The Leading Source for Industrial Distribution News
HD Supply Reports Sales Of $2 Billion For 2Q
September 16, 2010 4:19 am | News | CommentsATLANTA-- HD Supply today reported net sales for the 2010 fiscal second quarter ended August 1, 2010 of $2.0 billion, an increase of $1 million compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2009. Operating income for the fiscal second quarter of 2010 was $26 million, an increase of $7 million compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2009.
Airgas Plans To Contruct New Supply Plant In Tennessee
September 16, 2010 4:18 am | News | CommentsRADNOR, Pa. (AP) — Airgas Inc. said Tuesday it signed a contract to build an air-separation unit to supply gases to a silicon manufacturer in Tennessee. Financial terms were not disclosed. Airgas said it will supply nitrogen to Hemlock Semiconductor LLC, which is building a $1.2 billion facility to make silicon for semiconductors and solar cells.
Graybar Names New District VP For Seattle Region
September 16, 2010 4:13 am | News | CommentsSEATTLE – Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products and related supply chain management and logistics services, has appointed David Bender as its District Vice President for the company’s Seattle regional operations, effective Nov. 1, 2010.
Better Manage Warehouse Costs
September 15, 2010 10:40 am | Articles | CommentsWarehouse management is a critical component to the success of any industrial distributor. Understanding the technology that’s available, and identifying the right solutions to fit one’s business needs, can be a difficult task. Rick Register, President and COO of Cambar Solutions, a provider of warehouse management software, discussed the evolution of the industrial distribution marketplace, what warehouse management solutions are available to distributors, and the feedback those tools have received from distributors, in an interview with Industrial Distribution.
Redefining The Role Of Distributor
September 15, 2010 10:36 am | Articles | CommentsDespite the trend to move manufacturing offshore, Hartwig's knowledge resources remain in high demand. In 2006, Halliburton asked the company to provide a proposal detailing machine tool requirements for a new oil-field parts production plant being built in Malaysia. Rapid growth in the Far East market made Halliburton’s stateside manufacture-and-ship operations less efficient for serving the Asian market.
U.S. Industrial Production Sees Modest Jump
September 15, 2010 4:51 am | by Daniel Wagner, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Industrial production likely rose modestly in August as lower output at auto factories offset other gains. Economists expect that production at the nation's factories, mines and utilities grew 0.2 percent last month after a 1 percent rise in July. Unusually hot weather and strong initial manufacturing data suggest the number remained positive.
GM Recalls 400 Idled Union Workers
September 15, 2010 4:50 am | by Bill Poovey and Tom Krisher, Associated Press Writers | News | CommentsCHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (AP) — General Motors plans to recall about 400 idled union workers to its plant at Spring Hill to build four-cylinder engines for its mid-size crossover vehicles, an official said Tuesday. A person briefed about the new jobs provided the employee count to The Associated Press and said the recall is due to increased demand for the four-cylinder engines.
Remove With Ease
September 14, 2010 9:13 am | Product Releases | CommentsJNJ Industries (Franklin, MA) offers the GlobalTech AquaSonic AQB solder paste and flux remover. It removes solder paste and flux from a variety of surfaces, and it is non-hazardous, non-flammable, and virtually odor free. Available in concentrate form, pre-mixed and ready to use, or in pre-saturated disposable wipes, the GlobalTech AquaSonic AQB solder paste and flux remover is designed to remove no-clean and lead-free solder pastes, SMT epoxies, and flux residues.
Sturdy And Reliable
September 14, 2010 9:08 am | Product Releases | CommentsKabelSchlepp America (Milwaukee, WI) offers several lines of steel cable carriers, designed to be sturdy and reliable solutions in demanding operational conditions. According to the company, the Series S 7000 series can bear cable and hose load weights in excess of 500kg/m over supported spans of several meters.
Stay Safe
September 14, 2010 9:07 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Hi-Traction Glo Series of anti-slip solutions from Safeguard (Streetsboro, OH) combines a anti-slip surface with a glow-in-the-dark pigment. The product’s covers are made with a non-toxic pigment that is embedded in the surface and can be charged repeatedly throughout the life of the product.
Volkswagen Chooses Former GM, Ford Exec To Lead U.S. Operations
September 14, 2010 4:49 am | by Dan Strumpf, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Volkswagen has named a former GM and Ford executive to lead its ambitious plans in the U.S., where it aims to triple sales in the next decade and run a car plant for the first time since the late 1980s. Volkswagen AG announced Monday that Jonathan Browning, 51, will become CEO of Volkswagen Group of America on Oct.
Boeing To Tear Down Historic Plant 2
September 14, 2010 4:46 am | by George Tibbits, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsSEATTLE (AP) — The dilapidated factory that helped make Seattle a high-tech town is being demolished after 75 years, a casualty of time, technology and tails that grew too tall. Boeing Co.'s Plant 2, a sprawling but long outdated building between Boeing Field and south Seattle's Duwamish River, gave birth to some of the world's most significant aircraft.
New GM CEO To Get $9M Pay Package
September 13, 2010 5:26 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — New General Motors Co. CEO Daniel Akerson will get up to $9 million in salary and stock, the same pay package granted to his predecessor, Ed Whitacre. Akerson, a former telecommunications industry and private equity executive, will receive $1.7 million in annual salary, $5.
Obama: Economic Recovery 'Painfully Slow'
September 13, 2010 5:24 am | by Darlene Superville and Tom Raum, Associated Press Writers | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama insisted Friday that the U.S. economy is digging itself out of the deepest recession in decades but conceded that "progress has been painfully slow" and many voters in November's elections may blame him. Facing a rising jobless rate, Obama told a White House news conference: "For all the progress we've made, we're not there yet.
Inventories Surge By Largest Amount In Two Years
September 13, 2010 5:23 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Inventories held by wholesalers surged in July by the largest amount in two years while sales rebounded after two straight declines. The Commerce Department said Friday that wholesale inventories rose 1.3 percent in July, the best performance since July 2008 and triple the increase economists had expected.
Payroll Tax Break: A Good Idea?
September 10, 2010 7:14 am | Videos | CommentsIs a payroll tax break for certain businesses a good idea? Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, joins Todd McCracken, president and CEO of the National Small Business Association, to discuss the state of the U.S. economy and whether or not giving companies more tax breaks is what's needed to stimulate economic growth.
Ford: Auto Production To See Modest Gain This Year
September 10, 2010 5:51 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Ford expects global auto production to increase 5 to 10 percent this year over 2009 levels, a modest gain that reflects the still-weak economy. "The business environment is challenging but we do expect global growth to continue going forward," Ford Americas President Mark Fields said Thursday at the Credit Suisse Automotive and Transportation Conference in New York.
Reid Supply To Unveil New Products At IMTS
September 10, 2010 5:48 am | News | CommentsMUSKEGON, Mich. – Reid Supply Company, a Michigan-based global distributor of industrial products, will be showcasing new products from innovative floor dryers to time-saving industrial clamps during the 2010 International Manufacturing Technology Show at the McCormick Place in Chicago, September 13-18.
Airgas Announces Extension To Supply Pact With Kiewit
September 10, 2010 5:45 am | News | CommentsRADNOR, Pa.-- Airgas, Inc. today announced it has signed a three-year extension to its industrial gases and welding products supply agreement with Kiewit Corporation, a Fortune 500 employee-owned construction company consistently ranked as one of the country's top 10. The contract extension includes estimated annual revenues of $6 million.
The Game Has Changed
September 9, 2010 5:46 am | by Dylan Persaud, Managing Director, Eval-Source | Articles | CommentsThe mobile revolution is changing the way customers buy products and services, and it’s also changing the way companies engage potential customers. In today’s economic climate companies are asked to do more with less. Companies that have an online presence and engage in cross-channel retailing must have the back office systems to support the multiple avenues in which the business engages its customers.
