The nation’s second largest paint manufacturer PPG Industries, emailed professional painters (and me!) recently to share that their SpeedHide line of professional coatings are available for purchase either online or in stores.
If the store you're shopping in is Home Depot!
Because PPG’s email blasts make no mention of the 800 independently retailers nationwide who stock the brand!
It’s a Match
It’s been nearly two-years since PPG announced a new partnership with Home Depot. One which allowed the nation’s largest home improvement retailer to stock most PPG products; including the SpeedHide line of professional coatings.
Which until that time had been the exclusive dominion of independent paint retailers and PPG company-owned stores.
Since the shidduch with Home Depot, sales at the nation’s second largest paint manufacturer have faltered, with likely more to blame than just the difficult macroeconomic environment for paint manufacturers.
PPG dealers I am in touch continue to share their concerns for the PPG-Home Depot relationship with some dealers sharing that they seek alternatives to PPG.
Though they're not always be available.
With priorities which feed dealers last at the trough and a dealer “package” which is no-longer competitive, it’s hard to see how PPG’s dealer count will ever rise above the number they have now.
Or how they'll even hang on to the one's they've got?
THE Current Incarnation
Last week I mentioned a consulting engagement which commits all my working hours in the coming 18-months to a single endeavor.
I hope my fiancéeic is wrong about me and commitments!
To work those extra hours without otherwise disturbing the chill or interfering with higher priorities, I suspended my small business mentoring with SCORE. THE effort was the largest non-familial time commitment in my life’s current incarnation.
Further, the SCORE mentoring experience while satisfying, is not “as advertised.” Of the more than 40 clients I was assigned only a (small) handful were actively engaged in starting a small business with the rest mostly dealing with untimely career transitions.
Which my 35-years behind one counter, taught me little about!
I Did It!
I have one other ongoing engagement which I hope to wrap before the new year, though I was not planning to work during December.
Which sounds like the sort of shit that nearly retired people whine about!
THE client wants the advice, but not the proximity a mention in THE blog implies so for now–details have to stay under wraps.
But the project may lead to the creation of a new product category. One my client envisions behind THE counter of every paint store and paint department nationwide.
And you know if they’re right, I’ll take all THE credit!
I'll be continent hopping again next week, see you in two.
