Sonepar USA Announces Leadership Changes at Irby
Upon Mike Leechs retirement, Joe LeNoir, president of Irby Utility; Tyler Mitchell, president of Irby C&I; and Brad Slocum, SVP of Shared Services, will continue to run the day-to-day Irby business.
February 2020
Jason Industries Acquires Matchless Metal Polish Company
The business will be integrated into Jasons Industrial segment within Osborn.
WESCO Clears Waiting Period in Anixter Acquisition
WESCO struck a deal to acquire Anixter in January, a transaction estimated at $4.5 billion.
NAW President & CEO to Retire
Dirk Van Dongen will lead the Association through November 2020.
Veritiv Sales Down 11.9% in 2019
For the fourth quarter, sales were $1.8 billion, down 17.7% year-over-year.
Lawson Products’ Q4 Sales Up 2.7%
Full-year sales grew 6% to $370.8 million.
Real U.S. GDP Up 2.1% in 4Q According to Second Estimate
Current dollar GDP increased 3.5% in the fourth quarter.
How to Determine the Most Impactful Changes You Can Make to Your Business
Motivators to change come from three categories: competitive environment motivators, external environment motivators and internal environment motivators. Consultant Mike Vitale explains how identifying these origins can help distributors to choose the most effective path toward business transformation.
Houlihan Lokey Advises Kele Through Acquisition by The Stephens Group
This transaction highlights Houlihan Lokeys continued success advising market-leading specialty distributors of mission-critical parts.
Univar Sales Up 7.6% in 2019
For the fourth quarter, the company reported sales were up 9.3% compared to the prior year quarter.
Pentair Sales Down Slightly in 2019
Fourth quarter sales were up 2% year-over-year.
What to Do When Your Business Environment Changes
Todays business environment creates an imperative for change. But what exactly should you change in your business? Nothing, everything, something? Changing your distribution business is expensive and disruptive, and can be catastrophic if not properly planned and executed.
Foundation Building Materials Sales Up 5.4% in 2019
Fourth quarter sales were up slightly over 2018.
Inside Every Threat There is Opportunity
Brand value is a huge asset for both manufacturers and distributors. With continued homogenization, investments made in developing ones brand starts to erode and price becomes the primary differentiator.
Download this Issue as a PDF: February 25, 2020
This is the PDF of this issue of Modern Distribution Management.
What poses the greatest threat to the master distributor model? Ask two of the master distributors featured in the latest issue of MDM Premium and they will share a similar response. Driven by factors such as increasing consolidation and the emergence of e-commerce marketplaces, homogenization and commoditization threaten to strip away the uniqueness of individual master distributors, disrupting their ability to invest in customer service and brand differentiation. Of course, master distributors don’t operate in a vacuum. The same issues they face are felt by the distributors they serve. That theme is reflected throughout this issue of MDM Premium. Our other two features — a Q&A with Cook & Boardman CEO Darrin Anderson and a feature on five emerging job roles in distribution — provide insight on specific actions distributors are taking to keep up with the pace of overall industry transformation.
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What the Changing Role of the Master Distributor Means for the Industry
Like many functions in the realm of distribution, the role of a master distributor has become increasingly complex as lines continue to blur and end-user expectations force channel partners to rethink traditional models. Wholesalers are uniquely positioned to grow if they can figure out how to be more, says Consultant Mike Marks.
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Commentary: Inside Every Threat There is Opportunity
What poses the greatest threat to the master distributor model? Ask two of the master distributors featured in this issue and they will share a similar response.
10 Acquisitions in 2.5 Years: The Strategy Behind Cook & Boardman’s Growth
Last month, The Cook & Boardman Group LLC, a specialty distributor of commercial door entry solutions and systems integration services based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, announced its 10th acquisition in the two and a half years since CEO Darrin Anderson joined the company in the summer of 2017. A portfolio company of investment firm Littlejohn & Co. since October 2018, the acquisitions are part of a larger Cook & Boardman effort to continue to grow the companys national footprint.
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5 Nontraditional Roles to Add Value
Introducing any of these jobs product manager, chief digital officer, sales enablement manager, trusted adviser and director of inventory has the potential to make your company more open to change, better embrace the customer experience and streamline operations to meet evolving business demands.
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MDM Industrial Inflation Index: January 2020
Modern Distribution Management's monthly Industrial Inflation Index measures a cross-section of industrial supplies.
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