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Tech & Operations

How Foodservice Distribution Became the Proving Ground for Autonomous Trucks

While long-haul autonomous trucking giants chased highways, one company has found the sweet spot in foodservice distribution operations. We explore the potential of self-driving trucks in MDM’s Logistics Liaison series.

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Strategy

LINC Systems’ Transformation Levers: Sales, Digital & Data Analytics

Data & Analytics

The Analytics Attribution Breakthrough: Building on Bedrock

Economic Trends

MDM Forecast: June 2025 Update

Strategy

Inside LINC Systems’ Growth Platform Strategy

Data & Analytics

Distribution’s Analytics Imperative: Becoming the Disruptor in a Disruptive Market

Tariffs

Analysis: Major Distributors Eye Diversification and Decoupling from China

Sales Compensation

SHIFT Insights: Align Comp with Strategy, Not Just Sales

Mergers & Acquisitions

May M&A Roundup: Slight Rebound, But Still Behind 2024 Pace

Tariffs

How Rockstar CFOs Master Tariff Turbulence, Pt. 2

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK REPORTS

MDM 1Q25 Forecast Report

This comprehensive MDM 1Q25 Forecast is a guide to the industrial economy for wholesale distribution executives, providing a historical, current and future snapshot of numerous key economic indicators in one convenient place.

2024 Annual MDM Economic Outlook

Our 2024 EOR is a comprehensive economic reference guide to the U.S. wholesale distribution industry and its many different verticals. It is comprised of 20 different subreports.

Premium Monthly

MDM May 2025 Premium Monthly

This issue’s content is packed with articles that cover demand for warehouse space; a deep dive on ADI Global Distribution; cash flow red flags and how to get ahead of them; how rockstar CFOs master tariffs; QXO’s plans to transform Beacon; and our monthly MDM Forecast and M&A Roundup.

Market Insight Reports

MDM 1Q25 MarketPulse Report

MDM’s 1Q25 MarketPulse Report consists of the quarterly results, analysis and commentary from the Baird-MDM Industrial Distribution Survey that explored revenue performance, pricing and expectations for the current quarter and rest-of-year.

MDM 1Q25 M&A Report

See our new breakdown of M&A activity by product category, the latest EBITDA trading multiples for 30 top industrial distributors, and our detailed recap of dealmaking activity during January-March, which was notably subdued compared to previous quarters.

Case Studies

MDM Case Study: MSC Industrial Supply

The metalworking and MRO supplies distributor has successfully transitioned from a catalog-driven product house that relied on spot-buys to its role today as a digitally-driven, “Mission Critical” company. Here’s how.

MDM Case Study: Watsco

Watsco has achieved a marketing-leading position in HVACR distribution through a combination of deep supplier partnerships, a buy-and-build philosophy and a technology-first mindset. We examine the company’s recent evolution and where it’s going.

Economic Trends

Machine Tool Consumption Down 12% From October

November U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $335.02 million, according to AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association, and AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology.

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This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was down 12.3% from October, but up 32.7% from the total of $252.38 million reported for November 2005. With a year-to-date total of $3,549.90 million, 2006 was up 29.4% compared with 2005.

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These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTC program.

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Though below the exceptional September peak, the November results continue to show strong purchases of advanced …

Electrical

Hagemeyer Acquires Belgian Distributor

Hagemeyer has acquired BREVA, an electrical wholesaler-distributor of MRO products in Belgium. About 70% of BREVA’s sales go to industrial customers.

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The acquisition provides Hagemeyer an entrance to the Belgian market and will allow Hagemeyer to serve the Belgian subsidiaries of its large global industrial customers.

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BREVA is headquartered in Zonhoven, Belgium.

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Hagemeyer has had revenues of &nbsp ; 4.6 billion in the first nine months of 2006. More than 90% of Hagemeyer’s total revenue is generated by its core Professional Products and Services, which focuses on the value-added business-to-business distribution of electrical parts and supplies, safety and other Maintenance, Repair and Operations products in …

Companies

HD Supply to Buy Sioux Pipe

HD Supply Waterworks, a subsidiary of The Home Depot, has agreed to acquire Sioux Pipe, Inc., a water and sewer distributor with two locations in South Dakota.

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With the addition of Sioux Pipe, HD Supply Waterworks creates a presence in South Dakota.

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HD Supply Waterworks supplies products in building, repairing and maintaining water and wastewater systems. It is part of HD Supply, Home Depot’s wholesale division.

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Electrical

Cooper Electric Buys Fairview Electrical Supply

Cooper Electric Supply Co., Tinton Falls, NJ, has acquired Fairview Electrical Supply Corp., Fairview, NJ.

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Cooper Electric serves the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania markets. This acquisition increases its presence to 30 locations in the tri-state area.

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Fairview Electrical Supply Co. is in Northern New Jersey with a customer footprint in both New Jersey and New York.

More Breaking …

Electrical

Border States Buys Minnesota Electric Supply

Border States, Fargo, ND, has agreed to buy Minnesota Electric Supply Company, a full line provider of electrical products with eight locations in Minnesota and more than 3,000 customers.

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According to Electrical Wholesaling’s top 200, Border States had 2005 revenues of $601 million, and Minnesota Electric had sales of $78.3 million.

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Border States provides products and services to the construction, industrial, utility and data communications markets. The combined organization will have more than 1,200 employees and 51 branch operations in 11 states and Mexico.

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More Breaking News

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Companies

Sonepar Acquires Crawford Electric Supply

Sonepar USA, Philadelphia, PA, has acquired Dallas, TX-based Crawford Electric Supply Company, Ltd. Crawford Electric had sales of $175 million in 2005, according to Electrical Wholesaling’s 2006 top 200 issue.

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The acquisition extends Sonepar USA’s reach into the fast-growing Texas market.

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Crawford has locations in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. The company offers electrical and lighting products to commercial and residential contractors.

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The purchase is Sonepar USA’s seventh acquisition in less than two years. Consistent with all Sonepar USA acquisitions, CESCO will retain its brand identity and autonomy.

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Sonepar USA is a member of the Sonepar group – a global …

Finance

Air Products to Buy European Gases Supplier for $481M

Air Products, Lehigh Valley, PA, has agreed to acquire the industrial gas business of Central Europe-based BOC Gazy Sp z o.o. from Linde Gas for 370 million euros (US$481 million).&nbsp ;

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For regulatory purposes, BOC Gazy was required to be sold by Linde as a result of its purchase of The BOC Group plc in September 2006.

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The BOC Gazy business had fiscal year 2006 sales of 126 million euros ($164&nbsp ; million).&nbsp ; The business has 750&nbsp ; employees, five industrial gas plants and six cylinder transfills serving customers across a diverse range of industries, including chemicals, steel and base metals, among others.

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“We’re taking advantage of a unique opportunity to become the number one industrial …

Free

Strategic Distribution to Go Private

Strategic Distribution, Inc., Bristol, PA, has agreed to be bought out by Platinum Equity for $30 million.

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The transaction is expected to be complete by the end of March. The deal stipulates that Strategic Distribution will merge with Project Eagle Holding Corp. and Project Eagle Merger Corp., each a Platinum Equity portfolio company.

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The MRO distributor reported revenues of $136.9 million in 2005 and a net loss of $3.4 million. Its numbers haven’t improved much in fiscal 2006, with the company recording losses in the first and second quarter, and a slight gain of $0.2 million in the third.

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In November, Strategic announced its board of directors had received a letter from the board’s Chairman William R. Berkley, …

Companies

MSC Industrial Sales Grow 35.9% in 1Q

MSC Industrial Direct Inc., Melville, NY, distributor of MRO supplies to industrial customers, reported sales of $402 million for the first quarter 2007, an increase of 35.9% from the same period in fiscal 2006. Profit increased 26.2% to $40.3 million from the year-ago period.

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J & L Industrial Supply, purchased from Kennametal last year, accounted for two-thirds of the growth. CEO David Sandler said the integration of J & L is going as planned, and that MSC should be able to generate the forecasted $20 million in margin improvements and cost savings that was originally anticipated.

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A conference call regarding the first quarter results and current operations is available at&nbsp ; <A href=http://www.mscdirect.com/" target=_blank ...

Economic Trends

Canadian Industrial Price Index Unchanged in November

Prices for manufactured goods in Canada remained unchanged for a second consecutive month in November, while prices for raw materials increased after three months of significant declines.

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Prices charged by manufacturers, as measured by the Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI), were unchanged from October to November, as downward pressure from declining petroleum prices eased. Lower prices for primary metal products and petroleum products were offset by higher prices for chemical products, fruit, vegetables and feed products and pulp and paper products.

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The 12-month change in the IPPI was up&nbsp ; 1.9%, a higher rate of growth compared to the year-over-year increase of&nbsp ; 1.2% in October. Upward pressure came mainly from higher …

Finance

Ellison Technologies Acquires Jackson Machinery

Ellison Technologies, Inc., Cleveland, OH, provider of engineered systems and industrial equipment to metal-working and metal-cutting manufacturers, has acquired Jackson Machinery Company, a privately held distributor based outside of Cleveland.The acquisition provides Ellison a stronger position in northern Ohio, a strong manufacturing base. The area includes major industrial markets such as Cleveland, Akron-Canton, Mansfield, Youngstown and Toledo. Industries represented include aerospace, automotive, agricultural, medical, and energy. Processes used include high-speed and multi-axis machining, robotic automation, continuous flow, and setup reduction. Until being acquired, Jackson Machinery was an exclusive dealer of Mori Seiki products and sub-dealer to Mori Mid-America Sales, …

Building Materials/Construction

Construction Spending Generally Flat Oct.-Nov.

Construction spending during November 2006 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,184.1 billion, 0.2 percent below the revised October estimate of $1,186.7 billion. The November figure is 0.1 percent above the November 2005 estimate of $1,183.1 billion.

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During the first 11 months of this year, construction spending amounted to $1,110.5 billion, 5.4 percent above the $1,053.4 billion for the same period in 2005.

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Private Construction

Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $905.8 billion, 0.6 percent below the revised October estimate of $911.0 billion. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $589.3 billion in November, 1.6 percent …

Companies

Airgas Buys Refrigerant Supplier

Airgas, Inc., Radnor, PA, has acquired CFC Refimax, LLC, a full-service refrigerant supplier and reclamation company based in Atlanta, GA.&nbsp ; The business, which has about 50 employees, had about $21 million in annual sales in 2006.

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Refimax has been integrated into Airgas Specialty Products, national distributor of ammonia products and services, various process chemicals, and refrigerants. Airgas Specialty Products is part of the Gas Operations Division, which also includes Airgas Carbonic and Dry Ice, and Airgas Nitrous Oxide.&nbsp ;

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Refimax has operations in Atlanta and Houston, and five third-party distribution warehouse locations in York, PA; Reno, NV; Indianapolis, IN; New Orleans, LA; and Dallas, TX. …

Finance

Kennametal to Buy Federal Signal’s Cutting Tool Business

Kennametal Inc., Latrobe, PA, has agreed to acquire Federal Signal Corporation’s cutting tool business comprised of Manchester Tool Company, ClappDiCO Corporation and On Time Machine, Inc. for $67 million.

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With annual sales of about $40 million, Federal Signal Corporation’s cutting tool business produces, markets and services super hard polycrystalline diamond and cubic boron nitride cutting tools, tool holding systems and certain specialized turning tools which are complementary to Kennametal’s product range.

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Kennametal says the acquisition is consistent with its growth strategy and with the company’s previously stated intentions for the use of cash.

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We …

Free

Home Depot CEO Nardelli Resigns

The Home Depot’s Bob Nardelli has resigned from his posts as president, CEO and chairman of the board as of Jan. 2, 2007. Frank Blake, the company’s executive vice president, succeeds him.

The move comes amid criticism from investors over Nardelli’s pay and slow stock gains during his reign.

The board also announced that CFO Carol Tome and head of the wholesale division, Joe DeAngelo, will be assuming additional responsibilities. Tome will be assuming responsibility for mergers and acquisitions, credit services and additional strategic responsibilities. DeAngelo was appointed to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer. In this position, DeAngelo will continue to oversee HD Supply and will assume additional responsibilities for the retail …

Finance

Praxair Buys Blue Rhino Assets in Canada

Praxair Distribution, Danbury, CT, a division of Praxair Canada Inc., has acquired the Canadian propane tank-exchange business of Blue Rhino, a Ferrellgas Partners L.P. company.

Under the agreement, Praxair acquired more than 900 propane tank-exchange display cages at retail locations across Canada. In addition, it will take over the contract to supply more than 300 retail gasoline stations belonging to Shell Canada Products with 20-pound propane tanks for their exchange program. In conjunction with this transaction, Praxair also signed a distributor agreement with Superior Tank Incorporated. Superior Tank will serve Praxair’s propane tank-exchange customers in the Atlantic Provinces.

Previously, Praxair provided propane …

Economic Trends

Manufacturing Expands in December

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in December following a one-month decline, while the overall economy grew for the 62nd consecutive month, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.

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ISM reported that manufacturing proved resilient in December, as the PMI returned to growth registering 51.4 percent after a decline (under 50 percent) in November. Both New Orders and Production made significant gains to drive the PMI back above the breakeven point. Manufacturing employment remained relatively unchanged as the Employment Index shows a negligible change for the second consecutive month.

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The Prices Index is trending downward, relieving some of the inflationary pressure that …

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.

The Downtime Dilemma: How Proactive Training Reduces Risk and Improves Output

In plant environments and wholesale distribution, unplanned downtime doesn’t just delay projects, it jeopardizes…

Five Imperatives: How Distributors Can Maximize Value Today

Based on in-depth interviews with over 25 distribution leaders, a survey of 100 respondents,…

2025 Distributor Report: How Demand Generation Tools Activate Untapped Revenue Streams

Prokeep partnered with Channel Marketing Group to create these exclusive survey insights from distributors…

Building Contractor Loyalty

This multi-month research effort includes surveys, interviews, extensive publication scanning, and deep synthesis to…

Market Prospector

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How Foodservice Distribution Became the Proving Ground for Autonomous Trucks

LINC Systems’ Transformation Levers: Sales, Digital & Data Analytics

The Analytics Attribution Breakthrough: Building on Bedrock

MDM Forecast: June 2025 Update

Inside LINC Systems’ Growth Platform Strategy

Distribution’s Analytics Imperative: Becoming the Disruptor in a Disruptive Market

Analysis: Major Distributors Eye Diversification and Decoupling from China

SHIFT Insights: Align Comp with Strategy, Not Just Sales

May M&A Roundup: Slight Rebound, But Still Behind 2024 Pace

How Rockstar CFOs Master Tariff Turbulence, Pt. 2

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK REPORTS

MDM 1Q25 Forecast Report

2024 Annual MDM Economic Outlook

Premium Monthly

MDM May 2025 Premium Monthly

Market Insight Reports

MDM 1Q25 MarketPulse Report

MDM 1Q25 M&A Report

Case Studies

MDM Case Study: MSC Industrial Supply

MDM Case Study: Watsco

Investment Banking Directory

The Downtime Dilemma: How Proactive Training Reduces Risk and Improves Output

Five Imperatives: How Distributors Can Maximize Value Today

2025 Distributor Report: How Demand Generation Tools Activate Untapped Revenue Streams

Building Contractor Loyalty

Market Prospector

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