Canadian Industrial Product Price Index Down 0.3% in July
Raw Materials Price Index declined 1.4 percent.
August 2014
Tip: Improve Supply Chain Communication to Keep, Gain Customers
Including people at every level will help ensure product questions can be answered quickly.
MDM Premium Extra: 10 Ways Amazon has Changed Distribution
To thank you for your business and add value to your MDM Premium subscription, MDM offers bonus content each month exclusively to premium subscribers.
This month we feature a list of ways Amazon and AmazonSupply.com have impacted how distributors approach their markets.
See what distributors and industry experts have to say about how you can compete in the new market and beat AmazonSupply.
This content is exclusively available as bonus content to MDM subscribers. Log-in below to download the PDF of this month's report.
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Airgas Opens New Location in North Dakota
New location to service the Bakken shale oil region.
Real Gross Domestic Product Up 4.2% in 2Q
Real GDP increased after decreasing 2.1 percent in the first quarter.
Volatile Natural Gas Markets Demand Flexible Business Strategies
Asian development and demand, oil prices and economic struggles will affect future natural gas markets.
Applied Industrial Technologies Launches Mobile App
New free app will offer the 2014/2015 product catalog.
MAPI Quarterly Forecast: Steady Growth but Surge Unlikely
Industrial sector to fully recover by end of 2014.
Construction Employment Increases in 223 Metro Areas
Twenty-five percent of firms report turning down work due to labor shortages.
United Stationers Names New Industrial COO
The master distributor also named a new general manager and divisional senior vice president for its industrial business.
New Orders for Manufactured Durable Goods Up 22.6% in July
Increase due to a surge in new orders for nondefense aircraft and parts, according to MAPI.
Bunzl Acquires Four Businesses
Sales down 1 percent; profit increased 5.4 percent year-over-year.
Business Strategies: Maximizing Risk Opportunity
Too often, the principles that a business is founded upon end up being the limitations preventing it from growing.
MDM News Digest 4416
News briefs from August 11-August 25.
Download this Issue in PDF: August 25, 2014
This is the PDF of this issue of Modern Distribution Management.
Table of Contents:
- The Changing Role of the Sales Manager
- Commentary: The Trouble with Rebates
- Interview: Operations as a 'Lever for Innovation;
- U.S. Economy: Out of 'Surviving' and on to 'Thriving'
- MDM Industrial Inflation Index: July 2014
- Monthly Wholesale Trade Data: June 2014
- News Digest
Are you a subscriber? Simply log-in to view this issue.
Who’s My Coach? The Changing Role of Sales Managers
Baby boomers are retiring, and sales managers are recognizing that their current management styles may not be quite as beneficial as they could be. Adopting a strong philosophy and vision for leading a sales team is the first important step to take when shifting a management culture.
This article looks at reasons why the change is happening and what sales managers can and in some cases, should be doing to improve their management styles.
This article includes:
- Why sales managers should consider being proactive, not reactive
- Important first steps to take when shifting a management style
- How technology tools can help (and hurt) the sales team
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:
- Commentary: The Trouble with Rebates
- Interview: Operations as a 'Lever for Innovation'
- U.S. Economy: Out of 'Surviving' and on to 'Thriving'
Monthly Wholesale Trade Data: June 2014
Sales and inventories data for wholesaler-distributors in June 2014.
This article includes:
- Wholesale trade revenues for durable and nondurable goods in June 2014
- Monthly inventories/sales ratio for the industry
- Sales & inventory trends for durable and nondurable goods
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following articles:
- 2Q14 MDM-Baird Distribution Survey Results
- 2Q14 MDM Pricing Trends Report
- Building on Already Profitable Business
MDM Industrial Inflation Index: July 2014
Modern Distribution Management's monthly Industrial Inflation Index measures a cross-section of industrial supplies.
This index includes:
- Abrasives Products
- Cutting Tools
- Power Transmission Equipment
- Fasteners
- Valves, etc.
- Power Tools
- Material Handling Equipment
- Belting
- Hand Tools
- Misc. Metal
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:
- MDM 2Q14 Pricing Trends Report
- MDM/Baird Survey: Distributors See Measured Growth in 2Q
- The State of Analytics in Distribution
Commentary: The Trouble with Rebates
Rebate structures are still driving dysfunctional behavior, making distributors vulnerable. The article addresses how today's rebate structures make individual companies, and in most cases entire channels, more vulnerable in current market conditions.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:
- Who's My Coach? The Changing Role of Sales Managers
- Interview: Operations as a 'Lever for Innovation'
- U.S. Economy: Out of 'Surviving' and on to 'Thriving'
MDM Interview: Operations as a ‘Lever for Innovation’
Too many companies do not consider operations to be a source for innovation, but this area is ripe for developing innovative strategies for distributors, according to Karan Girotra, co-author of The Risk-Driven Business Model and professor of technology and operations management at the international business school INSEAD. Girotra recently spoke with Associate Editor April Nowicki about how to create a culture of questioning an existing business model, improving decision-making structure and empowering everyone to innovate.
This article includes:
- How to change the decisions made in your company
- Why to change those decisions
- Innovative operations strategies for better management and return
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:
- Commentary: The Trouble with Rebates
- Who's My Coach? The Changing Role of Sales Managers
- U.S. Economy: Out of 'Surviving' and on to 'Thriving'
