Don’t try to please everyone. Instead, segment, target and position your company for better margins.
Don’t Be Everyone’s Third Favorite Supplier Read More »
MDM Editor Lindsay Konzak recently attended the Advanced Profitability Improvement Conference in Arizona, featuring some of the top speakers on wholesale distribution strategy and management, including Brent Grover, Bruce Merrifield, Tony Pericle, Jon Schreibfeder and more. The focus of the conference was how distributors can make smarter and more informed decisions about where to target their resources to boost margins going into 2013. Analytics should be the foundation of any move on this front, the speakers said. This article presents a summary of main ideas presented by some of the speakers at the conference.
Expenses exceed gross profit on too many sales, according to Randy MacLean of Waypoint Analytics. In fact, he says, “there is no correlation between gross margins and profit.” He was speaking at the semiannual Advanced Profitability Improvement Conference in September in Scottsdale, AZ. So what happens? Where do the profits go?
MacLean says there are five ways profits disappear before reaching the bottom line.
The cost to serve a …
Make Your Data Work to Grow Profitability Read More »
Modern Distribution Management’s Industrial Inflation Index measures a cross-section of industrial supplies.
MDM Industrial Inflation Index: August 2012 Read More »
In November, Roy Vallee, executive chairman of electronics distributor Avnet (NYSE: AVT), will retire after 35 years with the company. He served as president and COO from 1992 until 1998, when he was promoted to CEO – a position he held until July 2011. During his tenure, Vallee saw Avnet grow from a $2 billion company to a $26 billion company. Vallee recently spoke with Associate Editor Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier about his career at Avnet and the role acquisitions played in the success of the distributor.
MDM: Avnet's growth is in large part attributed to its acquisition strategy. But integration can sometimes be a challenge – finding a balance between maintaining the culture and what attracted Avnet to the company while at the same time making the acquired company a part of Avnet. How did Avnet achieve success with this? And how can other companies make it a smoother process?
Roy Vallee: We did our first large-scale integration back in 1993. And we had to figure out then the best way to deal with it. But one of the first things we decided was that we'd document the process that we used so that with our next acquisition, we could …
Lessons from Avnet’s Rapid Growth Read More »
The wholesale distribution industry is about to experience a smack-down wrestling match with big data, and in many cases, big data is going to win. Why? Through no particular fault of any management role or responsibility within an organization, many companies don’t have a data management policy. That means there may be multiple records of customer bill-to and ship-to with dirty data – which may be as simple …
Commentary: The Power of Segmentation Read More »
This article looks at what concerns distributors most about the upcoming election, as noted in a recent MDM survey. In addition to the survey, MDM spoke with distributor associations that are playing an active role in educating and speaking for their members on critical topics in Washington DC.
While the election does not directly determine laws and regulations, the winners of the races – from the President down to local contests – will play a role in the country’s direction for the next several years.
It’s important for distributors to make sure their voices are being heard.
And it’s important for “everyone to …
Top Election Concerns for Distributors Read More »
The two distributors are now The United Distribution Group, focused on mining and energy markets.
United Central Industrial Supply Acquires GHX Industrial Read More »
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Download This Issue in PDF: Oct. 10, 2012 Read More »
News briefs from Sept. 26-Oct. 10, 2012.
MDM News Digest 4219 Read More »
In November, Roy Vallee, executive chairman of electronics distributor Avnet (NYSE: AVT), will retire after 35 years with the company. He served as president and COO from 1992 until 1998, when he was promoted to CEO – a position he held until July 2011. During his tenure, Vallee saw Avnet grow from a $2 billion company to a $26 billion company. Vallee recently spoke with Associate Editor Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier about his career at Avnet and the role acquisitions played in the success of the distributor.
MDM: Avnet's growth is in large part attributed to its acquisition strategy. But integration can sometimes be a challenge – finding a balance between maintaining the culture and what attracted Avnet to the company while at the same time making the acquired company a part of Avnet. How did Avnet achieve success with this? And how can other companies make it a smoother process?
Roy Vallee: We did our first large-scale integration back in 1993. And we had to figure out then the best way to deal with it. But one of the first things we decided was that we'd document the process that we used so that with our next acquisition, we could …
MDM Interview, Part 1: Lessons from Avnet’s Rapid Growth Read More »
Apex Tool Group is a joint venture between Danaher and Cooper Industries.
Bain Capital Agrees to Buy Apex Tool Group for $1.6B Read More »
Move provides entry into the New York City residential and commercial plumbing market.
Ferguson Acquires Davis & Warshow in New York Read More »
Stanley Black & Decker will use cash proceeds of the sale for share repurchases, the Infastech acquisition and deleveraging.
Stanley Black & Decker Agrees to Sell Hardware & Home Improvement Group for $1.4 Billion Read More »
The step furthers Kaman Aerospace Groups vision of providing customers with a complete aerosystem solution.
Kaman and Kineco Agree to Form Joint Venture in India Read More »
Two Winsupply locations and one Windustrial open.
WinWholesale Expands in Florida, Maine and New York Read More »
SAP announced several new products during their Retail Forum North America 2012 event.
SAP Releases Order Entry, Analytics and Advertising Solutions Read More »
Colorado-based Velcon Filters manufactures filtration equipment for the aviation, industrial fuel and industrial process filtration markets.
Parker Agrees to Buy Niche Filtration Manufacturer Read More »
The 35,500 square foot facility is an addition to BSEs Williston branch.
Border States Electric Opens New ND Facility Read More »
AMT president: The monthly and year-over-year gains a great sign for the industry.
August Manufacturing Technology Orders Up 3.4% from July Read More »
Younger workers are looking for a workplace that’s as loyal to them as they are to it.
The Next Generation: It’s About More Than Money Read More »
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