Chicago— More than 55,000 people attended National Manufacturing Week, including the National Plant Engineering MRO Show, which highlighted the role of the industrial distributor.

Two events held on Industrial Distribution Day, March 6, targeted distributors and MRO manufacturers. Dale Hayes, vice president of business development at United Parcel Service, urged supply chain partners to prepare for the next wave of digital commerce — collaborative commerce.

Hayes said "c-commerce" simply means manufacturers and distributors must work closer together to better meet the needs of customers. He suggested that collaborative commerce will replace the focus on e-commerce transactions, which have largely failed to meet expectations.

"E-commerce in many respects has been associated with a negative term, because of online shopping," he told a luncheon gathering of distributors and manufacturers. "The fundamental lesson of e-commerce is 'fulfill or die.'"

To collaborate successfully, he said channel partners must improve their business processes with digital tools such as online order tracking and offering customers "mobile commerce," or ordering from a job site. Hayes, who is credited with spearheading UPS' successful online products and digital business tools, said UPS defines e-commerce as "the use of networked computer technology to bring the buyer and seller together. Those who don't bring the buyer and seller together have really missed the point."

Hayes predicts supply chain partners will survive the next e-business wave, but are being "forced to re-evaluate what we do, and do we bring value to our customers?"

Also during Industrial Distribution Day, ID presented its Excellence in Distribution awards to Miller Bearings, Inc., of Orlando, Fla., and Mosier Fluid Power of Kentucky, Louisville, Ky.