April 1, 2008 - Modern Distribution Management

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April 1, 2008

Manufacturing Contracts in March

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector failed to grow in March, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.

The manufacturing sector failed to grow in March as the PMI fell below 50 percent for the second consecutive month. This completes the weakest quarterly performance for the U.S. economy since the second quarter 2003.

Manufacturers' order backlogs continue to erode as the New Orders Index failed to grow for the fourth consecutive month. Additionally, manufacturers continue to experience heavy cost pressures, as the prices they pay are still rising even with slower overall demand. Some manufacturers are still benefiting from strong export demand and continue to see growth in export orders.

For the ...

Manufacturing Contracts in March Read More »

U.S. Construction Spending Down Slightly in February

U.S. construction spending during February 2008 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,121.6 billion, 0.3 percent below the revised January estimate of $1,124.8 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce. The February figure is 3.5 percent below the February 2007 estimate of $1,162.2 billion.
 
During the first two months of this year, construction spending amounted to $155.1 billion, 2.6 percent below the $159.3 billion for the same period in 2007.
 
Private Construction
Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $826.6 billion, 0.5 percent below the revised January estimate of $831.2 billion. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $456.9 ...

U.S. Construction Spending Down Slightly in February Read More »

Canadian Industrial Product Price Index Up 0.1% in Feb.

Source: Statistics Canada
 
Prices for manufactured products edged up in February, as higher prices for primary metals were partly offset by lower prices for motor vehicles. The growth in raw materials prices was slowed substantially by a drop in crude oil prices.

From January to February, prices charged by manufacturers, as measured by the Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI), rose 0.1%, a marked slowdown compared with the increases of 1.1% in December and 1.0% in January. The growth in prices for petroleum and coal products slowed considerably after three months of vigorous increases. Excluding petroleum and coal products, the IPPI would have remained unchanged in February.

Strong growth for primary metal products and, to a ...

Canadian Industrial Product Price Index Up 0.1% in Feb. Read More »

3M Canada Buys Medical Product Developer

3M Canada, a wholly-owned subsidiary of St. Paul, MN-based 3M, has acquired Les Entreprises Solumed Inc., a Quebec-based developer and marketer of medical products designed to prevent infections in operating rooms and hospitals.
 
Solumed brings a chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) and alcohol-based line of products to 3M's offering for infection prevention. The addition of Solumed positions 3M for growth in the fast-growing segment of intravenous (IV) site care and in preoperative care and hand hygiene, where CHG-based products are gaining momentum,"said Chuck Kummeth, vice president and general manager, 3M Medical Division.
 
Solumed's products such as antiseptic wipes and swabsticks, along with surgical scrub brush-sponges and antiseptic gels, complement 3M's existing ...

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Sysco Completes New DC in Tennessee

Sysco Corp., Houston, TX, has completed a 353,000-square-foot broadline foodservice distribution center in Knoxville, TN. The new company, Sysco Foodservices of Knoxville LLC, will start service May 12 to an existing customer base in eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, southwestern Virginia and southeastern Kentucky.
 
Customers in those markets are currently be serviced by other Sysco facilities.

The new facility features two robotic mechanized product storage and retrieval systems, lighting control systems to reduce electrical consumption, a generator capable of sustaining the facility at full operating capacity in case of a power interruption or failure, and a culinary training and evaluation center.
 
SYSCO has annual sales of around $35 billion. ...

Sysco Completes New DC in Tennessee Read More »

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