Industrial Production Expands 0.7% in October
Capacity utilization moved up to 92.7 percent in October, 5.3 percentage points above its long-run average.
Industrial Production Expands 0.7% in October Read More »
November 2011
Lawson Products to Move Corporate Headquarters to Chicago
Lawson Products will also consolidate three Illinois facilities into one state-of-the-art packaging and distribution center in McCook, IL.
Lawson Products to Move Corporate Headquarters to Chicago Read More »
Is Print Marketing Dead in Distribution?
Distributors are challenged to determine the role catalogs will play in an increasingly digital world.
Is Print Marketing Dead in Distribution? Read More »
Economic Update: Bright Spots Offset Uncertainty
Latest MDM-MAPI podcast highlights strengths, weaknesses in today's economy.
Economic Update: Bright Spots Offset Uncertainty Read More »
Tip: Escape Groupthink at Your Next Planning Meeting
Uncover new out-of-the-box ideas by approaching planning meetings differently.
Tip: Escape Groupthink at Your Next Planning Meeting Read More »
Power Transmission/Motion Control Industry Expansion Continues to Slow
The PTDA Business Index fell 2.1 points to 68.1 in the third quarter.
Power Transmission/Motion Control Industry Expansion Continues to Slow Read More »
Home Depot 3Q Sales Up 4..4%
Home Depot comparable store sales increased 4.2 percent in the quarter.
Home Depot 3Q Sales Up 4..4% Read More »
Wholesale Prices Decline 0.3% in October
Prices see smallest year-over-year advance since March.
Wholesale Prices Decline 0.3% in October Read More »
U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Increased in September
Year to date, U.S. manufacturing technology orders are up 91.9%.
U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Increased in September Read More »
Why the Economy Doesn’t Worry Grainger
Grainger U.S. President Mike Pulick tells MDM economy provides opportunity to discuss MRO costs with customers.
Why the Economy Doesn’t Worry Grainger Read More »
Profit Pitfalls in Distribution
Don't be fooled by common thinking that can actually lead to a major drain on profitability.
Profit Pitfalls in Distribution Read More »
Align Sales Force with Strategy
Many distribution companies have an informal plan to target key customers or develop growth opportunities. But too often a focus on the monthly numbers leads to inefficient sales behavior contrary to management's plan. This article outlines a straightforward and disciplined process that establishes clear priorities in terms of customers and products, strategy for differentiating among different types of customers, and the role and functions to be performed by the sales force.
Frequently we find a disconnect between what an organization perceives its strategy to be and what the sales force is actually doing in the field. The disconnect is between what the management of the organization thinks the sale force should be doing to execute company strategy and what they are actually doing. ...
Align Sales Force with Strategy Read More »
Ferguson Acquires Groeniger & Co. in California
Acquisition expands Ferguson's waterworks business.
Ferguson Acquires Groeniger & Co. in California Read More »
Grainger October Daily Sales Up 16% YOY
Organic sales for Grainger grew 11 percent in the month.
Grainger October Daily Sales Up 16% YOY Read More »
The State of Distributor Catalog Marketing
A joint MDM-Real Results Marketing survey revealed that more than 65 percent of distributors still view catalogs as an effective marketing channel. But there are some that view print as dead or dying. The authors of this article examine the use of catalogs by distributors across sectors and what’s driving attitudes about print marketing in an increasingly digital age.
To view all graphics in this article in pdf, download this issue.
Is print dead? Do distributors need to stop producing paper catalogs? Not so according to research conducted by Real Results Marketing with Modern Distribution Management. The results of a recent survey showed that over 65 percent of distributors (see Figure 1) who produce a catalog for their customers find that the catalogs are an effective channel.
Distributor measurements of catalog effectiveness primarily include return on marketing investment, customer retention and lifetime value, and secondarily include share of wallet and internal rate of return, according to the survey. Nearly 80 percent of distributors reported ...
Not a subscriber? This report is now available in the MDM Store as a downloadable pdf. The report includes The State of Distributor Catalog Marketing, The State of E-Commerce in Distribution, and E-Commerce and Catalogs: Fast Friends. Learn more or download now.
The State of Distributor Catalog Marketing Read More »
Mid-Market Distribution M&A Picks Up in Latest Quarter
The distribution landscape continues to change, as large companies look to acquire mid-size companies to expand market presence or product offerings more rapidly than they have in the past.
“Those large companies have historically gone after the smaller players to grow incrementally,” says David Gordon, president of Channel Marketing Group. Gordon was featured in the October MDM Executive Briefing (available at mdm.com/executivebriefing). “Now they’re acquiring larger companies, from about $75 million to $400 million and taking big chunks out of the market.”
Three recent acquisitions have supported Gordon’s assertion: …
Mid-Market Distribution M&A Picks Up in Latest Quarter Read More »
Industrial Inflation Index: September 2011
Modern Distribution Management's Industrial Inflation Index measures a cross-section of industrial supplies.
Industrial Inflation Index: September 2011 Read More »
Download This Issue in pdf: Nov. 10, 2011
This is the pdf of this issue of Modern Distribution Management. Apply the full $34.95 pay-per-view cost of this issue toward an annual subscription, which includes two issues a month plus access to more than eight years of online archives and market data. Call 1-888-742-5060 or email info@mdm.com to subscribe. Subscribers log-in to download this issue.
Download This Issue in pdf: Nov. 10, 2011 Read More »
Tip: In Lean Initiatives, Start by Defining the Problem
Too often, people forget to clearly identify the real problem before beginning to plan solutions.
Tip: In Lean Initiatives, Start by Defining the Problem Read More »
