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The HPBAC Voice is published semi-monthly and is distributed by email to HPBAC members.
Coming Soon from HPBAC...
1. New Health and Dental Benefits Program - this is an exciting new program with great flexibility for you and your employees
2. Drive for 25 Campaign - an exciting new membership drive is in the works
3. We're looking into ways of making travel to EXPO economical for HPBAC members. Let us know if you plan to attend. Watch for our email survey this week. |
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LEAN Thinking Education Days a Hit
HPBAC held Education Days across Canada in May and June with total attendance of over 150 people. Although we'd hoped more members would take advantage of this great opportunity those who did attend rated the LEAN Thinking workshop delivered by Dave Pomeroy very highly.
Participants left the workshop with great ideas and new insights to improve their businesses and empower staff members.
Workshops were held in Vancouver and Calgary in late May and in Ottawa, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Halifax in late June. Our thanks to Zigi Gadomski, Roger Leach and Norma Bourque for helping to organize the workshops.
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Government Affairs Report
 HPBAC is, as always, heavily involved in the field of government affairs. Whether it is participating in the development of new codes and standards, protecting our industry from unreasonable legislation, positioning our products within the new green building codes or encouraging government or others to offer consumer incentives to purchase our products, HPBAC's staff and volunteers are working hard to represent your industry.
The scope of this area of the association's activity is enormous and the contribution made by a relatively small number of volunteers cannot be overstated. We would ask all members to keep their eyes and ears open and inform HPBAC of any issues they are concerned about. It is particularly difficult for us to monitor what is happening at the municipal level, so please read your local newspaper, especially the sections dealing with council policy and planned by-laws.
We were fortunate enough to be able to send four people to HPBA's Government Affairs Academy in Kansas City earlier this month. Vanessa Percival (Urban Hearth) from our Ontario chapter board and Vincent Marcoux (SBI) from Quebec were joined by staff members Norma Bourque (Atlantic chapter) and Zigi Gadomski (Western chapter) for an intensive three day course. Areas covered during fourteen hour days included how to deal with media and government officials and how to spot dangers for our industry contained within complicated proposed legislation.
On July 1st legislation came into force in Newfoundland and Labrador banning the sale of non EPA/B415 certified products. HPBAC felt the status of certain products that are exempt from these standards was left unclear. Working with the Provincial Ministry, HPBAC was able to ensure that these products, such as decorative wood burning factory built fireplaces could still be sold. In Nova Scotia the same confusion existed in the proposed legislation coming into force this October. HPBAC got the wording changed so that exempt product will still be available for sale. HPBAC is engaged with the Ministries in both Quebec and the Yukon regarding non certified product and the promotion of cleaner models. In New Brunswick earlier this month, George LeBlanc (Maritime Fireplaces) and Norma Bourque met with government and other stakeholders to discuss the direction of future legislation there.
Our Western Chapter and Terasen Gas launched an EnerChoice Public awareness campaign in BC last month. Enerchoice gas fireplaces are the most efficient available and incentives are being offered to encourage their sale and purchase.
HPBAC continues to work with other stakeholders on the development of new codes and standards. The latest version of CSA P.4, which deals with gas fireplace efficiency, will be going for public review shortly. HPBA is also sponsoring the development of a new standard dealing with the installation of wood burning inserts into factory built fireplaces. This practice is practically banned in certain areas, including the whole of Alberta, because there is no standard. Once we have a standard it should open up extra selling opportunities for our members.
These are just a few examples of what we are working on at the moment. If you would like more information or if you have any concerns on these or any other government affairs issues, just let me know at tonyhpbac@bellnet.ca .
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State of the Barbecue Industry Report
The following is select information from the biannual HPBA Barbecue Lifestyle, Usage & Attitude Study for 2007.
A Sizzling Industry
- More than 17.4 million grills were shipped in 2007, marking a 13% increase since 2000
- Nine out of 10 (95%) grill owners used their grill in the past year, an increase of 4% over 2003.
- Nearly 8 out of 10 (77%) of households own an outdoor barbecue grill or smoker, a 5% increase from 2003
- 68% of households that own a grill own a gas grill, followed by charcoal (37%) and electric (2%)
- LP gas grills continue to be the most widely owned type of grill, with 94% of all gas grill owners owning an LP gas grill
Grill Usage
- The majority of grill owners use their grills year-round (58%), and 45% use their grills one to two times per week during the peak grilling season (May through September)
- In the US, traditional summer holdiays top the listof the most popular grilling holidays; the Fourth of July (69%), Memorial Day (56%) and Labour Day (50%)
- Nearly half (43%) of grill owners see their outdoor grilling area as a functional cooking area of their home, while a third see it as a place to rest and relax
- 40% of consumers have a large moveable grill system on a modest patio/deck, with some outdoor furniture and an informal place to eat
- Consumers say an easy ignition system (72%) and large grilling surface (55%) are the most important features of a gas grill, followed by durability (52%), ease of cleaning (47%) and safety (42%)
- Multipurpose utensils such as long-handled tongs (80%) and forks (64%) ar the most popular utensils used by gas grill owners, followed by a grill-cleaning brush (74%) and long-handled spatula (58%), grill-cleaning brushes (63) and long-handled spatulas (59%)
Tasty Trends
- Meats, including burgers (82%), steak (79%), chicken parts (72%) and hot dogs (71%) top the list of the most popular foods prepared on a grill
- Charcoal grill owners are most often prompted to cook on the charcoal grills by their desire to eat good-tasting food (77%)
- Four in 10 consumers who cook on a charcoal grill (39%) normally use barbecue sauce to add flavour to their dishes. Most popular flavours include hickory (65%), mesquite (49%) and honey (49%)
- When charcoal grilling, over half of consumers (56%) use marinades
- Dry meat rubs are popular among consumers. In fact, dry rub usage has increased among gas grill owners to 59% in 2007, from 21% in 2003.
Household Roles
- The male head (52%) normally makes the decision to cook, lights (65%) and cooks (59%) on the grill
- When entertaining and cooking outside, the male head normally cooks on a grill - specifically 67% on gas, 62% on charcoal and 56% on an electric grill
- Whether more or female, the primary grillers in the majority of households considers themselves to be average or above in terms of cooking skills
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Americans Love to Grill
Americans Grill Year-round
More Americans are using their grills year-round, says research from NPD Group. Its 'Eating Patterns in America' report says usage of outdoor grills is at an "all-time high" and nearly double what it was 20 years ago. By season, grill usage patterns are 37.2 per cent in 2007, up from 31.4 per cent in 1998 in the spring months of March through May; 49.3 per cent in the months of June through August 2007, up from 46.3 per cent in 1998; 39.9 per cent in 2007 from 30.3 per cent in 1998 during the fall period of September to November; and 26.5 per cent in 2007 from 18.7 per cent in 1998 in the winter months of December through February. | |
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Sincerely,
Laura Litchfield
HPBAC
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Drive for 25
HPBA's first national membership campaign will be launched later this month with a direct mail promotion to prospective retail members. This will be followed by a National Call Day on September 10th when all staff, volunteer leaders and members will be asked to take a few minutes out of their day to call prospective members to let them know the value of membership in HPBAC and HPBA.
The goal - to increase retail membership in HPBA to 2500 in 2009 will be challenging and exciting. You can help by encouraging other hearth, patio and barbecue retailers to join and by sending HPBAC information on non-members in your area.
All HPBA affiliates were asked to set a goal and HPBAC has committed to a monumental increase of 139 new retail members. We're going to need your help to reach this goal and win the challenge.
To find out more or to volunteer for National Call Day please call our office at 1-800-792-5284 or email hpbac@bellnet.ca |
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Hearth in the News
Visit the Industry in the News page of our website to view the following articles on hearth, patio and barbecue products:
Ottawa can't see the forests for the fields, The Globe & Mail , July 16, 2008
Woodburning Stoves are Hot; Londoners Looking into Heating Alternatives, London Free Press, July 10, 2008
Outdoor Burning Banned: Chimineas Can't be used in Yards in Burnaby, Burnaby Now, July 12, 2008
Website Demands Woodburning Ban, The Suburban (Montreal), June 11, 2008
Gentleman Start your Grills; Area Residents Love to Grill and Dad is Usually in Charge, The Sault Star, June 14, 2008
Smoke Ruling Possibly the First, Hamilton Spectator, May 9, 2008
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Industry News
SBI Acquires Century Heating Brand
Stove Builder International has
purchased, as of July 19, 2008, the assets of the CFM's plate steel stove division located in
Orillia, Ontario. SBI has acquired all the rights to the Century Heating brand.
Monessen Hearth Systems Acquires Vermont Castings and Majestic Fireplace Brands Monessen Hearth Systems recently announced their acquisition of the Vermont Castings and Majestic Fireplaces brands. The acquisition includes plants in Bethel and Randolph, Vermont. |
Our LEAN Thinking National Sponsors
Regional Sponsors
Vancouver & Calgary
Ottawa & Niagara
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