News
Breaking news in Wholesale Distribution
Grainger, distributor
of facilities maintenance supplies, has released a new specialty catalog for
plumbing products and supplies.  ; Products offered through  ; the catalog
include water heaters and coolers, pipes, valves, fittings, fixtures, faucets
and water filtration systems.
  ;
The catalog is 316
pages, with more than 16,000 Plumbing, Valves and Fittings, or which 12,000 are
new to Grainger’s offering. An additional 1,500 products that are related to
Plumbing (from various categories) brings the total to about 17,750 items.  ;
  ;
Grainger also
bolstered its offering in material handling, fasteners and security products
this year.
  ;
W.W. Grainger, Inc.,
with …
Manufacturing expanded in February following a decline in January, and the overall economy grew for the 64th consecutive month, according to the latest Manufacturing ISM Report on Business.
February proved to be a good month in the manufacturing sector as New Orders, Production and Employment contributed to a solid growth scenario, ISM reports. The Inventories Index showed significant reduction in manufacturers’ inventories for the second consecutive month, and the Backlog of Orders Index is growing once again.
While the prices manufacturers pay reached their highest level in five months, concern about prices is still minimal due to the small number of commodities indicated as up in price. The trend in manufacturing, as well as the overall economy, …
Construction spending during January 2007 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,180.2 billion, 0.8 percent (±1.4%) …
The Financial Times is reporting that three teams of private equity firms are preparing for possible bids for HD Supply. Teams include: Bain Capital, Carlyle Group and Clayton Dubilier & Rice (owner of Rexel); Thomas H Lee Partners, Goldman Sachs and CCMP; and Blackstone, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Leonard Green Partners and Texas Pacific Group.
  ;
Home Depot CEO Frank Blake told analysts and investors at the annual meeting this week that HD has not yet made a decision to sell. The Financial Times reports that the unit could get up to $11 billion.FT says Bain and Carlyle could be naturals for the ownership of HD Supply because of their investments in retail organizations – that said, HD Supply is a wholesale business, with a different operating structure from …
Home Depot CEO Frank Blake reinforced his drive to refocus on the business’ retail division at the company’s annual investor and analyst conference. To that end, Blake told participants that acquisitions outside of the retail core won’t be a priority for us.
  ;
HD Supply ended the year at 12% of Home Depot’s overall sales – HD hopes that number will grow to 15% by the end of the year. Still HD Supply, which reached $12 billion in sales in 2006, had a 6.9% decline in organic growth in the fourth quarter. That is consistent with the down housing market.
  ;
Retail also suffered in the fourth quarter 2006 with a profit drop of 28%. Sales were up just 4%. For the year, organic growth was down 2.8%.
  ;
HD does not expect …
New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in January decreased $17.1 billion or 7.8 percent to $203.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced in a preliminary release. This followed two consecutive monthly increases including a 2.8 percent December increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 3.1 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 7.8 percent.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in January, up five of the last six months, increased $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent to $211.4 billion. This followed a 0.5 percent December increase.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in January, up twenty of the last twenty-one months, increased $1.0 …
HD Supply White Cap Construction Supply, a business of HD Supply, has agreed to acquire GSI General Materials LLC, a distributor of concrete accessories, forming systems and fabricated rebar.
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GSI operates two North Carolina facilities and two South Carolina locations, and employs 72.
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HD Supply White Cap Construction Supply is the construction supply business unit within The Home Depot’s HD Supply Division, a distributor of specialty hardware, tools and materials targeting construction contractors.
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With the addition of GSI General Materials, HD Supply White Cap Construction Supply will operate 160 branches in 27 states.
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SKF has agreed to acquire ABBA Linear Tech Co., Ltd., an Asian manufacturer of profile rail guides, based in Taiwan.
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The ABBA Group has annual sales of about MSEK 250. It is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan and has facilities in Taiwan and in China.
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With the addition of ABBA’s product range, SKF is reinforcing its position in linear guides. The acquisition is in line with the SKF Group’s strategy to strengthen its different technology platforms and to grow in Asia.
  ;
ABBA will be part of the SKF Actuation & Motion Control business unit within the Industrial Division.
  ;
More Breaking News
European …
Barnes Group Inc., Bristol, CT, has acquired the assets of the Di-Dro Manifold Systems product line from Di-Dro Systems Inc. The Di-Dro Manifold System product line will be integrated into Barnes Group Inc.’s Associated Spring business segment.
The Di-Dro Manifold System product line is complementary to Associated Spring’s Nitrogen Gas Spring Manifold System product line. The addition of the Di-Dro Manifold System product line expands the company’s reach in high-quality gas springs for use in diverse industrial applications requiring high force and/or compact dimensions. Applications range from tool and die manufacturers, to industrial robots, to dump trucks to waste compressors around the world.
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Industrial production decreased 0.5 percent in January after an increase of 0.5 percent in December. Output in the manufacturing sector declined 0.7 percent in January; about one-half of the decrease was a result of a drop of 6 percent in motor vehicles and parts.
The output of utilities rebounded 2.3 percent, as temperatures moved back toward seasonal norms, while the output of mines moved down 1.2 percent. At 111.9 percent of its 2002 average, overall industrial output for the month was 2.6 percent above its January 2006 level.
The rate of capacity utilization in January fell 0.6 percentage point, to 81.2 percent. Even so, it was 0.1 percentage point above its year-earlier level and 0.2 percentage point above its 1972-2006 average.
Market …
