AL's Hardware has emerged, over the past three years as a peoples' champion in the trade. In this PROFILE we offer a realistic appraisal of AL's as a business, an essential service provider in a highly competitive market, and an attractive trading partner for you as a valued associate.

The following indicators have been measured against competitive opposition, and stacked against our own unbiased research.

We hope these facts will underscore our place in the market and our positioning for achievement, continued growth and service in the industry.

In independent research conducted by our advertising and marketing departments, the following service pointers bear relevance to AL's individual status and personality:

• The consumer is aware of us
• We possess high brand identity
• Good top of mind awareness
• Strong, stable image
• Forceful marketing campaigns in the print media
• Improved customer retention
• International access to trade shows
• Preferential credit rates
• Buying group options
• Lucrative but measured ad spends
• Highly communicative brand insignia
• Top supplier groups
• Best price to shelf margins

In 2004 The Star daily medium reported in its Readers' Choice Best of the Best Awards that AL's Hardware was ranked Third Best Hardware store on the Highveld.

• Best Plumbing Store: First
• Best Home Builder Store: First
• Best DIY Store: Second
• Best Paint Store: Second
• Best Bathroom Store: Third
• Best Lighting Store: Second
• Best Tile & Flooring Store: Second
• Best Customer Service Received Category: Third

In April 2005 The SABC confirmed representative stats in the Media Advertisers Sector. In their table and pie charts, 18% of hardware advertising devolved to AL's Hardware.

In the Ads spend comparative AL's Hardware ranks as the top media spender under Mica.

Expansion initiatives in the AL's brand name are being finalized at this juncture. These moves will ensure that AL's current eleven stores in three provinces have counterparts in other strategic areas as well.

AL's history in bringing feet into our stores, and in the ambient trade areas we occupy, is proof positive that we can easily make history repeat itself by enriching the economy of another trade area. We believe. as mentioned earlier, that dense penetration in terms of our marketing have been the key factor:
We hope these profiling signatures translate into the notion of a formidable hardware force in the market place.

We think it gives AL's Hardware greater reach, controls, challenge, bargaining power, and promise of a dignified place in the ever-changing world of the hardware business.