July 22, 2008 - Modern Distribution Management

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July 22, 2008

Survey: ‘Surprising Number’ of Companies Still Manually Processing Sales Data

A recent survey by Pembroke Consulting showed what it called a surprising number" of companies, many of which are technology providers, still using manual processes to collect, analyze and report on sales data.
 
The survey looked at the data management practices of more than 100 technology, manufacturing and pharmaceutical companies. Though these companies sell 80% of their products through indirect channels, more than half haven't fully automated their channel data management capabilities.
 
The channel data automation study, commissioned by InfoNow, asked managers and executives about their most common data management problems. "Receiving incomplete data from (their) indirect channel"and "basing future sales plans on 'best guess'estimates"were among the top ...

Survey: ‘Surprising Number’ of Companies Still Manually Processing Sales Data Read More »

Private Equity Firm Buys Majority Interest in Bradco Supply

Private equity firm Advent International has agreed to buy a majority interest in roofing and building materials distributor Bradco Supply, Avenel, NJ. The Segal family will continue to own a minority stake in the business.
 
The transaction is expected to finalized in mid to late August.
 
According to the Bradco Web site, Bradco has more than $1.7 billion in annual sales with more than 154 locations in 30 states.
 
The company has grown rapidly in the past 10 years, growing from 64 locations in 1998 to the current 154. Bradco acquired Admiral Building Products earlier this year.
 
Ted Boylan will continue as CEO.
...

Private Equity Firm Buys Majority Interest in Bradco Supply Read More »

3M Agrees to Buy Adhesives/Sealants Suppliers

3M has agreed to acquire EMFI S.A. and SAPO S.A., manufacturers of polyurethane-based structural adhesives and sealants headquartered in Haguenau, France.
 
EMFI/SAPO's adhesives and sealants complement 3M Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division's core industrial adhesives product line and provide access to the fast-growing polyurethane-based structural adhesives and sealants market segment. Polyurethane structural adhesives and sealants are used in building and infrastructure construction, wood floors, structural assembly, automotive aftermarket, truck, marine, specialty vehicle and rail assembly applications.
 
3M offers industrial tapes and adhesives for bonding, protecting, masking, enhancing, shielding, damping, splicing, reinforcing, color coding, case sealing ...

3M Agrees to Buy Adhesives/Sealants Suppliers Read More »

Anixter Sales Up 7% in 2Q

Anixter International Inc., Glenview, IL, a distributor of communication products, electrical and electronic wire &cable and a distributor of fasteners and other small parts to Original Equipment Manufacturers, reported sales for the second quarter ended June 27, 2008, increased 7% over the same quarter a year ago to $1.62 billion. Profit was $66.9 million, an increase of 4%.
 
Sales for the first six months were $3.09 billion, a 9% increase over 2007. Profits improved 5% to $124.6 million.
 
Through the next few quarters, we will remain focused on building on our strategic initiatives, which include growing our security and OEM Supply businesses, initiating a factory automation network sales effort, adding to our supply chain services offering, enlarging the ...

Anixter Sales Up 7% in 2Q Read More »

Danaher Organic Growth at 5.5% in 2Q

Danaher Corp., Washington, D.C., reported sales from continuing operations for the second quarter 2008 were $3.28 billion, an increase of 25% over the same period 2007. Profit increased 18% over second quarter 2007 to $363 million.
 
For the first six months ended June 27, 2008, sales increased to $6.31 billion, 22.5% more than the prior year period. Net earnings from continuing operations were $640 million, an increase of 14.5% over the first six months of 2007.
 
Revenue growth from existing businesses was 5.5% for the quarter.
 
Danaher is a manufacturer of professional instrumentation, medical technologies, industrial technologies, and tools and ...

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Precision Castparts Sales Grow 11.2% in 1Q

Portland, OR-based Precision Castparts Corp. announced sales in the first quarter ended June 29, 2008, were $1.83 billion, an increase of 11.2% over same period a year ago.
 
Profits improved 22.7% to $274.9 million, compared to $224.1 million a year ago.
 
Results by Segment
Total sales of Investment Cast Products were $597.7 million, a 17.3% increase over last year's first quarter sales. Growth was propelled by solid aerospace OEM and aftermarket shipments and significant industrial gas turbine (IGT) sales growth.
 
Forged Products'sales improved 5.6% year over year, increasing to $816.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Lower selling prices of external alloy sales from the segment's three primary mills, combined with increased ...

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Fuel Surcharges: Yes or No?

In a recent interview with MDM, Bill Snyder, vice president of channel development for Palatine, IL-based manufacturer Square D (Schneider Electric's North American operating division), had some interesting points to make about passing on the cost of fuel in the channel.
 
He says that Square D learned a lesson when fuel costs rose in previous years. The company had tried a fuel surcharge, which seemed logical at the time. But the distributors came back to Square D and said: "Wait a minute, you don't understand. You send me three pallet loads, you put a fuel surcharge on there. I break those pallets down and put it on the shelf, then I sell them to people. How do I transfer that?"
 
A good point. So ...

Fuel Surcharges: Yes or No? Read More »

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