MDM News Digest 3705

Grainger, Chicago, IL, 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, of which 12,000 are new to Grainger's offering. An additional 1,500 products that are related to Plumbing bring the total to about 17,750 items. More ...

Nucor Corp., Charlotte, NC, has acquired 96 percent of Toronto-based Harris Steel for C$46.25 in cash per share. Nucor intends to eventually buy all of Harris and take the company private. Harris Steel has several business units, including Harris Rebar; Laurel Steel, a manufacturer and distributor of wire and wire products, welded wire mesh and cold finished bar; and Fisher & Ludlow, a manufacturer and distributor of heavy industrial steel grating, aluminum grating and expanded metal.More ...

F & M Mafco, Inc., Cincinnati, OH, a distributor of construction and industrial supplies, has agreed to buy Carolina Industrial Tools, Inc., Charlotte, NC. The Carolina Industrial Tools acquisition will expand F & M Mafco's ability to serve customers in the southeast U.S. F & M Mafco, Inc., has offices throughout the U.S., in the UK, Dubai, UAE, and St. Croix. More ...

San Diego, CA-based Dixieline Lumber Company, a supplier of building materials to professional builders and contractors, has purchased Sandstone Brick Company. Dixieline, with 17 locations, is a division of Pro-Build Holdings. A lumber, truss and building materials supplier, Sandstone Brick Company, Bakersfield, CA, serves the professional contractor retail market in California's Kern County. It includes a truss manufacturing plant and lumber distribution yard. More ...

Columbus McKinnon Corporation, Amherst, NY, manufacturer of material handling products, has sold Larco Industrial Services, Ltd., the Canadian subsidiary of the company's wholly owned subsidiary Crane Equipment & Service, Inc. Larco, a manufacturer and servicer of large capacity overhead cranes in Stoney Creek, Ontario, was sold to Canadian Overhead Handling Inc. of Montreal, Quebec. For the latest 12 months, Larco contributed revenue of approximately $10 million and operated near breakeven. More ...

ISCO Industries, Louisville, KY, a distributor and supplier of polyethylene (HDPE) pipe, has bought Fraser Mining and Industrial Supply Co. of Mansfield, TX. As part of that deal, ISCO also acquired Industrial Underground Company, Houston, TX. ISCO has locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, with 220 employees. Fraser distributes polyethylene piping, fabricated fittings and pumping systems for the mining, industrial and landfill industries. The company has a 10,000-square-foot facility that employs 25 workers. More ...

Brady Industries, Las Vegas, NV, a janitorial supply distributor, has acquired Boulder Creek Supply -a Boise, ID-based company. With this acquisition, Brady Industries expands its geographic footprint to seven locations with plans for further expansion in 2007. Brady Industries supplies janitorial supplies and commercial

Higher electricity and energy prices, as well as metals prices, have led Airgas, Inc., Radnor, PA, to increase prices on packaged and bulk gases, and other products. "We are facing rising costs, even though the escalation of the past year has moderated," said Airgas Chairman and CEO Peter McCausland. Prices will increase on average 10-15 percent for industrial gases, and 15-25 percent for helium. Rental rates for cylinders and bulk tanks will also rise by 8-15 percent.

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. The Inventories Index showed significant reduction in manufacturers'inventories for the second consecutive month, and the Backlog of Orders Index is growing again. More ...

Construction spending during January 2007 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,180.2 billion, 0.8 percent below the revised December estimate of $1,189.3 billion. The January figure is 1.2 percent below the January 2006 estimate of $1,194.5 billion. Spending on private construction was 1.2 percent below the revised December estimate. Residential construction was 1.8 percent below December. More ...

Lawson Products, Inc., Des Plaines, IL, distributor of services, systems and products to the MRO and OEM marketplaces, announced sales of $518.2 million for 2006, a 15.1 percent increase from 2005. Profit decreased 52.8 percent to $12.6 million in 2006. In 2006, Lawson integrated Rutland Tool & Supply Co., acquired in December 2005. That acquisition added about 80,000 SKUs to the company's offering.  ; More ...

Kaman Corp., Bloomfield, CT, reported sales of $1.2 billion, up 9.5 percent from $1.1 billion in 2005. The Industrial Distribution segment recorded sales of $665.4 million, a 7 percent increase. Kaman's Aerospace division saw a 13 percent increase in sales for the year to $326 million, and its Music division saw a sales increase of 12 percent to $214.8 million. Profit for the year was $31.8 million, up from $13 million in 2005. More ...

Stuart C. Irby Co., Jackon, MS, a subsidiary of Sonepar USA, signed an agreement to become the authorized Allen-Bradley distributor for the Columbus and Meridian, MS, markets effective Mar. 31, 2007. Irby will establish two new locations as full-line commercial and industrial branches to complement their existing Mississippi footprint.  ; More ...

RONA Inc., Canadian retailer and distributor of home improvement, hardware and gardening products, reported sales grew 13.1 percent in fiscal 2006; organic growth (without major acquisitions) was 6 percent. Profit reached $190.6 million, up 8.8 percent over 2005. Same-store sales were up 1.3 percent. More ...

Milacron Inc., Cincinnati, OH, reported a net loss for the year of $39.7 million, compared with a net loss of $14 million in 2005. Sales in 2006 reached $820 million, up from $809 million in 2005. New orders were $828 million compared to $819 million in the prior

Interline Brands Inc., Jacksonville, FL, distributor of MRO products, has named William Sanford president. The role was previously held by Michael Grebe, who continues to serve as chairman and CEO. More ...