2008 - Page 26 of 59 - Modern Distribution Management

2008

Lincoln Electric U.S. Export Sales Grow 28.6% in 2Q

Cleveland, OH-based Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., a welding products manufacturer, reported sales for the second quarter 2008 increased 19.3% to $699.8 million over the same period 2007. Profits were $70.1 million, an increase of 26.9%.
 
For the first six months ended June 30, 2008, sales improved 16.2% to $1.32 billion over the first six months of 2007. Lincoln reported profits for the period of $123.6 million, up 19.7%.
 
U.S. export sales in the quarter increased 28.6% to $64.5 million from $50.1 million in 2007.
 
Sales at Lincoln subsidiaries outside North America increased to $299.1 million in the second quarter, compared with $222.8 million in the year ago quarter, an increase of 34.2%. Excluding acquisitions and the effect of changes in foreign …

Lincoln Electric U.S. Export Sales Grow 28.6% in 2Q Read More »

Thomas & Betts Sales Benefit from Acquisitions, Price Increases

Thomas &Betts Corp., Memphis, TN, reported sales of $641.3 million for the second quarter of 2008, up 26.4% over second quarter 2007. Profit increased 68% to $147.8 million.
 
For the first six months ended June 30, 2008, sales increased 26% to $255 million over the first six months 2007. Profit totaled $186.1 million, an increase of 55%.
 
Acquisitions contributed $114.1 million to the quarterly sales increase while foreign currency benefited sales by approximately $18 million. Commodity- and energy-related price increases offset lower underlying sales volumes in markets affected by the slowdown in residential construction.
 
Thomas &Betts is a designer and manufacturer of electrical components used in industrial, commercial, communications and utility …

Thomas & Betts Sales Benefit from Acquisitions, Price Increases Read More »

3M Agrees to Buy Ligacon

3M, St. Paul, MN, has agreed to acquire Ligacon AG, a Switzerland-based manufacturer and supplier of filtration systems and filter elements for the pharmaceutical, biotech and general industrial markets.
 
The acquisition of Ligacon will support 3M CUNO Filtration’s core business and expansion into key markets such as the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
 
3M CUNO Filtration manufactures and markets filtration solutions for separating, clarifying and purifying fluids and gases. 3M CUNO products serve the food and beverage, residential, leisure, industrial, healthcare and food service markets.
 
Ligacon employs 20 people at its headquarters in Tagelswangen, Switzerland.
 
3M manufactures thousands of products for diverse markets …

3M Agrees to Buy Ligacon Read More »

Airgas Same-Store Sales up 7% in 1Q

Airgas, Inc., Radnor, PA, reported sales of $1.1 billion for the first quarter ended June 30, 2008, an increase of 22% over the prior-year quarter. Profits grew 33% to $68.9 million.
 
Acquisitions contributed 15% to the increase, and total same-store sales grew 7% in the quarter, with hardgoods up 6% and gas and rent up 7%. Strategic product categories, focused on healthcare, life sciences, research, environmental, and food and beverage markets, posted 10% organic growth in the quarter.
 
Airgas, Inc. is a U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and supplies. …

Airgas Same-Store Sales up 7% in 1Q Read More »

Danaher Organic Growth at 5.5% in 2Q

Danaher Corp., Washington, D.C., reported sales from continuing operations for the second quarter 2008 were $3.28 billion, an increase of 25% over the same period 2007. Profit increased 18% over second quarter 2007 to $363 million.
 
For the first six months ended June 27, 2008, sales increased to $6.31 billion, 22.5% more than the prior year period. Net earnings from continuing operations were $640 million, an increase of 14.5% over the first six months of 2007.
 
Revenue growth from existing businesses was 5.5% for the quarter.
 
Danaher is a manufacturer of professional instrumentation, medical technologies, industrial technologies, and tools and …

Danaher Organic Growth at 5.5% in 2Q Read More »

Survey: ‘Surprising Number’ of Companies Still Manually Processing Sales Data

A recent survey by Pembroke Consulting showed what it called a surprising number” of companies, many of which are technology providers, still using manual processes to collect, analyze and report on sales data.
 
The survey looked at the data management practices of more than 100 technology, manufacturing and pharmaceutical companies. Though these companies sell 80% of their products through indirect channels, more than half haven’t fully automated their channel data management capabilities.
 
The channel data automation study, commissioned by InfoNow, asked managers and executives about their most common data management problems. “Receiving incomplete data from (their) indirect channel”and “basing future sales plans on ‘best guess’estimates”were among the top …

Survey: ‘Surprising Number’ of Companies Still Manually Processing Sales Data Read More »

Private Equity Firm Buys Majority Interest in Bradco Supply

Private equity firm Advent International has agreed to buy a majority interest in roofing and building materials distributor Bradco Supply, Avenel, NJ. The Segal family will continue to own a minority stake in the business.
 
The transaction is expected to finalized in mid to late August.
 
According to the Bradco Web site, Bradco has more than $1.7 billion in annual sales with more than 154 locations in 30 states.
 
The company has grown rapidly in the past 10 years, growing from 64 locations in 1998 to the current 154. Bradco acquired Admiral Building Products earlier this year.
 
Ted Boylan will continue as CEO.

Private Equity Firm Buys Majority Interest in Bradco Supply Read More »

3M Agrees to Buy Adhesives/Sealants Suppliers

3M has agreed to acquire EMFI S.A. and SAPO S.A., manufacturers of polyurethane-based structural adhesives and sealants headquartered in Haguenau, France.
 
EMFI/SAPO’s adhesives and sealants complement 3M Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division’s core industrial adhesives product line and provide access to the fast-growing polyurethane-based structural adhesives and sealants market segment. Polyurethane structural adhesives and sealants are used in building and infrastructure construction, wood floors, structural assembly, automotive aftermarket, truck, marine, specialty vehicle and rail assembly applications.
 
3M offers industrial tapes and adhesives for bonding, protecting, masking, enhancing, shielding, damping, splicing, reinforcing, color coding, case sealing …

3M Agrees to Buy Adhesives/Sealants Suppliers Read More »

Anixter Sales Up 7% in 2Q

Anixter International Inc., Glenview, IL, a distributor of communication products, electrical and electronic wire &cable and a distributor of fasteners and other small parts to Original Equipment Manufacturers, reported sales for the second quarter ended June 27, 2008, increased 7% over the same quarter a year ago to $1.62 billion. Profit was $66.9 million, an increase of 4%.
 
Sales for the first six months were $3.09 billion, a 9% increase over 2007. Profits improved 5% to $124.6 million.
 
Through the next few quarters, we will remain focused on building on our strategic initiatives, which include growing our security and OEM Supply businesses, initiating a factory automation network sales effort, adding to our supply chain services offering, enlarging the …

Anixter Sales Up 7% in 2Q Read More »

Precision Castparts Sales Grow 11.2% in 1Q

Portland, OR-based Precision Castparts Corp. announced sales in the first quarter ended June 29, 2008, were $1.83 billion, an increase of 11.2% over same period a year ago.
 
Profits improved 22.7% to $274.9 million, compared to $224.1 million a year ago.
 
Results by Segment
Total sales of Investment Cast Products were $597.7 million, a 17.3% increase over last year’s first quarter sales. Growth was propelled by solid aerospace OEM and aftermarket shipments and significant industrial gas turbine (IGT) sales growth.
 
Forged Products’sales improved 5.6% year over year, increasing to $816.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Lower selling prices of external alloy sales from the segment’s three primary mills, combined with increased …

Precision Castparts Sales Grow 11.2% in 1Q Read More »

Fuel Surcharges: Yes or No?

In a recent interview with MDM, Bill Snyder, vice president of channel development for Palatine, IL-based manufacturer Square D (Schneider Electric’s North American operating division), had some interesting points to make about passing on the cost of fuel in the channel.
 
He says that Square D learned a lesson when fuel costs rose in previous years. The company had tried a fuel surcharge, which seemed logical at the time. But the distributors came back to Square D and said: “Wait a minute, you don’t understand. You send me three pallet loads, you put a fuel surcharge on there. I break those pallets down and put it on the shelf, then I sell them to people. How do I transfer that?”
 
A good point. So …

Fuel Surcharges: Yes or No? Read More »

Some Help Improving Fleet Efficiency

The ideas in this article posted on Outsourced Logistics may help you improve the efficiency of your fleet. The article was provided by Ryder System Inc., so does include some advertising. Still, with rising fuel prices challenging bottom lines, all advice helps.

Some of the tips in the article:

Some Help Improving Fleet Efficiency Read More »

Canada Wholesale Revenues Grow in May

Source: Statistics Canada

The value and volume of wholesale trade in Canada rose in May, due in large part to higher global demand for agricultural chemical products.
 
Current dollar wholesale trade rose 1.6% to $44.2 billion in May, the fourth gain in the last five months. When removing the effect of price changes, sales in constant dollars increased by 0.7% in May.
 
Overall, six of seven wholesale sectors reported higher sales values, with the only decline coming from the automotive sector. Both motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories fell.
 
Since February 2008, the trend in current dollar wholesale trade has been slightly upwards. This follows a period, from July 2007 to …

Canada Wholesale Revenues Grow in May Read More »

Gardner Denver Agrees to Buy CompAir

Gardner Denver, Inc. , Quincy, IL, has agreed to buy CompAir Holdings Ltd., a global manufacturer of compressed air and gas solutions. The acquisition values the business at about US$395 million.
 
CompAir, Redditch, U.K., operates through three business divisions: Industrial, Hydrovane, and Reavell. The Industrial division manufactures oil-injected and oil-free rotary screw compressors, piston compressors, and portable rotary screw compressors. These products are used in oil and gas exploration, mining and construction, power plants, and general industrial applications.
 
The Hydrovane division is a manufacturer of rotary vane compressors used in OEM applications such as snow-making and mass transit, and general industrial applications. The third division, Reavell, …

Gardner Denver Agrees to Buy CompAir Read More »

NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index: Builder Confidence Falls in July

Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes fell for a third consecutive month in July, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). The HMI fell below its previous record low of 18 in June to a new record low of 16 in July, with each of its three component indexes also hitting record lows.
 
Builders are reporting that traffic of prospective buyers has fallen off substantially in recent months,”said NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders. “Given the systematic deterioration of job markets, rising energy costs and sinking home values aggravated by the rising tide of foreclosures, many prospective buyers have simply returned to the sidelines until conditions improve.”
 

Each of the HMI’s …

NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index: Builder Confidence Falls in July Read More »

Bosch Rexroth Agrees to Buy Hagglunds Drives

Bosch Rexroth has agreed to acquire Hägglunds Drives AB, Mellansel, Sweden.

In 2007, Hägglunds Drives employed around 900 people and had sales of €200 million. Hägglunds Drives is an international supplier of hydraulic drive systems, separate drive motors and services. The drive systems are used in a wide range of industries, such as mining and materials handling, marine and offshore, recycling, sugar, pulp and paper.

In the renewable energies sector, Hägglunds Drives products are used to drive machines for producing ethanol, and feature in the first prototypes for generating tidal energy.

The acquisition of Hägglunds Drives expands our industrial hydraulics portfolio and by this we gain potential in growing markets, such as …

Bosch Rexroth Agrees to Buy Hagglunds Drives Read More »

More on Manufacturing: Finding Ways to Revive the Sector

The Wall Street Journal had an article similar to one I mentioned in a blog last week saying that manufacturing in some areas of the U.S. is coming back. Many factories have been revived, in part by upping the ante on the products made, according to the WSJ. The article focuses on one city as a case study: Manitowoc, WI. There, factories have started producing energy-efficient light fixtures and steel towers for wind turbines, along with ice-cream machines and bomb parts.
 
An old plastics company, Kaysun Corp., is moving into products it believes are insulated from overseas competition, such as plastic …

More on Manufacturing: Finding Ways to Revive the Sector Read More »

ABC Supply Opens New Store in Minnesota

ABC Supply Co. Inc., Beloit, WI, has opened a new store in Savage, MN. The company is a wholesale distributor of siding, windows and other select exterior building products.
 
Designed to serve residential and commercial construction professionals, the new store carries a low-slope and steep-slope roofing materials, siding, insulation, windows, doors and related tools and equipment.
 
The facility has 41,000 square feet of warehouse and showroom space. The store opened with 15 employees.
 
ABC Supply has five other Minnesota stores, including locations in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Orono.
 
ABC Supply operates 380 branches in 46 states and the District of …

ABC Supply Opens New Store in Minnesota Read More »

Watsco Sales Up 8% in 2Q

Watsco, Inc., Coconut Grove, FL, reported revenues for the second quarter increased 8% to $510 million over the same period in 2007. Profit improved 7% to $26.1 million.

The revenue increase includes $62 million from 58 locations opened or acquired in the past 12 months.
 
Same-store sales declined 5%, reflecting a 4% decrease in sales of HVAC equipment, an 8% decline in other HVAC products and a 1% increase in commercial refrigeration products.
 
For the six months ended June 30, 2008, revenues increased 6% to $890 million, including $111 million from locations opened or acquired during the last 12 months. Gross profit for the period increased 7% to $229 million. Same-store sales declined 7% in the first six months.
 
Watsco is an …

Watsco Sales Up 8% in 2Q Read More »

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Sales, Profit Grow in 2Q

Reliance Steel &Aluminum Co., Los Angeles, CA, reported sales in the second quarter 2008 were $2.1 billion, an increase of 10.5% over the same period in 2007. Profit increased 27.5% to $156.6 million.
 
For the first six months ended June 30, 2008, sales were $4 billion, and increase of 7.1% over the prior-year period. Profits increased 12.6% to $264 million.
 
David H. Hannah, CEO of Reliance said: The main reason for the increased earnings was higher carbon steel prices, which resulted in higher gross profit margins as we quickly passed through the increases to our customers. While we expected carbon steel pricing to continue upwards during the second quarter, the increases were larger than we had anticipated.”
 
In the third quarter, Hannah expects …

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Sales, Profit Grow in 2Q Read More »

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