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What is your brand? That can be difficult for a distributor to answer. Many of the products delivered through the distribution supply chain are viewed as commodities, and purchasing managers [...]

It's a fact: For a business to be successful, income must be greater than expenses. The company must find the optimum size with respect to its market and prevailing economic [...]

Some critics have said that integrated supply is dead. Far from that, the integrated supply channel is thriving and will grow up to 25 percent in 2002. According to the [...]

IN PENNSYLVANIA and across the Mid-Atlantic region, when machines break down and bearings and power transmission components are needed in a hurry, many businesses look for a bird to give [...]

EVERYTHING IS DONE WITH A CERTAIN FLAIR at the Mississauga, Ontario, location of KBC Tools. CEO Paula Bass refers to it as her Canadian headquarters. 'KBC sells on both sides [...]

RECENT STUDIES HAVE INDICATED that manufacturer-distributor relationships are poor and distributors are worried about their manufacturers selling direct to customers in their territories. Selling direct was selected by 38 percent [...]

THE ECONOMY HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THE manufacturing sector and its suppliers. Distributors need to cut costs, both to remain profitable and to continue to be a valuable and cost-effective [...]

Thomas Arbeiter, Richard Surges and Peter Kiscunas worked together at one of the top 100 industrial distribution companies and learned how to efficiently run a distributorship. Each had also had [...]

Saf-T-Gard International, Inc. started out in Chicago in 1936 as The Latex Glove Co. Leo and Lillian Rivkin purchased equipment from a balloon company to make waterproof gloves by dipping [...]

When INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION visited Acme Construction Supply Co., Inc. in August 2002, the discussion focused on the company's efforts to increase efficiency through its centralized corporate model. Acme was looking [...]

When K.J. Electric opened in 1981, the interest rates were 22 percent and the economy was entering a recession. 'Everyone said it was a bad time to get into the [...]

Levac Supply Ltd. is a distributor that does 85 to 90 percent of its business in the industrial, construction and general MRO markets while the remaining revenue comes from auto [...]

How do you respond when your employees ask, 'How are we ness owners and managers, you doing?' If you are like most business open up the books and let the [...]

Joe Thompson's SUV and office reflect the multitasking nature of Portland, Ore.-based Intermountain Industrial Supply. He has too many projects to fit on his desk, so some have taken up [...]

When entering Transply, Inc.'s York, Pa. headquarters, a visitor is struck by the laid back, friendly attitude that permeates the working environment. That is, in part, because of the family [...]

The economic recovery that many Thought was imminent just a few months ago continues to elude most distributors. Despite positive signs in some sectors, and improved internal operations at many [...]

Albeco Fastener & Supply Corp. has been involved in contracts to supply contractors at the $14.7 billion BIG DIG project, Hanscom Air Force Base, Logan Airport, the early warning radar [...]

LEAN PRODUCTION is an important feature of modem manufacturing, but it can apply to any business process. Programs such as lean, kaizen and six sigma are frequently used in manufacturing, [...]

ROCKVILLE, MD. -- Machine tool sales have declined for the past four ears. In 1998 sales reached more than $5.5 billion, but in 2001 they were nearly half that amount. [...]

Ahar Tool Supply has quietly become one of the largest distributors in the U.S. In 2001, it was number 70 in the Industrial Distribution Top 100 survey with $79 million [...]

NORTHBROOK, ILL. -- Integra Integrated Procurement Solutions became the latest in a string of INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION'S Top 100 Distributors to fall on hard times when it filed for bankruptcy protection [...]

'PROSPECTING IS REALLY JUST HARD WORK,' says Rusty Duncan. 'Prepare for lots of rejection and keep going back to ask for another shot.' Duncan is the president of Minneapolis-based Industrial [...]

Im Smith sees the construction fastener business, like chess, as a game of skill. It's a game he's been playing ever since he founded Nail Fast, Inc., in 1986. The [...]

WHEN Industrial Distribution Group, Inc. looked at ways to improve efficiency and customer service, it targeted the transportation and logistics function, says Lori Martin. As director of organizational development, she [...]

TECO PNEUMATIC, INC. witnessed the birth of Silicon Valley and has grown with the high tech industries it serves. Founded as a manufacturer rep agency in 1937, the Pleasanton, Calif.-based [...]

ATLANTA-When Industrial Distribution Group was formed as a roll-up corporation four years ago, the idea was to become one of the largest distributors in North America while retaining the positive [...]

TRYING TO PREDICT WHERE THE economy will be in six months is never an easy task. The terrorist attacks of September 11 had far-reaching effects on our economy, but the [...]

High-tech initiatives boost efficiencies Atlantic Fasteners tlantic Fasteners of West Springfield, Mass., wanted to enable an e-commerce platform. They chose the hometown firm Profile Systems to partner with them in [...]

This husband and wife team knows that the strength of L&J Fasteners is in relationships L&J Fasteners, Inc. is not your average fastener distributor. It fabricates many products in its [...]

A sales force is more efficient when it works together SELLING IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION channel is becoming more and more about servicing the relationship with the customer than about [...]

America's industrial distributors and manufacturers support the nation I a time of need THE NATION WAS SHOCKED BY THE TRAGIC events of September 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center [...]

ID takes a brief look at how three Canadian distributors do business A GLOBAL ECONOMY AND NAFTA HAVE caused many U.S.-based businesses to focus on North America as a single [...]

Manufacturer-distributor relationships are hurting sales and profits NORTHFIELD, ILL. -- Experts often refer to business partnerships in terms of marriage. However, these delicate relationships between supply chain partners are deteriorating, [...]

Pine Belt Industrial Supply Co. brings its expertise to a new and growing industry PINE BELT INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY CO. IS A DIVISION OF Gadsden, Ala.-based Gadsden Industrial Distributor. President John [...]

Production Tool Supply is balancing the equation for many independent distributors THE SEVEN FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES in the graphics department of Production Tool Supply are kept busy updating the extensive catalog [...]

California distributors respond to the energy crisis while other regions prepare for shortages NEWTON, MASS. -- The California energy crisis has created a national concern for the uninterrupted supply of [...]

ID'S 2001 SURVEY TAKES A LOOK AT THE CONCERNS FACING SMALL DISTRIBUTORS IN APRIL 2001, INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION conducted a survey of small distributors -- those with annual sales of $15 [...]

Industry experts discuss getting the most service from the credit/A-R function THE ROLE OF THE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE and credit departments are often thought of in terms of risk management and [...]

PRC INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY, INC., HAS WEATHERED MANY ECONOMIC UPS AND DOWNS AND HAS BECOME STRONGER BY SPECIALIZING PORTLAND, LOCATED ON MAINE'S CASCO BAY, has a rich history in the wooden [...]

Distribution is striving to endure the economic slowdown and capitalize on the awaited recovery LATROBE, PA.--As part of the total downsizing of 500 employees 'j through attrition and layoffs at [...]

Turner Supply Co. is giving local and national competition a run for their money in the deep South Turner Supply Co. will go to great lengths to keep customers coming [...]

Find your place in the global marketplace through research and resources The international aspect of business and the economy is continually growing. The Internet and the global economy have eroded [...]

Cooper Collins travels his territory looking to deliver solutions -- and pastries -- to Milwaukee's industry THE SUN IS BARELY RISING AS COOPER COLLINS ARRIVES AT THE BROOKFIELD, WIS., offices [...]

Most small businesses in America will face a change in ownership by 2005. Is your business ready? Jim Gibney, president of Warren Pike Associates, says he grew up in the [...]

The role of the Internet in sales may be more about efficiency and enhanced relationships than new customers Buyers are looking to the Internet as a way to not only [...]

Many large distributors are pursuing their expansion strategies, despite the economic downturn NEWTON, MASS.--The slowing economy has made its effect on the industrial distribution sector, as reflected in the reduced [...]

The Saturn Corp. is known for its efficiency and continuous improvement processes. When the Spring Hill, Tenn.-based automaker wanted to increase productivity and cutting tool life in its gear-turning operation [...]

NEWTON, MASS. -- A string of recent mergers and acquisitions is changing the distribution software industry. Such consolidation activity hadn't ceased, but it had cooled off during the economic slowdown. [...]

The worldwide automotive manufacturing industry is comprised of nearly 20 large multinational corporations while the automotive supply sector is made up of thousands of suppliers, from small niche distributors to [...]

ocated in the center of both the high-tech electronics industry of Silicon Valley and California's more traditional industry, South San Francisco, Calif.-based The AdamHill Co., provides service to all sorts [...]