Foundation Building Materials Sales Up 5.4% in 2019
Fourth quarter sales were up slightly over 2018.
February 25, 2020
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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Monthly Wholesale Trade Data: December 2019
Wholesale revenues, inventories and ratios from December 2019.
News Digest 5004
MDM's top news briefs from News briefs from February 11 - February 25, 2020.
