2008 - Page 53 of 59 - Modern Distribution Management

2008

PT/MC Sales Growth Slowing

The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) reported that distributors and manufacturers in North America experienced overall growth in sales in 2007. Confidence in the market (as measured on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being most optimistic) has eroded slightly, holding a current neutral position between 5.0 and 5.8 versus a range of 5.1 to 6.6 at year-end 2006.
 
While still in the positive, growth in sales of PT/MC products is definitely slowing. Following three years of double-digit growth, U.S. distributors’saw a 6.8 percent increase in PT/MC product sales in 2007. The annualized sales-to-inventory ratio for 2007 was up to 7.6, compared to 7.3 in 2006.
 
Canadian distributors also continued to experience growth in PT/MC sales, again at a …

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MDM Interview: The Role of the Master Distributor

United Stationers, with sales approaching $5 billion, is a master distributor of business, foodservice and janitorial supplies, and recently moved into the industrial space with the purchase of ORS Nasco, a master distributor of industrial supplies with sales of close to $300 million.


MDM recently sat down with United Stationers’CEO Dick Gochnauer to talk about United’s recent move into the industrial sector, as well as what the company is seeing in the various market segments it serves. United Stationers has recently embarked on a journey to expand its e-commerce capabilities with its distributor customers.

It also plans to spread best practices from its core competency -office products distribution -into other segments: JanSan (served by its …

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Setting a Retirement Date

It's not easy to grasp the idea of a retirement date, says Evergreen Consulting's Brent Grover in the MDM Audio Conference, Succession Planning: Leaving Your Business Better."This is very long-range planning,"he says.

Grover went through the same thing in 1982. At that time, he was working in the family's distribution business founded by his grandfather. The second generation needed to set a retirement date.

Grover compared the situation to a Patek Philippe watch ad: "Their advertisement says that you never actually own one, you merely look after it for the next generation."

Some companies operate that way, and "live"to pass the company on to the next generation. "I was fortunate that I came from a family that did plan,"Grover says.

Setting a Retirement Date Read More »

New No-Match Regs Protect Employers

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced new regulations to help employers take proper steps when they learn that worker authorization information in their files is incorrect and to protect themselves from civil or criminal sanctions for knowingly employing unauthorized workers.

Since the passage in 1986 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act, employers have had to verify the identity and work authorization of all individuals, by completing an I-9 form within three days after the start of their employment. Most employers are familiar with the I-9 form, and verify work authorization by a driver's license or other form of photo identification and a social security card.

It is unlawful for employers to hire a person not …

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Monthly Wholesale Trade: Sales & Inventories December 2007

Sales. December 2007 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’sales branches and
offices, were $376.6 billion, down 0.7 percent from the revised November level and up 10.6 percent from December 2006, said the U.S. Census Bureau. The November preliminary estimate was revised downward $1.1 billion or 0.3 percent. December sales of durable goods were down 2.0 percent from last month, but were up 1.6 percent from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of electrical and electronic goods were down 4.3 percent and sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were down 4.0 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 0.4 percent from last month and were up 19.3 percent from last year.

Inventories. Total inventories of merchant …

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Craig Riley Joins Modern Distribution Management Team

Craig Riley has joined Modern Distribution Management as Associate Publisher to help grow MDM’s online information and education services focused on wholesale distribution. The move follows a year when MDM saw its weekly e-newsletter base grow 35 percent, and its daily Web site traffic increase 50 percent.

Riley has more than 20 years of publishing and sales experience, most recently as publisher of Industrial Distribution magazine. Riley will have responsibility for working with MDM’s existing online marketing partners and for developing MDM’s online advertising and sponsorship programs internationally.

Our online offerings are focused to help wholesale distribution executives stay informed and ahead of the curve,”said Tom Gale, MDM publisher and president of …

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MDM News Digest 3803

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.”More
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 …

MDM News Digest 3803 Read More »

Wholesale Revenues Rise 9.2% in 2007

Wholesaler-distributor revenues were $4.316 trillion last year, up 9.2 percent from 2006, unadjusted for seasonal variations. Wholesale revenues for durable goods were up 5 percent, and nondurable goods sales were up 13 percent.

Here’s the breakdown in sales by sector for 2007:

Automotive……………………………….. 2%           
Furniture…………………………………… 8%           
Lumber………………………………….. -13%           
Apparel…………………………………… 5%
Prof. Equipment…………………………. …

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Commentary: Master distribution evolves with shifting markets

The role of master distribution has shifted significantly. That’s why we wanted to understand more clearly why United Stationers diversified with the acquisition of ORS Nasco in December.
 
Dick Gochnauer addresses (see page 1 interview) how United adds value in two places: marketing and logistics. Different forms of support services have evolved to fill these two needs in highly fragmented and consolidating markets. These include buying/coop/marketing groups, master wholesalers, hybrid catalog/master distributors, independent logistics providers (CoLinx in power transmission) and joint ventures between manufacturers (PTPlace.com). There’s a mix of competition and cooperation across all these entities.
 
Distributors and manufacturers have leveraged these tools to …

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MDM February 10, 2008

This is the pdf of this issue of Modern Distribution Management. Apply the full $24.95 pay-per-view cost toward an annual subscription (within 30 days of purchase), which includes two issues a month plus access to more than six years of online archives and market data. Call 1-888-742-5060 or email info@mdm.com to …

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ProBuild Buys Jasper Lumber

ProBuild Holdings, Denver, CO, supplier of building materials to professional contractors, has acquired North Atlanta-based Jasper Lumber Company.
 
The Jasper purchase follows closely on the heels of ProBuild’s acquisition of HD Supply’s Lumber and Building Material business, which operates as Williams Bros. Lumber in Atlanta.
 
Jasper Lumber comprises a lumber yard, truss and millwork manufacturing facility in Kennesaw and a lumber distribution business located in Cumming.
 
Jim Cavanaugh, ProBuild South region president, said: This acquisition, along with the previously announced acquisition of HD Supply’s LBM operation, positions us well to serve all segments of the Atlanta market.”  
 
ProBuild has made 12 …

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Beacon Roofing Supply Core Sales Fall 12.2% in 1Q

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc., Peabody, MA, reported sales were up 4.8% to $398.4 million in the first quarter 2008 ended Dec. 31, 2007. The increase was due to $64.7 million in acquired sales.
 
Organic growth was down 12.2%, caused by declines of 18.9% and 15.2% in residential roofing and complementary product sales, respectively, with non-residential roofing sales in existing market down just 0.1%.
 
Profit for the quarter was $5.2 million, a decline of 40.5% from the prior-year …

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Saint-Gobain Abrasives Buys Moyco

Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Worcester, MA, has acquired Moyco Precision Abrasives, Inc. of Montgomeryville, PA.
 
From a single manufacturing facility, Moyco makes coated abrasive products for lapping, grinding and polishing. Moyco products are used in a broad range of applications. The company has 45 employees.
 
We are very excited about this acquisition and the technology Moyco brings to the Saint-Gobain Abrasives business,”said Mark Rayfield, vice president and general manager, Saint-Gobain Abrasives North America. “The Moyco business and technology complements our recent investment in fine grit capacity, and adds depth to our product line for automotive and many other markets.”
 
Saint-Gobain Abrasives makes a range of abrasives products, such as bonded …

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Total Deal Value in Transport, Logistics Down in 2007

Total transportation and logistics deal volume reached a 20-year high with 1,291 deals in 2007, toppling the prior record reached in 2006, according to Intersections, PricewaterhouseCoopers’quarterly report on M&A in the global transportation and logistics industry.
 
Despite the record number of deals, total deal value in 2007 experienced a significant drop to $83 billion, down from the 20-year high of $164 billion set in 2006. This was due in part to several large deals announced in 2006, including competing bids for a passenger air target and the proposed acquisition of another passenger air target, however all but one bid was eventually withdrawn.
 
The prevalence of large deals announced during 2006 also led to a decline in the average deal size between 2006 …

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Legrand Posts 10.5% Sales Jump in 2007

French electrical supplier Legrand reported sales were up 10.5% in 2007, with profit up 67%.
 
Recent acquisitions added 3.6% in growth, and variations in exchange rates, mainly the euro vs. the dollar, had a negative impact of 1.8%. In the past three years, Legrand has acquired 15 companies, including six in 2007, representing annual sales of more than half a billion euros.
 
In 2008, Legrand has announced the acquisition of PW Industries, a U.S. firm specialized in ceiling cable tray systems for commercial and industrial sectors. In 2007, PW Industries reported sales of $32 million.
 
In the U.S. and Canada, Legrand posted a 4.2% increase in sales in the second half of 2007 for a full-year increase of 1.6%. This reflected the continuation of moderate …

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Regal Beloit Sales Up 11.3% in 2007

Regal Beloit Corp., Beloit, WI, reported sales for 2007 were up 11.3% to $1.8 billion, including $129.7 million from acquired businesses. Profit was $118.3 million, a 7.8% increase.
 
For the fourth quarter ended Dec. 29, 2007, sales were $474.7 million from $366.6 million in the same period in 2006.
 
In the Electrical segment, sales increased 32.9% during the fourth quarter. Included in the results for the quarter were $101.4 million of sales attributable to acquired businesses Fasco, Jakel, Alstom and Morrill.
 
Sales in the HVAC business, which continued to be impacted by the challenging conditions of the residential HVAC end market, decreased 8.5% from the fourth quarter of 2006.
 
Sales of generators increased 13.5%, paced by a 27.3% …

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Huttig Building Products Sales Fall 21% in 2007

Huttig Building Products, Inc., St. Louis, MO, distributor of millwork, building materials and wood products, reported a net loss for the year ended Dec. 31, 2007, of $8 million, compared with a net loss of $7.7 million in the prior year. Sales fell 21% to $874.8 million.
 
Sales to national accounts, representing 36% of 2007 sales, declined by 18% from 2006.
 
Looking ahead, most current forecasts do not expect a bottom in new housing construction until late in 2008,” CEO Jon Vrabely said. “Our continued challenge is to balance our cost reduction efforts with the need to maintain our strategic infrastructure and high service levels so that Huttig is well positioned when the market rebounds. We remain focused on doing everything we can to reduce costs, increase …

Huttig Building Products Sales Fall 21% in 2007 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 »

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 »

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