Industrial Distribution articles from June 2005

Industrial Distribution archives from June 2005

Customers change, so should you.(editorial)(W.R. McCleave and Associates)(Editorial)
June 1, 2005... Bill McCleave of W.R. McCleave & Associates, a leading consultant in the distribution industry, posed an interesting question during his keynote presentation at the recent Fluid Power Distributors Assn. convention. "Look back five years ago at...

N.H. Bragg Co. goes e-commerce.(AROUND and ABOUT)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... MORE THAN 150 YEARS OLD, the N.H. Bragg, Co. is a distributor of welding and safety equipment based in Bangor, Maine. Recently, the company inaugurated its new e-commerce site. It's a long way from when the company started--specializing in...

Company news.(AROUND and ABOUT)
June 1, 2005... Controlled Motion Solutions recently acquired Parker Hannifin's Irvine Motion and Control Operation which specializes in pneumatic products and system solutions. Comoso, based in Santa Ana, Calif., is a motion and control technology and systems...

Awards.(around and about)(Distributor awards)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Sterling Supply, Inc., was recently recognized at the Toyota Annual Awards Dinner with two honors: the Supplier of Excellence Award and the Best Overall Delivery Performance Award. Sterling, headquartered in Huntington, W. Va., specializes in...

FPDA meeting focuses on business intelligence: gather information about customers, their business and new markets to help you grow your business.(news)(Fluid Power Distributor Association)
June 1, 2005... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Using business intelligence to help you and your company achieve profitability was the overriding theme of the Fluid Power Distributor Assn.'s Annual Convention, April 17-20, in Palm Desert, Calif. [ILLUSTRATION...

Finding entry-level employees is a challenge.(news)
June 1, 2005... Most industrial distributors agree that there is a critical need for affordable, qualified, entry-level employees, according to recent survey results released by the Power Transmission Distributors Assn. Foundation. Of the 416 companies that...

NAW book looks at M & A.(news)(National Association of Wholesaler Distributors)(Mergers and acquisitions)
June 1, 2005... A new book from the Distribution Research and Education Foundation of the National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors, The Acquisitive Distributor: Four Keys to Success when Buying a Wholesale Distribution Business, takes the first close look at...

National Manufacturing Week a success.(news)
June 1, 2005... The ongoing signs and general mood that manufacturing-related industries are rebounding was displayed at this year's 15th annual National Manufacturing Week, held in Chicago. Kel Marsden-Kish, industry vice president with Reed Exhibitions,...

Measuring savings potential.(news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A newly developed calculator enables electronics customers--as well as suppliers and manufacturers--to measure, in hard numbers, the savings potential they can derive from using distribution. The Supply Chain Savings Calculator was...

Challenges to manufacturing.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Unfortunately, there is yet another area where the U.S. has failed in its manufacturing development and our economy suffers greatly [Manufacturing's ongoing challenges, May 2005]. Back about three decades ago, our Congress passed...

Distributors.(players)(appointments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Precision Industries named Steve Brownfield chief purchasing officer... Buckeye Industrial Supply Co. named Richard Meizlish president... Central States Industrial Supply, Inc. hired Thomas Frantz as branch manager in Cedar Rapids, Iowa;...

Manufacturers.(players)(appointments)(Tornado Industries )(Wera Tools, Inc. )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Cooper Wiring Devices appointed Robert (Bob) Pidgeon as market development manager... Tornado Industries hired Mark Cuddy as regional sales representative... Wera Tools, Inc. hired Ralph Tallant, Jr. as market development manager, western...

Manufacturers reps.(players)(Jetna Fastech, Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Jetna Fastech, Inc. appointed Sergio Martinez of BellCan Manufacturers Representative, as its sales agent for Florida (except the Florida Panhandle)... Send your personnel additions, promotions and changes to Players editor, Alice Yu...

You may be calling on the wrong customer: contractor? Expander? The difference can be crucial to making the sale.(strictly for sales)
June 1, 2005... CUSTOMERS gravitate toward one of two operating modes: those in the expansion mode (expanders) and those in the contraction mode (contractors). Their operating mode portends how they purchase goods and services, which suggests how salespeople...

STAFDA's Counter Pro is ready.(associations)(Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... After close to a year of preparation, the Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Assn. has completed the 140-page Counter Pro handbook. The handbook provides a thorough review of the multiple tasks a counter pro faces in serving customers and...

BSA opens certification to manufacturers.(ASSOCIATIONS)(Bearing Specialists Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Bearing Specialists Assn. announced that its Certified Bearing Specialist program is now open to manufacturers. The association's CBS program--the only bearing--industry specific certification program--offers a rare opportunity to...

NAED's new program manager.(ASSOCIATIONS)(National Association of Electrical Distributors)(Jim Lombardo)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Education Foundation of the National Assn. of Electrical Distributors appointed Jim Lombardo as educational program manager. In this position, Lombardo will be responsible for overseeing the Foundation's wide range of industry-specific...

WAFD elects new president.(ASSOCIATIONS)(Western Association for Fastener Distributors)(Alison Hubbard)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Members of the Western Assn. for Fastener Distributors elected Alison Hubbard of North State Fastener in Sunnyvale, Calif. to a second term as president of WAFD at a recent Board of Directors meeting. Hubbard is the second person from her...

DREF elects new director.(ASSOCIATIONS)(Distribution Research and Education Foundation)(David E. Griffith)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Distribution Research and Education Foundation of the National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors announced the election of David E. Griffith, president/CEO of Modern Group, Ltd., to the DREF Board of Directors. Griffith also is president of...

Calendar.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... Sept. 8-10 ASA Annual Convention Orlando, Fla. www.asa.net Sept. 14-16 AHTD 2005 Fall Meeting Albuquerque, N.M. www.ahtd.org Sept. 17-20 NIBA Annual Meeting New Orleans ...

Contributing to your Web site's traffic: sometimes the right search engine can make all the difference.(E-BIZ)
June 1, 2005... AT SOME POINT, every company looks at its Web site with frustration and disappointment, wondering why the site isn't delivering the traffic they expected. You know what your site should be doing--generating leads, educating the market,...

Voice-directed distribution gets its motor running.(TECH NOTES)
June 1, 2005... VOCOLLECT, a provider of voice-directed work, announced that The Pep Boys, "Manny, Moe & Jack," one of the nation's leading automotive aftermarket retail and service chain, has implemented the Vocollect Voice-Directed Distribution offering in...

A new/better translation.(TECH NOTES)(TrueCommerce introduces Integrator 4.1)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... TrueCommerce introduced Integrator 4.1, the latest version of the company's Integrator translation software for its Electronic Data Interchange solution. Integrator 4.1 streamlines integration with accounting and business system software, and...

Evolution continues on the WEB.(TECH NOTES)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Industrial Evolution announced the acquisition of the WEB*VMI Inventory Management Service business from Philadelphia-based ChemLogix LLC. Industrial Evolution is an Arizona-based company that enables real-time collaboration between...

Tooling around.(TECH NOTES)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Technology Group International, an ERP software solutions provider, released the next installment of its free Software Selection Tool Kit. Offered to manufacturers, distributors and consultants throughout the United States and Canada, the tool...

Enriching management tools.(TECH NOTES)(Richer Systems Group Inc. introduces enrich CWA)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Richer Systems Group, Inc. announced the launch of enrich version 5.6.30, which includes Customer Web Access, a new and powerful Web-based customer management tool, enrich CWA gives fleet management companies the tools to allow their customers...

The Big 50: our annual list of the largest industrial distributors; 2004 started off slow, but sales' rose sharply in the latter part of the year.(SPECIAL REPORT)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2005... FOR MANY of INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION'S Big 50 distributors, the economy in 2004 could be divided into two distinct halves. The first half was flat, as customers were slow to build inventories and make capital investments. Business began picking...

Ferguson's key to growth: president and CEO Chip Hornsby discusses integrated supply, training and keeping talented people, and how change is both inevitable and essential.(Q & A)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2005... Ferguson Enterprises, Inc., a distributor of plumbing, HVAC, industrial PVF safety supplies and tools, enjoyed a strong year in 2004 while starting 2005 on a bit of a buying spree. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Earlier this year, Ferguson and...

Consider selling now: looking to sell your company? Current tax rules, interest rates and the economy are all working in your favor.(MANAGEMENT)
June 1, 2005... THE TIME IS RIPE TO SELL YOUR BUSINESS. In the past couple of decades, business owners wanting to sell their companies faced high interest rates, high taxes, and at times, tough economic conditions. Today, three major factors exist to provide...

How to succeed in China: adjusting to doing business there can be complicated for U.S. companies.(MANUFACTURER'S VIEW)
June 1, 2005... A WAVE OF COMPANIES expanding into China is discovering that transferring business operations there is fraught with complexities. But the potential rewards are huge. China is the fastest growing market on the globe. This fact alone dictates...

A flappin' good time: Even Cut Abrasive's flap brushes remove surface contaminants and oxidation.(The best new products for your customers)
June 1, 2005... Even Cut Abrasive Company's expanded line of flap brushes are made from a flexible, open-structured nylon web with embedded resin and aluminum oxide grain. They are ideal for removing surface contaminants and oxidation, and for blending and...

Linear guide.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The QuickTrak linear guide is an off-the-shelf solution that reduces design and installation costs by easily integrating into machine configurations; and is constructed of rugged corrosion-resistant materials. Bishop-Wisecarver Corp. >>...

Metering pump.(The best new products for your customers)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The metering pump is available in bare shaft, close-coupled and motorized configurations, each delivering smooth, metered flow free from pulsations and variations to prevent material waste or mixture imbalance. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Trenching tool.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The EdgeAll trenching tool is a 13-lb. tool with a sharp blade that quickly slits soil leaving a neat, deep, narrow channel for installation of wiring or piping; and is ideal for sub-surface trenching. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] V & B...

Hard hats.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The 1-Touch Suspension hard hat quickly adjusts to the user's head circumference with an easy-open, easy-close feature; and features an easy one-hand squeeze opening; one-hand adjustment and snap closure; comfortable fit; and adjustable dual...

Center/saucer wheels.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The Charger Plus wheels for weld, metal fabrication, foundry, construction, pipeline and petrochemical applications feature a blend of advanced performance zirconia alumina and aluminum oxide; and improve user performance by 30% with less...

Roller pinion system.(The best new products for your customers)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The Precision Roller Pinion System features a patented tooth design, combined with a pinion consisting of bearing-supported rollers that move smoothly along the face of each tooth; and offers better performance and longer life than traditional...

Steam trap.(The best new products for your customers)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The LEX3N-TZ temperature control steam trap includes a built-in scale removal function, and is ideal for use in tracing applications where low-temperature heating is required. TLV Corp. >> www.tlv.com

Fire control.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The ANU-48 LED driver is a 48-point driver module for use in conjunction with the NetSOLO series voice evacuation system; and offers 8-switch inputs that can be configured as either latching or non-latching. Fire Control Instruments >>...

Metal products.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... These clad metal products feature 2 or more layers of metals such as stainless steels, carbon steels, copper-based alloys, nickel-based alloys, titanium, niobium and tantalum; and can combine properties such as corrosion resistance and high...

2-way radios.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... ProTalk 2-way radios are durable; feature exceptional audio quality; enable instant, real-time communications in a range of environments; and include a full line of accessories, such as antennas and headsets. Gerstman Communications >>...

Letdown valve.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The Urea letdown valve is a custom-built control valve specifically designed to tolerate the high pressure drops and crystallization associated with the letdown process in urea production. Flowserve >> www.flowserve.com

Handles.(The best new products for your customers)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... These attractive and functional handles are available with durable powder coatings in a wide variety of colors to meet design requirements; and outlast aluminum, brass, steel and stainless steel handles. RAF Electronic Hardware >>...

Tight-fit tool.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The tight-fit line of corner rounding tools allows the user to corner round into tight areas, such as 90[degrees] inside corners; and also can be used to put a radius on the edge of small holes or around the entire surface of a slot. ...

Gaskets.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... TriGuard gaskets are ideal sealing solutions for water treatment plants, as well as other facilities that handle chlorine gas in their manufacturing processes; and seal tight and remain tight, even with varying flange conditions. GORE-TEX...

Counting/weighing scale.(The best new products for your customers)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The Alliance/Ohaus Trooper count series scale provides up to 300 memory locations that can store average piece weights, tare weights, part numbers, accumulations and other data for up to 60 items. Alliance Scale, Inc. >>...

Fire-retardant hose.(The best new products for your customers)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... The HT-162 fire-retardant hose is a flexible, wire-reinforced thermo-plastic hose that controls the spread of flame and smoke; is designed for interior ventilation where people might be present; and operates continuously from -40[degrees]F to...

What's your core competency? The sooner you realize that your people, trust and network of partners are what your company is about, the more you'll succeed.(FINAL WORD)
June 1, 2005... WE ARE OFTEN ASKED by customers and suppliers what our core competency is. After years of communicating a message of product mix and available services, we have come to the simple realization that the real asset to our customers and suppliers...