Distribution
The Right Track
August 23, 2012 1:56 pm | by Anna Wells, Executive Editor, Manufacturing Business Technology | Articles | CommentsInventory: Not always such a dirty word until cost pressures took to task the traditional storage and fulfillment methods of the average manufacturer. According to Grainger, an industrial supplier with a significant global footprint, manufacturers are moving to just-in-time inventory as much as possible to reduce excess spend on items that do not turn quickly.
Health Safety Advocates Want Melon Farm Identified
August 21, 2012 7:07 pm | by Rick Callahan, Associated Press | News | CommentsAdvocacy groups said people have a right to know the farm's name and the details of its cantaloupe distribution network so they can protect their families from the outbreak that's killed two Kentucky residents and stricken at least 140 others, including about 30 who have been hospitalized.
Seeing The Forest And The Trees
August 20, 2012 9:46 am | by Jack Levis, Director of Process Management, UPS | Blogs | CommentsIt’s important to understand that business analytics is a scientific approach to making decisions and is broken down into three forms: descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. Descriptive analytics provide an accurate picture of what has happened. Predictive analytics enable an assumption about what will happen in the future or explain what has happened. Finally, prescriptive analytics shows the best course of action.
DGI Supply To Acquire Tool & Abrasive Supply, Inc.
August 17, 2012 2:36 pm | News | CommentsBill Henricks, Chief Operating Officer of DoALL Company, stated, “The merging of these two exceptional teams will further fuel our success in Southern California. This blend will provide a broader range of support and resources for our customers. With Tool & Abrasive’s dedicated team, we look forward to delivering the same great products and service our customers have come to depend on for decades.”
Using Supplier Score Cards To Improve Profitability
August 13, 2012 11:04 am | by Shawn Dennison, CPA, CMA, Vice President of Finance, Cerro Wire | Articles | CommentsUsing supplier score cards and comparison tools can inject more reason into a purchasing decision, which can optimize both cost and lead time.
Grainger Reports 11 Pct. Increase In July Sales
August 10, 2012 12:37 pm | News | CommentsOrganic daily sales — those from existing rather than newly acquired or sold businesses — rose 8 percent on higher sales and volumes compared with a year earlier.
Enhanced Workflow Technologies Allow Closer Management
August 7, 2012 1:41 pm | by Mike Schmidt. Associate Editor, Manufacturing Business Technology | Blogs | CommentsLuckily for distributors, the ongoing evolution of enhanced ERP and workflow technologies has helped them better fulfill some of their basic needs; most notably allowing them to closely manage each and every step of the distribution process. These are also helping distributors to better manage warehouse workflow, automate purchasing, streamline work process, and improve inventory management.
Plex Online Partners With Pacejet To Provide Better Shipping
July 30, 2012 10:04 am | News | CommentsPlex Systems Inc., provider of Plex Online, Cloud ERP for manufacturers, today announced the deployment of the Pacejet multi-carrier shipping and logistics technology at Vornado Air, the industry leader in air flow technology product manufacturing.
Genesee & Wyoming Pay $1.39B For RailAmerica
July 23, 2012 10:02 am | News | CommentsGenesee & Wyoming said Monday that it will buy RailAmerica for about $1.39 billion in a deal that combines the two largest short-line and regional rail operators in North America.
U.S. Wholesale Stockpiles Grew In May But Sales Fell
July 11, 2012 2:00 pm | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsThe Commerce Department's latest figures were a mixed bag, but the large drop in sales is a troubling sign for future growth.
Keeping Industry In Motion
July 10, 2012 10:45 am | by Anna Wells, Executive Editor, Industrial Distribution | Articles | CommentsFor a supplier like Motion Industries — equal parts cutting-edge practices and classic industrial MRO — a city nestled near the foothills of Appalachia seems like a natural fit.
Fasten-ating Technology
July 9, 2012 11:37 am | by Abbigail Kriebs, Associate Editor, Industrial Distribution | Articles | CommentsThese intricate and essential little pieces of metal and plastic play a large part in daily life and in the life of any manufacturing or distribution company.
Volvo Workers In Md. Help Improve Business
July 3, 2012 10:02 am | by Arnold S. Platou, The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown | News | CommentsAt the recommendation of a team of employees, Volvo has made "significant" changes to its warehousing and material handling practices.
Ala. Brothers Bring Award-Wining Beer Back Home
July 2, 2012 1:42 pm | by Rick Harmon, Montgomery Advertiser | News | CommentsOne of America's "best beers" began in a bathtub in Auburn, but craft brews haven't been popular enough in Alabama to justify distribution — until now.
Linetec Expands Service Throughout The Southwest
June 18, 2012 3:52 pm | News | CommentsAs the nation’s largest independent architectural finisher, Linetec operates its own fleet of trucks providing customers with weekly pickup and delivery services, and will now offer these in Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Q&A: Simplifying The CPG-Retailer Connection
June 6, 2012 1:56 pm | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | Articles | CommentsManufacturers of consumers packaged goods (CPG) need to work closely with retailers of all sizes, but that relationship is oftentimes difficult to anticipate.
What Type Of Business System You Need To Go Global
May 31, 2012 12:33 pm | by Jennifer Schulze, Senior Director of Solutions Marketing, SAP | Articles | CommentsYou are an executive at a mid-sized manufacturing organization that is beginning to market, sell and service its products in multiple geographies across the globe. As a result, your supply chain model is suddenly becoming more complex and needs tighter coordination. You now have to manage your financials in multiple currencies, as well as consolidate financial data from international subsidiaries for reporting.
History Of Logistics And Supply Chain Management
May 30, 2012 11:15 am | Articles | CommentsThe SCM-Operations blog has shared with us a neat infographic on the history of supply chain management, which dates back more than a century.
Omnicare Pays $50 Million To Settle DOJ Case
May 11, 2012 12:52 pm | News | CommentsThe company said there were no allegations that drugs were illegally diverted to someone without prescriptions and no patients were harmed.
Grainger 1Q Profit Jumps 19 Percent On Higher Sales
April 17, 2012 3:26 pm | News | CommentsNet sales rose 16 percent to $2.19 billion from $1.88 billion, with most of the increase coming from higher sales volumes.
xpedx Awarded ENERGY STAR In California, Nevada And Pennsylvania Locations
March 28, 2012 1:23 pm | News | CommentsThe distribution firm's Hayward, Reno and Pittsburgh sites earned the ENERGY STAR by scoring in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.
Improve Truck Freight Carrier Productivity and Cost-Effectiveness with Mobility Technology
February 9, 2012 9:03 am | by Zebra Technologies | White Papers | CommentsIn today’s tough business conditions, over-the-road freight carriers are looking for ways to increase productivity, decrease operating expenses, and retain customers. As many businesses have already discovered, mobility technology delivers exceptional benefits to a wide range of operations. When deployed to truck freight carriers, handheld computers, networking, RFID technology and mobile thermal printers are proven productivity enhancers. Download this white paper to learn key considerations when selecting mobility solutions, and how mobility-enabled operations can improve freight trucking efficiency, reduce operating expenses, and boost customer satisfaction.
Family Ties
January 30, 2012 2:36 pm | by Anna Wells, Executive Editor, Industrial Distribution | Articles | CommentsDespite flying below the radar for many years, Flint-based Shively Bros. has lately become a distributor to watch as it propels forward.
Corporate United And Fastenal Sign New Agreement
November 22, 2011 10:54 am | News | CommentsCorporate United has entered into a new 4-year agreement with Fastenal Company for industrial supplies.
Q&A: The State Of Material Handling Today
November 22, 2011 9:46 am | Articles | CommentsNick Wilson, CEO of Morrison Container Handling Solutions, has seen material handling change drastically since 1971, like speeds increasing four times.
