What poses the greatest threat to the master distributor model? Ask two of the master distributors featured in this issue and they will share a similar response.
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Last month, The Cook & Boardman Group LLC, a specialty distributor of commercial door entry solutions and systems integration services based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, announced its 10th acquisition in the two and a half years since CEO Darrin Anderson joined the company in the summer of 2017. A portfolio company of investment firm Littlejohn & Co. since October 2018, the acquisitions are part of a larger Cook & Boardman effort to continue to grow the companys national footprint.
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Increased competition from both traditional and non-traditional distributors coupled with technological advancements have put the power of analytics into distributors hands. Use your metrics to your advantage to measure company performance, make better decisions, understand customer activity and give customers exactly what they want.
Both transactions are expected to close in the spring of 2020.
Columbia Pipe is an independent distributor specializing in PVF, commercial mechanical, commercial plumbing, industrial, valve automation, engineered products and hydronics.
Companies like 3M are prioritizing distribution for those most in need, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai predicts a direct impact on 2020 revenues.
The two-year agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory is focused on improving milling performance on new Computer Numerical Control machine tools through the use of impact-testing software.
A look at the legislative status of bi-partisan bill American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2019, its potential industry impactsincluding whether or not states will act to pass legislation on their own and the bills chances of reaching President Trumps desk.
CEO Kathy Mazzarella draws on the distributors distinguished track record of being at the forefront of change and technological advancement to promote employee-led innovation efforts that are creating new pathways to strengthen customer connections and business growth.
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Already a growing strategy for larger global firms, small- to mid-size distributors can benefit the business by bringing HR into overall company planning. Distributors can start by rethinking the HR department label, bringing HR into safety initiatives, ensuring the right leaders are in place and embedding employee relations into recruitment and selection.
A sense of urgency in developing or enhancing a digital strategy for your business could be a core theme of 2020. The key word? Marketplaces.
A sense of urgency in developing or enhancing a digital strategy for your business could be a core theme of 2020. The key word? Marketplaces.
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Distribution trade associations and groups such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) are calling President Donald Trumps signing of the USMCA a win for distribution.
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The acquisition of RV Evans further diversifies LINCs business across customers and end markets, as well as geographically with the combined businesses now serving customers in 30 states.
While this privately held industrial supplier with more than 300 employees may not be a Harvard Business School case study in management structure, the three-brother leadership team has managed to buck the odds of many third-generation businesses by nurturing an entrepreneurial culture in an 85-year-old company. Listen to Doug Ruggles share whats worked to drive growth with a customer-centric solutions approach, with host Tom Gale.
Under-investing in customer-facing resources and tools can erode a distributors value, says management consultant Andrew Horvath. However, he cautions that being all things to all customers is often an expensive and inefficient approach. Successful distributors differentiate commercial service levels (CSLs) based on customer need and value, Horvath says.
The acquisition of MTS significantly extends BlackHawks service capabilities into large manufacturing markets.
WESCO lands Anixter International acquisition and Fastenal draws attention as earnings season gets underway. Follow the links below to read MDMs most popular blogs from January.
Speakers at NAW 2020 Executive Summit: Innovate to Dominate urged distributors who have yet to embrace e-commerce to invest in digital platforms. There is plenty of room for growth in international B2B e-commerce, which is six times larger than the B2C market, noted Alibaba Groups John Caplan.
The 4Q19 Baird Industrial Distribution Survey reveals a high percentage of companies that are focused on revamping their sales processes for the year ahead. They will invest more in skills training, improve digital marketing efforts and increase outside sales coverage.
