ST. JACOBS, ON, Sept. 18, 2012 /CNW/ - Breaker! Breaker! Home Hardware's trucking fleet is hauling more than housewares, plumbing and building materials this week as three Home drivers brought home the hardware from the National Truck Driving Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick.
Shawn Matheson placed first in the Tandem Tandem class and won the Grand Champion Award, while Wayne Burnett placed second in the Single Single class, and Joe Kuntz placed first in the Straight Truck Class. As part of Team Ontario, Shawn, Wayne and Joe were also the recipients of the Best Team Award.
"Every day our big yellow trucks travel almost 50,000 kilometres on Canada's highways visiting communities from coast to coast, so we put a lot of effort into maintaining safe trucks and driving practices," said Shawn Matheson, Home Driver. "I am extremely proud of my team. Our success at this year's National Truck Driving Championships demonstrates our continuing leadership and ongoing commitment to safety."
Home Hardware's fleet of 140 power units and more than 500 trailers travel across Canada delivering product to more than 1,080 Home Hardware Dealers, covering approximately 17 million kilometres a year. The fleet is based in the company's four distribution centres in St. Jacobs and Elmira, Ontario, Debert, Nova Scotia and Wetaskiwin, Alberta.
"Champions such as these need more than just raw talent, they need encouragement and support to reach this level of professional competition," said Ewen Steele, 1st Vice President and member of the National Committee, The Ontario Truck Driving Championship. "The fact that three of these competitors qualified for the National competition from the same company, Home Hardware, in a market as large and diverse as Ontario's, speaks volumes about the day to day expectations of that fleet, and more importantly, the support their employees receive to meet those expectations."
Home Hardware was one of the first fleets to adopt a Carrier Safety Management System developed in conjunction with CSA. On-board recorders monitor each driver's safety and efficiency performance. Drivers with high performance records receive bonuses.
"Home Hardware has always been a leader in the trucking industry, including in the development of road safety policies for the hiring, orientation and training of drivers," said Paul Straus, President and CEO, Home Hardware Stores Limited. "On behalf of Dealer-Owners at over 1,080 stores across Canada, I would like to congratulate our drivers on their success at this year's National Truck Driving Championship."
About Home Hardware Stores Limited
100% Canadian owned and operated, Home Hardware Stores Limited has a presence in every Canadian province and territory and is the country's largest independent, Dealer-owned hardware, lumber, building materials and furniture cooperative. Founded on January 1, 1964 by 122 independent hardware Dealers, the cooperative now includes more than 1,080 stores, under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners, with annual collective retail sales of more than $5 billion. Home Hardware's independent Dealer-Owners, recognized by the North American Retail Hardware Association as Canada's best-trained Dealer group, have access to 100,000 quality brand name and private label products, a world-class distribution system and draw upon the power of Home Hardware's network to provide their local communities with top quality products and services at competitive prices.
Image with caption: "(From Left) Joe Kuntz, Shawn Matheson, and Wayne Burnett brought home the hardware as part of Team Ontario at the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick. (CNW Group/Home Hardware Stores Limited)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120918_C7496_PHOTO_EN_18029.jpg
SOURCE: Home Hardware Stores Limited
Lindsey Dietrich, Public Relations Coordinator, Home Hardware Stores Limited at 519-664-2252 ext. 6676 or [email protected], or
Rob Wallace, Public Relations and Promotional Events Manager, at 519-664-4710 or [email protected]
Founded 60 years ago in St. Jacobs, Ontario, Home Hardware Stores Limited is proudly Canadian and the country’s largest Dealer-owned and operated home improvement retailer with more than 1,000 stores operating under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware...
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