2009 - Page 25 of 57 - Modern Distribution Management

2009

Chicago Tribune’s Look at Netflix Efficiencies

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look from the Chicago Tribune at efficiencies in the online DVD service Netflix’s operations – the author asks: How do consumers get their movies so quickly? While the article is short on a few details, a few pieces do stick out, namely the importance of finding the right employees and providing them the right benefits/pay to keep them around. And Netflix’s use of the right technology to automate what humans would take much longer to do.

But most importantly, the article highlights Netflix’s effective use of both talent and technology to get the job done, something that is not always easy, but continues to be more important as distributors deal with …

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RBC Bearings 1Q Sales Decline 31%

RBC Bearings Inc., Oxford, CT, a manufacturer of highly-engineered precision plain, roller and ball bearings for the industrial, defense and aerospace industries, reported sales for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010 were $63.7 million, down 31% from the prior year period. Profit declined 52.6% to $5.1 million.

A drop of 46.3% in industrial sales due to the current economic climate was the primary reason for the overall sales declines. Aerospace and defense were less impacted and decreased by …

RBC Bearings 1Q Sales Decline 31% Read More »

Avnet Fiscal Year End Sales Down 9.6%

Avnet, Inc., Tempe, AZ, reported sales of $16.2 billion for fiscal year 2009, down 9.6% over fiscal year 2008. The electronics distributor recorded a loss of $1.12 billion for the fiscal year, compared to profit of $499.1 million a year ago. Organic sales were down 15.6%.

For the fourth quarter, sales were $3.77 billion, down 19.5% over fourth quarter fiscal year 2008. Net loss was $30.9 million, compared to profit of $144.1 million for the prior year period. Organic sales declined 24.7%.

Electronics Marketing sales of $2.13 billion for the fourth quarter fiscal 2009 were down 22.2% year over year. Organic revenue decreased 27.3%.

Technology Solutions sales of $1.64 billion for the fourth quarter fiscal 2009 were down 15.8% year over year and down 20.9% organically. …

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Stock Building Supply Locations Moving Back Into Locals’ Hands

The divestiture of Stock Building Supply by UK-based distributor Wolseley plc has sparked a string of expansions for small, local building materials distributors who are picking up the locations left by Stock. Or former owners of those locations are buying them back.

Theformer Stock branches are being reinvented as local, independent distributors.

And in many cases the former employees of those Stock locations are being rehired by the new owners. In this article by the Valley Courier, a family that owns another long-time nearby building materials distributor purchased the former Stock property. The distributor plans to re-open the location as Alamosa Building Supply …

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Emerson Sales Decline 22% in 3Q

Emerson, St. Louis, MO, reported sales for the third quarter ended June 30, were $5.1 billion, down 22% from the same period last year. Profit decreased 36.8% to $387 million. For the nine months ended June 30, sales were $15.6 billion, down 14% from the prior year period. Profit declined 29.4% to $1.2 billion.

Underlying sales in the quarter declined 19%, which excludes a 4% negative impact from currency exchange rates and a 1% positive impact from acquisitions. On a sequential basis, sales in the third quarter 2009 were essentially flat with the second quarter.

Process Management segment sales declined 13% for the quarter to $1.5 billion, including a 9% decline in underlying sales, a negative 7% currency impact, and a positive 3% impact from the Roxar acquisition. Underlying …

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Allied Motion Reports $12.1M Loss in 2Q

Allied Motion Technologies Inc., Denver, CO, reported second quarter sales of $13.9 million, down 41% from second quarter 2008. The manufacturer of motion control products recorded a loss of $12.1 million for the period, compared to profit of $1 million the prior year. Sales declined across all industry sectors.

During the six months ended June 30, the company had a net loss of $12.8million compared to profit of $1.9 million for the same six months last year. Sales were $29,235,000, down …

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Construction Spending: Slight Uptick in June

Construction spending in June 2009 was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $965.7 billion, 0.3% above the revised May estimate. The June figure is 10.2% below the June 2008 estimate of $1,075.6 billion.
During the first six months of this year, construction spending amounted to $455.6 billion, 11.4% below the $514.4 billion for the same period in 2008.

Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $643.9 billion, 0.1% below the revised May estimate. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $246.1 billion in June, 0.5% above the revised May estimate of $244.7 billion. Nonresidential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $397.9 billion in June, 0.5% below May.

In June, the estimated seasonally …

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European Commission Clears ERIKS Deal

The European Commission has granted clearance for the proposed acquisition of Dutch distributor ERIKS by SHV Alkmaar B.V., a subsidiary of SHV Holdings N.V. The company would buy ERIKS for $48 a share, according to the latest offer announcement.

ERIKS is a distributor of power transmission and related products. It had sales of EUR $1.1 billion in 2008 with 5,138 employees. More information at www.eriks.com.

SHV is a privately held holding company of a conglomerate active in LPG trade and distribution, cash and carry wholesale, heavy lifting and transport activities, private equity, investing in the exploration, development and production of oil and gas, and renewable energy. It is in 45 companies and employs 38,000 people. More …

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Barnes Group Sales Fall 33% in 2Q

Barnes Group Inc., Bristol, CT, a diversified global manufacturer and logistical services company, reported sales for the second quarter 2009 were $255.2 million, down 33% from second quarter 2008. Profit declined 68.8% to $10.4 million.

For the six months ended June 30, sales were $517.4 million, down 32.2% from the prior year period. Profit declined 66.8% to $21.9 million.

“The continued economic weakness throughout the second quarter had a substantial impact on our businesses, particularly our transportation and industrial manufacturing businesses,” said Gregory F. Milzcik, president and CEO. “As we have done since the beginning of the economic downturn, we continue to focus on managing our business prudently by adjusting our cost structure, driving increased productivity in our …

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NetSuite Sales Up 10% in Second Quarter

NetSuite Inc., San Mateo, CA, an on-demand, integrated business management software suites, reported sales for the second quarter 2009 were $40.3 million, up 10% over the second quarter of 2008. The company recorded a loss of $5.0 million for the period, compared to a loss of $3.1 million a year ago.

Quarterly revenue from the Americas was $32.5 million, while revenue from international regions was $7.8 …

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Distributor Stays Put After Town Recognizes Its Value

Here’s a short but interesting article on a California floor products distributor who was about to move elsewhere when a town, recognizing the value the company brought to the community, made it more affordable to stay put.

As a result of the town’s moves, the distributor was able to push forward on a DC expansion as it works to consolidate its warehousing and logistics operations. …

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Global Manufacturing Conditions Stabilize in July

Global operating conditions stabilized in July, following a sustained period of weakness, according to the JPMorgan Global Manufacturing PMI, which stood at 50.0. PMIs remained above 50.0 in China, India and Turkey and rose back above this level in Japan and the UK for the first time in 17 and 16 months respectively.

The Global Manufacturing Output Index rose to an 18-month high in July. At a twenty-month high of 53.3, the Global Manufacturing New Orders Index pointed to an increase in new work received for the first time since March 2008. International trade volumes rose slightly in July, following ten months of sustained decline. “Global manufacturing started Q3 2009 on a strong footing,” said David Hensley, director of Global Economics Coordination at JPMorgan. “The PMI indicates …

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Manufacturing Contracts in July

Manufacturing contracted in July, according to the latest Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. However, the decline in manufacturing was slower in July when compared to June, as the more leading components of the PMI – the New Orders and Production Indexes – rose significantly above 50%, thus setting an expectation for future growth in the sector.

The Employment and Inventories Indexes are still contracting, but the rate is slowing and they are moving in the right direction, the report said. The New Export Orders Index shows growth following nine consecutive months of decline, suggesting that the global economy is recovering.

Six of the 18 manufacturing industries reported growth in July. These industries – listed in order – are: Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Paper …

Manufacturing Contracts in July Read More »

Purvis Industries Acquires TX-based Bearing Service and Supply

Purvis Industries, Dallas, TX, has acquired Bearing Service and Supply, San Angelo, TX, a distributor of power transmission, fluid connectors and motion control products.

Bearing Service and Supply focuses on the agricultural, industrial and alternative energy customers in the San Angelo and West Texas region.

Purvis, founded in 1945 in Waco, TX, is a large regional independent power transmission, electrical control and belting services distributor, with 41 locations in seven states. Purvis goes to market through six units: American Keyed and Custom Shaft, CapCorp Belting, National Mechanical Power Systems, Purvis Bearing Services, Triad Industrial Automation, and U.S. Conveying Systems & …

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Interline First-Half Sales Down 12.3%

Interline Brands, Inc., Jacksonville, FL, distributor and direct marketer of maintenance, repair and operations products, reported sales for the second quarter ended June 26, 2009, were down 13.3% to $269.9 million from the prior-year period.

Average organic daily sales decreased 14.7% for the quarter.

Interline’s facilities maintenance end-market, which comprised 74% of sales, declined 7.8% during the second quarter on an average daily sales basis, and declined 9.9% on an average organic daily sales basis. The professional contractor end-market, which comprised 16% of sales, declined 28.4% in the quarter and the specialty distributor end-market, which comprised 10% of sales, declined 20.6% for the quarter.

Profit (net income) was $6.4 million in the second quarter, compared …

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DXP Enterprises Sales Down 29.5% in Second Quarter

DXP Enterprises reported sales of $144.4 million in the second quarter 2009, a decrease of 23.1% from the prior-year period. Sales by businesses acquired in 2008, on a same-store basis, accounted for $12 million of 2009 sales.
Excluding these sales, sales fell 29.5% in the second quarter.

Profit was $2.16 million, down 31.7%.

Sales for the six months ended June 30, 2009, fell 15.2% to $302 million from the prior-year period. Profit was $5.3 million. Excluding first-half 2009 sales of $26.2 million by the businesses acquired in 2008, sales decreased 22.6% from the first half of 2008.

CFO Mac McConnell said: “Economic conditions for the oil and gas and industrial manufacturing industries have proven to be more severe than anticipated. … We will continue to …

DXP Enterprises Sales Down 29.5% in Second Quarter Read More »

NAW Legal Advisory on the Red Flags Rule

NAW has released a legal advisory concerning the "Red Flags Rule," which the Federal Trade Commission will start to enforce Nov. 1, 2009. The rule requires creditors and financial institutions to conduct a risk assessment to determine if they have "covered accounts," which include consumer-type accounts or other accounts for which there is a reasonable risk of identify theft.

If so, the creditor must develop and implement a written Identify Theft Prevention Program that identifies and detects the relevant warning signs- or "red flags"- of identity theft. These may include, for example, unusual account activity, fraud alerts on a consumer report, or attempted use of suspicious account application documents. The program must …

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Rexel Sales Down 17.9% in First Half

Paris-based electrical distributor Rexel Inc. reported sales of €5.6 billion (US$7.9 billion) fell 17.9% on an organic same-day basis in the first half. Sales were down 6.4% on a reported basis.

At constant copper prices, sales would have decreased by 13.7%.

A 20.2% drop in organic sales in the second quarter followed a 15.4% drop in the first quarter. The distributor reported continued weakness in all of its end-markets. The company has also streamlined its branch network – closing 224 branches in the past 12 months.

The sales decline in the second quarter included 4 percentage points due to lower copper-based cables prices; at constant copper price, sales would have decreased 16.1% in the second quarter.

In North America, 31% of the company’s sales, first-half sales …

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Flowserve Second Quarter Sales Down 6%

Flowserve Corp., Dallas, TX, reported sales for the second quarter 2009 were $1.09 billion, down 6% from the prior year period. Profit declined 11.9% to $108.2 million.

For the first six months, sales were $2.12 billion, down 2% from the first half of 2008. Profit decreased 4.9% to $200.5 million.

"While we continue to see our markets impacted by the challenging global economic conditions, we are very pleased with the improvement we saw in sequential quarter over quarter bookings and sales," said Lewis Kling, president and CEO. "The continued realignment improvements we made this quarter to our operating platform should not only drive benefits that we will realize later in 2009, but are expected to strengthen the company for growth opportunities well into the future."

Flowserve …

Flowserve Second Quarter Sales Down 6% Read More »

Parker Hannifin Sales Fall 15.1% in Fiscal 2009

Cleveland, OH-based Parker Hannifin Corp., manufacturer of motion and control technologies, reported sales for the fiscal year 2009 were $10.3 billion, a decline of 15.1% from the previous year. Profit for the year fell 46.4% to $508.5 million. "We started the year strongly, however, our performance in the second half of the year reflected the impact of the ongoing global recession, which resulted in significantly reduced order rates," said CEO and President Don Washkewicz.

Fiscal 2009 fourth quarter sales were $2.2 billion, a decline of 33.9% from $3.3 billion in the same quarter a year ago. Profit for the fourth quarter declined 80.4% to $49.5 million from $252.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008.

Washkewicz added: "Our fourth quarter performance was influenced by …

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