Featured Archives

How Can You Delight and Retain Customers in a Post-COVID World?

The post-COVID environment, which could become the worst recession in our lifetimes, will require a new approach to customer service and distributors need to begin adapting now. Ray Grady, the CEO of cloud-based solutions provider Conexiom, explains why.

August 14, 2020

Operations

WESCO Already Seeing Impact of Anixter Addition in ‘New Era’

It’s a new era at WESCO International, which rode the acquisition of Anixter International to a 2Q revenue and EPS beat in its first earnings report since the epic deal closed in June. But pitfalls remain as a massive integration looms for the two distribution giants.

August 13, 2020

Operations

Applied Making Right Cost-Control Moves, but Tough Environment Lingers

Market conditions weren’t favorable for Applied Industrial Technologies Inc. in the fiscal fourth quarter, but the distributor navigated the COVID-plagued business landscape as well as possible thanks to cost-reduction measures it will extend into 2021.

August 12, 2020

Operations

What HD Supply’s Latest Move Means for Industrial Distribution

Now that HD Supply has shifted gears to sell White Cap to private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier and Rice for $2.9 billion, look for more shifts within the industrial distribution landscape.

August 11, 2020

Operations

Is Amazon’s Next Fulfillment Center Coming to Your Town?

Amazon, the world’s largest retailer and distributor “frenemy,” is considering placing fulfillment centers in malls where department stores once operated, adding another level of potential threat for the wholesale trade industry.

August 10, 2020

Technology

MDM.com Gets a Makeover

Modern Distribution Management launches a new, user-friendly and streamlined look to our website, mdm.com.

August 7, 2020

Operations

Fastenal Moves Closer to Normal Sales Balance with Strong(ish) July

But industrial distributor also sees headcount continue to decline and the number of “selling personnel” is down nearly 10% compared to the same time last year.

August 6, 2020

Sales & Marketing

Grow Profitability by Implementing Automated Price Negotiation

Distributors leave up to 5% of profit on the table during price negotiations, but an automated system can take human judgment out of the picture and add more dollars to the bottom line.

August 5, 2020

Technology

Emerging Technology for the Emerging Distributor

Let the computer do some of the work by conducting a virtual pilot to sanity test your plans before you make changes in real-time and risk making a mistake, says consultant Robert Sabath.

August 4, 2020

Featured Blog

The Mask-to-Mask Distribution Environment is Changing Everything

The B2B distribution business has been adjusting to the new mask-to-mask business environment by changing how distributors handle inventory, deliver products and communicate with customers. The most difficult adjustment has been letting go of the old sales coverage plan.

August 3, 2020

Operations

How to Transform Your Business During a Pandemic: MDM’s Top Blogs of July

Bloggers answer distributor questions on how to manage COVID-19-induced business changes.

July 31, 2020

Operations

Lawson Products Reports Second Quarter Results

CEO Michael DeCata reports the company is positioned for solid future growth, including acquisitions.

July 31, 2020

Operations

Amazon Sees Net Sales Increase 40% in ‘Highly Unusual Quarter’

The company’s second quarter financial results report $5.2 billion in net income.

July 30, 2020

Research

IRCG Weekly Pandemic Revenue Index Shows 7.6% Decrease

IRCG's weekly comparison of distribution business to previous year's data reflects 'unnerving sense of stability.'

July 30, 2020

Operations

PTDA Adds 6 New Members

The Power Transmission Distributors Association on July 30 announced the association for the industrial power transmission/motion control distribution channel has welcomed six new member companies.

July 30, 2020

Operations

July M&A Roundup: Volume Holds Steady for Second Month

Though not where it should be in a typical July, distribution M&A activity reached double-digit transactions for a second straight month. Our M&A Roundup recaps deals from LINC Systems, Core & Main, SRS Distribution and more.

July 30, 2020

Research

Tracking COVID-19’s Destructive Path

The severity of the coronavirus crisis has exceeded that of the Great Recession more than 10 years ago, and while distributors haven’t been spared the impact of COVID-19, the industry is faring better than most.