Featured Blog Archives

What Factors Lead to a Successful Acquisition?

The pandemic has placed some business owners at a crossroads as to whether they should sell off to larger entities in 2021. By almost any measure, the mergers and acquisition market is set to rebound this year, but with that reset there are several factors to consider when it comes to selling out to distributors.

March 2, 2021

Operations

February M&A Roundup: Deals Moderate but Momentum Remains Strong

While distribution M&A didn’t quite keep up the pace of the previous few months, all indications are that activity will continue to be brisk in 2021.

March 1, 2021

Leadership

MDM is Looking for Exemplary Women in Distribution

MDM’s new award nomination period is open through March 19, 2021.

February 24, 2021

Strategy

The 6 Attributes of Super-Profit Companies (laser focus is the key to your goals)

There are certain, specific attributes shared by companies that deliver profit rates three- to five- times the industry average. Most companies can immediately adopt them, and get significant cash-flow and profit gains beginning right away.

February 23, 2021

Technology

5 Ways an E-Commerce Strategy Can Strengthen a Distributor’s Playbook

While e-commerce platforms and marketplaces aren’t new, the pandemic is fueling the need for distributors to take a harder look at them. The latest MDM webcast featured Zoro's Tracy Buelow breaking down how distributors can have a successful presence online.

February 22, 2021

Technology

Digital Transformations Are Key to Distributors Realizing Optimistic Projections for 2021

To make this a successful year, distributors looking to grow their businesses are likely to improve their chances if they grow their digital capabilities, said industry experts Diane Yarrow and David Saunders.

February 18, 2021

Strategy

Johnson Controls Joins Amazon’s Climate Pledge

The commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 aligns with the company’s mission to preserve the environment in part by helping to deliver energy efficiencies to customers.

February 17, 2021

Technology

How AI Can Turn Sales Reps Into Full-Catalog Product Experts

AI can map the products you already have, without a detailed and painstaking master data project. This makes the sales rep look good and allows the customer to get back to work. It’s all part of an omnichannel experience for the customer, says proton.ai's Benj Cohen.

February 16, 2021

Operations

Watsco’s Outlook: More M&A, Customer Focus, Tech Investment

Miami-based HVACR distribution giant Watsco sees 2021 as optimal for ramping up existing growth drivers in hopes of continuing at its record-setting pace.

February 15, 2021

Sales & Marketing

The 5 Things Customers Want (and how to deliver them)

There’s only five fundamental items that truly influence customer purchasing decisions. Distributors with mastery of these items always lead the market, says WayPoint Analytics' Randy MacLean.

February 12, 2021

Operations

M&A Will Impact You in 2021. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Our latest podcast guest was longtime M&A adviser Brent Grover, who outlined how distribution M&A markets are shaping up in 2021. Our recap includes Grover’s view on the current landscape and his timely advice for buyers and sellers that will help anyone become a better dealmaker.

February 10, 2021

Featured Blog

Successful Habits Often Start with a Small Step in the Right Direction

What does it take to build successful habits and keep them going for the long term? Consider setting micro goals for yourself and your business.

February 9, 2021

Technology

How to Tackle Complex Product Configuration Documentation Challenges with Component Content

Break content up into smaller, reusable pieces that can be reassembled based on configuration choices. Darwin Information Typing Architecture, the standard used to design component content, ensures that the correct content is associated with each configured product variation.

February 8, 2021

Operations

January M&A Roundup: Momentum Carries into New Year

Wholesale distribution mergers and acquisitions continued at a brisk pace as the calendar rolled over to 2021.

February 5, 2021

Operations

What Happened to Grainger’s Margins in 4Q?

“Disappointing” was how one analyst described the industrial distributor’s gross margin performance (down 290bps) in the period, but such a plunge was all too familiar for many companies in these pandemic-plagued times.

February 3, 2021

Research & Analytics

‘Go, Go, Go’: How to Build Your Business in Today’s Economy

“Make sure you're making acquisitions — now,” Alan Beaulieu told distributors at last week’s NAW Digital Summit. See why he says companies have the green light to grow.

February 1, 2021

Leadership

The Role of Leadership in Business Transformation (Hint: It’s Everything)

“Companies don’t transform, leaders do,” said Peter Sheahan in his keynote to kick off NAW’s Digital Summit. We recap his playbook for how distribution execs can drive transformation within themselves — and their businesses.

January 29, 2021

Strategy

How to Structure the COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Chain

Trying to shoehorn the needed supply chain structure into the current fragmented system is the root cause of the existing problem, say supply chain and analytics experts Jonathan Byrnes and John Wass.

January 27, 2021

Research & Analytics

Recovery Should Gain Steam Throughout 2021

During MDM’s Distribution Industry Outlook webcast, Baird analyst Dave Manthey outlined how economic momentum will pick up in the new year but especially in later quarters.

January 26, 2021

Operations

3 Reasons Providing Employee Education Can Be Better Than a Pay Raise for Distribution Professionals

Employee education is a retention tool that leads to internal advancement and provides a direct benefit for the distributors who invest in it, says Texas A&M's Kourtney Gruner.

January 25, 2021

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