Today’s Headlines                       

Fastenal sales increase 22 percent
Fastenal reported net sales of $431,703 for the first quarter of 2006, an increase of 22 percent over net sales of $353,809 in the first quarter of 2005. . .

Weiler to expand offices, distribution center
Weiler Corporation, a manufacturer of power brushes for the welding, fabrication and manufacturing industries, is adding approximately 40,000 square feet to its Cresco, Pa., facility. . .

Manufacturers to increase online marketing in 2006
Over 75 percent of manufacturing companies will be increasing their online marketing budgets in 2006. . .

PTDA: Distributor sales climb in February
In February, U.S. distributors’ year-to-date sales of power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) products rose 11.1 percent compared to sales for January through February 2005. . .

Construction spending falls in February
The Department of Commerce announced that construction spending during February 2006 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.2 trillion. . .

Applied acquires Minnesota Bearing Company
Applied Industrial Technologies announced the acquisition of Minnesota Bearing Company, a distributor of bearings, power transmission and related specialty products headquartered in Minneapolis. . .

More industry news
   Parker Hannifin buys majority share in Kuroda Pneumatics
   Lewis-Goetz purchases Goodall Rubber Co.
   PTDA to hold industry summit in October
   Private equity firms purchase Activant Solutions
   IBC names new president
   Goodyear Engineered Products names North American VP
   Darex to send bit sharpeners to U.S. troops in Iraq
   Hughes Supply posts fiscal year gains
   ITW reports favorable results in latest three months

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Progressive Distributor online exclusives

	A propensity to take risks What sets the exceptional professional apart from the average? Exceptional professionals share certain characteristics, including the propensity to take risks.
	The top three temptations of successful salespeople Learn the top three temptations that can prevent you and your team from getting to the next level. . .
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From our latest print version

Cover story
The tradition continues
Amazon Hose and Rubber enters its third generation as a woman-owned company…

Editorial
Needed: better leads
 

Distribution management
NAHAD Hose Guidelines project to introduce new tools
When the NAHAD Board of Directors gathered for their annual meeting in Nashville in early 1993, none of the attendees imagined it would mark the beginning of a major initiative that would have far reaching consequences for the hose industry…

Service strategies reinvent distributor roles
Fee-based services are a hot topic, but many distributor executives are not sure how to devise a successful service strategy…

Spending less green with Brown
NAHAD Small Parcel Value Program helps members lower their UPS bills…

E-business
Warehouse on wheels
PDAs and wireless technology enabled this fluid power distributor to establish a cost-effective, mobile bin stocking system…

Sales management
Selling housed bearing units
Helping customers decide when and how to select a housed unit in place of other bearing options…

Sales training
Panning for gold
Tips to help your salespeople prospect for new business…

Archive click of the week

Six ways to get more prospects to buy from you
Salespeople never stop looking for some magic formula to guarantee quicker and easier sales…

Which association will soon celebrate its 40th anniversary?

Click here for answer