Sales increase for Ace

The American buying cooperative Ace Hardware increased its wholesale turnover in the first six months of 2002 by 4.5 per cent to US $ 1.548 bn compared with the same period in the previous year. Turnover grew by 5 per cent in the USA alone. For the second quarter the company announces a 4.1 per cent rise in turnover to US $ 841.2 mio. David Hodnik, Ace’s president and CEO, explains the positive development of his company in the face of the difficult economic trend by its ability to profit from rising consumer expenditure on home improvements, especially where gardens and outdoor leisure activities and paint are concerned.