September 2010 - Modern Distribution Management

September 2010

silver gears moving

Transmission/Motion Control Industry Experiences Rapid Expansion

PTDA Report: PT/MC manufacturers expanded more rapidly than distributors during second quarter.

Transmission/Motion Control Industry Experiences Rapid Expansion Read More »

The Story Behind Beacon Roofing Supply’s Steady Growth

Distributor benefits from re-roofing activity, which it says is usually a non-discretionary expense.

The Story Behind Beacon Roofing Supply’s Steady Growth Read More »

Wolseley Year-End Sales Decline 10%

Wolseley announced it has written off its remaining investment in Stock Building Supply due to continued losses at the former subsidiary.

Wolseley Year-End Sales Decline 10% Read More »

Getting Started with Social Media

Bob DeStefano, president of SVM E-Business Solutions, outlined the steps companies can take to integrate social media into their business strategies.

The first step is creating an online presence. Sign up for accounts on social media sites. Begin building your network on LinkedIn by connecting with people you know and …

Getting Started with Social Media Read More »

The Social Media Challenge: ROI

In a recent MDM survey, just half of respondents said they were using LinkedIn. Even fewer used online tools such as Twitter and Facebook. This article will examine why B2B companies have resisted using social media to further business goals and presents expert analysis and examples on how distributors can benefit from these tools. The author also analyzes results from a recent survey on how MDM readers use social media.

Even as business-to-consumer companies are finding ways to capitalize upon the growing social media trend, many business-to-business companies are struggling with how they can use social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

In a recent MDM survey, about 42 percent of respondents – distributors and manufacturers – said their companies were not using social media. The reasons ranged …

The Social Media Challenge: ROI Read More »

U.S. Market Analysis: Abrasives 2009

Abrasives represented a market in 2009 of $xxx billion, according to estimates by Industrial Market Information.

These charts show the top ten industries, by SIC code, consuming these products; and the 2009 end-user consumption of these groups sorted by the nine government market regions.

U.S. Market Analysis: Abrasives 2009 Read More »

Grainger’s Product & Service Plans

At the Morgan Keegan Industrial/Transportation Conference last week, Chicago-based distributor Grainger outlined its plans to continue building on both its product portfolio and its service offerings.

Product Expansion
Grainger U.S. President Michael Pulick says the company is aiming for up to 500,000 products in its portfolio. That would be up from 85,000 in 2005.

In recent years, the distributor has added products in plumbing, fleet maintenance and metalworking, among others. It has also added to current categories with products that boast different features or functions.

Grainger also plans to continue growing its private label offering, Pulick says. Right now,…

Grainger’s Product & Service Plans Read More »

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