Trading Partners

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot announced that it is partnering with Superior Financial Group (SFG), a leading small usiness administration (SBA) lender, to provide qualified small business customers with access to capital in the form of SBA Loans between $5,000 to $25,000. Customers can apply for a loan by visiting www.officedepot.com/sba.

Sears Home Services has entered into agreements with three branches of the military to provide delivery and installation services for merchandise sold through their stores in the continental U.S.  After success with initial pilots, Sears began the nationwide launch on June 8,  at various Navy, Army, and Air Force Exchanges that sell home improvement services such as siding, windows, cabinet refacing, kitchen remodeling, roofing, carpet, and upholstery cleaning, air duct cleaning and garage door installation and repair.

Now that Walmart has completed its acquisition of a majority stake in South African retailer Massmart a major competitor contends it will need to lay off 8.6% of its work force to improve its competitive position.

That’s according to South African media reports indicating rival Pick n Pay Stores said it was looking to eliminate 3,137 of its 36,673 positions. Conversely, Walmart has said it will create 15,000 jobs in South Africa within five years, implying a fairly robust level of expansion.

Atlanta -- Citi announced Thursday that it has renewed its U.S. private-label credit card partnership with Office Depot.
 
“The Office Depot Business Credit Card and the Office Depot Personal Credit Card both provide our customers with the increased spending power they need in these economic times,” said George Hill, senior VP store operations, Office Depot.

Such retailers as Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, JCPenney, Lowe’s and Walmart are part of an organization called the Coalition for Responsible Transportation (CRT) that is pushing a new approach designed to reduce emissions at the nation’s ports. The retailers along with Hewlett Packard, Nike and a host of leading transportation providers have teamed with the Environmental Defense Fund and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to launch a program called, “EPA SmartWay Drayage Program.”

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation said Thursday that it is disappointed in the final debit card swipe-fee regulations set by the Federal Reserve.

Under the new rule, the current debit card swipe-fee rate of 1%-2% of each transaction will be replaced with a flat fee of not more than 21 cents per transaction for the nation’s largest banks -- substantially higher than the flat fee of up to 12 cents the Fed originally proposed in December 2010.

Walmart could be put at a competitive disadvantage in Brazil if a bizarre merger between the company’s two larger rivals proceeds and secures regulatory approval.

The nation’s two largest retailers, Pao de Acucar and France-based Carrefour are attempting to merge their operations in a convoluted deal that has drawn the ire of fellow French retailer Casino, which owns a large stake in Pao de Acucar. 

Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Donahue Schriber announced Wednesday the promotion of three executives to senior VP status.

In their new roles, Henry Avila, senior VP asset management, Heather Beal, senior VP leasing, and Scott Lawrence, senior VP construction, will work closely with Donahue Schriber’s executive committee on future decisions affecting the company.