MDM Premium Archives - Page 28 of 548 - Modern Distribution Management

Log In

Search
Premium Member Dashboard

All your exclusive premium content in one location.

Quarterly MDM-Baird Distribution Survey

Analysis: Geopolitical Impacts on Distributors’ Supply Chains

We analyze the qualitative results of our 1Q24 Baird-MDM Distribution Survey question that asked distributors about current or expected impacts from geopolitical issues.
Read More

Premium Monthly

Archives

Market Insight Reports

MDM 4Q 2023 M&A Report

The report features in-depth articles that recap the year that was 2023 in distribution dealmaking, a full rundown of every deal we covered in October-December, the latest EBITDA trading multiples and more.

MDM 4Q 2023 MarketPulse Report

Find a wealth of data and analysis extracted from the 3Q23 Baird-MDM Industrial Distribution Survey, including trending charts and figures for revenue and expectations, plus plenty of interesting commentary.

MDM 3Q 2023 MarketPulse Report

Find a wealth of data and analysis extracted from the 3Q23 Baird-MDM Industrial Distribution Survey, including trending charts and figures for revenue and expectations, plus plenty of interesting commentary.

MDM 3Q 2023 M&A Report

Our 2023 third quarter M&A report features in-depth articles on activity by Ferguson and Veritiv, and chronicles the overall quarterly pace of new deals.

MDM 2Q 2023 M&A Report

See MDM’s analysis of 2Q23 M&A activity pertaining to wholesale distributors, plus M&A financial benchmarks and recent Premium articles that had an M&A focus.
Archives
Premium Events
Premium Articles
Uncategorized
Commentary: Leadership in the New Distribution Future
If firms ignore the profit opportunities in the existing business, they are severely limiting their ability to take part in the new distribution future. No one can hit you over the head with common sense in such a nice way as distribution profitability expert Dr. Al Bates. In his article in this issue, he stresses that management needs to do a better job getting the team aligned around the existing opportunities to improve profitability basic blocking and tackling.

Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.

Uncategorized
Succession Planning: Selling Your Business?
This is the third of three articles in our series on succession planning. This article focuses on the decision to sell to an external buyer, such as a private equity firm or a competitor, and what to consider from a financial and non-financial point of view when deciding which is the best path for your business. This series of articles is not intended to be comprehensive of all of the issues associated with exiting a distribution business.

Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.

Technology
Closing the Data Analytics Gap

As top distributors become more proficient with data analysis, others are falling behind, creating a critical gap in competitive business intelligence. Four of the speakers at MDM’s upcoming Analytics Summit share their recommendations here for optimizing data analytics across a range of business operations.

This article includes:

  • The Will to Do It
  • Why It's Been Lacking
  • Spreading the Knowledge

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Inflation-Index-May
Uncategorized
MDM Industrial Inflation Index: May 2019

Modern Distribution Management's monthly Industrial Inflation Index measures a cross-section of industrial supplies.

This index includes:

  • Abrasives Products
  • Cutting Tools
  • Power Transmission Equipment
  • Fasteners
  • Valves, etc.
  • Power Tools
  • Material Handling Equipment
  • Belting
  • Hand Tools
  • Misc. Metal

Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more.

jenel-articleonly
Sales & Marketing
The Difference Between Values and Expectations
It's easy to confuse expectations with values. At least according to Jim Ambrose it is. Think about it this way. I have a restaurant I go to at lunch because it's close. Lousy service; food's OK. And I expect that, says the president of BranchManagerCEO.com. "The manager always asks me if they met our expectations today, and I say yeah, you certainly did. The food was lousy and the service was lousy; that's what I expect. But it's close so I keep going back."
 
Ambrose values the proximity and is willing to accept the mediocrity of everything else because of it. However, if a restaurant were to open up in the same area with better food and better service, he ...
Features
MDM Interview: Now Is the Time for Sales Discipline
With sales low across the industry, many companies are fighting just to break-even. However, there may be more opportunities for improving your sales than you expect. Jim Ambrose, president of BranchManagerCEO.com and founder of Jim Ambrose's Workshop, says now is a great time to retrain and reenergize your sales force to find new ways to gain market share. 
 
MDM: Today's economy has created many challenges for businesses. What impact has it had on the sales process?
 
Jim Ambrose: Most, if not all, of my clients tell me that one of their big issues is that their salespeople tend to get comfortable in their account packages. And the problem with getting comfortable today is that your accounts aren't very busy. If the ...
Sales & Marketing
Connecting with Customers Especially Important Right Now
It was a pleasure yesterday to take my car to a small repair shop that runs on high levels of customer service. The father-son team that runs the place competes against all sizes; in fact, I would guess most of their competitors are much larger. But I've known many to refer friends to the shop. In fact, I was referred myself, and will no doubt return the next time something threatens to fall off my car.
 
I left with a fixed car, a sense of trust and more money than expected left in my pocket, a rare combination these days on the way out of an auto repair shop. It was a nice reminder of the importance of a positive customer experience each and every time a customer sets foot in your shop.
 
While customer service is important in both boom and bust times, it could be ...
Chemicals & Plastics Distribution
New Sales Opportunities Possible for Plastics Distributors
Editor's Note: Mel Ettenson, editor of Global Plastics Letter (www.globalplasticsletter.com), will be contributing regularly to the MDM Blog on topics of interest to the plastics industry and those connected to it.
 
Bayer MaterialScience AG, a producer of polymers and high-performance plastics, has developed a coating for its Makrolon polycarbonate (PC) sheet material making it suitable for use in automotive glazing. Having just passed a major Taber abrasion test after running through a commercial car wash once a week for three years, its use in automotive sun roofs, followed by side window glazing, is assured. Windshield applications could follow.

This breakthrough technology will offer immense weight savings and thus significant fuel efficiencies since PC ...
Sales & Marketing
Analyze Customer Needs and the Resources You Need to Meet Them
Mike Emerson and Mike Marks of Indian River Consulting Group recently presented "Sales Force Compensation: Best Practices in Tough Times" in a free MDM Webcast sponsored by Sage. Emerson wrote a followup article for MDM, Align Selling Resources to the Market. In the article, published in the April 25, 2009, issue of MDM (found here), he encourages distributors to take a closer look at their customer base to determine what type of sales resource is appropriate for each customer based on that customer's needs.

For example, customers that require assistance when selected products need active involvement, while those that use internal capabilities to select products need passive involvement on the part of the distributor. ...
Features
Align Selling Resources to the Market
For distributors who have had to implement reductions to their sales force, there is a legitimate concern that as the number of salespeople go down, so will revenues. A three-step process exists to help mitigate these potential effects.
 
One question many distributors are asking is, How can I reduce costs without losing sales?
 
The answer: "Align your selling resources more closely with the market."
 
Achieving this is not simple, but a proven three-step process for doing so does exist. The steps: Segment customers, utilize effective sales management practices, and ensure incentive structures are in alignment. This article will discuss the importance of each step and illustrate how the outcomes from each will enhance ...
Sales & Marketing
Green Opportunities in the Stimulus Package
The stimulus package passed in February is about more than just shoring up business-as-usual organizations, says Pembroke Consulting's Adam Fein. Fein identified more than $15 billion that has been allocated to enhance or create green projects on the state and federal level - a significant increase over previous funding. For example, state energy programs will receive $3.1 billion dollars - a funding jump of 70% over 2008.
 
This new funding can be a boon for distributors, particularly those that service the electrical and homebuilding/renovation sectors. Money will flow into projects for weatherization - anything from rewiring to insulation - and for improving the smart grid.
 
States and municipalities are still trying ...
Sales & Marketing
Commentary: Be the Right Answer for Your Customers
There's an old joke about a headache going away because you stopped hitting your head with a hammer. That's one way to view the few pieces of good economic news trickling out over the past four weeks. Most analysts are getting excited because certain economic indicators are not falling as fast as they were.
 
Whether we have hit bottom is still wild speculation. The important thing is that these signs of hope are necessary precursors to a recovery. We have to wait to see if they are real. It's encouraging that the first wave of good and less-bad news at the end of March has been more or less sustained into mid-April. Even the steel industry and the deep pit it has been in has started to look better. And this week's market and positive earnings reports ...
Sales & Marketing
Castrol Industrial Streamlining U.S. Manufacturing and Distribution
Castrol Industrial North America Inc., Naperville, IL, is implementing changes designed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its North American manufacturing, storage and distribution operations.
 
The sharp economic downturn is having a significant impact on many of our customers says Dave Fuerst, president. "It is crucial for us to continue driving our own efficiency efforts to be competitive in the marketplace."
 
Among the changes announced was the consolidation of manufacturing operations at Castrol's Warminster, PA site, which will drive further scale and procurement efficiencies for the business and create a world-scale industrial fluid manufacturing and supply operation. Castrol will close a smaller manufacturing ...
Research & Analytics
Dell Computer Recognizes Value of Selling Through Distributors
Dell Computer Inc. seems to recognize the value of wholesaler-distributors in expanding its reach in the small and medium-sized business markets. The build-to-order computer giant will be working with Ingram Micro Inc. and Tech Data Corp. to target new customers in those markets, according to this article at itchannelplanet.com.
 
At first, Dell will provide the distributors with desktops and a few notebooks from its Vostro line, as well as some monitors and limited hardware warranties. Down the road, the computer-maker may expand the products offered through distribution.
 
Ingram Micro President Keith Bradley said in <a ...
Research & Analytics
Survey: Two-thirds of Respondents Will Negotiate More SPAs
A recent industry survey looked at Special Pricing Allowances. According to the survey by Allen Ray Associates and Channel Marketing Group, about a third of distributor respondents have more than 250 individual SPA, customer-defined, agreements. Another 13.6% had more than 100 SPAs.
 
About two-thirds say that the number of SPAs they negotiate will increase. Just 9.1% feel that they will eventually have fewer SPA agreements.
 
Distributors in the survey ranked SPAs as a 7.64 on a scale of 1-10 in importance to their current and future profitability.
 
"SPAs can be a competitive advantage for manufacturers and distributors to take market share when appropriately used," Allen Ray says. "The key is distributors claiming their funds to ensure ...
Sales & Marketing
Commentary: New Opportunities for New Models
Amazon.com surprised everyone in late January when it announced North American revenues were up 18 percent for the fourth quarter of 2008, and its earnings grew almost 10 percent compared to the year earlier fourth quarter. Worldwide sales of electronics and other general merchandise sales grew 31% to $2.89 billion for the quarter.
 
One aspect of Amazon's success was that they had a successful new product that generated a lot of interest and did well: the Kindle electronic book reader.
 
What does that have to do with distributors? I think there are several important lessons for distributors when you start to look beyond the numbers. To start, last quarter was the worst holiday shopping season in decades for traditional retail across all categories. ...
Economic Trends
Evolving Sales Force and Process in 2009
Companies of all types have made tough cuts in the past two months, and have focused on tightening the ship for 2009. Every business activity has to have a clear ROI this year and many entrenched business models are coming under fire. In a survey of the MDM audience on profitability earlier this month, distributors indicate primary investment areas this year will be in new market development, online sales capabilities, and in outside sales activities.
 
While some people might think hybrids are the hope of the automotive industry, I think we will see distributors increasingly build more efficient hybrid sales models. Resource-guzzling outside salespeople won't make the cut this year. Companies will get much more strategic about assembling a combination of online sales ...
Technology
Commentary: Email as a Marketing Weapon
Some distributors have been reluctant to deploy and train their employees on email because it carries technical and management issues with how to use it appropriately and effectively.
 
It's time to rethink email as a tool. Email does not Spam people; people Spam people. Your competitors are using email to not only reach your customers, but they are using it as the most efficient and cost-effective way to reach your customers. Can you say the same? If you argue that your customers don't spend time online, it may be true that they don't visit your Web site to shop for their supplies. But do they use email? Do they have mobile devices?
 
Email marketing expertise and tools are evolving at a fast rate. Some distributors are able to segment their email database into key ...
Sales & Marketing
Value-Added Selling: Why Aren’t Customers Responding?
Value-added selling has certainly been a buzz word, and very few would argue that doing value-added selling well can be a challenge, especially if a competitor is selling essentially the same product.
 
A recent blog on Inc.com addresses this challenge:
 
"Despite the overuse and misunderstanding of the 'V' word in recent years, selling organizations have received the message: The one and only thing customers really want to know is, 'What is the value to me if I buy from you?' If everyone got the message and the value strategy is in play, why aren't customers responding? At the same time, why are sales cycle times lengthening, the number of 'no decisions' increasing, ...
Sales & Marketing
Translating New Sales Incentive Plans Into Practice
In this era of uncertainty, how to best incentivize a sales force is likely top of mind for many distributors. A recent article at inc.com talks about the sins of commissions," and how sometimes, incentive plans devised in the corporate office don't always translate on the ground floor level.
 
Here's the link to that article.
 
The author quotes Harvard Business School professor Robert Austin, author of Measuring and Managing Performance in Organizations. He says that when you try to measure people's performance, you must take into account how they will react. A quote from ...
Technology
Pricing Software Grows in Distribution

This article looks at the growing market for pricing software in distribution.

For many distributors, managing inventory through software was a significant shift in how they viewed the strategic use of technology. Next up: Pricing.

Thanks to economic uncertainty and volatile costs, pricing is top of mind for many distributors right now as a strategy to preserve and expand gross margin. "The way I think of it is this: In the old days, distributors learned how to manage their inventory using computer systems," says Tim Reynolds, president of Tribute Inc., a software provider to fluid power and hose distributors that also provides a pricing function. "If you have 20,000 SKUs, you can't do it in ...

Technology
How to Counter Objections to CRM
This article looks at how to best communicate the benefits of CRM to your sales force.
 
According to the best research I can find, roughly two-thirds of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementations fail. How can this be? After so many years, why haven't sales leaders and CRM vendors figured this out?
 
On days when my patience is running short, my list of three CRM-Killers consists of resistance to change, intellectual laziness and fear of being exposed as not quite the sales superstar everybody thinks I am. On one level, this is right on target, and as a member of a sales team, you'll be well-served to keep this 2X4 upside the head"style list in mind.
 
At a more pragmatic level, though, it's more helpful to think in terms of ...
Sales & Marketing
Keeping the Sales Force Motivated – Even When Sales Fall
A recent article at inc.com says that the best way to boost sales force morale is to make "tough strategic choices" -not through benevolence. The article gives the example of IVO Appliance, a $12 million company that sells computer server systems that let employees access corporate software via the Web. One of the company's executives saw that the salespeople were "spinning their wheels" when sales fell in previous downturns. He tells the magazine: "You can completely demoralize a salesperson if they're selling in a segment that's doing poorly, no matter what you do. It's harder to get prospects and it's a longer sales cycle." Eventually, reps make fewer phone calls when they should be ...
Sales & Marketing
Educating the Competition on Pricing
Here's one potential downside, if you want to call it that, to adjusting your pricing strategy: It makes it more difficult to sell against competitors who may not have taken that route. One of the comments that stuck out in my interviews for the recent pricing article in the Aug. 10, 2008, issue of MDM, Pricing for Profitability, was that poor pricing practices can cause not only an erosion of margins at a single company but in an entire market.

As Robert Graham, president of Engine Warehouse, Houston, TX, told me: "We don't have exclusivity on every line we sell. We have exclusivity on some, but on other product lines, we have competitors selling the same product and offering similar services, and they are ...
Operations
Succession Planning: Positioning for the Future

The growing worker shortage and ongoing consolidation story have placed distribution at a crossroads, and only the companies that adequately groom the next generation of C-suite executives will flourish. This article examines the challenges companies face regarding developing a succession plan and first steps to overcoming those hurdles.

This article includes:

  • Using the company's vision to form a strategy
  • Talent acquisition and retention
  • Advice from distribution industry executives

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • Training, Technology Take Front Seat in Employee Retention Strategies
  • Making the Case for Social Media in B2B
  • College Recruiting: Go Beyond Career Fairs
Analytics
Technology
Use & Abuse of Customer Profitability Analytics

Distributors are increasingly aware of the need to understand customer profitability, and more tools are available than ever before to help with this process. This article examines how to deploy profitability tools and how to avoid making critical business mistakes in the process.This is the first article in a three-part series on customer profitability analytics.

This article includes:

  • Explanation of activity-based costing
  • Sources of material inaccuracy
  • Accurately measuring selling costs

Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • MDM Interview: Redefining Competitive Advantage
  • Tackling the Profitability Yo-Yo
  • Commentary: Analyzing Analytics
Finance
Fourth Quarter 2014 Financial Metrics & Trading Multiples

In this two-page report, available to download in PDF after log-in, we feature data on merger and acquisition trends and financial metrics for the largest publicly traded distributors across diverse sectors in the fourth quarter of 2014.

In partnership with Houlihan Lokey, an investment banking firm, the report includes data on M&A activity trends across all industries (not just distribution), as well as valuation multiples for deals in all industries.

SocialMedia
Technology
Making the Case for Social Media in B2B

With the right plan in place, a broad social media campaign can attract younger workers while also strengthening a companys brand and bottom line. But many distributors still doubt the effectiveness of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as channels for building business, a perception that could be costly in the long run.

This article includes:

  • The importance of social media
  • Using social media to connect with millennials
  • Advice on using social media effectively

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • Overcoming a Technology Deficit
  • Manufacturings Millennial Dilemma
  • 7 Key Investments to Grow Online Revenue
2015
Economic Trends
Top 10 Trends to Watch in 2015

This article, based on the 2014 MDM Industry Outlook Survey, outlines and analyzes key trends and issues affecting how distributors will do business in 2015.

This article includes:

  • E-commerce and other technology challenges.
  • Finding and training "qualified workers."
  • Port slowdown causing inventory management disruptions.

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • 7 Key Investments to Grow Online Revenue
  • Manufacturings Millennial Dilemma
  • Deadline for Chemical Label Changes Looms
chemical-labeling
Research & Analytics
Deadline for Chemical Label Changes Looms

New rules regarding labeling and hazard communications for chemicals will go into effect over the next year, but many questions remain on what the rules mean for distributors. This article examines the new requirements and provides tips for ensuring compliance.

This article includes:

  • Problems associated with new rules
  • The new standardized pictogram for labels
  • Tips to overcoming key challenges

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • The Critical Role of Employee Training
  • Disasters Can and Will Happen
  • How Leaders Can Drive Company Culture
Human Resources in Wholesale Distribution
Manufacturing’s Millennial Dilemma

Recruiting new talent into the manufacturing industry isnt a new challenge, but a new study from ThomasNet highlights that part of the challenge is internal: Companies arent recruiting millennials as actively as they think they are and they have misconceptions that prevent them from doing so. This article examines what that means for manufacturing.

This article includes:

  • Problems associated with recruiting
  • How to get millennials interested in the industry
  • Where to find prospective employees

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • Making Money With Smaller Customers
  • College Recruiting Best Practices
  • Robots and Drones in Distribution
Finance
Commentary: IDG’s Journey to Sonepar

Sonepar’s acquisition of Industrial Distribution Group is, in many ways, an end mark on a 20-year timeline of industry trends, challenges and shifts, all rolled into one deal. Where shall we begin? The best place is back to the future.

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • Disruptive Technologies: Behind the Drivers of Driverless Delivery
  • Trends Snapshot: Electrical Distribution
  • Global Competition on a Local Level
Human Resources in Wholesale Distribution
The Critical Role of Employee Training

A distributor that doesn’t provide training opportunities for its work force will get left behind in today’s competitive market. But training resources abound for wholesale distributors, including online, on-demand courses, giving companies of any size the chance to continuously educate their employees.

This article includes:

  • The need for training within the industry
  • Resources available for distributors
  • Training areas where distributors are laging

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • Making Money With Smaller Customers
  • College Recruiting Best Practices
  • Robots and Drones in Distribution
Economic Trends
MDM Industrial Inflation Index: June 2016

Modern Distribution Management's monthly Industrial Inflation Index measures a cross-section of industrial supplies.

This index includes:

  • Abrasives Products
  • Cutting Tools
  • Power Transmission Equipment
  • Fasteners
  • Valves, etc.
  • Power Tools
  • Material Handling Equipment
  • Belting
  • Hand Tools
  • Misc. Metal

Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • MDM Pricing Trends Report: Second Quarter 2016
  • 2016 State of E-Commerce: E-Commerce Journey Continues
  • Market Snapshot: Tool Storage Market Demand in the United States
Economic Trends
MDM Pricing Trends Report: Second Quarter 2016

This report is researched and produced by MDM editors. View the First Quarter 2016 report here.

These product groups provide a snapshot of inflation trends based on the Producer Price Index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Second quarter 2016 pricing levels are compared with first quarter 2016 and second quarter 2015.

To view this report, log-in and click on download link below the product listing to access the print-ready PDF.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for immediate access.

Industrial

  • Abrasives
  • Adhesives & Sealants
  • Metal Cutting Machine Tools
  • Metal Forming Machine Tools
  • Pumps, Compressors, & Eqmt
  • Ind. Material Handling Eqmt
  • Rubber & Plastic Hose
  • Rubber & Plastic Belts & Belting
  • Ind. Rubber Products, nec
  • Metal Valves (not fluid power)
  • Personal Safety Equipment & Clothing
  • Steel Mill Products

Construction

  • Softwood Lumber
  • Hardwood Lumber
  • General Millwork
  • Gypsum Products
  • Hardboard, Particlebd, Fiberbd
  • Plywood
  • Plastic Construction Products
  • Wood Ties, Siding, Shingles,
  • Shakes

Electrical

  • Electrical Machinery & Eqmt
  • Electronic Components & Accs
  • Integrating and Measuring Instruments
  • Motors & Generators
  • Wiring Devices
  • Transformers & Power Regulators
  • Switchgear, Switchboard, etc., Eqmt
  • Communications & Related Eqmt
  • Electric Lamp Bulbs & Parts

Other Related Electrical

  • Lighting Fixtures
  • Nonferrous Wire & Cable
  • Fabricated Ferrous Wire & Cable

Power Transmission/Bearing

  • Mechanical Power Transmission Eqmt
  • Ball & Roller Bearings
  • Plain Bearings & Bushings
  • Speed Changers, Drives & Gears

Fluid Power

  • Fluid Power Eqmt
  • Fluid Power Valves
  • Fluid Power Hose/ Tube Fittings
  • Fluid Power Pumps & Parts
  • Fluid Power Actuators/ Accum/ Cylinders

Plastics

  • Plastic Resins & Materials
  • Plastic Products (Overall)

Fasteners

  • Nuts, Bolts, Screws, Rivets, Washers (overall)
  • Aircraft Fasteners
  • Externally Threaded Fasteners
  • Internally Threaded Fasteners
  • Nonthreaded Metal Fasteners

Hardware

  • Hardware (overall)
  • Builders’ Hardware

Tools

  • Hand & Edge Tools
  • Power-Driven Hand Tools
  • Tools, Dies, Jigs, Molds, Fixtures
  • Cutting Tools & Accs (overall)
  • Precision Measuring Tools
  • Small Cutting Tools

Gases/Welding

  • Industrial Gases
  • Welding Machinery/ Equipment

Paper

  • Pulp, Paper & Allied Products (overall)
  • Sanitary Paper Products
  • Boxes
  • Packaging Products from Plastic

HVACR/Plumbing

  • Air Cond. & Refrigeration Eqmt
  • Heating Eqmt
  • Plumbing Fixtures & Fittings

To view this report, log-in and click on Download pdf below the product listing.

Research & Analytics
M&A in Distribution, Part 2: Navigating the M&A Landscape

With M&A poised for a strong finish this year, distributors on either side of a deal should strategically prepare now for the opportunities that will arise. Buyers must carefully examine how a targeted asset fits, and sellers must ensure maximum value before entertaining offers.

This article includes:

  • Strategies for sellers to get maximum value
  • What buyers should look for in an asset
  • M&A pitfalls to avoid

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • M&A in Distribution, Part 1: M&A Mirrors Economy
  • Industry ‘Muddling Along’ in 2016
  • A Growing Competitive Threat
Technology
Mind the Training Gap for Negotiation

Distributors lag when it comes to follow-up or reinforcement training, and they woefully lack in negotiation training, even though a major part of a buyer’s role is negotiating with vendors. This article, based on the results of a recent Real Results Marketing survey, further examines the challenges distributors face around providing training.

This article is part three in our ongoing series on training in distribution. Part one looked at how distributors can shift their thinking about training, and part two examined the challenges distributors face around providing training

This article includes:

  • Why negotiation training is critical
  • The importance of viewing training in a new light
  • Training tools and techniques

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • The Critical Role of Employee Training
  • How to Overcome Training Challenges
  • Training, Technology Take Front Seat in Employee Retention Strategies
MA_toolstorage
Economic Trends
Market Snapshot: Tool Storage Market Demand in the United States

The MDM Market Snapshot, based on data from MDM Analytics, includes market demand for Tool Storage (portable tool boxes and drawer chests) by end user in the U.S., plus the top end users by 6-digit NAICS.

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • Industry Muddling Along in 2016
  • Market Snapshot: Fluid Power Consumption in the United States
  • MDM Pricing Trends Report: First Quarter 2016
Economic Trends
Industry ‘Muddling Along’ in 2016

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

With the forgettable first half of 2016 now behind them, distributors hope to bid farewell to a tepid sales climate that has stunted industry growth since late last year.

This article includes:

  • An overview of distributor revenue
  • How distributors are adapting to economic conditions
  • Insights from industry executives on economic trends

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

Technology
Customer Engagement: Don’t Be Amazon

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

The B2C shopping concept, in which people can get anything they need anytime they want it, is clearly influencing B2B buying. But a distributors customer has certain needs from superior product knowledge to service and sales reps available to answer phone calls that the Amazon experience cant provide.

This article includes:

  • Why a customer-focused experience is better than an "Amazon experience"
  • How distributors are improving their customer experiences
  • Tips for shifting your focus from products to customers

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

Economic Trends
A Growing Competitive Threat

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

It used to be that the largest distributors were the biggest threats to small ones. Their ability to outspend other players in technology and growth allowed them to eat up market share across geographies, but new technology and customer expectations have changed the competitive landscape.

This article includes:

  • How technology is growing the reach of smaller distributors
  • Innovative supply chain solutions that grow market share
  • Other strategies distributors are using to gain competitive advantage

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

2016TrendsHRCost
Economic Trends
Reduce HR Cost Pressure

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

For the next generation workforce, pay is still important, but the benefits that come with a position from health insurance to career development programs are just as important, if not more so. As a result of that and new or changing regulations, the cost of employment keeps rising.

This article includes:

  • Why offering health insurance and other benefits is so important
  • An overview of HR costs and challenges
  • Ways to combat the cost of providing benefits

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

Economic Trends
5 Tips to Reduce the Cost of Employment

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

While increased costs related to employment may seem inevitable, you can take steps to mitigate the impact to your company’s bottom line. Here are five tips from Nancye Combs, president and CEO of HR Enterprise, a human resources consulting firm in Louisville, KY, on how to manage the rising cost of employment.

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

2016TrendsIncreaseROIwithTech
Technology
Increase ROI from Existing Technology

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

Companies that dont have the right technology in place or dont optimize their current capabilities are leaving dollars on the table. But a renewed focus on getting the most out of existing systems can yield numerous benefits.

This article includes:

  • Ways to optimize existing technology
  • Benefits of improving current systems
  • The importance of viewing technology as an evolution

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

Technology
New Tech Disrupts Supply Chain

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

The proliferation of mobility and growth in the use of sensors is driving connectivity in the consumer and business worlds. Distributors have increasingly embraced the role of mobile in purchasing, leading to more focus on creating mobile-friendly websites. But the practical role of these devices also continues to grow.

This article includes:

  • How distributors are using new tech to improve the supply chain
  • Why mobility and sensors are important
  • What to expect from new tech in the future

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

2016TrendsMarketing
Technology
Differentiate with Strategic Marketing

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

Although marketing has grown in importance for distributors over the last year, most dont realize the crucial role it plays in gaining a competitive advantage.

This article includes:

  • How distributors are using strategic marketing to differentiate
  • Key marketing investments to stay competitive
  • Marketing challenges and tips to overcome them

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

Technology
Other Trends to Watch

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

MDM identified a handful of other distribution trends to watch for the rest of 2016 and into next year. Look for stories on these and other topics relevant to the industry in future issues of MDM Premium and at mdm.com.

Other trends include:

  • Mobile mania
  • Cross training on the rise
  • IT emerging from the shadows

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

2016MarketMoverActionHealth
Economic Trends
Tech Sparks Transformation of Action Health

This article is part of MDM's 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

Bensenville, IL-based health care packaging distributor Action Health was selected as a 2016 MDM Market Mover for its innovative approach for adapting to the new low-margin reality of its market.

Subscribers should log in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2016 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

Investment Banking Directory

Work with a banking partner that knows your business. Get detailed information on investment banks with expertise in the wholesale distribution industry.

Learn More
Featured Content

SHIFT 2023 Playbook

As distribution leaders constantly seek educational resources on business transformation, technology optimization and talent…

Data-Driven Decisions: Opportunities and Challenges in the Data Revolution

Distributors of all sizes and in all verticals are ambitiously investing in data capabilities…

Elevate Your Sales Game: The Ultimate CRM Playbook for Distributors

Customer expectations are evolving, buying behavior is shifting, and competition has become more intense….

What It Takes to Embrace AI in Distribution for Next-level Business Success

Find out how wholesale distribution executives in various stages of adoption have practically applied…
Go to Library

Market Prospector

  • Build strategic sales plans.

  • Determine market and demand.

  • Create smart prospect lists. 

Turn your sales data into actionable data with Market Prospector.  A web-based SAAS tool that gives you insight into your market, your territories, your customers and new prospects too. 

Learn More

Sign Up for the MDM Update Newsletter

Our daily newsletter is your best source for news and trends in the wholesale distribution industry.

Sign Up

Get the MDM Update Newsletter

Wholesale distribution news and trends delivered right to your inbox.

Sign-up for our free newsletter and get:

  • Up-to-date news in a quick-to-read format
  • Free access to webcasts, podcasts and live events
  • Exclusive whitepapers, research and reports
  • And more!

Register for full access

By providing your email, you agree to receive announcements from us and our partners for our newsletter, events, surveys, and partner resources per MDM Terms & Conditions. You can withdraw consent at any time.

Learn More about Custom Reports

Request a Market Prospector Demo

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.