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While industrial
markets continue to sputter in the fourth quarter, many distributors interviewed by MDM in the past few weeks report a common
theme: We're bouncing along the bottom, but there are a few product areas (or customers) that are pulling us through right
now.
The recent fall convention of the Industrial Distribution Association was upbeat! There was a new format that most
say was improved, though manufacturers want to see more distributors (some things don't change). For the record, there were
more than 260 distributor companies and 390 ...
While industrial
markets continue to sputter in the fourth quarter, many distributors interviewed by MDM in the past few weeks report a common
theme: We're bouncing along the bottom, but there are a few product areas (or customers) that are pulling us through right
now.
The recent fall convention of the Industrial Distribution Association was upbeat! There was a new format that most
say was improved, though manufacturers want to see more distributors (some things don't change). For the record, there were
more than 260 distributor companies and 390 supplier companies attending. The numbers were up 11% and 14% respectively from
last year.
The meeting was different: distribution executives seem more focused on the future than just a few months
ago. It's a subtle shift, but an important one. Productive discussions centered more on profitability than sales growth, and
how to do a better job with what's really there. There is definitely a transition from a defensive mode into how to program
some improvement for 2003. People are realistic that we won't see a return to prior growth rates soon.
Granted, these
perceptions about the state of the industry and $4 will buy you a cup of coffee at Starbucks, but it's encouraging to see
the industry look to the future and how to move forward to capitalize on the opportunities that are developing, not the ones
that are disappearing.
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| Title | Company | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Strategy Manager | Border States Electric | Fargo North Dakota |
| Risk Manager | Border States Electric | Fargo ND |
| Purchasing Manager | PCA SKIN | Scottsdale, AZ |
| BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER | Graybar Electric Company | Denver, CO |
| INDUSTRIAL OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE | Graybar Electric Company | Phoenix, AZ |
| General Manager | Applied Industrial Technologies | Norfolk, VA |
| Rubber Specialist | Applied Industrial Technologies | Baltimore, MD |
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