Electrical distributors have been hearing about solar, and other renewable energies, for a couple of years. Most have avoided the market and at the same time, many solar manufacturers have shied away from distributors, preferring instead to sell direct or […]
And like they say “c’est la vie” (or, according to a definition on Urban Dictionary, “Oh well, h_t happens). While the company can spin its third quarter worldwide performance, we’re only focused here in the States. Some observations: Q2 was […]
Recently we’ve been contacted by a handful of individuals, whom we’ve known or who have been referred to us, who have decided to start rep firms. Each of the individuals were either in sales / marketing management for manufacturers or […]
Last month’s issue of Forbes magazine had a snippet on manufacturing in America. While the industrial marketplace in the U.S. has contracted over the years and 7.5 million manufacturing jobs have been lost in the past 30 years, it is […]
I was in the grocery store the other day picking up a few things and noticed that some of my wife’s selections were no longer being stocked. Instead, I noticed a significant increase in the visibility, and presumably SKUs, of […]
Yesterday’s announcement from the National Bureau of Economic Research that the economy is in a recession wasn’t a surprise. Nor was the fact that the economy has been slowing since last December. While it may be surprising that December was […]
With many companies currently developing their 2009 plans, its important to remember that there are many opportunities to take share, drive revenue and improve profitability in this marketplace.In fact, history shows that companies that take a prudent, aggressive, stance in […]
If you secure business via contracts, either as a distributor or a manufacturer, you know that maverick buying, on behalf of the end-user, can be the bane of a contract.Maverick buying is when purchasers within the end-user, who are supposed […]
The beginning of the meeting season coincides with the beginning of the planning season. Many manufacturers are well into the process with some distributors just starting. Looking into your crystal ball can be challenging, especially in light of recent uncertainty.While […]
Yesterday there was an interesting ad in The Wall Street Journal. An electrical and mechanical contractor, EMCOR, with almost $7 billion in revenues of which about 25% is electrical, was advertising their services. While the reasons are obvious – developers […]
