After a little hiatus for the holidays, it’s time to get back to work. First order of business … Happy New Year and may your 2010 bring your sales and profit growth, or at least stability, and may 2009 remain […]
After a little hiatus for the holidays, it’s time to get back to work. First order of business … Happy New Year and may your 2010 bring your sales and profit growth, or at least stability, and may 2009 remain […]
As most will remember, a few years ago Home Depot went on a buying spree, acquiring a number of wholesalers in the construction industries. After purchasing Hughes Supply, they went on to purchase a couple of electrical distributors before Home […]
Last Thursday, Rexel held an Investor Day in Lyon, France. During this meeting, Rexel updated analysts, and probably other investors on its 2010-2012 growth strategy.The report can be found, and downloaded, here. And coincidentally, Rexel announced today that it is […]
We’re starting to see, and hear, rumblings in the M&A market. Many have wondered when this would start in the distribution industries. With credit tight, it has been a challenge. And banks loath the word “construction” (must be that they […]
A little bit of a “mishmash” of things we’ve been thinking and seeing recently that we’d like your thoughts on marketing funds, Infor and GE Automation (and Industrial). Marketing Funds (Co-op and MDF) – distributors love them (and think they […]
It appears that companies in a number of industries are starting to shop … for other companies. Witness Dell buying Perot, Kraft making an offer to Cadbury, Emerson buying Avocent, Lewis Goetz buying International Gasket, HD Supply and ORCO Construction […]
We’re hearing from a number of sources that a number of the national chains, specifically Graybar, WESCO and Rexel (and possibly more) are selectively closing branches, primarily in what one manufacturer calls the “sand states” (Southwest / West Coast). This […]
Some interesting information has been shared by public companies over the past couple of days as well as some construction forecast information. Hubbell purchased Burndy this week, netting itself a $225M company for $360M. On the surface this appears to […]
No, we’re not talking bankruptcy (although GM did file today), but dealer management.Over the past month, Chrysler and GM have essentially reduced their dealer networks by about 1900 dealerships, (about 800 out of 3200 for Chrysler and 1100 out of […]