Best Practices
The Lead
The Dirty Dozen: Finding And Fixing Company Culture
April 30, 2013 10:04 am | by Steven Shaffer, President, Shaffer Consulting | Blogs | Comments
It’s no surprise then that one of the biggest impediments to a healthy business is poor organizational health, which stems from poor leadership. When a culture of blame and excuses permeates a company, it can paralyze it.
Do You Hear What I Hear?
January 31, 2013 3:34 pm | by Cintas | Articles | Comments
From ringing bells to fireplace logs crackling, the sounds of the holiday season is a near-...
Grainger: What We’ve Learned In 85 Years
December 19, 2012 9:49 am | by W.W. Grainger, Inc. | Articles | Comments
Grainger looks back at 2012, the year that marked the company’s 85th anniversary, and...
CGA & GAWDA Announce Inaugural Distributor Safety Award
November 2, 2012 9:58 am | News | Comments
Sponsored by Compressed Gas Association and the Gases and Welding Distributors Association this...
Effective Brainstorming
June 18, 2013 9:29 am | by Paul Glover, Author & Founder of The Glover Group | Blogs | CommentsWhen managers want to involve others in creatively solving a problem, they sometimes hold a brainstorming session. While this session is planned with good intentions, it can be a waste of time if it doesn’t involve the right people. Don’t be tempted to include an expert in the group to help guide the group or answer questions.
PT Distributor Report Reveals Secrets Of High Profit Firms
June 13, 2013 1:29 pm | by PTDA | News | CommentsCompiled from data confidentially provided by participating PTDA distributor member companies, the PT Distributor Performance Report indicates the pre-tax profit of a typical power transmission/motion control distribution firm was less than half that of high-profit firms.
How to Stand Out and Grow With Value Marketing Part 3
June 13, 2013 9:14 am | by Curtis Alexander, Author and Business Growth Strategist | Blogs | CommentsIn Parts 1 & 2 of this sereis, Curtis Alexander talked about some of the things value marketing can do for your business and how to build a plan to start the process. Now, he presents four roadblocks that could be hampering your ability to put that plan into action.
Industrial Supply Company Launches Workplace Safety Campaign
June 12, 2013 4:58 pm | by Industrial Supply Company | News | CommentsEvery day, 13 people go to work and never make it home to their families. 4,693 workers were killed on the job in 2011 and workers reported an additional 3.8 million job-related injuries and illnesses, at a cost of $250-300 billion dollars to employers. Industrial Supply Company is launching a campaign for staying safe at work in support of National Safety Month—a month-long education campaign of the National Safety Council held every June.
Powerful New Tool For The Industrial Career Recruitment Process
June 7, 2013 9:53 am | by Industrial Careers Pathway | Product Releases | CommentsThe ID Job Hunting Minute features practical tips for young technically-minded job seekers—tips that will bring industrial distributors candidates primed for success in industrial distribution.
Taxing Amazon: Will The Internet Retailer Be Forced To Charge Sales Tax?
May 17, 2013 11:13 am | by Editor | Blogs | CommentsA current bill finding its way through Congress is aimed at forcing internet retailers to collect sales tax from their customers, even when those customers live in a state where the store doesn't have a physcial presence. If this bill passes, giants like Amazon could be facing some big changes.
PTDA Foundation Builds Awareness Of Industrial Distribution Careers
May 15, 2013 9:25 am | by PTDA Foundation | News | CommentsThe power transmission/motion control industry is a “hidden” industry. While the power transmission/motion control products manufactured and distributed are essential to keeping industry moving, only those who work in the industry seem to be aware of the incredibly rewarding careers available. The Industrial Career Pathway initiative—founded and significantly funded by the PTDA Foundation—is taking major steps to change that.
Is The United States Ready To Take Manufacturing Back?
May 10, 2013 3:49 pm | by Patrick Van den Bossche, Pramod Gupta, Hector Gutierrez, Chui Lee — A.T. Kearney | Articles | CommentsThe return of a few companies’ manufacturing is encouraging. But the big question is: To what extent is the United States capable of taking back manufacturing on a significant scale? The challenges are great. From a broad supply chain ecosystem perspective, for example, companies obviously will need to rebuild a supplier network that may have evaporated, along with the disappearance of the manufacturing operations it supported.
Atlas Copco Creates Tech Support Competency Group
May 10, 2013 3:33 pm | by Atlas Copco | Product Releases | CommentsWhile dedicated technical support liaisons will continue to assist with regional-focused customer activities such as site visits, the new group will expand the current customer service model to include high-level technical support and product knowledge.
Why We Can't All Get Along
May 10, 2013 2:31 pm | by Paul Glover, Founder of The Glover Group | Blogs | CommentsConflict and confrontation—I love them! As a “recovering” trial attorney, I view conflict as the natural course of events when two or more individuals or groups have ideas or interests that clash. This clash creates the tension that is necessary for a constructive change in an organization.
Improving Inventory Management Through The Right Software & Systems
May 9, 2013 5:11 pm | by Dominic Telaro, Director of Industry Solutions, I.B.I.S. | Blogs | CommentsInventory management has been at the forefront of most software systems since the early 1980s. You would think that after all these years we would be at a point where inventory accuracy would be a given. Well, think again! Thirty years later most companies cannot claim higher than 96% inventory Record Accuracy.
Five Leading Packaging Companies Join Forces
May 8, 2013 9:56 am | by Exopack Holdings Sarl | News | CommentsFive leading packaging companies in North America and Europe today announced they intend to combine in order to operate as one global leader under the banner of Exopack Holdings Sarl, a new Luxembourg company (“the Combined Company”). The combined business will have 63 plants, 8,650 employees and aggregate revenues of more than US$2.5B, making it the sixth-largest plastics packaging company in the world.
May/June 2013 - 66th Annual Survey
May 7, 2013 4:31 pm | by Industrial Distribution Staff | Digital Editions | CommentsIndustrial Distribution's May/June 2013 issue focuses on the results of our 66th Annual Survey of Distributor Operations. Taking an in-depth look at what distributors themselves are saying, the issue discusses trends and the economy, employment, technology usage, keeping the balance sheet balanced, what distributors view as best practices and where their value lies in today's changing economy.
DME MRO Division Expands Reach Under New Name
May 7, 2013 10:04 am | by DME Company | News | CommentsThe maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) supply business will now be known as DME Industrial Supplies. The re-branding effort reflects the company’s recognition that its product catalog has many untapped applications in markets outside of plastics molding.
Eight Ideas To Inspire Your Distribution Business
May 3, 2013 2:24 pm | by Unleash:WD & Epicor | Articles | CommentsWhat will your company do differently this year? In recent discussions with innovators in the wholesale distribution industry, several forward-looking themes emerged. It’s important to make a distinction between true transformations versus incremental change.
We Need More Vocational Training
May 1, 2013 3:40 pm | by Mike Collins, Author, Saving American Manufacturing | Blogs | CommentsA recent study of college graduates in Oregon shows that about 50% of the degrees were in arts, humanities, behavior, and social science, with an average salary from $35- to $40,000 per year. In the new economy, dominated by low pay service jobs, a college degree is often not needed, or leads to low starting wages.
Weiler Corporation Joins Affiliated Distributors
May 1, 2013 9:35 am | by Weiler Corp. | News | CommentsWeiler Corporation, a leading manufacturer of power brushes, abrasives and maintenance products, recently became a Preferred Supplier of Affiliated Distributors (AD) Industrial Supply Division (ISD). AD, with over 140 distributor members, is the largest association of independently owned industrial distributors in the United States.
Beyond DSO: How Distributors Can Improve Customer Relations With Intelligent Accounts Receivable Management
April 29, 2013 9:40 am | by Mark Wilson, CEO, TermSync | Blogs | CommentsAsking customers to pay their invoices can often be an uncomfortable situation for distribution executives and their finance teams. It’s often considered a necessary evil in the business world. What many distributors may not realize is that while the end goal of these interactions is to receive payments, they are also valuable opportunities to improve your customer relationships.
Webinar: How Business Model Mistakes Hurt Your Bottom Line
April 26, 2013 9:39 am | by Unleash:WD | News | Comments“This webinar will provide organizations with the framework to build a business model plan that will rapidly create new value,” Dirk Beveridge, Founder of UnleashWD and one of the hosts of the webinar, said. “Wholesale distribution companies need to update their business models to address changes to the marketplace. This webinar will provide specific insight on how your business may accomplish this."
HD Supply White Cap Relocates Headquarters, Expands
April 24, 2013 9:29 am | by HD Supply White Cap | News | CommentsThe new headquarters and regional office include a branch and distribution center with more than 128,000 square feet, located at 6250 Brook Hollow Parkway, Norcross, Ga. 30071. The company will host a grand opening celebratory customer event on Wednesday, April 24 at the new Norcross location.
NAW Institute Elects Two New Directors
April 24, 2013 9:21 am | by NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence | News | CommentsThe NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence has announced the election of Ronald E. Calhoun, President and CEO, The Palmer‐Donavin Mfg. Co.; and Larry J. Stoddard, President and CEO, RelaDyne, Inc., to the NAW Institute Board of Directors.
NetPlus Allaiance Launches Regional Meetings
April 23, 2013 9:36 am | by NetPlus Alliance | News | CommentsThe first regional planning sessions were held in Texas last week. Brought upon by the group’s newly added distributor and supplier advisory councils, the regional planning sessions were organized by NetPlus Alliance Vice President of Development, Todd Washburn.
DPA Announces 2013 Safety Awards
April 18, 2013 9:24 am | by Zachary T. Haines, Executive Director of DPA | News | CommentsOver 80 of the industry’s leading distributors and suppliers were in attendance and each day was filled with meetings, presentations and networking opportunities. DPA distributors met with each DPA partner supplier to learn about their new product opportunities. Distributors also placed orders and took advantage of DPA’s “Show Specials” promotions.
ILMO Marks 100th Day Of 100th Year With Surprise For Employees
April 16, 2013 10:08 am | by Blair Austin, ILMO Products Company | News | CommentsOn Wednesday, April 10, ILMO’s owners and directors visited all ten ILMO locations to personally present each employee with a $100 bill and lunch for their team, and to express their appreciation for their dedication to ILMO’s success and the success of our customers.
The Amazon Cure
April 15, 2013 5:16 pm | by Jim Tompkins, CEO of Tompkins International | Articles | CommentsTompkins explores the main symptoms associated with the current plague of short-term thinking, how companies can begin growing again, and how the “Amazon Cure” and Jeff Bezos’ focus on innovation and investment help create long-term value. It’s time for business leaders to stop cannibalizing their long-term success by focusing on short-term profits.
