Yesterday’s numbers weren’t surprising to most distributors, but they reinforce that this year is about doing some hard work to position and strengthen the business. GDP rose at a 0.6% annual rate in the first quarter of 2008 to mirror the fourth quarter of 2007. The Federal Reserve lowered its key interest rate by one-quarter percentage point to 2.0 percent, the lowest since November 2004.
What the numbers aren’t saying: Certain markets are beginning to soften in the last 30-60 days for some industrial distributors, but sales levels still exceed expectations set last fall. Products bound for end-use markets in energy, export and infrastructure are staying strong.
Of the 142,000 attendees the CONEXPO/IFPE show last month drew to Las Vegas, about 19% were …
Wading Through 2008
Yesterday’s numbers weren’t surprising to most distributors, but they reinforce that this year is about doing some hard work to position and strengthen the business. GDP rose at a 0.6% annual rate in the first quarter of 2008 to mirror the fourth quarter of 2007. The Federal Reserve lowered its key interest rate by one-quarter percentage point to 2.0 percent, the lowest since November 2004.
What the numbers aren’t saying: Certain markets are beginning to soften in the last 30-60 days for some industrial distributors, but sales levels still exceed expectations set last fall. Products bound for end-use markets in energy, export and infrastructure are staying strong.
Of the 142,000 attendees the CONEXPO/IFPE show last month drew to Las Vegas, about 19% were …
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Tom Gale
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