Construction and industrial materials distributor Hughes Supply, Inc. opened its newest branch in San Francisco. The location will supply MRO products to apartment complexes and area hotels/motels. Hughes Supply also announced a strategic supply agreement with Kansas City Power & Light Co., a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo.

Chicago Hi-Speed Tool & Supply, a Chicago-based distributor of cutting tools, abrasives and MRO supplies, joined distributor alliance IBC. Fellow IBC member Brammall Supply Co. – also a distributor of cutting tools, abrasives and MRO supplies – celebrates its 130^th anniversary this year. The company opened its doors for business in Benton Harbor, Mich., in 1873.

For the full story and latest news updates, go to www.inddist.com .

Cleveland-based distributor Meier Transmission, Ltd. purchased Tulsa, Okla.-based distributor Samson Industrial …McJunkin Corp., a multi-million-dollar distributor of industrial and PVF supplies, will acquire CIGMA LLC of Indianapolis, Ind. CIGMA is a supplier of gas products and integrated supply services; the deal is expected to close by the end of the second quarter …The INDUSCO Group, Inc., a distributor headquartered in Baltimore, Md., acquired the Alabama Sling Center, Birmingham, Ala., and Industrial Wire Rope , Chattanooga, Tenn., from Wire Rope Corp. of America.

Wholesale distributor C.H. Briggs Hardware Co. won a United Way Eagle Award for 2003…Safety products distributor Orr Safety Corp. received the 2002 Supplier Award of Excellence from Toyota Motor Manufacturing of West Virginia, as well as the 2002 Outstanding Business Partner "Gold Award" from Toyota Manufacturing of Kentucky… Fastener distributor Würth Service Supply, a division of the Würth Group, celebrates its 55^th anniversary this year.

Send Update information to managing editor Victoria Fraza, 275 Washington St., Newton, Mass., 02458; call 617-558-4791; fax to 617-558-4327; or e-mail vfraza@reedbusiness.com .

They say the job market is tough for MBA grads this year, but don't tell that to students at the Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management — because they probably won't believe you. The Grainger Center is part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. And students there are bucking the job market trend, says Ted Bouras, Grainger Center director.

"This is the tenth year in a row that 100 percent of our first-year MBAs have received summer internships," says Bouras. "And, as of graduation, 80 percent of our class of 2003 have accepted full-time positions. A few of our first-year students had three and four internship offers."

Even better, salaries are up 7 percent for Grainger Center grads this year. The average base salary for the class of 2002 was $79,500. This year, the average accepted base salary was $85,400.

"We seek out and admit candidates who are employable, excellent communicators and leaders, and can demonstrate their ability to handle the academic rigors of the program," Bouras explains.