Sears Canada names Sealy Canada its 2010 Supplier of the Year

Michael J. Knell -- Furniture Today, June 17, 2011

Dene Rogers, left, CEO of Sears Canada, with Marco Antonucci, Danny Tosh and Demetre Daratzikis, all of Sealy Canada; and Sebastien Blanchet and Shail Alimchandani, both of Sears.

TORONTO — Mattress producer Sealy Canada has been named the Supplier of the Year for 2010 by Sears Canada, beating out all 7,000 suppliers that service the multi-channel retailer's wide array of product categories.

Sears Canada also honored 74 suppliers in its Partners in Progress program for excellence in customer service, service of supply, sales and profit performance, special initiatives and other internal metrics.

From these 74, eight are named Category Suppliers of the Year. In the home category, the supplier of the year for 2010 was the Waterloo, Ontario-based Donald Choi Limited, the Canadian distributor for Universal Furniture.

Other furniture vendors receiving Partners in Progress awards for 2010 include upholstery specialist Palliser Furniture, ready-to-assemble furniture provider Dorel Distribution Canada, and manufacturers and importers Monarch Specialities and Primo International.

This is the second time Sealy Canada has been named Sears Canada's Supplier of the Year, having also received the distinction in 2004. It is the only vendor to receive the award twice in the past decade.

Sealy has been a recipient of the Partners in Progress award for past eight consecutive years and was named the hardlines category winner in 2007.