Manufacturing outlook improves for most Fed districts in report.
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Turbulent year forces key shifts in wholesale distribution industry in 2009
Airgas, Radnor, PA, outlined its growth strategies and successes in its annual analyst meeting in December. Here is an overview of the key areas covered by the gases and welding hardgoods distributor.
Product and Segment Focus
According to Airgas, about 30 percent of its total sales go to customer segments that are "growing faster than GDP." Strategic products, a group of five product areas, account for 40 percent of sales. Those are: Bulk, Medical, Specialty Gas, CO2/Dry Ice, and Safety Products. These product areas have grown faster than Airgas' other core business, COO Michael Molinini told analysts, and the areas cater to "favorable customer segments."
One growth driver for these areas is cross-selling. For example, …
Blog posts on Grainger market moves take several spots in the 2009 list.
Airgas' acquisitive strategy highlighted in recent analyst presentation.
Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections provide a guide on potential growth markets for distributors.
The most popular MDM news stories; Wolseley and Stock Building Supply dominate this year's list.
Key shifts took place in the distribution channel over the past year, one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression.
This article is an overview of trends, events and shifts in the wholesale distribution sector in the past year.
On Dec. 25, 2008, I wrote that we were transitioning into an era with "no bubbles," quoting New York Times columnist Paul Krugman.
While the housing bubble has popped, we may not yet be bubble-free. A smaller bubble may be emerging, as government spending keeps the economy propped up, and economic stimulus package funds are doled out to state and local governments for infrastructure and other large projects.
Looking forward, government spending will play a large role in the economy thanks to the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, which undoubtedly will be the first thing to come to mind when "2009" is uttered …
MDM's list of headline-makers in 2009.
Vetus Partners' Jay Greyson provides his perspective on year-end distribution M&A trends.
Here's an exclusive summary of Adam Fein's 2010 Economic Forecast for Wholesale Distribution, presented at an MDM Webcast in November and now available on CD.
Employment will be a key factor in recovery, according to wholesale distribution industry expert Adam Fein, who recently presented the 2010 Economic Forecast for Wholesale Distribution in an MDM Webcast.
He forecasts 6.6 percent growth in wholesale distribution for 2010; excluding oil and gas, and agricultural products, he expects growth of 5.6 percent. That compares with a decline of 11 percent in 2009.
Growth expectations vary within the distribution sector, with a forecast of …
This article provides a summary of key points made by two speakers on the State of the Industry at the November Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Association annual trade show and convention. Les Ireland, vice president at Black & Decker, and Hal Look, the vice president of ProBuild's specialty building products division, spoke about the challenges their industry has faced in the past year and how STAFDA members should look forward to recovery.
A clear message was presented at the annual State of the Industry addresses at the November meeting of the Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributor Association this year: The recession has changed …
Growth in mature and emerging markets are in electrical distributor's 2010-2012 plans.
What's more, the dollar's decline, though not ideal, is helping U.S. businesses selling overseas.
Facilities maintenance distributor W.W. Grainger, with more than $6.5 billion in annual sales. recently held its annual analyst meeting. This article provides an overview of its key talking points in the meeting, including Grainger's market forecasts, acquisition plans, MRO customer mindset and global plans.
Details in this article were taken from Grainger's annual analyst meeting Webcast at grainger.com.
Grainger CEO Jim Ryan said it right this month at the distributor's annual analyst meeting: "I'm getting tired of looking at negative numbers, and I know you are, too." The company presented some much more optimistic numbers for 2010, and said its approach to the past year of down has helped prop it up for good growth going forward.
Ryan said the downturn "has had a profound impact on not only our business but on our industry."
Grainger has outperformed the industry as …
Employment growth is the key to a more sustainable recovery.
Helping customers improve sustainability is behind service company purchase for Grainger.
Report: Stock was losing $1 million a business day pre-Ch. 11.
In recent presentations, Interline outlined growth initiatives.
