MDM News Digest 4724
News briefs from December 11 - December 25, 2017
December 22, 2017
MDM Industrial Inflation Index: November 2017
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
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Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:
- Distribution M&A Playbook, pt. 3: Integration Best Practices
- Grainger’s Pricing Initiative, pt 2: The Quest for Optimization
- Commentary: Harvey’s Stark Reminder on Disaster Planning
Monthly Wholesale Trade Data: October 2017
Sales and inventories data for wholesaler-distributors in October 2017.
Forecast: Economy to Grow in 2018
The Institute for Supply Management provides a semiannual forecast that distributors can use to gauge the health and expectations of manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries. This article provides the highlights from the latest forecast, which was released in December.
This article includes:
- Economic growth expectations for 2018
- Manufacturing sector expectations
- Non-manufacturing sector expectations
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Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:
- MDM-Baird Distribution Survey: Storms Stunt Distributor Growth
- Distributors Up Search Marketing Efforts
- Amazon Business: The Burning E-Platform
How Should Distribution Respond to Amazon Business?
Amazon Business represents more than a new competitor its an entirely new business model. To address new rules Amazon continually rewrites for traditional channel competition, distributors need to develop new strategies. This article, part 4 in our series, outlines key response alternatives for distributors and the industry collectively to define value, keep customers engaged and avoid displacement.This article includes:
- Compete or capitulate?
- Is there an alternative?
- Adaptive strategies for distributors
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Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:
- MDM-Baird Distribution Survey: Storms Stunt Distributor Growth
- Distributors Up Search Marketing Efforts
- Amazon Business: The Burning E-Platform
Commentary: An Industry at an Inflection Point
Innovation will alter competitive dynamics. Selling products that are highly technical is a pretty good strategy to keep Amazon Business at bay today. But for how long will that be good enough? Thats the type of question every distributor needs to ask right now.Subscribers should log in below to read this article.
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Top Trends for 2018
Distributor fortunes improved last year and are projected to continue through the first half of 2018 but the rest of the year remains uncertain, as economists project the economy to slow in the third and fourth quarters before enduring a more drastic decline in 2019.This article includes:
- A mostly upbeat outlook will take a downward turn later in the year.
- The Amazon Threat
- Addressing the talent gao
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Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:
- MDM-Baird Distribution Survey: Storms Stunt Distributor Growth
- Distributors Up Search Marketing Efforts
- Amazon Business: The Burning E-Platform
Download this Issue in PDF: December 25, 2017
This is the PDF of this issue of Modern Distribution Management.
Table of Contents:
- How Should Distribution Respond to Amazon Business?
- Commentary: An Industry at an Inflection Point
- Top Trends for 2018
- Forecast: Economy to Grow in 2018
- Monthly Wholesale Trade Data: October 2017
- MDM Industrial Inflation Index: November 2017
- MDM News Digest 4724
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New Orders for Manufactured Durable Goods Up 1.3% in November
This increase follows a 0.4 percent October decrease.
