Rona (company)

:"For other meanings of Rona, see Rona (disambiguation)"Infobox_Company
company_name = Rona Inc.
company_
company_type = Public (tsx|RON)
foundation = Boucherville, Quebec (1939)
location = Boucherville, Quebec, Canada
key_people = Robert Dutton - President and CEO
André H. Gagnon - Chairman
industry = Home improvement
products = Retail (Home improvement)
market c
cite web |url=http://zenobank.com/index.php?symbol=CA;RON&page=quotesearch |title=Company Profile for Rona Inc (CA;RON) |accessdate=2008-10-09]
revenue =
num_employees = 27,000
homepage = [http://www.rona.ca www.rona.ca]

Rona Inc. (tsx|RON) is Canada's leading distributor and retailer in hardware, home improvement and gardening products, founded in 1939. Rona operates a network of some 540 stores of various sizes and types. More than 27,000 employees in all regions of Canada work under the various banners. The Rona network represents over 1 million square metres and annual sales approaching $4 billion. The company holds an 11% share of its nationwide market. The corporate headquarters is located in Boucherville, Quebec. Administration centres are located in Surrey, British Columbia and Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada.

History

1982 - Ro-Na purchased the assets of Botanix.

1984 - Ro-Na created a purchasing alliance with Ontario-based Home Hardware Stores Ltd. through Alliance RONA Home Inc.

1988 - Ro-Na merged with Dismat, another building materials company, to create Ro-Na Dismat Group Inc.

1990 - Ro-Na formed an alliance with Hardware Wholesalers, Inc. of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

1997 - ITM Entreprises S.A., a France-based group, invests $30 million in the Ro-Na Dismat Group Inc. ITM becomes a shareholder and forms a purchasing alliance with Ro-Na.

1998 - Ro-Na eliminates the Le Quincailleur and Dismat names and introduces RONA L'express, RONA L'express Matériaux and RONA Le Rénovateur Régional. It also changes its name from Ro-Na Dismat Group Inc. to RONA Inc.

1999 - RONA opens a new warehouse adjacent to its headquarters, measuring 654,000 square feet (61,000 m²), doubling its warehousing capacity and achieving considerable cost savings.

2000 - RONA acquires Cashway Building Centres, with 66 stores. It permanently opens its online store on the [http://www.rona.ca rona.ca] website.

2001 - RONA acquires 51 Revy, Revelstoke and Lansing stores and thus owning many more stores in the Greater Toronto Area.

2002 - RONA closes a public offering consisting of a total offering of $150.1 million of Common Shares. RONA's Common Shares are then traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "RON".

2003 - RONA acquires Réno-Dépôt Inc. from British Kingfisher plc, including The Building Box stores. RONA also opens its third large distribution center in Calgary, Alberta.

2004 - RONA acquires Totem Building Supplies Ltd., an Alberta company.RONA Dream Home airs on Global. RONA also joins the AIR MILES Reward Program.

2005 - RONA Dream Home 2 airs on Global.

2006 - RONA acquires a majority (51%) stake in Matériaux Coupal Inc..
2006 - RONA acquires Curtis Lumber Building Supplies

2007 - RONA acquires Burnaby, BC based Dick's Lumber

2007 - RONA acquires Nova Scotia based Castle Cash & Carry

RONA names

* RONA Botanix
* RONA Building Center
* RONA Cashway
* RONA Cash & Carry
* RONA Hardware
* RONA Home & Garden
* RONA Home Centre
* RONA L'entrepôt
* RONA L'express
* RONA matériaux
* RONA Lansing
* RONA Le Quincailler
* RONA Rénovateur
* RONA Rénovateur régional
* Curtis Lumber
* Réno-Dépôt
* The Building Box
* Totem Building Supplies

References

External links

* [http://www.rona.ca Rona Official Website]
* [http://www.rona.ca/contentMgr/img/asset/ATTACHMENT1051046840846.pdf History of Réno-Dépôt]