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Finance
Grainger President: M& A Shifts Market

The competitive landscape has shifted thanks to growing consolidation, Grainger President and COO Jim Ryan said recently.


Small regional and local distributors still command the overwhelming share of this market," he said. "But they're under attack from larger regional and national players. The billion-dollar plus players are growing at a disproportionate rate to the market and to their smaller competitors.


"...There is going to be a need for specialist distributors, and there is absolutely a place for large-scale distributors. The ones who will find it more difficult are the generalists in the middle."


Ryan was addressing analysts attending the annual meeting of the Electrical Products Group of New York. Grainger is a $5.9 billion broad-line supplier of ...
Research & Analytics
Trends in Canada’s Wholesale Industry

Canada's wholesalers had a third consecutive year of strong growth, with much of the impetus coming from the two westernmost provinces.


A combination of continued strong sales of machinery and electronic equipment and high demand for consumer-related goods propelled the industry to another record high, according to Wholesale Trade: The Year 2006 in Review," a recently released report from Statistics Canada.


Nationally, wholesale sales increased by 6.3 percent to $497.4 billion (in current dollars) in 2006, slightly better than the previous year's 5.2 percent increase. The gain in overall wholesale sales contributed to another profitable year for wholesalers, as industry profits rose 15.1 percent to a new record high of $16.6 billion.


This ...
Free
MDM News Digest 3710
The Home Depot, Atlanta, GA, reported first-quarter profit of $1 billion, compared with $1.5 billion in the same period in fiscal 2006. Sales for the first quarter totaled $21.6 billion, a 0.6 percent increase from the first quarter of fiscal 2006. Total sales in the retail segment declined 4.3 percent to $18.5 billion, and comparable store sales declined 7.6 percent. Total sales in the HD Supply segment grew by 46 percent to $3.1 billion, reflecting sales from acquired businesses. Organic sales were down 6.5 percent. More & hellip;
HeidelbergCement AG, Heidelberg, Germany, has agreed to buy Hanson plc for about & pound; 8 billion (US$15.8 billion). HeidelbergCement is one of the top ...
Economic Trends
MDM Inflation Index: April 2007

Modern Distribution Management's April Inflation Index, which measures a cross-section of industrial supplies, was up 0.42% from the previous month, and up 3.3% from April 2006.


Summary of&nbsp ; MDM Inflation Index for the past 12 months:


April 2007 Index 270.8
March 2007 Index 269.6
February 2007 Index 269.4
January 2007 Index 268.7
December 2006 Index&nbsp ; 267.1
November 2006 Index 266.5
October 2006 Index 265.9
September 2006 Index 265.6
August 2006 Index 265.2
July 2006 Index 264.0
June 2006 Index 263.0
May 2006 Index 262.1
April 2006 Index 262.1


Please click below to view a print-ready pdf of the&nbsp ; MDM Inflation Index for April 2007, listing the ten individual product categories that ...

Subscriber Only
MDM May 25, 2007
This is the pdf of this issue of Modern Distribution Management. Apply the full $24.95 pay-per-view cost toward an annual subscription (within 30 days of purchase), which includes two issues a month plus access to more than six years of online archives and market data. Call 1-888-742-5060 or email info@mdm.com to ...
Finance
Rockwell Automation to Acquire ICS Triplex

Rockwell Automation, Inc., Milwaukee, WI, has agreed to acquire UK-based Industrial Control Services Group Limited for & pound; 110 million (US$218.4 million) in cash. ICS does business as ICS Triplex, a global supplier of control and safety solutions to process industries.
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ICS Triplex annual revenues are projected to be & pound; 70 million (US$138.9 million) for its current fiscal year which ends May 31, 2007.
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Headquartered in Maldon, United Kingdom, ICS Triplex has more than 500 employees and operations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. It serves industries including oil and gas exploration, production, transportation and refining as well as chemicals and power generation.
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ICS Triplex will be included in ...
Top Distributor Sectors
Grainger: Consolidation is Slowly Changing Marketplace
Grainger President and COO Jim Ryan told analysts this week that the competitive landscape has shifted thanks to growing consolidation. Small regional and local distributors still command the overwhelming share of this market -- more than 75%," he said. "But they're under attack from larger regional and national players. The billion-dollar plus players are growing at a disproportionate rate to the market and to their smaller competitors.

"...There is going to be a need for specialist distributors, and there is absolutely a place for large-scale distributors. The ones who will find it more difficult are the generalists in the middle."

When asked about the potential impact of a possible HD Supply spinoff by Home Depot, Ryan said HD Supply's position would not change. ...
Finance
RBC Bearings Buys Phoenix Bearings
RBC Bearings Incorporated, Oxford, CT, a manufacturer of highly-engineered precision plain, roller and ball bearings for the industrial, defense and aerospace industries, has acquired Phoenix Bearings Limited for $4.3 million in cash.

Phoenix, in Gloucestershire, England, manufactures bearings for the steel and mining industries as well as other general industrial applications with bore sizes ranging from 100 millimeters to one meter. Phoenix generated revenues of $4.5 million in its most recent calendar year.

RBC Bearings Incorporated is an international manufacturer and marketer of highly engineered precision bearings and ...
Top Distributor Sectors
Report: Manufacturing Production to Slow to 2.1% Growth
Both the overall U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the manufacturing sector will decelerate in 2007 before regaining a measure of strength in 2008, according to a new report.
&nbsp ; &nbsp ;
The Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI Quarterly Economic Forecast predicts that inflation-adjusted GDP growth, 3.3 percent in 2006, will slow to 2.3 percent in 2007 before rebounding to 3.0 percent in 2008. By supplying major assumptions for the economy and running simulations through the Global Insight Macroeconomic Model, the Alliance generates unique macroeconomic and industry forecasts.
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The deceleration in economic growth is primarily a consequence of the continued housing slump, soft business investment, a surprise downshift in exports, and inventory adjustment," said Daniel ...
Finance
ITW Buys Tregaskiss Welding Products
Illinois Tool Works has acquired Tregaskiss Welding Products of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
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Tregaskiss is a manufacturer of robotic and semi-automatic MIG welding torches and peripherals.
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Tregaskiss, a privately held company, employs 179 people and offers its products through welding supply distributors in Canada and the U.S. The company will continue to operate independently, which is consistent with ITW's decentralized organizational structure.
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Other ITW welding companies include Hobart Brothers, Jetline Engineering, Smith Equipment, Tempil and Weldcraft.
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ITW, Glenview, IL, is a $14.1 billion diversified manufacturer of highly engineered components and industrial systems and ...
Finance
Dayton Reliable Air Filter Buys Distributor
Dayton Reliable Air Filter has acquired Filter Services, Cincinnati, OH, according to the Dayton Business Journal.
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Dayton Reliable Air Filter, with 30 employees, distributes air filters and does air filter service for commercial and industrial ...
Free
Anixter Grows in France
Anixter International Inc., Glenview, IL, distributor of communication products, electrical and electronic wire & cable and a distributor of fasteners and other small parts has acquired Eurofast SAS, Collegien, France, from Lisi SA for $27 million.

Eurofast is an aerospace fastener distributor in the aerospace and defense industries. For 2007, Eurofast is expected to generate sales of $22 million.

Commenting on the acquisition, Bob Grubbs, President and CEO of Anixter, said, This acquisition is another step in the geographic expansion of our OEM Supply business through the addition of important customers primarily within France in an end market where we have little penetration today within Europe."


Anixter International has locations in 247 cities in ...
Finance
GE Sells Plastics Business for $11.6B

GE has agreed to sell GE Plastics to Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), a global petrochemicals manufacturer, for $11.6 billion in cash plus assumption of debt.

&nbsp ;
GE Plastics is a $6.645 billion global supplier of plastic resins widely used in automotive, healthcare, consumer electronics, transportation, performance packaging, building and construction, telecommunications, and optical media. It is headquartered in Pittsfield, MA. and employs 10,300 people in 60 locations worldwide.
&nbsp ;
SABIC is&nbsp ; one of the world's 10 largest petrochemicals manufacturers ranked by market capitalization (currently US$80 billion). The company produces polyethylene, polypropylene, glycols, methanol, and fertilizers as well as the fourth largest polymer producer. ...
Finance
Airgas Acquires Unit of Continental Nitrogen & Resources
Airgas, Inc., Radnor, PA, has acquired the aqua ammonia operations of Continental Nitrogen & Resources in Rosemount, MN, which had more than $2 million in revenues in 2006.
&nbsp ;
The business will be integrated into Airgas Specialty Products, a leading national distributor of ammonia products and services, various process chemicals, and refrigerants. &nbsp ; Other operations of CNR were not included.

This acquisition is in line with our strategy to expand our aqua ammonia business and capabilities and serve our growing customer base across the U.S.," said Chuck Broadus, president of Airgas Specialty Products, Duluth, GA.

Airgas Specialty Products has 24 locations nationwide for distribution of anhydrous ammonia and aqua ammonia products and services and ...
Finance
Audax Group Acquires Seal Supplier UTEX
Audax Group, Boston, MA, has acquired UTEX Industries, Inc. Headquartered in Houston, TX, UTEX is a manufacturer of complex gaskets and highly engineered seals to oil and gas, water distribution, and industrial end markets.
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UTEX CEO Michael Balas will continue to lead the management team.
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Audax Group Co-CEO Geoffrey S. Rehnert says the firm, which invests in middle-market companies, wants to capitalize on positive trends in the energy market. Audax plans to grow the business by expanding into new markets and executing strategic add-on acquisitions.<br ...
Free
Stock Building Supply CEO to Retire
Fenton Hord, head of Wolseley plc's U.S. building materials business, Stock Building Supply, will retire July 31, 2007.
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Hord will be succeeded by Joe Appelmann as CEO, who has been with the company for 18 years.
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Hord was with Wolseley for 20 years. When he was appointed CEO of the building materials arm in the U.S. in 1987, sales were $113 million. Revenues reached $5.3 billion in 2006.<br ...
Subscriber Only
State Industrial Products Buys Ohio Soap Products

State Industrial Products, Cleveland, OH, has acquired Ohio Soap Products of Parma, OH, a Cleveland suburb.

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Ohio Soap is a manufacturer and distributor of institutional ware washing equipment and cleaning products with $10 million in annual sales and 100 employees.
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Founded in 1911, privately-owned State Industrial Products has 1,200 employees and annual sales of more than $100 ...
Top Distributor Sectors
Eaton Acquires Medium-Voltage Drive Business
Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation, has acquired the technology and related assets associated with SMC Electrical Products, Inc.'s industrial medium-voltage adjustable frequency drive business.
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This acquisition complements Eaton's already strong position as a manufacturer of medium-voltage motor control products," said Randy Carson, Eaton senior vice president and president -Electrical Group. "By incorporating this product into our power distribution and control assemblies portfolio, we will be able to provide our customers with a comprehensive solution to address their motor starting needs."
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Eaton Corporation had 2006 sales of $12.4 billion.&nbsp ; Eaton has 61,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 125 ...
Top Distributor Sectors
Pearlman Industries Buys Tool Distributor
Pearlman Industries, Inc., Commerce, CA, which was recently acquired by Harbour Group, has acquired Dimensional Tools, Inc., Dallas, TX.
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Dimensional Tools, based in Dallas, will become part of Pearlman's Keystone Tools division.

Dimensional Tools is a distributor of products for the stone fabrication market. It has locations in Dallas and Phoenix as well as a fleet servicing customers in the field.
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Pearlman Industries, Inc. is a supplier of diamond cutting products and abrasives to professionals in diverse end-markets, including stone, tile, construction, welding, and equipment rental. The company has two divisions: Pearl Abrasives, which develops branded abrasives and diamond products sold through distributors to a wide range of industries; and ...
Subscriber Only
Industrial Production Increases 0.7% in April
Industrial production increased 0.7 percent in April after a decrease of 0.3 percent in March. Output in the manufacturing sector moved up 0.5 percent in April; the increase was led by advances in motor vehicles and parts and in high-technology goods.
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The output of utilities increased 3.5 percent; temperatures were relatively warm in March but fell below seasonal norms in April. Mining output decreased 0.3 percent in April. At 113.0 percent of its 2002 average, overall industrial production for April was 1.9 percent above its year-earlier level.
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The rate of capacity utilization for total industry rose 0.4 percentage point, to 81.6 percent, a level 0.6 percentage point above its 1972-2006 average.
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Market Groups
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