This past week's top items were another mixed bag, including our latest Distributor Profile story, Jack Keough's take on Lowe's distributor-like activity, employees protesting Airgas, and which industrial distributors were named 'Most Admired Companies' by Fortune.
Here's this week's Top 5
Jack Keough: - Lowe’s Sounding More Like A Distributor: ID contributing editor Jack Keough examines how Lowe's recent sales push in the contractor and MRO markets has it acting more like an industrial/construction distributor. Keough shares how Lowe’s has made it clear that it will continue to focus on expanding its sales reach to the professional contractor and MRO buyer, a move that many construction/industrial distributors should not ignore.
Distributors Anixter, Grainger, WESCO, Wolseley Make Fortune's 'Most Admired' List: A popular item last year as well, Fortune included four of ID's Big 50 List distributors, including Grainger and Wolseley as repeat selections from 2015. Anixter and WESCO International made the list after narrowly missing out a year ago, while Airgas was bumped off after making the list last year.
Distributor Profile: Bolts & Nuts Corp.: Read my story about Chattanooga, TN-based Bolts & Nuts Corp., a fast-growing distributor that has taken great strides to ensure that the customer will always be its top priority. The company just recently moved into a new headquarters facility in Chattanooga which more than doubled the size of its old space there.
Airgas Employees, Union Members Protest At Air Liquide U.S. Headquarters: Airgas shareholders on Tuesday approved the company's acquisition by Air Liquide in Houston. There, Airgas employees and union representatives protested and issued a press release detailing what they say are Airgas' attacks on its workers and unions.
Motion Industries To Acquire Material Handling Distributor Epperson And Co.: Motion announced on Tuesday that it has agreed to acquire Epperson and Company, a material handling products and services distributor based in Tampa, FL. The transaction is expected to happen March 1. The move follows Motion's Feb. 16 announcement that it will acquire Missouri Power Transmission.
