January 2008

MDM Webcasts recently featured Pembroke Consulting President and Facing the Forces of Change author Adam Fein in Wholesale Distribution Economic Outlook: Adam Fein's First Look at 2008."Fein told participants that he does not see an extreme downturn coming, but that they should watch key indicators -especially related to housing -as the year moves forward.
 
In the Webcast, Fein tackled high-level economic issues, including the key dynamics behind today's economy, the economic outlook and implications for key distribution markets, and what participants should consider as they plan where their company will go in the next year.
 
The presentation centered on major markets that distributors sell into: construction, ...

October 2007 sales of wholesalers, except manufacturers'sales branches and offices, were $369.8 billion, up 0.7 percent from the revised September level and were up 11.5 percent from the October 2006 level. The September estimate was revised upward $0.4 billion. October sales of durable goods were up 0.6 percent from last month and were up 5.3 percent from a year ago.

Compared to last month, sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were up 4.3 percent and sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum, were up 3.8 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 0.7 percent from last month and were up 17.7 percent from last year. Sales of drugs and druggists'sundries were up 4.0 percent from last month, and sales of chemicals and allied products were up 2.9 ...

Labor productivity in the manufacturing sector of both Canada and the U.S. increased at the same average pace between 1961 and 2003, according to a new report from Statistics Canada. Labor productivity is a measure of real output per hour worked.

In Canada, the more intense use of intermediate inputs, such as parts and materials, was a more important source of labor productivity growth than it was in the U.S. In the U.S., investment in capital and multifactor productivity growth (or the efficiency with which capital, labor and intermediate inputs are used in production) were the key factors.

According to the report, labor productivity in the manufacturing sectors of both countries increased at an annual average rate of 3.2 percent.

In Canada, the deepening ...