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Today’s
Headlines
Manufactured durable goods orders up
08/27/08 – New orders for manufactured durable goods increased by
$2.9 billion or 1.3 percent in July to $219.3 billion, the U.S.
Census Bureau announced today...
Survey: Industrial companies meeting revenue goals
8/26/08 – The majority of organizations within the U.S. industrial
sector are on target to meet or exceed their revenue goals, but many
indicate they are reducing overall spending in 2008...
Kennametal to buy Tricon Metals
08/25/08 – Kennametal Inc. signed a definitive agreement to acquire
Tricon Metals & Services Inc...
Sperian buys British fall protection company
08/25/08 – Sperian Protection announced an agreement to acquire
Combisafe International AB...
McJunkin Red Man files IPO
08/21/08 – McJunkin Red Man filed for a $750 million IPO with the
SEC...
Report: Rough economic road ahead
08/21/08 – The weakness in the U.S. economy shows no signs of
immediate abatement, and significant challenges may last well into
2009, according to a new report...
United Stationers acquires Emco Distribution
08/20/08 – United Stationers Supply Co. has signed a definitive
purchase agreement with Emco Distribution LLC to acquire Emco's New
Jersey business...
More
industry news
Home Depot sales and earnings down
Paslode cleared of dumping charges
Hagemeyer introduced safety catalog
WinWholesale opens three branches
ITW revenues up 11.4 percent
Praxair announces price increase
Progressive
Distributor online exclusives
Click here for more online
exclusives
From
our latest print version
 Cover
story
Customer care
With new ownership and a solutions-centered attitude, Elvin Safety
aims to keep customers safe and companies sound...
Editorial
The storms of summer
Sales
management
Ten sales
strategies for a down market
After years of growth, distributors must now become more efficient and
aggressive to survive and grow their business...
Distribution management
The
MRO cost profile
The potential to dramatically reduce MRO procurement costs is
greatly enhanced by a proper understanding of the profile of such
costs...
Lean thinking
and square watermelons
Challenging assumptions and looking at things in new ways can spawn
better answers to old problems...
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 The
companies listed in the
Technology Directory offer software and
services available to industrial MRO and contractor supplies
distributors. |
E-business
Software
does not manage inventory
The most expensive, sophisticated software package will not
automatically result in an optimal level of inventory – a high level
of customer service and inventory turns, but with low inventory
investment...
The perception factor
Cut from the team
Managers know which sales team member isn’t pulling their weight.
But making the cut is complicated. Join us this month as Malcolm and
Frank dig into this timely topic...
Product sales training
On the trail
Dixon Valve & Coupling wins the 9th Annual Progressive
Distributor Manufacturer Product Training Award...
Dueling PATs
New gas fuel cell tools are dueling with old-school powder-actuated tools for
dominance on job sites. But those old guns still have the firepower...
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Attention distributors!
Maximize
your sales force’s productivity. The new book Restructuring
the Distribution Sales Effort for Maximum Productivity,
from distribution industry consultant Scott Benfield and Progressive Distributor editor Rich Vurva is available now. Did you know that inside and outside
sales forces are 30% to 40% of the typical distributor’s
operating expenses? To
learn more about this important book, click here. |
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The home building industry is in
the doldrums.
During the month of July, by what percentage
did housing starts decrease in the U.S.?
A) 10.1%
B) 5.4%
C) 2.9% |
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Click here for answer
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