Industrial Distribution articles from August 2003

Industrial Distribution archives from August 2003

Distribution loses a true friend.(Gary Buffington mourned)(Editorial)
August 1, 2003... ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO, I attended my first distribution convention as the new managing editor of INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION. I was nervous, to say the least, as I entered a huge ballroom, filled with strangers. I walked around a bit and then...

It's heavy duty, man!(Around and About)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL is bringing together tradespeople and football players to "give back" to communities. It's all part of Milwaukee's Heavy Duty Helping program, an ongoing charitable endeavor designed to help tradespeople give back...

Cooper Industries.(Company News)(making changes to senior management)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Cooper Industries is making big changes to its senior management. According to the company, Ralph E. Jackson, Jr., chief operating officer and deputy chairman, will retire by the end of 2003. Kirk S. Hachigian, executive vice president,...

Anixter Pentacon, Inc.(Company News)(Anixter Pentacon, Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Anixter Pentacon, Inc. is the newest member of the Textron Fastening Systems team, having been recently named an authorized distributor for the fastener manufacturer. Anixter Pentacon is a distributor and provider of related inventory...

Hughes Supply Inc.(Company News)(opened a branch in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Construction and industrial supplies distributor Hughes Supply, Inc., headquartered in Orlando, Fla., opened a branch in Belgrade, Mont. recently. The branch supplies water, sewer and storm drain products to contractors and municipalities in...

Prophet 21.(Acquisitions & Mergers)
August 1, 2003... Distribution software provider Prophet 21 acquired Faspac Systems, Inc., a provider of enterprise software solutions and services for fastener distributors (see story, p. 33)...

Orange Park, Fla.-based Masthead Hose & Supply bought Florida Rubber Co. of Jacksonville, Fla.(Acquisitions & Mergers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Orange Park, Fla.-based Masthead Hose & Supply bought Florida Rubber Co. of Jacksonville, Fla. Masthead sells hose and accessories and related services, with six locations in Florida and six additional facilities in Georgia, South Carolina,...

Kennametal, Inc.(Awards)(celebrated 50 years of continuous operation)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Manufacturer Kennametal, Inc. celebrated 50 years of continuous operation at its Carbidie facility in Hempfield Township, Pa., in July. Invited to participate in the celebration were Congressman Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), State Senator Allen Kukovich,...

Adept Technology.(Innovative Products Award)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Adept Technology, a manufacturer of factory automation components and systems, won Robotics World magazine's Innovative Products Award in the robots/controllers category at the recently held International Robot and Vision Show 2003 in Rosemont,...

Estate. tax repeal passes House, moves to the Senate: while bi-partisan support is strong, some feel the end result may be a compromise measure ... or nothing.(News)
August 1, 2003... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Will the House of Representatives' vote this past June to eliminate the federal estate tax be sustained when the Senate begins its deliberations? The measure (HR 8, the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2003) was...

Gary Buffington, 57, dies from cancer.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- Gary Buffington, 57, executive vice president of the Industrial Distribution Association, and a long-time supporter of the distribution industry, died of cancer July 11 in Atlanta. Gary had previously served as administrative...

PTDA in the big easy.(Power Transmission Distributors Association's 2003 Convention)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... NEWTON, MASS. -- The Power Transmission Distributors Assn. will hold its 2003 Convention, Oct. 16-18, in New Orleans. The convention theme, "Doing Good Business in Turbulent Times," is reflected in the scheduled workshops. Topics will...

Founder of REFCO dies at 77.(Russell E. Fuller )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... WORCESTER, MASS. -- Russell E. Fuller, founder of REFCO, Inc. and beloved philanthropist, died June 20 at age 77. For 39 years, Fuller served as president of the industrial supply company he and his wife established in 1959. In May 1998,...

FPDA president/chairman dies.(Fluid Power Distributors Association's president and chairman Tom D. Ralls)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... CHERRY HILL, N.J. -- Tom D. Ralls, 2003-04 Fluid Power Distributors Assn., president and chairman of the Board, and president of Hyspeco, Inc., died June 13 after a battle with cancer. Elected President in March 2003, Ralls was an active...

Prophet 21 acquires Faspac.(Prophet 21 Inc. acquires Faspac Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... NEWTON, MASS. -- Prophet 21, a provider of technology solutions for durable goods distributors, has announced the acquisition of Faspac Systems, Inc., a provider of enterprise software solutions and services for fastener distributors. "......

New small business loans available.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Small businesses are in the money! The United States Small Business Administration announced that $1.4 billion in additional loan authority will be made available for small business lending for fiscal year 2003. Because of...

ISM/Forrester Research announce eBusiness results.(Institute for Supply Management)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... TEMPE, ARIZ. and CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and Forrester Research, Inc. released their Report On eBusiness, which tracks online activity for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing organizations. The 2003...

Lower sales, higher earnings.(W.W. Grainger Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- W.W. Grainger, Inc. reported lower sales but higher earnings for the second quarter, ended June 30, 2003. Net earnings increased 3 percent, to $56 million, from the previous year, and earnings per share were $0.60, increasing 5...

Kaman Industrial Technologies.(Donna Watt and David Grebowski appointments )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Kaman Industrial Technologies named Donna Watt manager of organizational development and David Grebowski marketing communications manager...

Affiliated Distributors.(Stewart Gale appointment )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Affiliated Distributors appointed Stewart Gale to the new position of vice president of marketing and business development...

Bearing Headquarters Co.(Distributors)(Ray Pingalore )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Bearing Headquarters Co. promoted Ray Pingalore to the new position of vice president of sales development and training...

IBC.(Distributors)(Robert d. Levine )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... IBC named Robert D. Levine director national accounts...

Automation, Inc.(Distributors)(elected Robert C. Dodge )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Automation, Inc. elected Robert C. Dodge to serve on its board of directors and promoted him to vice president of sales and marketing...

GF&D Systems.(Distributors)(GF&D Systems appointed The Rep Agency, headed by Rick Evans, as a representative)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... GF&D Systems appointed The Rep Agency, headed by Rick Evans, as a new representative for Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Southern California...

Barnes Distribution.(Mark Knight and Stacy M. Rice appointments)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Barnes Distribution promoted Mark Knight to vice president of marketing and appointed Stacy M. Rice as vice president of purchasing...

Noland Co.(Roger E. (Eddie) Gibbs appointment )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Noland Co. named Roger E. (Eddie) Gibbs director of sourcing...

Hagemeyer North America.(Steve Bottcher appointment)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Hagemeyer North America appointed Steve Bottcher to executive vice president of supply-chain management for its U.S. region...

Brighton-Best Socket Screw Mfg.(Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Brighton-Best Socket Screw Mfg., Inc. promoted Gordon Anderson to vice president of sales for the U.S. and Canada...

Middle Atlantic Products.(Diane Cote appointment)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Middle Atlantic Products appointed Diane Cote as western regional sales manager...

Ohio Broach & Machine Co.(Kurt Hague appointment)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Ohio Broach & Machine Co. appointed Kurt Hague and his company, Engineered Tool Sales, as its sales representative for eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Marylan...

Oklahoma Safety Equipment Co.(Sharon White appointment)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Oklahoma Safety Equipment Co., Inc. named Sharon White inside sales manager...

Arc Abrasives.(Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Arc Abrasives appointed Dwayne Knight as chief operating officer...

Textron, Inc.(Richard L. Clayton appointment)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Textron, Inc. named Richard L. Clayton president of its Textron Fastening Systems business...

Hermes Abrasives, Ltd.(Ken Lamay appointment)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Hermes Abrasives, Ltd. promoted Ken Lamay to national sales manager...

RedPrairie Corp.(Tim Conroy appointment)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Tim Conroy joined RedPrairie Corp.'s sales team for western North America...

Relevant Business Systems.(Robert H. Lord and Paul Goss appointments)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Relevant Business Systems appointed Robert H. Lord as vice president of sales and named Paul Goss director of product support...

Weinacht & Associates.(Gregg Van Waes )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Gregg Van Waes will represent Weinacht & Associates, a Midwest manufacturers' rep firm, in its northern territory of Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota...

Forecasting the markets.(Associations)
August 1, 2003... The National Fluid Power Assn.'s annual Economic Outlook Conference will be held Aug. 19-20 at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. Speaker presentations will include forecasts for the U.S. and world economies as well as analyses...

Quantifying distribution costs, savings and value.(National Electronic Distributors Association and Texas A and M University study)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The National Electronic Distributors Assn. has released the findings from its study that quantifies the true costs, savings and value of authorized distribution. Conducted in conjunction with Texas A&M University, the study outlines the value...

Easier access to information.(International Sanitary Supply Association's new web site)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The International Sanitary Supply Assn. has redesigned its Web site, located at www.issa.com, to provide industry professionals easier access to information in the cleaning and maintenance industry. ISSA's site now offers a knowledge base...

NAED's new officers.(National Association of Electrical Distributors)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The National Assn. of Electrical Distributors has announced the organization's new Board of Directors for 2003-04. The group , includes Tom Cloud of United Electric Supply in Wilmington, Del. as chairman of the board; Peter de Steiger of...

Calendar.(Calendar)
August 1, 2003... September 5-12 National Safety Council 91st Annual Congress and Expo Chicago (630) 285-1121 www.nsc.org September 10-14 IAPD Annual Convention Atlanta (913) 345-1005 www.iapd.org ...

Distributors focus on efficiency: Prophet 21, Inc. CEO Chuck Boyle shared his insights on the enterprise-distribution software market in a recent talk with ID.(E Biz)(Interview)
August 1, 2003... ID: There's been more consolidation among software providers recently. Is this a trend? Boyle: Consolidation can be a two-sided sword. One side good, and one side open for possible failure. It makes sense when there are clear synergies and...

Take action on inventory counts.(Tech Notes; Visible Software Co.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... NEWTON, Mass. -- It's one thing to do continuous inventory counts. What you do with the data is quite another thing. Visible Inventory, a startup company in Salem, N.H., believes it provides distributors an advantage by "taking action" on...

Intuit Eclipse, IBM to integrate applications.(Tech Notes)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS and DENVER -- IBM and Intuit[R] Eclipse[TM] are working together to help small- and medium-sized businesses better manage their order processing, inventory control, accounting, purchasing and customer service. IBM's technical...

Achieve a seamless order, fulfillment workflow.(Tech Notes; RedPrairie Corp.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... WAUKESHA, Wis. -- RedPrairie[TM] says it has delivered a long-awaited solution to achieve integrated order fulfillment workflow. That includes linking warehouse and transportation management, supply chain visibility and collaboration, and event...

Improve sales and service effectiveness.(Tech Notes; Quelsys L.L.C.)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
August 1, 2003... NORWALK, Conn. -- Quelsys offers an online solution for sales effectiveness called SPM, or Sales and Service Proficiency Management. The service ensures that sales and support people have the proper knowledge of products and services to...

Provia to help pilot RFID tags.(Tech Notes)(radio frequency identification)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Provia Software's ViaWare Warehouse Management System will be used in a pilot project this summer to track and monitor RFID tags on select products as they arrive and depart. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags...

Mfr's rep builds B2B Web site sales tool.(Tech Notes)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... WILLISTON, Vt. -- TTI, Inc. launched an e-commerce Web site application designed specifically for industrial companies and their distribution partners. Enterprise Merchant is a pre-packaged tool that includes a customizable home page,...

AutoCrib features new gage calibration.(Tech Notes)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- AutoCrib, Inc. released the latest version of its software platform featuring a redesigned gage calibration system. "Users now have the ability to recall gages for calibration by the first occurrence of a hard...

Beyond the basics: providing value-added services is one thing, and charging for them is another--TMI-Integrated Services is one distributor that's making the fee-based model work.(Cover Story)(Company Profile)
August 1, 2003... Signs posted throughout the sprawling campus of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Marietta, Ga., warn of the dangers of FOD--Foreign Object Damage or Debris. It's a mission of this military aircraft maker to avoid FOD at every turn. The...

It was the worst of times: souring business relationships, an economic downturn, and rising health care costs have taken their toll on distributors.(57th Annual Survey)(Industry Overview)
August 1, 2003... The tenuous manufacturer-distributor relationship has always had its ups and downs. But the relationship between the two supply chain partners has worsened significantly in the last five years, according to INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION'S 57th Annual...

Torture: thy name is health care: in a trend of upward health care costs, distributors are forced to make some difficult decisions regarding their own, and their employees', levels of benefits.(Health Care)
August 1, 2003... TORTURE, TECHNICALLY, COULD BE thought of as a few different things: fingernail removal with pliers, hot pokers to sensitive anatomy, water drips to the forehead, being staked out and left for the sun to bake and ants to feast, and according to...

Accessory: after the fact: distributors feel robbed by falling power tool margins, but high-profit accessory items can provide much-needed relief.(Sales)
August 1, 2003... There's no question that the accessory market is of tremendous importance when selling power tools and equipment. In an environment where the economy continues to see-saw back and forth, accessories and add-on items become even more crucial....

Product locator.(Industrial Distribution)(Directory)
August 1, 2003... ABRASIVES & BRUSHES ABRASIVE GRAINS Buckeye Abrasive, Inc. CGW, Camel Grinding Wheels, USA Comco Inc. Dynabrade, Inc. Electro Abrasives Corp. Engis Corp. Exolon-ESK Company, Headquarters Field Tool...

Supplier locator.(Industrial Distribution)(Directory)
August 1, 2003... A AIMCO, PO Box 16460, Portland, OR 97292; 503-254-6600; 800-852-1368; FAX: 503-255-2615 E-Mail: sales@aimco-global.com URL: www.aimco-global.com A.Y. MCDONALD MFG. CO., PO BOX 508, Dubuque, IA 52004-0508; 800-292-2737; FAX:...

Training the trainer: distributors take advantage of NFDA's innovative T3 program; six more modules coming this fall.(Target Market Report)(National Fastener Distributors Association's "Train the Trainer" program)(Product/Service Evaluation)
August 1, 2003... On the prowl for a new technical training system to supplement his fastener distributorship's in-house program, Don Nowak was scouting around an industry trade show recently and found the solution in the National Fastener Distributors...

Best new product? It's value-added services.(specialty fasteners)(Field Fastener Supply Co.)
August 1, 2003... Like many customers using MRO and OEM products, whether specials or commodities, fastener customers are demanding more value for their money. Specialty fastener houses deal with special I requests on a regular basis, but are asked to toe the...

How to think like a customer: putting yourself in your customer's shoes can go a long way toward building sales.(Strictly for Sales)
August 1, 2003... BUYERS HAVE THEIR OWN IDIOSYNCRATIC, bizarre, and totally personal way of looking at things. And they're always right because they are customers. The buyer's perception of his needs is based on reality as he sees it--subjective reality....

Pay-on-use processing pays off: system avoids the need to receive vendor-owned supplies into customers' inventories.(Manufacturer's View)
August 1, 2003... OPTIMIZATION OF SUPPLY CHAIN PERFORMance is always a target for improvement in manufacturing organizations. Theories abound regarding how to minimize inventory and improve supplier performance. Often these initiatives focus on changes within...

Making their way to an ID career.(The next generation: featuring tomorrow's distribution leaders)(industrial distribution students)(Interview)
August 1, 2003... Q: How did you become interested in industrial distribution, and why did you decide to major in the program at your school? KEVIN PHILLIPS "LIKE MANY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, I had a difficult time choosing a college. Luckily, I already knew...

Romex[R] wire stripper/cutters with Klein-Kurve[TM] handles: two new Klein-Kurve[TM] wire stripper/cutters hit the streets.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Klein Tools has introduced two new Klein-Kurve[TM] wire stripper/ cutters designed for stripping and cutting 10/2, 12/2 and 14/2 Romex[R] cable. In addition, the tools cleanly shear 6-32 and 8-32 screws, as well as strip, cut and loop 10,12 and...

Maintenance-free buildings.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Duraluminum[R] buildings promise a nearly "maintenance-free" life and come fully assembled and pre-wired for installation. The booths feature gliding horizontal windows on stainless steel ball bearings, and all lighting, heaters and breaker...

Flap disks for air tools.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Weiler's Bobcat 2-in. and 3-in. flap disks for right angle air tools are ideal for detail work and hard-to-reach areas. Described by Weiler as "aggressive," the zirconium grained discs range in grit size from 36Z to 120Z, and are recommended...

Stainless steel products.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Are your metals shedding more scales than a rattlesnake? These stainless steel precision inserts, nuts and threaded products will stay strong in the heat and resist scaling and corrosion. Stainless steel is the material of choice for medical,...

Collapsible containers.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... These space- and waste-saving collapsible containers for Henkel Loctite's anaerobic adhesive line offer savings in shipping, handling and storage costs. When full, the one-liter containers occupy one-third less space than traditional liquid...

Air-powered vacuum.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... The sub-compact Anver Mitey-AirVac[TM] air-powered vacuum station weighs 2 lbs. and measures 3.31 in. x 3.66 in. x 4.11 in. The station packs a punch with a Venturi vacuum pump that achieves a 26-in. Hg vacuum with flow rates from 0.74 to 7.0....

Tear-down bench.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Both the 48-in. W x 32-in. D x 41-in. H and the 60-in. W x 32-in. D x Adjustable Height sizes of Shure's Tear-Down Bench have a 1/2-in. lip on all sides and an offset drain, reducing unsafe spills. The Tear-Down bench is an ideal aid for work...

Disposable earplugs.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... The Z-Series Disposable Earplugz offer three new styles of comfortable, colorful and affordable earplugs. The tapered, bright blue GloPlugz are of a soft polyurethane formula providing all-day comfort, and are available with a purple breakaway...

Coolant included.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Komet's PCD-tipped, center cutting Endmill and PCD-tipped, straight flute "Drillcut 24" drill are designed with coolant through the tool capability, and are adept at dry cutting and in mist coolant conditions. The Endmill comes in two styles, a...

Rotary screw compressors.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Quieter rotary screw compressors designed for minimal maintenance, the ASD Series are 25-40 hp units, available in flows from 72-166 cfm and pressures to 217 psig. The oversize, patent-pending, Sigma Profile airend is connected directly to the...

Digital panel meter.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... This digital panel meter, the 3820 Smart, is a 6-digit indicator/ controller and includes up to four relay outputs and four analog outputs or segment characters. At the touch of a button, the input signal can be converted into any desired unit...

Better protection coveralls.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... KleenGaurd[TM] XP1 coveralls are made from a breathable, microporous film laminate, providing better dry particle and liquid protection. The coveralls are less likely to rip or tear and are low linting. Coveralls are white, use normal sizing...

Fume extraction arm.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Original XL Fume Extraction Arm for welding fume extraction is available in 7 ft., 10 ft., and 14 ft. lengths. Its high temperature-safe hose removes toxic fumes from the workspace and vents them outside. Nederman, Inc. Enter 213 ...

Six new encoder models.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... These six encoder models, four incremental and two absolute versions, have been added to BEI's Express Encoder brand. The industry-standard models H25 (shafted) and HS35 (hollow shaft)in both incremental and absolute versions; the Model H20...

Palm-sized butane torch.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... The palm-sized, butane-powered Master Microtorch can be used in heating and igniting materials, shrinking tubing, soldering and desoldering and as a pinpoint torch. It features a safety lock and easy self-ignition system; a refillable fuel cell...

Wind-controlled drive.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... This linear drive with pitch turndown capability spools materials of varying diameters, using only one winding assembly, without having to change the gear ratio. The linear pitch is set using a control dial and the pitch will remain steady...

Barbed tees for tubing.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... The Hard-Line series of barbed tees, designed for use with durometer tubing, have been tested up to 200 psi, holding a strong seal without hose clamps. The barb has a sharp sealing point that is slightly larger than the fitting's shaft. They...

Swing checkvalves.(New Products)(Advertisement)
August 1, 2003... 3-in. swing check valves, (Model 3030 SQ), offer flow reversal prevention in dry bulk transfer carriers. The computer-aided design protects food-grade and sensitive dry bulk at temperatures up to 350 degrees F, and eliminates flow restrictions....

Faster, longer lasting cutter.(New Products)(Advertisement)
August 1, 2003... Plasma cutter cuts 60% faster, 25% thicker and has up to 400% longer tip life than the previous model. The Spectrum[R] 375 CutMate[TM] withstands a 15% voltage drop and will travel 16 IPM on 3/8 in. steel. On a 230V/10 amp breaker, the cutter...

26 styles of cutters & pliers.(New Products)(Advertisement)
August 1, 2003... These ESD safe cutters and pliers come in 26 styles, including: cutters with a tapered head, wide tapered head, wide oval head; pliers in short snip nose, long needle nose, and short flat nose pliers in smooth or serrated jaw styles. All are...

Double diaphragm pump.(New Products)(Advertisement)
August 1, 2003... 3-in. aluminum, double diaphragm pump is air-driven, with a capacity of 255 GPM. Interchangeable with most pumps, it has a non-stall, lube-free, freeze-resistant air system, and assembles in less than 30 minutes. Elastomers and salt protection...

Seven models of hammers.(New Products)(Advertisement)
August 1, 2003... Seven models of rotary and chipping hammers, including five rotary hammers and two chipping hammers were designed for durability and provide 42% faster drilling and chipping performance. Rubber grips soften tool vibrations and the electronic...

Ball nose end mill.(New Products)(Advertisement)
August 1, 2003... ValMill[TM] 400 ball nose end mill offers the benefits of inserts with coatings and strong edges for milling in die and mold. It utilizes the TorxPlus[TM] insert locking mechanism, has six different cutter diameters, .375 to 1.25 in., speeds...