Reno-Depot Drummondville Officially Opens Its Doors

BOUCHERVILLE, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Jan. 31, 2015) - RONA inc. (TSX:RON)(TSX:RON.PR.A) announced today the official opening of the new Réno-Dépôt Drummondville store, located at 875 rue Hains. This is the 17th location for the banner in Quebec. The new store is similar in design to the other Réno-Dépôt warehouses, which were all fully transformed in 2014. As a result, with a floor area of 77,000 square feet, the Réno-Dépôt Drummondville store is now the largest home improvement warehouse in the Centre-du-Québec region. With this investment, the new store will also generate 30 new jobs in the local community, in addition to the 60 jobs associated with the former RONA Le Régional.

"Today we are proud to proceed with the opening of this new Réno-Dépôt in Drummondville, as it is the first major milestone in the expansion of our banner," said Chantal Glenisson, Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Réno-Dépôt. "As part of the repositioning of Réno-Depôt, begun in 2014, our investments in the renovation of our 17 stores in Quebec have created more than 330 new jobs across the province. An enthusiastic reception from consumers and the success of Réno-Dépôt's revamped concept have also inspired us to expand our network, starting with this store serving the Centre-du-Québec, and followed by two new stores, the first outside Quebec, that will open in March 2015 in Aurora, Ontario and Calgary Northwest, Alberta."

Strategically located near the Costco store in a highly popular commercial area of Drummondville, this new Réno-Dépôt is positioned as an essential destination, thanks to its policy of everyday low prices and a 15% guarantee that always ensures unbeatable prices. As part of the store's major overhaul, which required three months of intense work, the 30,000-square-foot lumberyard has been converted to expand the existing area of the store, which has risen from 47,000 square feet to 77,000 square feet. Customers will also find a 5,000-square-foot outdoor garden centre and an increased number of national brand products, as well as an outstanding selection in the following departments: tools, hardware, flooring, plumbing, building supplies, electrical and kitchenware.

The offering has also been enhanced to include everyday consumer items such as paper towels, cleaning products, etc. In addition, the Turnkey home installation service, unique to Réno-Dépôt, allows customers, from the comfort of their homes, to plan their renovation projects from A to Z. The roughly 30 value-added services available at the new Drummondville store include delivery, a cutting service, plant repotting, rental of various tools and a counter dedicated to contractors.

"We have built a strong team here, with seasoned experts, to better meet the renovation needs of customers in the Centre-du-Québec," Ms. Glenisson added. "We always put a lot of effort into the communities we serve, and the Drummondville region is no exception. For this reason, we are proud to help stimulate the local economy through our investment and by creating new jobs, while partnering in celebrations to mark Drummondville's 200th anniversary."

About RONA

RONA inc. is a major Canadian retailer of hardware, building materials and home renovation products. The Corporation operates a network of more than 500 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores in a number of complementary formats. With its eight distribution centres, RONA serves its network of stores as well as many independent dealers operating under different banners, including Ace, for which RONA is the master licencee and exclusive distributor in Canada. With some 24,000 employees, the Corporation generates annual consolidated sales of $4.2 billion. For more information, visit rona.ca.