RONA’s independent affiliate dealers.