An issue we\’re starting to hear more and more about is Joint Business Planning (JBP). We started hearing rumblings just before the NAED National from some larger distributors and manufacturers …
Is Joint Business Planning a Dying Art or a Growth Differentiator? Read More »
As mentioned last week, one of the topics of various sessions, and with distributors, was eCommerce and eSales. The companies that are viewed as more progressive, perhaps more profitable and …
Throughout Q1 we\’ve heard of a number of companies, manufacturers and distributors, who have undergone some \”cost reductions\” (the euphemism for layoffs). This has created opportunities for others in a …
We\’re finally through the planning season (yes, it is April and distributors now have less than 9 months to achieve supplier objectives!) and some of manufacturers discussed their new product launch …
Grainger released its Q1 results today. Historically they represent a proxy for the industrial and industrial MRO market so we decided to review for insights…(italics are commentary). The bottom line …
Grainger’s Q1 2016 Highlights Industrial Challenges Read More »
Over the past month or so Allen and I have had a number of calls for data. Some are from owners / senior management, some from marketing personnel and some …
You may remember the iconic jingle of \”Ace is the place with the helpful hardware folks\” but did you know that Ace is the place for LED lighting? According to an …
Yes, we\’re talking about liens! They types that accounting / credit people like, not \”lean\” as in \”lean processes\” which we\’ll touch on in the near future when we discuss …
As you sit around your corporate boardroom and and make decisions that impact growth either via acquisition or generating incremental sales, many don\’t give consideration to PRODUCTIVITY (in the back office). Why …
Feedback from manufacturers and distributors indicate a rather significant drop in sales but recent conversations indicate that margins could be even more significantly impacted. While industrial margins typically are higher …
