Despite four ID Big 50 companies, several major electrical distributors, and industrial manufacturers reporting their first quarter financials over the past seven days, it was a trio of 'non-news' items that populated the top items this week. They include two blogs from my time at the ISA 2015 convention in Cleveland.
Here's this week's Top 5:
United Stationers Announces Immediate CEO Change: The supplier of workplace essentials announced Wednesday that its Board of Directors has appointed current Board member Robert Aiken Jr., 52, interim president chief executive officer, effective immediately. Mr. Aiken will succeed P. Cody Phipps, who has resigned as president and chief executive officer and as a director to pursue another opportunity. The Board has established a search committee to oversee the process of identifying a permanent chief executive officer. United Stationers – which rebrands as Essendant effective June 1 – appointed a new COO and CIO on April 17.
Fastenal Sales And Sales Hiring Continue Rise In April: No. 12 on ID's 2014 Big 50 List, Fastenal reported its sales and personnel figures for the month of April on Tuesday. The company had April sales of $334.5 million, an increase of 6.1 percent over April 2014's $315.1 million. March 2015 sales were $341.7 million. Sales to manufacturing customers increased by 4.6 percent in April, while sales to non-residential construction customers increased 3.3 percent. Total headcount for the company was 19,272 at the end of April, a 7.9 percent increase over April 2014. That figure includes an additional 525 selling personnel since April 2014, bringing Fastenal's sales headcount to 12,086. The company net added 118 selling personnel in the month of April.
Seen And Heard At ISA 2015 (Blog): In this blog, I recap the recent Industrial Supply Association convention, held April 25-27 in Cleveland, OH. I discuss and share photos from several forum sessions I attended, including the keynote, as well as the expo days separately designated for distributors and suppliers/manufacturers.
ISA Small Distributors Study Reveals Market Discrepancies (Blog): Another blog post of mine out of ISA, the first event I attended there was a 'Small MROP Forum' in which Bill McCleave presented a 2015 study his firm did on behalf of ISA, which examines how distributors and manufacturers of all sizes view the role of the small industrial distributor in today's market. The study revealed differing levels of optimism regarding small distributors' future.
How To Give Online Customers What They Want (Article): In this advice piece, Johnstone Supply Regional Sales Manager Darrell Sterling discusses how in order to have the best e-commerce system you can, you have to match the way the customer wants to do business. The article also covers how online customers need to be seen as an asset in how they provide more profit margin over customers in the physical store.
