Larry Griffin is senior vice president of marketing for EIS Inc., an Atlanta-based distributor of process materials, production supplies and industrial motor repair products nationwide, www. eis-inc.com.

Larry can be reached at lgriffin@eis-inc.com.

How has business been lately? We've just completed a very successful first quarter of 2007, with continuing increases in sales and earnings growth. Our expectation is to continue growing sales revenue during the balance of the year at a rate of between 6 percent and 8 percent, and to expand earnings by a slightly higher rate. We're confident that we will achieve both of these objectives.

What are the bright spots on the horizon this year? Recent economic reports indicate that North American businesses continue to invest in structures and equipment. Manufacturing plant expansion and capital investment are an indication of confidence centered around business growth—both at home and abroad. We are positioned very well to assist our customers in growing their businesses by providing sales and technical resources, strategic re-supply platforms and outstanding customer service—all designed to assist our customers in competing in the global arena.

What are your concerns for the remainder of the year? The first-quarter GDP rate of 1.3 percent was certainly not very awe-inspiring, and it appears the rest of the year looks just as challenging. I do worry, when the economy appears to be flat or declining, that those of us in our industry sometimes lose site of our longer-term strategies and culture. The more “aggressive” conditions become, it often leads to short-term thinking—the old “I'll make it up in volume” mentality. Customers will continue to put a premium on quality, service and innovation. Whether the economic outlook is rosy or challenging, those [things] do not change.

Does the industrial MRO business fit into your company's strategy? Our core business involves providing solutions and products associated with the actual bill of materials—the necessary components—of end products that manufacturing companies produce or rebuild. Having said that, we certainly distribute many products associated with the MRO world; products such as industrial tapes, adhesives, abrasives, hand tools, gloves and safety supplies.

How important is technology to your business? We certainly believe in the power of technology and e-commerce. Our company implemented SAP as our operating system back in 1998 and we have continued to upgrade it accordingly since that time. Even though much of what we sell is very customer-specific and specification driven, we offer our customers the ease and convenience of shopping online in both a B2C and B2B environment. Whether we are fulfilling customer requirements utilizing an Advanced Inventory Management Solution, EDI, EFT, online shopping—or some combination of all of the above—the power of applied technology will remain an important focus for us.

Why did you choose a career in distribution? I spent the first 10 or 12 years of my career working in sales and marketing on the supplier side of the business. The company I was with sold through several types of channel partners and I was fortunate in that I gained some exposure and experience in dealing with some really excellent distribution companies. I get charged up by our role in the supply chain. As distributors in the world of manufacturing, we are able to supply products and services to a broad and diverse group of customers while representing truly world class suppliers.