The Leading Source for Industrial Distribution News
Most Durable Goods Orders See Rise
September 24, 2010 5:12 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods fell by the largest amount in a year. But excluding the volatile transportation sector, orders posted their best showing in five months. The Commerce Department says that orders for durable goods dropped 1.3 percent last month, reflecting a huge drop in aircraft demand.
Initial Jobless Benefits Claims Rise For First Time In Five Weeks
September 23, 2010 5:04 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — The tally of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits rose last week for the first time in five weeks as the job market remains sluggish. Initial claims for jobless aid rose by 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 465,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.
Chrysler Suspends Workers Caught Boozing On The Job
September 23, 2010 4:55 am | News | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — Chrysler said it has suspended some plant workers caught by a Detroit television station drinking alcohol and smoking what appeared to be marijuana during breaks. Chrysler manufacturing chief Scott Garberding told WJBK-TV in a report that aired Wednesday night that the automaker identified some of the workers from Detroit's Jefferson North plant on tape and was pursuing the others.
HD Supply Honored For Innovative Use Of Business Technology
September 22, 2010 5:14 am | News | CommentsMONARCH BEACH, Calif. – HD Supply, a leading wholesale distribution company, providing a broad range of products and services to professional customers in the infrastructure & energy, maintenance, repair & improvement, and specialty construction markets, recently announced it has earned a spot on the 2010 InformationWeek 500 for the second consecutive year.
Unemployment Rises In 27 States
September 22, 2010 5:10 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — More than half of U.S. states saw their unemployment rates rise in August, the largest number in six months, as hiring weakened across the country. The jobless rate increased in 27 states last month, the Labor Department said Tuesday. It fell in 13 and was unchanged in 10 states and Washington, D.
Grainger Acquires Solus Securite Inc.
September 22, 2010 5:09 am | News | CommentsCHICAGO, -- Grainger recently announced that its Canadian subsidiary, Acklands-Grainger Inc., Canada's largest distributor of industrial, safety and fastener supplies, has purchased Solus Securite Inc. effective September 17, 2010. With 2009 sales of approximately C$20 million, Solus Securite is a leading fire protection and safety distributor in Quebec with locations in Trois Rivieres, Victoriaville, Montreal and Sorel.
Kaman Appoints Head Of Energy And Power Management Programs
September 22, 2010 5:05 am | News | CommentsWINDSOR, Conn. – Kaman Industrial Technologies Corporation announced today the appointment of Theodore (Ted) M. Clayton as Marketing Manager, Energy and Power Management Services reporting to David Mayer, Vice President, Marketing. Ted will oversee the company’s sales and marketing functions in the dynamic energy management field.
Will Anyone Win The Trade War?
September 21, 2010 11:33 am | Videos | CommentsThe United States and China are currently engaged in a contentious battle surrounding currency. But according to Cheng Siwei of the International Finance Forum, America's biggest problem has nothing to do with currency. Instead, it has everything to do with its high labor costs. Furthermore, he goes on to state that no one wins in a trade war between China and the U.
A Post-Brunch Wave Of Regret
September 21, 2010 7:18 am | by Anna Wells, Executive Editor, Industrial Distribution | Articles | CommentsA misinformed public can cause harm to themselves, but they can also cause intense hardship for the manufacturers and distributors of the products they choose to consume or boycott. This past weekend, I returned to eggs for the first time since the recall. After five weeks of brunch abstinence, I went back to my favorite local Southwestern restaurant for their breakfast quesadilla.
Safety Noncompliance Is A Major Problem
September 21, 2010 7:16 am | Articles | CommentsApproximately 98 percent of safety professionals surveyed in a study by Kimblerly-Clark Professional reported that workers in their organizations had at some point neglected to wear the necessary safety equipment while on the job. Nearly all of the safety professionals in a recently-released survey said that workers in their organizations had at some point failed to wear the necessary safety equipment while on the job.
Recession May Be Over For Some, But Not Everyone
September 21, 2010 5:35 am | by Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — It turns out the recession ended more than a year ago. Feeling better now? The panel that determines the timing of recessions concluded Monday that this one ended — technically, anyway — in June 2009, and lasted 18 months. The duration makes it the longest since World War II.
Former Volkswagen Exec Convicted In Corruption Scandal
September 21, 2010 5:29 am | News | CommentsBERLIN (AP) — A former personnel executive at Volkswagen AG's Skoda unit was convicted and given a suspended 10-month suspended prison sentence on Tuesday for his involvement in a corruption scandal at the German automaker. An administrative court in Wolfsburg, where VW is based, found Helmuth Schuster guilty of corruption, breach of trust and being an accessory to fraud in a case that involved an expensive sports car and a brothel visit, the German news agency DAPD reported.
A New Twist On Cables
September 20, 2010 9:04 am | Product Releases | Commentsigus (Providence, RI) has introduced twistable hybrid, bus, motor, and fiber-optic cables to its torsion-resistant Chainflex® robot cable range. The line includes 5 cables that feature a PUR outer jacket. CF-Robot 9 is a hybrid control cable that is available shielded or unshielded.
Don't Slip Up!
September 20, 2010 9:03 am | Product Releases | CommentsSuperior Manufacturing Group (Chicago, IL) introduces the Dura Trax™ series of anti-fatigue floor mats, which combine rubber top surface with a dense sponge backing. According to the company, the diamond-plate design offers greater slip resistance and is easy to sweep or mop clean.
Multiple Welding Options
September 20, 2010 9:02 am | Product Releases | CommentsMiller Electric Mfg. Co. (Appleton, WI) will showcase a wide range of new and welding products, technologies, and safety accessories at the FABTECH 2010 show. That show will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from November 2-4. The products include: FILTAIR™ SWX-Series wall-mounted fume extractor Big Blue® 400 Eco Pro welder generator Titanium™ Series heavy-duty welding helmets XR™ Control push-pull wire feeders WeldX™ protective apparel Dimension™ NT 450 WCC In addition those listed above, Miller will be unveiling several new products and technologies that are designed to increase welding productivity, reduce weld costs, and improve application adaptability.
Reliable And Durable
September 20, 2010 8:58 am | Product Releases | CommentsLubrizol (Cleveland, OH) now offers Corzan HP pipe and fittings. Available in sizes up to, and including, 8” diameter, Corzan HP pipe and fittings provide a natural immunity to pitting, scaling, and corrosion, as well as a lighter weight design. According to the company, the pipe has a pressure rating of at 180°F (82°C), and the HP fittings are pressure rated to the same rating as the pipe to make the Corzan HP system the first and only fully pressure rated schedule 40/80 piping system on the market today.
Boeing Plans To Amp Up 737 Production
September 20, 2010 5:30 am | by Joshua Freed, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Boeing Co. said on Thursday that it will increase production of its workhorse 737 to 38 per month. Boeing currently makes the planes at a rate of just over one a day and was planning to speed that up. The company said it will make 38 of the planes every month by the second quarter of 2013 because of strong customer demand.
NAHAD Names New President
September 20, 2010 5:29 am | News | CommentsAlex McGill, Vice President of McGill Hose & Coupling, Inc., was recently chosen as President of The Association for Hose and Accessories Distribution (NAHAD). McGill has been in the fluid handling business, and a member of NAHAD, since 2000. Founded in 1984, NAHAD provides its members with the latest information, ideas and insight to help run their businesses more successfully.
SupplyCore Inks Two Major Contract Extensions
September 16, 2010 4:25 am | News | CommentsROCKFORD, Ill. -- SupplyCore, a leading distributor of maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) materiel and related supply chain management and logistics services, has been awarded a one-year extension for their MRO Prime Vendor contracts for both the Southeast U.S. and the CENTCOM region. Under the Southeast U.
Grainger: August Sales Rose By 20 Percent Over Last Year
September 16, 2010 4:22 am | News | CommentsCHICAGO (AP) — W.W. Grainger Inc., a supplier of industrial maintenance and safety products, said Monday that daily sales in August rose 20 percent compared with a year ago. Results were helped by acquisitions. U.S. sales rose 15 percent and Canada sales rose 19 percent, the company said.
