June 25, 2012

Special Report: 2012 Wholesale Distribution Trends Report

Research & Analytics, Subscriber Only / Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier

This report provides an in-depth look at the key trends, opportunities and challenges facing wholesaler-distributors across distribution sectors. This report also includes sector trends for nine distribution sectors, as well as the top distributors in 14 sectors (MDM Market Leaders).

Articles in this report include

Wave of Consolidation Hits the Industry
Vending Explodes as a Service
Distributors Put Inventory Under the Microscope
Distributors Looking to Hire Face Challenges
Distributors Take Interest In and Action On E-Commerce, Mobile & Social Networks
Other 2012 Trends in Wholesale Distribution: Services, Non-traditional Competition, Pricing, Global Expansion and Financing
2012 End-Market Trends Noted by Distributors
Individual sector trends

Also in this report: lists of top distributors by sector

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Are you looking for market size estimates for the sectors included in this report? You may be looking for MDM's 2012 Wholesale Distribution Industry Landscape Report. Learn more here.

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Hose & Accessories Distributors – Singer Equities

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Industrial news Headquarters: Glen Burnie, MD2011 Revenues: N/ALocations: 20Key Executives: CEO Otis Dufrene; President Don Fritzinger Singer Equities is a group of distributors in the industrial rubber products industry backed by AEA Investors, a private equity firm. Distributors in this group include Hampton Rubber Company, RW Connection, Allied Rubber and Rigging Supply

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Safety Distributors – Arbill

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Safety news Headquarters: Philadelphia, PA2011 Revenues: $32 millionChange in Sales from 2010: 10.34%Employees: 65Locations: 2Key Executives: President & CEO Julie Copeland; CFO Tom Strauss; EVP Robyn Zlotkin; VP, Operations Wendy Miller Arbill is a distributor of personal protective equipment, supplies and apparel. • Return to Full List of Safety Distributors.• Return to the 2012

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Safety Distributors – ORR Safety

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Safety news Headquarters: Louisville, KY2011 Revenues: N/AKey Executives: President Raymond Aldridge; VP Mike Johnson ORR Safety represents over 600 manufacturers of industrial safety, cccupational health, industrial hygiene, and fire-related equipment and supplies. • Return to Full List of Safety Distributors.• Return to the 2012 MDM Market Leaders home.• Read the 2012 MDM Wholesale Distribution Trends

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Safety Distributors – Northern Safety & Industrial

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Safety news Headquarters: Utica, NY2011 Revenues: N/AEmployees: 300+ associatesLocations: 1 branch, 3 distribution centersKey Executives: CEO Sal Longo; President & COO Neil Sexton Northern Safety & Industrial is a national distributor of safety and industrial supplies. • Return to Full List of Safety Distributors.• Return to the 2012 MDM Market Leaders home.• Read the 2012

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Safety Distributors – Conney Safety Products

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Safety news Headquarters: Madison, WI2011 Revenues: N/A2011 Acquisitions: Mettam Safety (Danville, IL)Key Executives: CEO Michael Wessner; COO Chuck Moyer Conney Safety is a distributor of safety, first aid and industrial supplies including gloves, safety glasses, respirators, fall protection products and safety signs. It was recently announced the distributor would be acquired by

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Safety Distributors – Safety Today

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Safety news Headquarters: Columbus, OH2011 Revenues: N/AKey Executives: President Ted Cowie Safety Today, Inc. is a full service safety equiptment distributor with a focus on the glass, metalworking & equipment manufacturing, automotive, cruise line and food processing sectors. • Return to Full List of Safety Distributors.• Return to the 2012 MDM Market Leaders home.• Read

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Safety Distributors – Wise Safety & Environmental

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Safety news Headquarters: St. Louis, MOKey Executives: VP Mike Milne Wise is a national distributor of safety, health, abatement, environmental, instruments, fire, police, and domestic emergency preparedness products and services. • Return to Full List of Safety Distributors.• Return to the 2012 MDM Market Leaders home.• Read the 2012 MDM Wholesale Distribution Trends Report –

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Safety Distributors – Mallory Safety & Supply

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Safety news Headquarters: Longview, WA2011 Revenues: $62 millionChange in Sales from 2010: 82.35%Employees: 200Key Executives: President Tim Loy Mallory is a distributor of general safety and fire and cleanroom safety products. • Return to Full List of Safety Distributors.• Return to the 2012 MDM Market Leaders home.• Read the 2012 MDM Wholesale Distribution Trends Report

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Hose & Accessories Distributors – JGB Enterprises

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Industrial news Headquarters: Liverpool, NY2011 Revenues: $100 millionEmployees: 225Locations: 4 JGB supplies industrial, hydraulic and stainless steel braided metal hose and fittings to the commercial business sector. JGB also services the needs of the United States Armed Forces, NATO, and various Foreign Military Services throughout the world. JGB serves national customers including

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2012 MDM Market Leaders: Top Industrial Distributors No. 26

Free, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

View the latest Industrial news Headquarters: Addison, IL2011 Revenues: N/ALocations: 36Key Executives: CEO Justin Jacobi SunSource, primarily a fluid power distributor, serves customers in the oil and gas, infrastructure, transportation equipment, construction, crane and hoist, agricultural equipment, mining, metals processing, food and beverage, forestry and alternative energy industries. SunSource was recently acquired by Littlejohn &

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Download This Issue in PDF: June 25, 2012

Research & Analytics, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

This is the PDF of this issue of Modern Distribution Management.

Table of Contents:

Wave of Consolidation Hits Industry
Commentary: The Difference in 2012: Profitability
2012 MDM Market Mover: C.H. Briggs

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Wave of Consolidation Hits the Industry

Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions, Research & Analytics, Subscriber Only / Lindsay Konzak

This article is part of the 2012 Distribution Trends Report. To access this annual update for premium subscribers, subscribe now or log-in.

Each year we say the big get bigger. And while that remains the case, we saw the big get much bigger thanks to a wave of mergers and acquisitions in 2011. That’s reflected on the 2012 MDM Market Leaders top distributor lists – which are at mdm.com/marketleaders.

The average growth for distributors on this year’s Top 40 Industrial Distributors list was 19.4 percent, a significant jump from the 10.4 percent we saw on last year’s list, in part due to acquisitions made throughout the year. Consolidation further ramped up in the first half of 2012.

Dozens of deals have been announced in distribution thanks to a perfect storm of contributing factors that include a large number of owners who are ready to retire, significantly improved deal valuations and …

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MDM Interview: Wurth’s Approach to Growth in the U.S.

Subscriber Only, Top Distributor Sectors / MDM Staff

Associate Editor Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier recently spoke with Wurth-North America CEO Robert Stolz about how the industrial distributor, which is part of the Germany-based Wurth Group, is approaching growth in U.S. markets.

MDM: It looks like Wurth-North America had some solid growth in 2011. What are some of the drivers of that growth?

Robert Stolz: We actually had double-digit growth in all four of our divisions: an industrial division; a wood division – which is construction materials; a metal division – which is MRO; and then an automotive division. That’s how we’re structured around the world and in North America.

As for what drove that growth, No. 1, of course, is we’re seeing the overall economy improve. I like to describe it as two steps forward, one step back. It’s very difficult still to plan or to set prognosis because we’ll have a couple of good quarters and then we’ll have a month that’s not as strong. But I think that’s the overall economy.

I also think we’re very focused on market share gain, and we’re pushing very hard in all four segments to pick up market share.

MDM: What’s the outlook for the rest of 2012?

Stolz: It’s interesting. I have moved from cautiously optimistic to optimistic. I think that in an economy like we’re in right now, well-capitalized and well-financed businesses will be very strong.

Of course, one of the things we’ve seen is that as you come out of a recession like this one, it puts a huge strain on working capital. If you think about it, when times are declining…

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2012 Market Mover: C.H. Briggs Thinks Differently On ‘Social’

Building Materials/Construction, Subscriber Only, Technology, Top Distributor Sectors / Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier

In 2012, MDM is recognizing distributors that are innovative in their approach to their markets. Specialty building materials distributor C.H. Briggs is the first of two featured this year.

In wholesale distribution, “good enough” has long been a common theme for technology’s role in the business. But “good enough” was never good enough for C.H. Briggs, a specialty building materials distributor based in Reading, PA. “You can’t just accept what you’re told,” says CIO Scott Withers. “You have to ask yourself: What can this mean for me tomorrow?”

Following that philosophy has made C.H. Briggs a leader …

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Chicago Fed National Activity Index Drops in May

Economic Trends, Free, News, Research & Analytics, Subscriber Only / MDM Staff

Diffusion Index was negative for the first time since June 2011.

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Commentary: The Difference in 2012: Profitability

Economic Trends, Research & Analytics, Subscriber Only / Tom Gale

The economy in 2012 is proving to be consistently inconsistent. Anecdotally, we’re hearing of record-breaking months followed by slow ones; nearly all distribution sectors expect less in 2012, but still a year of moderate growth.

As Wurth-North America’s CEO Robert Stolz says in this issue of MDM: “It’s very difficult still to plan or to set prognosis because we’ll have a couple of good quarters and then we’ll have a month that’s not as strong.”

Making the most of more limited growth opportunities will …

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