February 2008 - Page 5 of 5 - Modern Distribution Management

February 2008

Rexnord Core Sales Growth at 11% in 3Q

Rexnord LLC, diversified producer of power transmission and water management products, reported sales for the third quarter were $449.1 million, an increase of 58.6% over the prior-year quarter. Consolidated core sales growth was 10.9%.
 
Power transmission sales were $334 million; core sales growth was 11.1%. Water management sales were $115.1 million; core sales growth was 10.2%.
 
For the first nine months of fiscal 2008, Rexnord had 9.5% core sales growth, with sales of $1.3 billion. PT sales in the first nine months were $969.7 million, an increase of 11.5%, driven by strength in power transmission end markets of mining, energy, aggregates and aerospace.
 
More details

Rexnord Core Sales Growth at 11% in 3Q Read More »

WinWholesale Opens Gulf Coast Winnelson

WinWholesale, Dayton, OH, has opened Gulf Coast Winnelson Company in Port Charlotte, FL, to provide plumbing contractors in five counties with a complete line of equipment, parts and accessories.

The counties are from Bradenton south to Marco Island and include Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota. Gulf Coast is the second Winnelson company to open in 2008 in Florida. The other was Tampa Winnelson in January that serves the Tampa Bay area.

There are more than 460 WinWholesale locations across the U.S. in addition to more than 100 Noland Company branches, mainly in the southeast U.S. Noland Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WinWholesale.

WinWholesale Inc. is a supplier of domestic and industrial supplies and materials. In the group are companies …

WinWholesale Opens Gulf Coast Winnelson Read More »

Value of Canada Building Permits Hits High in 2007

Source: Statistics Canada
 
The value of building permits hit another record high in 2007, thanks to widespread strong gains across Canada and in both the residential and non-residential sectors.

Municipalities issued $74.3 billion worth of building permits in 2007, up 12.1% from the previous record of $66.3 billion in 2006.

While the gain in 2006 was largely fuelled by the tremendous demand in Western Canada, the increase in 2007 was more widespread across the country. Every province posted gains with the exception of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

In Quebec, the rate of growth accelerated from 5.2% in 2006 to 9.2% in 2007. In Ontario, the value …

Value of Canada Building Permits Hits High in 2007 Read More »

Donaldson Company Buys LMC West

Donaldson Company, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, has acquired LMC West, a manufacturer of industrial dust collection and filtration systems.
 
LMC West, Riverbank, CA, designs and manufactures dust collectors and industrial filtration systems for woodworking, agricultural and industrial applications. LMC West had annual sales of $10 million in 2007.
 
The acquisition of LMC West complements our existing Donaldson Torit dust collection products well,” said Tod Carpenter, Vice President, Global Industrial Filtration Solutions.
 
Donaldson has more than 100 sales, manufacturing, and distribution …

Donaldson Company Buys LMC West Read More »

Emerson Sales Up 12% in 1Q

St. Louis-based Emerson reported sales for the first quarter ended Dec. 31, 2007, were $5.6 billion, an increase of 12% over the same period last year. This sales increase included 7% growth in underlying sales and a 5% favorable impact from foreign currency translation.
 
Organic sales growth in the U.S. was 5% and underlying international sales increased 9%, including 16% growth in Asia.
 
Process Management sales grew 18% for the quarter. This included 12% underlying sales growth, a favorable impact of 5% from currency translation and 1% from acquisitions, net of divestitures. Sales were strong globally, driven primarily by increased energy sector demand and increased market penetration.

Industrial Automation sales grew 13% for the quarter. …

Emerson Sales Up 12% in 1Q Read More »

Manufacturing Expands in January

 

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in January, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.
 
The report was issued by the Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.
 
The PMI rose 2.3 percentage points, signaling stronger performance in January when compared to the seasonally adjusted 48.4 percent recorded in December. This represents a return to the recent trend of slow growth in manufacturing, as the PMI has averaged 50.2 percent for the past six months.
 
The PMI was driven by the Production Index, which made a rebound of 6.6 percentage points during the month, while the New Orders Index reflected a slight decline at 49.5 percent. …

Manufacturing Expands in January Read More »

2007 Construction Spending Down 2.6%

Construction spending during December 2007 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,140.2 billion, 1.1 percent below the revised November estimate. The December figure is 2.3 percent below December 2006.
 
The value of construction spending in 2007 was $1,161.3 billion, 2.6 percent below the $1,192.2 billion spent in 2006.
 
More details here.

2007 Construction Spending Down 2.6% Read More »

ProBuild Finalizes Purchase of HD Supply Lumber Assets

ProBuild Holdings, Denver, CO, supplier of building materials to professional contractors, has finalized its purchase of substantially all of the assets of Atlanta, GA-based HD Supply Lumber and Building Materials.
 
ProBuild is pursuing a strategy of aggressive growth, both organic and via acquisition,”said ProBuild CEO Paul W. Hylbert. “The addition of HD Supply Lumber and Building Materials’yards and truss plants strengthen our position in very important long-term, high-growth housing markets in the Southeast.”
 
HD Supply Lumber and Building Materials operates 39 lumberyards in Georgia and Florida, seven truss plants, a construction services division and 10 engineered lumber production facilities. Although operating under the HD Supply portfolio of businesses, …

ProBuild Finalizes Purchase of HD Supply Lumber Assets Read More »

WESCO Sales Up 13% in 2007

WESCO International, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, provider of electrical MRO products, construction materials, and integrated supply services, reported sales for the full year 2007 were up 13% to $6 billion, compared with $5.3 billion in 2006. Profit was $241 million.
 
In the fourth quarter, sales were $1.48 billion, up from $1.37 billion in the 2006 period, an increase of 8%. Organic growth was 2.8%.
 
Profit for the quarter was $61 million, up from $58 million in the year-ago …

WESCO Sales Up 13% in 2007 Read More »

Airgas Buys Merriam-Graves

Airgas, Inc., Radnor, PA, has acquired Merriam-Graves Corp., an independent distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases and related supplies operating in 25 locations in New England and New York.
 
The acquired business generated $47 million in revenues in 2007.
 
Merriam-Graves was integrated into Airgas East, one of the regional companies within Airgas. The acquired operations include a headquarters, industrial fill plant, specialty gas laboratory, and central hardgoods warehouse in Charlestown, NH, plus six other locations in New Hampshire, six locations in Vermont, five locations in Massachusetts, five locations in Connecticut, and two in New York.
 
Airgas East, Salem, NH, includes 86 retail branches, 40 cylinder fill plants, and 11 ISO …

Airgas Buys Merriam-Graves Read More »

Grainger Adds 44,000 Items to 2008 Catalog

Chicago, IL-based Grainger, distributor of facilities maintenance supplies, has released its 2008 catalog featuring more than 183,000 facilities maintenance products, 44,000 more items than last year.
 
The distributor added more than 4,000 power transmission products including bearings, couplings, linear motion products and belts; 9,000 raw materials products such as metal, plastic, rubber and felt; 4,200 fleet maintenance products such as lift equipment, battery chargers and accessories; and 30,000 more products spread across product categories including plumbing, electrical, tools and material handling.
 
In addition, the company launched a private label, Tough Guy, a professional cleaning supplies brand. The product category includes products such as degreasers, …

Grainger Adds 44,000 Items to 2008 Catalog Read More »

DXP Enterprises Acquires Rocky Mtn. Supply

DXP Enterprises, Inc. has acquired Rocky Mtn. Supply, Inc., a distributor of bearings, power transmission, belting, industrial and hydraulic hose, and industrial supplies. The business is headquartered in Greeley, CO, and operates out of six locations in Colorado serving the Rocky Mountain States.
 
DXP paid $4.6 million.
 
The unaudited sales and estimated EBITDA for the acquired business for the 12 months ending Dec. 31, 2007, were $13.6 million and $1.4 million, respectively. …

DXP Enterprises Acquires Rocky Mtn. Supply Read More »

HD Supply: Watsco Deal Falls Through

HD Supply, Orlando, FL, will not move forward with its deal to sell its HVAC business to Watsco, Coconut Grove, FL, HD Supply spokeswoman Erica Crosling confirmed to MDM.
 

The potential sales of the HVAC business to Watsco was always dependent up on a transaction that was beneficial for our customers and associates, and maximized value for the company,” Crosling said. “After carefully weighing the options and taking these concerns into consideration, we have decided to retain and grow our HVAC business.”
 
Watsco had signed a letter of intent to buy the HD Supply branches that sell Rheem.
 
HD Supply’s deal with Pro-Build Holdings to buy its lumber and building materials division will go forward. …

HD Supply: Watsco Deal Falls Through Read More »

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