Unemployment slips to 5.7 percent in December
ITW Devcon purchases Futura Coatings Inc.
Prophet 21 to hold annual summit in St. Louis
Former Royal Diversified VP acquires Ezell Precision Tool
Industry speaker to hold seminar on credit management
DPS partners with IBM to deliver SMB solutions
Factory orders decline in November
Airgas names senior vice president of human resources
Applied Industrial Technologies names corporate controller
Cooper names deputy chairman of its board of directors
Stanley Works names interim non-executive chairman
ISM: Manufacturing activity surges in December
Allsafe Service & Materials boosts cone production capacity
Construction spending rises in November
NAHAD to host training event for new managers
Lawson Products names new director

Unemployment slips to 5.7 percent in December
The U.S. unemployment rate declined to 5.7 percent in December from 5.9 percent in November, according to the Labor Department.

Manufacturing employment was down by 26,000 in December. From September to December, employment in this industry declined at a slower pace than during the first eight months of 2003. 

Employment in nondurable goods manufacturing decreased by 18,000 in December, with the largest losses in printing and related support activities (-4,000) and in textile mills (-3,000).

Manufacturing lost 516,000 jobs in 2003 and shed 2.8 million jobs since July 2000, the last month it recorded a gain.

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ITW Devcon purchases Futura Coatings Inc.
ITW Devcon acquired certain assets of Futura Coatings Inc. of  St. Louis, a producer of sprayable high-performance elastomeric coatings and linings. 

ITW Devcon Futura Coatings will be part of ITW Performance Polymers, an international business group of Illinois Tool Works.

Futura coatings protect concrete, steel, wood and other substrates from corrosion, abrasion, UV, temperature extremes, thermal cycling and impact. Their high build characteristics (film thickness of 15-250 mils per coat and short cure times of 15-60 seconds) can dramatically reduce coating times and costs. With superior elongation (up to 300 percent), Futura coatings form seamless, impermeable barriers and are ideal for bridging cracks.

Futura’s extensive product line includes a wide range of coating technologies. Specializing in polyureas, polyurethanes and structural resins, the company also manufactures silicones, epoxies, acrylics, buytls, primers, binders and foams. Products include abrasion-resistant coatings; primary and secondary containment linings; chemical-resistant linings; UV-stable aliphatic coatings; pipeline coatings; tank linings; flooring systems; waterproofing systems; wall, deck, and roof coatings; truck-bed liners; sandwich composites; artificial tree bark, rock, and coral; in-mold coatings; urethane gelcoats; and post finishes.

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Prophet 21 to hold annual summit in St. Louis
Prophet 21 will hold its Summit 2004 annual meeting for customers March 25-28 in St. Louis.

"We are pleased to offer our customers three days of networking events, educational sessions and one-on-one meetings with technology experts," said Prophet 21 president and CEO Chuck Boyle. "All of the programs and events at Summit 2004 have been specifically developed to help the distributors who use Prophet 21 solutions maximize their return on their technology investment."

Prophet 21 Summit 2004 offers distributors an opportunity to learn about their solution from technology experts. In addition to interest tracks for each of Prophet 21 enterprise software solutions, there will be sessions specific to executives' needs as well as Internet trading network Trading Partner Connect.

Prophet 21 will also host a Technology Center, an exhibit area where distributors can try the latest versions of Prophet 21 solutions and meet with technology experts. The idea behind the Technology Center is to give customers direct access to experts who can best answer their questions and help them increase their return on their technology investment.

Summit 2004 will also include several networking opportunities for attendees to exchange ideas. In the past, distributors have viewed these networking events as excellent opportunities to keep in touch with fellow distributors and learn new ways to utilize the technology that helps them run their businesses.

Prophet 21 customers can register for Summit 2004 at www.p21.com/summit or call 800-PROPHET ext. 7925 for more information.

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Former Royal Diversified VP acquires Ezell Precision Tool
Precision tooling and die- and ready-mold component manufacturer Ezell Precision Tool Co. was recently purchased by former Royal Diversified Products Inc. vice president of sales and marketing Fred Coelho.

According to Coelho, while at Royal, he frequently purchased components from Ezell for the past 20 years. They included mold cores, sleeves, cavities and many other parts that required extremely close tolerances and a fine finish.

The company also performs contract precision grinding, conventional and wire EDM, and CNC lathe and mill work.

Ezell Precision Tool currently employs 11 workers and expects to create several new jobs during the next year.

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Industry speaker to hold seminar on credit management
International speaker on the subject of sales enhancement and business organization Abe WalkingBear Sanchez will hold a six-hour presentation March 17 on his copyrighted Profit System of B2B Credit Management and on the development of specific policies and procedures.

During this training program, participants will learn how sales and credit departments can become powerful profit partners for your business.

Sanchez will also present the philosophy behind the Profit System and goals for each of the major components. Participants will walk through the process of documenting specific policies and procedures for their own use. At the end of the day, participants will have an understanding of how credit can best contribute to profitability, and they will have written tools for implementing what they've learned.

For more information, contact Diana Rowinski at the Wisconsin Credit Association .

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DPS partners with IBM to deliver SMB solutions
Distribution software development, consulting and services company DPS (Data Processing Services Inc.) joined IBM's ISV Advantage Initiative.

The program was designed to help independent software vendors with their technical and marketing needs with respect to small and medium business (SMB) companies. DPS will use several IBM products to expand into the SMB market faster and more effectively than with proprietary platforms.

The IBM WebSphere and DB2 family, which DPS will use, includes products that are designed and priced specifically for small and medium businesses: easy to install and manage, scalable to grow with a business, rich in functionality, and based on open standards to allow integration with existing software and hardware platforms.

DPS will also work closely with IBM to expand its visibility in target vertical industries through various co-marketing and sales activities.

DPS markets its DPS Flash e-business product to help wholesalers connect with their customers, over the Internet, with tools including a Web catalog, product information, pricing, availability, enhanced shopping cart, order status and tracking information. 

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Factory orders decline in November
New orders for manufactured goods decreased $4.9 billion, or 1.4 percent, to $336.9 billion in November, according to the Department of Commerce.

This follows a 2.4 percent October increase. Year-to-date, new orders for 2003 were 2.2 percent above the same period a year ago.

New orders for durable goods decreased $4.6 billion, or 2.5 percent, to $181.2 billion in November. This is revised from the previously published 3.1 percent decrease.

Specifically, new orders for primary metals slipped 2.5 percent in November, while orders for fabricated metal products declined 1 percent. Orders for computers and electronic products fell 10.7 percent in November and orders for transportation equipment dropped 1.3 percent. New orders for machinery increased 2.1 percent during the month.

For a closer look at the complete report, click here.

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Airgas names senior vice president of human resources
Airgas Inc. appointed Dwight T. Wilson senior vice president of human resources, reporting to Airgas chairman and CEO Peter McCausland. 

Wilson joined Airgas from DecisionOne Corp. of Frazer, Pa., where he served as senior vice president of corporate resources since 2001.

Wilson has more than 20 years of human resources experience, much of it with Bell Atlantic and AT&T companies. For the past eight years, he headed human resources for DecisionOne Corp., an information technology support services company with more than 4,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada. Before 1990, Wilson worked in human resources, compensation planning and management for other Bell Atlantic companies.

“Dwight will lead the corporate HR team as well as serve as the functional leader of human resources strategies throughout our regional and operating companies,” said McCausland. “His knowledge of compensation and benefits, management development and coaching will prove invaluable as we continue to focus on our people and the important role they play in our strategies.”

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Applied Industrial Technologies names corporate controller
Daniel T. Brezovec was named corporate controller for Applied Industrial Technologies, according to vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer Mark O. Eisele.

In this position, Brezovec will oversee Applied's management accounting activities, direct the company's accounting functions, prepare external financial statements and reports, and maintain appropriate internal controls. He will also continue to champion Applied's project to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

"With a solid background in the areas of generally accepted accounting principles and auditing standards, Dan is the ideal candidate for corporate controller. His drive for results and excellent management, leadership and business skills will serve him well in his new position," said Eisele. "Under Dan's guidance, I'm confident Applied will continue to maintain our solid financial infrastructure."

An accounting professional with more than 20 years experience, Brezovec served as director of internal audit for Applied for nearly four years. He joined the company in January 1998 as director of general accounting. Prior to Applied, he worked as controller for Maxtrac Tire Co. in Stow, Ohio. He has also held various accounting and management positions with Sealy Mattress Company, Charter One Financial Inc. and Deloitte & Touche.

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Cooper names deputy chairman of its board of directors
Cooper Industries Ltd. appointed Clifford Grum deputy chairman of its board of directors and reduced the size of its board of directors to 10 members. 

Grum fills a position previously held by Ralph E. Jackson, who retired Dec. 31, 2003, after 27 years of service. Grum, who joined Cooper's Board of Directors in 1982, is the retired chairman and CEO of Austin-based Temple-Inland Inc. He is also on the boards of Tupperware Corp. and Trinity Industries Inc.

"We are delighted that Clifford will be assuming the deputy chairman's position on Cooper's board of directors," said Cooper chairman and CEO H. John Riley Jr. "Clifford's deep knowledge of Cooper and its markets and his experience in managing global businesses make him well qualified for this position."

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Stanley Works names interim non-executive chairman
The board of directors of the Stanley Works elected John D. Opie, the former vice chairman of General Electric Company, as non-executive chairman on an interim basis until a permanent chairman is elected.

In his role as chairman, Opie, who has served as a Stanley director since mid-2000 and as lead director since mid-2003, succeeds John M. Trani, who retired Dec. 31 as chairman and CEO.

The board will make an announcement in the near future about the search for a permanent chairman and a successor CEO to Trani. Pending that announcement, an interim management structure was implemented to manage company operations until the new CEO is in place.

The other two members of the office of the chairman, tools group executive vice president Joseph J. DeAngelo and executive vice president of finance and chief financial officer James M. Loree, will oversee all corporate functions and business operations.

"I have had the opportunity to work closely with the Stanley management team this year and I am confident the company will continue to make strong progress with all of its customer and investor-focused initiatives," said Opie.

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ISM: Manufacturing activity surges in December
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew in December for the sixth consecutive month, while the overall economy grew for the 26th consecutive month, according to the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) Manufacturing Report On Business.

ISM's PMI (purchasing managers index) hit 66.2 percent in December, an increase of 3.4 percentage points compared to 62.8 percent in November. A reading above 50 percent indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally contracting.

"With the PMI growing at an accelerating rate, the manufacturing sector enjoyed its best month since December 1983," said ISM manufacturing business survey committee chair Norbert J. Ore. "Much of the momentum is in new orders, as the index is the highest reported reading since July 1950. The strength in December's data provides significant encouragement for prospects in the first quarter of 2004."

A PMI in excess of 42.9 percent, over a period of time, generally indicates an expansion of the overall economy. The December PMI indicates that both the overall economy and the manufacturing sector are growing.

The past relationship between the PMI and the overall economy indicates that the average PMI for January through December (53.5 percent) corresponds to a 3.9 percent increase in real gross domestic product (GDP). However, if the PMI for December (66.2 percent) is annualized, this corresponds to an 8.6 percent increase in GDP.

"The month-over-month growth from November to December indicates a rapid recovery taking place in the sector, though there are still some businesses lagging and wondering when they will see the improvement that others are experiencing," said Ore.

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Allsafe Services & Materials to boost cone production
Allsafe Services & Materials Co. will expand its traffic cone production capacity through the acquisition of a new high volume cone manufacturing line. This additional capacity positions the SMC brand as the largest single producer of traffic safety cones in the U.S.

Allsafe/SMC general manager Bryan Biechler said the new line is expected to be operational early in the first quarter of 2004.

''This is a perfect fit for our new combined company," he said. "Our aggressive growth objectives will be realized with the expanded traffic cone capacity, allowing us to continue to exceed customer demands on delivery, quality and overall customer service.''

This strategic acquisition is part of a larger strategy that includes the recent consolidation of American Allsafe and Services & Materials into Allsafe Services & Materials Company.

The single entity specializes in providing safety solutions to the safety, traffic, construction, industrial and janitorial markets with a product array that includes a full line of personal protective equipment and work zone safety products, hard hats, face shields, safety glasses, reflective vests, channelizers and barricades.

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Construction spending rises in November
Construction spending increased to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $934.5 billion, 1.2 percent higher than the revised October estimate of $923.8 billion, according to the Commerce Department.

The November figure is 7.4 percent above the November 2002 estimate of $870 billion.

During the first 11 months of the year, construction spending amounted to $828.1 billion, 4.1 percent above the $795.7 billion for the same period in 2002.

Commercial construction increased to $61.8 billion during November, compared to $61.6 billion during October. November commercial construction was also up from $61 billion measured during the same period a year ago.

To read the entire report, click here.

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NAHAD to host training event for new managers
NAHAD will host a two-day training event Feb. 6-7 in Cleveland for new and up-and-coming managers, designed to ensure their success, and their company's success.

Management Skills for New Managers is basic training for successful management, designed to address the real needs of new managers. This unique, two-day seminar is designed to address real-world business issues that affect NAHAD member companies and apply classroom training to members' business.

The instructional design for the two days is 50 percent lecture and 50 percent group exercises based on actual business scenarios gleaned from NAHAD member firms.

The seminar will address:
• legal issues in the workplace;
• dealing with employees;
• problem solving and decision making; and
• basic distribution finance.

Kathryne Newton and Chuck Holmes designed and will facilitate the program. Newton is an associate professor of industrial technology and coordinator of the Industrial Distribution Program at Purdue University. Holmes is president of Corporate Strategies Inc. and is a charter faculty member of the University of Industrial Distribution.

The program will cost $329 for NAHAD members who sign up before Jan. 15. For more information, call .

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Lawson Products names new director
Lawson Products Inc. elected Wilma J. Smelcer to its board of directors. Smelcer is the former chairman of Bank of America, Illinois (formerly Continental Bank). Her banking career spanned more than 28 years, during which she held a number of senior executive positions.

Smelcer is a trustee of Goldman Sachs Trust/Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust and is a member of the Board of Governors of the Chicago Stock Exchange. She is past chair of the Chicago Network, has served as a member of the executive committee and vice chairman of the Economic Club of Chicago, and also as a member of the executive committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Smelcer was elected to fill a vacancy created at year-end by the resignation of Robert Melzer.

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