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2008 Index of Articles

Deals & Market Moves:
Value Drivers in Distribution, by Jonathan Skelly 38.02
Platinum Equity Agrees to Buy Industrial Distribution Group, 38.04
Industrial Distribution Group Sees Synergies WIth Other Platinum Companies, 38.05
Backed By Private Equity, by Brad Yates 38.06
MDM Interview: HD Supply After the Deal, 38.07
Two More Bidders for Industrial Distribution Group, 38.07
Rexel CEO: Hagemeyer Deal Makes Rexel ‘More Resilient’, 38.07
Bidding War for IDG Continues, 38.08
Sonepar USA on the Hagemeyer Deal, by Lindsay Young 38.09
WESCO: Bid for IDG Was a ‘Full and Fair Valuation’, 38.09
Tightened Credit Markets, Economy Play Role in Bidding War for IDG, 38.10
A Shift in Deal-Making, by Lindsay Young 38.11
Key Factors in Acquiring and Selling a Distribution Company, 38.11
Staples and Corporate Express Deal Changes Retailer’s Focus, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.12
Applied Industrial: Fluid Power a Growth Area for Distributor, by Lindsay Young 38.14
McJunkin Red Man Corp. Files for Initial Public Offering, 38.16
Wolseley Considers Selling Stock Building Supply, 38.18
Drago Supply Sees Opportunities to Grow Under Motion Industries, by Lindsay Young 38.19
MDM Interview: Motion’s Growth in Industrial Supplies, 38.22
Grainger to Combine Lab Safety Supply, Industrial Supply Units, 38.22

Distribution Trends:
MDM Interview: The Role of the Master Distributor, 38.03
MDM Interview: United Stationers On Private Label & Data-Sharing, 38.04
Grainger On Its Product Expansion, New Private Label, 38.04
Helping Customers Go Green, by Lindsay Young 38.06
Product Mix & Growth for MSC Industrial, by Lindsay Young 38.08
The Outlook for Distribution, by Adam J. Fein 38.09
Q&A with Tony Burr: The Economy, Commodity Prices and Finding Talent, 38.09
Trends in Distribution Centers, 38.09
MDM Interview: Mexico or China?, 38.12
Hagemeyer Builds Out Green Catalog, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.12
Replacement Market a Boon for HVAC Distributor Watsco, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.12
Pressures in the Steel Market, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.13
MDM Interview: Challenges, Opportunity in E-Commerce, 38.13
Lessons Learned On Lean, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.14
MDM Interview: Lean Catching On With Distributors, 38.14
Pricing for Profitability, by Lindsay Young 38.15
MDM Interview: Trends in Inventory Management , 38.16
Barnes: New Products Help to Better Serve VMI Customers, by Lindsay Young 38.16
Anixter Follows Customers Overseas, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.19
Distributor Touts VMI, Green Practices, by Lindsay Young 38.22
Distributors Weather Auto Turmoil, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.23
MDM Interview, Part 2: Motion Industries' Focus in 2009, 38.23

Management Strategy:
Develop Branch CEOs, by Lindsay Young 38.01
Mind the Gap, 38.02
Setting a Retirement Date, 38.03
Case Study: WinWholesale Makes Room for Growth, 38.05
Home Depot’s New DC Strategy, 38.06
Inviting Employees to the Table, by Lindsay Young 38.07
Busting Profit Myths in Distribution, 38.08
Competitive Advantage in MROP, 38.10
Case Studies: Saving Hard Dollars in MROP, 38.10
Case Studies: Saving Soft Dollars in MROP, 38.10
Go Beyond ‘Brochureware’ Online, by Lindsay Young 38.10
Price is an Issue, But Not the Issue, by Colleen Stanley 38.11
Mitigating the Risks of Private Label, by Lindsay Young 38.12
The Ups and Downs of an ESOP, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.12
Can This Sales Dog Hunt?, by Colleen Staley 38.13
Growing in a Difficult Banking Climate, 38.14
MDM Interview: Take Strategy to the Front Lines, 38.16
Economy Top of Mind in 2009, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.22
3M Outlines Strategy to Weather Downturn, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.23

Economic/Market Analysis:
Fein: Housing Market Now a Leading Economic Indicator, 38.01
Report: Sources of Productivity Growth Differ in U.S., Canada, 38.01
Wholesale Prices Skyrocket in 2007, 38.02
Business Outlook: U.S. Export Orders Continue Forward Momentum, 38.02
Report: Canadian Domestic Demand Balancing Out Manufacturing Weakness, 38.02
Wholesale Revenues Rise 9.2% in 2007, 38.03
Prices in Canada Up 1.5% in 2007, 38.03
Value of Permits in Canada Up 12.1% from 2006, 38.03
Quarterly Forecast: Economy to Slow to 1.3% in 2008, Rebound in 2009, 38.04
MDM Survey: Economy Sparks Concern, 38.05
2007 Machine Tool Consumption Up 8%, 38.05
Survey: Wholesalers Have Low Expectations for 2008, 38.06
Wolseley CEO: ‘Housing Market Has Deteriorated Considerably’, 38.06
Report: Canadian Construction Industry Should Expect Lower Profits, 38.06
MAPI Forecast: Housing Drags Down Related Sectors; Rebound in 2009, 38.07
Purchasing Executives Expect Slow Growth in Manufacturing, 38.09
Survey: Industrial Manufacturers More Pessimistic, 38.09
First-Quarter Machine Tool Consumption Up 36.7%, 38.10
Canada Wholesale Trade: 2007 in Review, 38.11
Report: PT/MC Sales in U.S., Canada Grow in April, 38.11
Survey: Distributors, Suppliers in Certain Sectors Are Optimistic About Company Growth, 38.13
Power Transmission/Motion Control Sales Fall in May, 38.13
MAPI Quarterly Outlook: Manufacturing to ‘Face Significant Challenges’, 38.14
International Sales Remain a Bright Spot, 38.15
Latin American Market Opportunities, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.16
More Optimism in MDM Survey, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.17
Canadian Building Permits Increase 1.8% in July After Falling in June, 38.17
MAPI Quarterly Industrial Outlook: Decline is Forecast Through End of 2008, 38.17
Second-Quarter Machine Tool Consumption Up 15.3% Year-to-Date, 38.17
Credit Crunch in the Channel, by Lindsay Young 38.20
Construction Markets Outlook, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.21
Automotive Sales Hit Canadian Wholesale Revenues in August, 38.21
Third-Quarter Machine Tool Consumption Up 11.4% YTD, 38.22
Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI Forecast: U.S. in ‘Severe Recession’, 38.22
Forecast: Canada Faces a 'Rough First Half', by Lindsay Young 38.23
Report: Manufacturing Recession Intensifies, 38.23

Distribution Financial Metrics and Trading Multiples:
Fourth Quarter 2007, 38.04
First Quarter, 38.08
Second Quarter, 38.13
Third Quarter, 38.19

Public Distributor Reports
Second Quarter 2008, 38.15
Third Quarter 2008, 38.22

Technology:
The Question of Outsourcing IT, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.15
State of the Distribution Software Industry, Part I: The Impact of Consolidation, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier and Lindsay Young 38.18
MDM Interview: Updating Legacy Systems, 38.18
State of the Distribution Software Industry, Part 2: Software as a Service Gains Ground, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier and Lindsay Young 38.19
Trends in Warehouse Management, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.19
State of the Distribution Software Industry, Part 3: The Growing Role of the Internet, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier and Lindsay Young 38.20
Pricing Software Grows in Distribution, by Lindsay Young 38.20
State of the Distribution Software Industry, Part 4: The Next Steps for Distributors, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier and Lindsay Young 38.21

Legal/Human Resources:
Legal Trends in the Workplace, 38.01
New No-Match Regs Protect Employers, 38.03
Counterfeits in the Supply Chain, by Lindsay Young 38.04
‘UL Label’ Counterfeiting: Another Complexity in the Cycle of Illegal Trade, 38.04
Federal Government Contract Compliance, 38.04
The Changing Face of Product Liability, by Lindsay Young 38.05
Distributor Holds Seminar to Inform Customers on the Risk, 38.05
Proposals to Change FMLA Regulations, by Steven Bernstein 38.06
The Trade Agreements Act, by Andrew Mohr and C. Kelly Kroll 38.07
Legislative Outlook 2009, by Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier 38.16
Fastenal Agrees to Settlement of $10M in Wage-Hour Case, 38.17
Health Care Premiums Rise 5% in 2008, 38.18
How to Counter Objections to CRM, by Todd Youngblood 38.19

Economic Indices:
Monthly Wholesale Trade/Sales & Inventories: October 2007, 38.01; November 2007, 38.02; December 2007, 38.03; January 2008, 38.06; February 2008, 38.07; March 2008, 38.07; April 2008, 38.11; May 2008, 38.13; June 2008, 38.15; July 2008, 38.18; August 2008, 38.20; September 2008, 38.22; October 2008, 38.23;
MDM Inflation Index: December 2007, 38.04; January 2008, 38.05; March 2008, 38.08; July 2008, 38.16; August 2008, 38.19;
Canada Inflation Index: January 2008, 38.06;

U.S. Labor Productivity: 2006-2007, 38.17

2007 Construction Statistics:
First Quarter, 38.03

Inflation by Commodity Groups:
Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2007, 38.02
First Quarter 2008, 38.02
Second Quarter 2008, 38.14
Third Quarter 2008, 38.21

U.S. Industrial Market Analysis:
O-Rings, 38.01
Wiring Devices, 38.07
Plastics, 38.11
Industrial Paints, 38.12
Fluid Power, 38.18
Bearings, 38.20
Telecommunications Equipment, 38.21

Commentary:
Make Great Employees Your Strategy, by Thomas P. Gale 38.01
Tougher Numbers in 2008, by Thomas P. Gale 38.02
Master distribution evolves with shifting markets, by Thomas P. Gale 38.03
A Tribute to a Distribution Veteran, by Thomas P. Gale 38.04
Not Every Market Showing Signs of a Slowdown, by Thomas P. Gale 38.05
Get Out of the Sales Feast-or-Famine Cycle, by Thomas P. Gale 38.06
A New Look for Modern Distribution Management, by Thomas P. Gale 38.07
A Little Context on the Fight for IDG, by Thomas P. Gale 38.08
Tangential Markets Provide Growth Paths, by Thomas P. Gale 38.09
Enlightening MROP Procurement, by Thomas P. Gale 38.10
Bar is Raised in Mergers & Acquistions Climate, by Thomas P. Gale 38.11
Green, Global and the Pendulum of Growth, by Thomas P. Gale 38.12
MDM Welcomes Doug Savage, Thanks David Barth, by Thomas P. Gale 38.13
Focusing on Profitability in a Time of Strained Sales Growth, by Lindsay Young 38.14
Managing Process and Technology Transitions, by Thomas P. Gale 38.15
Managing the Customer Service Life Cycle, by Thomas P. Gale 38.16
A Difference in Degrees, by Thomas P. Gale 38.17
Software Evolution Has Been Good for Distributors, by Thomas P. Gale 38.18
3PL Survey Offers Insight for Distributors, by Thomas P. Gale 38.19
Beware the Sound Bites, by Thomas P. Gale 38.20
The Real Impact of 2009, by Thomas P. Gale 38.21
Leveraging Relationships Online, by Thomas P. Gale 38.22
Email as a Marketing Weapon, by Thomas P. Gale 38.23

News:
Robert C. Fernley of Association Management Firm Fernley & Fernley Dies at 85, 38.10
Tornado Hits Distributor's DC, 38.10
Distributors Respond to Flooding in the Midwest, by Lindsay Young 38.12
Wolseley Profits Hit Hard: Distributor Announces More Cost-Cutting Plans, 38.14
Rexel 2Q Organic Growth: 2.3%, 38.15