Yesterday we posted MDM’s Top 5 reader articles for 2018. Today, it’s the MDM staff’s turn. Here are five of the blogs we enjoyed most this year. 

1. Is Grainger the Sears or Target of Distribution?

October 18, 2018 — By Ian Heller

Following a substantial decline in Grainger’s stock, MDM President Ian Heller predicted that the company will go one of two ways over the longer term. It will either fail to adapt and ultimately face insolvency, like Sears, or adjust itself to new conditions and thrive, like Target.

2. Stop Trying to Sell Vending Machines to Your Customers

September 19, 2018 — By Mark Hill

Industrial vending machines are becoming big business for both distributors and end-users. But for distributors, says 1sourcevend’s Mark Hill, trying to sell the machines at a mark-up is a bad strategy. The smartest move it to place the machines for free as a value-added service. 

3. The Deeper Story Behind the IDC-AD Merger

October 3, 2018 — By Tom Gale

The IDC-AD merger was a milestone in the history of industrial cooperatives, according to MDM CEO Tom Gale. It was also, he wrote, “An interesting study in the complex mix of variables that change over time that define the value of these entities.”

4. “Big Stuff” Wisdom for B2B Distributors

August 23, 2018 — By John Gunderson

John Gunderson, MDM VP of analytics and business, shares some memories of a formative influence in his career, Dick “Big Stuff” Schmid of Crescent Electric Supply, on the occasion of the company’s centennial celebration.

5. Here’s Why Your Profitability Plan is Going Nowhere

August 8, 2018 — By Al Bates

Distributors are always keen to improve profitability, says Dr. Al Bates. The problem is that there’s no agreement as to what the drivers of profitability actually are.