July 10 2008
Volume 38, Issue 13 - 07/10/2008
38
13
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Around the globe, spiking steel prices and tight supply are having an impact on both small and large manufacturers and distributors. The tough market is forcing executives to make tough decisions without driving off customers.
Steel continues to be in short supply in the U.S. for the third month in a row, according to the June Manufacturing Report on Business released by the Institute for Supply Management. What’s more, steel prices have gone up each of the last eight months, and have doubled in the last six.
And though rumors abound in the industry that prices will stabilize, there is little agreement on when that stabilization will take place or what it will entail.
The problem in the U.S. is that steel producers are facing competing …
- Premium
Recently, industry veteran Bill Snyder, vice president of channel development for Palatine, IL-based manufacturer Square D -Schneider Electric’s North American operating division -sat down with MDM to talk about the development of electronic data standards in electrical channels. Square D has been active in promoting standards in the electrical distribution channel and in pushing standards through its own supply chain to develop greater efficiencies and visibility with its partners.
MDM: You and Square D have been strong advocates of e-commerce and creating standards. How did that develop?
Bill Snyder: The way that got started was through our own internal efforts to automate our workflows. And then we started extending that to distributors. …
- Premium
This article examines why a can't-fail sales hire sometimes does fail and how to make sure a new hire's past matches your company's structure and needs.
Have you ever been stumped by a bad hire? No, I am not talking about the professional interviewer that wooed the interviewing team or the resume that was fudged. I'm talking about a strong resume where past sales numbers achieved were real and industry sales experience was deep.
Why doesn't a new hire's true success in the past transition to success in a new position? The problem could be that success achieved in their past sales life isn't lining up with factors needed for success in the new position. Below are six areas to examine when determining whether past success can transition into a new sales …
- Premium
An engaged board of advisors can be a significant differentiator in how well a company performs. With that in mind, we invited MDM’s Board of Advisors to spend two days helping us in our planning process as we continue to expand our coverage of wholesale distribution. MDM is a relatively small company with six employees. Our meeting reinforced for me the need for outside perspective and strategic planning for any size company to grow to its potential.
In addition to our board, Brent Grover was a guest at this meeting, offering his unique perspective and insight. In combination with regular surveys and input from all our readers, our board is critical to help us develop editorial focus for the year ahead, as well as offer their deep experience and industry knowledge as we …
- Premium
Sales. May 2008 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’sales branches and offices, were $397.4 billion, up 1.6% from April and up 13.7% from May 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. May sales of durable goods were down 0.2% from last month, but were up 7.6% from a year ago. Compared to last month, furniture and home furnishings were down 4%, while sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum were up 2.9%. Sales of nondurable goods were up 3.2% from last month and were up 19.2% from last year. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 7.5% from last month.
Inventories. Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were …
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Paris-based electrical distributor Rexel completed the sale of parts of Hagemeyer to Sonepar ahead of schedule, completing the deal June 30. Rexel also sold its German business to Sonepar in exchange for all of Sonepar’s activities in Sweden. More
Stuart C. Irby Co., Jackson, MS, a subsidiary of Sonepar USA, has agreed to acquire Equity Utility Service Company, Marietta, GA. The acquisition will expand Irby’s footprint in Georgia. Equity is a distributor and manufacturers’agent offering products to electric utilities for their transmission and distribution requirements. More
Chandler, AZ-based Essco Wholesale Electric, …
- Premium
This is the pdf of this issue of Modern Distribution Management. Apply the full $24.95 pay-per-view cost toward an annual subscription (within 30 days of purchase), which includes two issues a month plus access to more than six years of online archives and market data. Call 1-888-742-5060 or email info@mdm.com to …
- Premium
Around the globe, spiking steel prices and tight supply are having an impact on both small and large manufacturers and distributors. The tough market is forcing executives to make tough decisions without driving off customers.
Steel continues to be in short supply in the U.S. for the third month in a row, according to the June Manufacturing Report on Business released by the Institute for Supply Management. What’s more, steel prices have gone up each of the last eight months, and have doubled in the last six.
And though rumors abound in the industry that prices will stabilize, there is little agreement on when that stabilization will take place or what it will entail.
The problem in the U.S. is that steel producers are facing competing …
- Premium
Recently, industry veteran Bill Snyder, vice president of channel development for Palatine, IL-based manufacturer Square D -Schneider Electric’s North American operating division -sat down with MDM to talk about the development of electronic data standards in electrical channels. Square D has been active in promoting standards in the electrical distribution channel and in pushing standards through its own supply chain to develop greater efficiencies and visibility with its partners.
MDM: You and Square D have been strong advocates of e-commerce and creating standards. How did that develop?
Bill Snyder: The way that got started was through our own internal efforts to automate our workflows. And then we started extending that to distributors. …
- Premium
This article examines why a can't-fail sales hire sometimes does fail and how to make sure a new hire's past matches your company's structure and needs.
Have you ever been stumped by a bad hire? No, I am not talking about the professional interviewer that wooed the interviewing team or the resume that was fudged. I'm talking about a strong resume where past sales numbers achieved were real and industry sales experience was deep.
Why doesn't a new hire's true success in the past transition to success in a new position? The problem could be that success achieved in their past sales life isn't lining up with factors needed for success in the new position. Below are six areas to examine when determining whether past success can transition into a new sales …
- Premium
An engaged board of advisors can be a significant differentiator in how well a company performs. With that in mind, we invited MDM’s Board of Advisors to spend two days helping us in our planning process as we continue to expand our coverage of wholesale distribution. MDM is a relatively small company with six employees. Our meeting reinforced for me the need for outside perspective and strategic planning for any size company to grow to its potential.
In addition to our board, Brent Grover was a guest at this meeting, offering his unique perspective and insight. In combination with regular surveys and input from all our readers, our board is critical to help us develop editorial focus for the year ahead, as well as offer their deep experience and industry knowledge as we …
- Premium
Sales. May 2008 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’sales branches and offices, were $397.4 billion, up 1.6% from April and up 13.7% from May 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. May sales of durable goods were down 0.2% from last month, but were up 7.6% from a year ago. Compared to last month, furniture and home furnishings were down 4%, while sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum were up 2.9%. Sales of nondurable goods were up 3.2% from last month and were up 19.2% from last year. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 7.5% from last month.
Inventories. Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were …
- Premium
Paris-based electrical distributor Rexel completed the sale of parts of Hagemeyer to Sonepar ahead of schedule, completing the deal June 30. Rexel also sold its German business to Sonepar in exchange for all of Sonepar’s activities in Sweden. More
Stuart C. Irby Co., Jackson, MS, a subsidiary of Sonepar USA, has agreed to acquire Equity Utility Service Company, Marietta, GA. The acquisition will expand Irby’s footprint in Georgia. Equity is a distributor and manufacturers’agent offering products to electric utilities for their transmission and distribution requirements. More
Chandler, AZ-based Essco Wholesale Electric, …
- Premium
This is the pdf of this issue of Modern Distribution Management. Apply the full $24.95 pay-per-view cost toward an annual subscription (within 30 days of purchase), which includes two issues a month plus access to more than six years of online archives and market data. Call 1-888-742-5060 or email info@mdm.com to …
