Recent Press Releases

Vancouver Company Supports Holmes on Homes™ with Donation to Help California Family
Vancouver, B.C. – BuildDirect, the world’s leading online wholesaler of building supplies, has joined in with two popular TV shows to help save a Pasadena family from a home renovation disaster.

BuildDirect announces novel new deck products for spring
(Vancouver, B.C.) BuildDirect, the world’s leading online wholesaler, is launching three new lines of decking just as outdoor projects once again become top of mind. The products including: IPE, Rever, Kontiki and Lang railings, enhance the company’s current decking options.

BuildDirect Offers New Tool to Simplify Green-Building
Vancouver, B.C. – To help celebrate Earth Day, BuildDirect, the world’s leading online wholesaler of building supplies, has launched a new resource to help customers make more environmentally sound choices when purchasing building products. The new green building products page will include links to relevant information about environmentally conscious products that BuildDirect offers, as well as explanations of what constitutes a “green” product.

Yakima Comes to Memphis
Vancouver, B.C. – BuildDirect has increased it’s presence in Tennessee to meet increased buyer demand for its popular line of Yakima decking. The leading online wholesaler now ships its Yakima line directly from Memphis, resulting in faster delivery times and greater savings for customers throughout Tennessee and surrounding States.

Former Yahoo! Executive Ellen Siminoff Joins BuildDirect Board of Directors
Vancouver, B.C. – Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ellen Siminoff to the leading online wholesaler’s board of directors.

Top Flooring Trends for 2007
Vancouver, B.C. – As we move into the New Year the demand for more environmentally friendlyand more exotic flooring options is expected to increase.

Exotic Woods Hit the Floor in North America
Vancouver, B.C. – BuildDirect, the world’s leading online wholesaler, has launched two new lines of flooring products to meet increased consumer demand for exotic hardwoods. The new lines, Toona, hand scraped hardwood flooring, and Taun, stained exotic hardwood flooring, are made of two Asian wood species not commonly found in North America.

BuildDirect Awarded for Exporting Excellence
Vancouver, B.C. – BuildDirect has been named as one of the winners of the prestigious British Columbia Export Awards. The company was recognized as one of the top 24 exporters in B.C. and the top exporter in the Professional and Services category.

BuildDirect ANNOUCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH MEKMER MARBLE
(Vancouver, B.C.) – Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect, joined together with Mekmer Marble President Murat Kucuker to announce that BuildDirect will be taking over the wholesale marketing of all Mekmer products worldwide.

BuildDirect Appoints Rob Davidson as New Vice President of Marketing
(Vancouver, B.C.) – Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rob Davidson as Vice President of Marketing. In his new role, Rob will be responsible for BuildDirect’s marketing worldwide.

BuildDirect Entrepreneur Selected for Elite Leadership Program
Vancouver, B.C., April 27, 2006 – Robert Banks, co-founder and Executive Vice President of Vancouver-based BuildDirect.com Technologies Inc., has been chosen for the Quantum Shift 2006 program, BuildDirect announced today.

John Sotham joins BuildDirect as Vice President, Finance
Vancouver, B.C., June 20, 2005 – Mr. Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect, is pleased to announce that Mr. John Sotham has joined the company in the position of Vice President, Finance. Mr. Sotham comes to BuildDirect from KPMG where he was a Senior Accountant in Assurance Services, providing audit, taxation, and business advisory services to a wide range of high-tech and manufacturing organizations. Prior to KPMG, Mr. Sotham worked in the U.S. construction technology industry. He is a Chartered Accountant with a business degree from Simon Fraser University and a Diploma of Technology from British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Hardwood Flooring Prices Drop Dramatically with New Wholesale Channel
VANCOUVER, Oct. 21, 2004 – Global building materials wholesaler, BuildDirect, today announced it has created a new channel for hardwood flooring products. The resulting lower prices on all species of hardwood floors will be welcome news for the U.S. hardwood flooring market.

Global Building Materials Wholesaler Lowers Prices on Bamboo Flooring
VANCOUVER, Oct. 14, 2004 – Lower U.S. prices on quality bamboo flooring will result from BuildDirect’s new wholesale channel for bamboo floor coverings. The new bamboo flooring distribution channel, powered by BuildDirect’s proprietary logistics and pricing technology, delivers containers as well as smaller pallet quantities of bamboo flooring products at the lowest possible prices, BuildDirect announced today.

New Wholesale Channel Means Major U.S. Price-Drop on Laminate Flooring
VANCOUVER, Oct. 8, 2004 – Laminate flooring products distributed through BuildDirect’s new wholesale channel will reach U.S. buyers at substantially lower prices. The new laminate flooring Online distribution channel, powered by BuildDirect’s proprietary logistics and pricing technology, delivers containers as well as smaller pallet quantities of laminate flooring at the lowest prices possible, BuildDirect today announced.

Canadian Company’s HOT 50 Recognition Produces Mixed Emotions
VANCOUVER, B.C., Sept. 20, 2004 – BuildDirect, Canada’s Online building products wholesaler, today announced its ranking as one of Canada’s PROFIT HOT 50 growth companies.

Bernie McSherry Appointed Vice President, Business Development
VANCOUVER, B.C., Feb.16, 2004 – Mr. Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Bernie McSherry to the position of Vice President, Business Development. Mr. McSherry has over 40 years experience in building materials manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution. His experience includes more than 20 years in senior management positions at MacMillan Bloedel Distribution (General Manager, Canadian Distribution; General Manager, International Panel Board Sales; and Director, National Accounts, North America). Most recently (2001 to 2003), he was President and Chief Executive Officer of CanWel Distribution Ltd. Mr. McSherry holds an Executive MBA from the University of Western Ontario.

John D. Roach Named to BuildDirect Board of Directors
VANCOUVER, B.C., Oct. 1, 2003 – Mr. Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. John D. Roach to the Board of Directors. Mr. Roach is Chairman and CEO of Stonegate International, a private investment and advisory services company based in Dallas, Texas. He is also Executive Chairman of Unidare US, the North American subsidiary of Unidare plc, and Irish company headquartered in Dublin.

Glen Darou Named to BuildDirect Advisory Board
VANCOUVER, B.C., Jan. 15, 2003 – Mr. Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Glen Darou to BuildDirect’s Advisory Board.

CANARIE / BuildDirect Develop Lumber E-Commerce Technology
VANCOUVER, B.C., Dec. 6, 2002 -- CANARIE, Inc. and BuildDirect announce a $2.5-million research project in e-commerce technology that will aid international lumber sales for Canadian small and medium sized mills. This innovation is underway with a 50/50 cost sharing agreement between CANARIE and BuildDirect.

CITinc Partners with BuildDirect
VANCOUVER, BC., May 3, 2002 – British Columbia-based Internet technology companies CITinc and BuildDirect announced jointly today their strategic alliance creating Canada’s largest e-construction network.

BC Wood Partners with BuildDirect
VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 24, 2002 - British Columbia’s wood manufacturers have added a powerful e-commerce system to their international marketing strategy.

Karl Larsen Named to BuildDirect Board of Directors
VANCOUVER, B.C., Jan. 18, 2002 – Mr. Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Karl Larsen to the Board of Directors of the Company. Mr. Larsen has 20 years of technical, sales, and management experience in heavy industrial manufacturing and is currently President of CESCO Chemicals, Inc. After several years of selling to the Petrochemical, Food Processing and Pulp and Paper industries, Mr. Larsen was promoted to Vice President of Sales for Chemical Services Northwest, thereafter increasing the size of the company by 300 percent in three years. In 1992, Mr. Larsen acquired all assets of CESCO, Inc. and formed CESCO Chemicals, Inc. The Company has grown substantially from a regional specialty chemical company and is selling nationally to the U.S. and Canadian markets. The company is currently working on selling products within China. As President, Mr. Larsen oversees a multidisciplinary group of Chemical Engineers, Chemists, Biologists, Scientists, and Sales Professionals with significant experience working for large specialty chemical corporations, research and development centers, consulting firms, and heavy industry.

Keith Spencer Named to BuildDirect.com Board of Directors
VANCOUVER, B.C., Jan. 12, 2002 – Mr. Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect.com, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Keith Spencer to the Board of Directors of the Company. Mr. Spencer is a Partner with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Barristers and Solicitors, one of Canada's leading law firms, with over 500 lawyers located in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, London and New York. Mr. Spencer is the Chair of the Technology and Intellectual Property Practice Group with Fasken's offices in Vancouver and practises in the area of information technology, e-commerce and intellectual property law. He works with a variety of technology companies ranging from small start-ups to large publicly traded multinationals. Mr. Spencer was previously in-house counsel to the wireless data group of Motorola based in Vancouver, where he had overall responsibility for its legal affairs. Mr. Spencer sits on a variety of Advisory Boards and acts as corporate secretary to a number of private technology companies. He is a Director of the BC Technology Industries Association and of the Canadian IT Law Association, and sits on the Executive Committees of both of these organizations.

Trade Mission Invites BuildDirect Presentation
VANCOUVER, B.C., Nov. 24, 2001 – Vancouver, B.C.-based BuildDirect.com Technologies Inc. will present its revolutionary construction industry technology and business model to delegates at the Team Canada West Trade Mission in Dallas, Texas, next week. The inclusion of the BuildDirect presentation in the trade mission’s program is at the invitation of Trade Mission organizers, and is the first time BuildDirect has participated as a Team Canada delegate.

Canadian Firm Develops Breakthrough E-Commerce Technology
VANCOUVER, B.C., April 19, 2001 – BuildDirect.com Technologies Inc. announces a revolutionary new online cataloging method that simplifies the way Internet consumers will be able to find products in any industry. The innovation re-engineers the database functionality common to most commercial Websites.

Peter Bentley Named to BuildDirect.com Advisory Board
VANCOUVER, B.C., Feb. 14, 2001 – Mr. Jeff Booth, President and CEO of BuildDirect.com, is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter J.G. Bentley, O.C., LL.D., to BuildDirect.com's Advisory Board. Mr. Bentley is a also a member of the International Advisory Council of the Chase Manhattan Corporation of New York, and the Canadian Advisory Board of the Carlyle Group.

BuildDirect Announces Patent Application for Transportation Software
Vancouver, B.C., July 5, 2000 - BuildDirect today announced it has applied for a provisional patent for its transportation logistics software. This proprietary technology creates a new industry-standard for the efficient management of international freight services, and will be an integral part of the BuildDirect revolution in building supplies procurement. As an automated global shipment system, the program will operate seamlessly within the BuildDirect website, providing buyers with just-in-time shipment scheduling and instantaneous calculations on all transportation costs from manufacturing distribution points to chosen destinations.