Are Distributors Learning from Retail's E-Commerce Transformation?

From the NAW Blog:

A new article by Mark Dancer, NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence Fellow, is live in the NAW Blog: Distributing Ideas


Here is a preview.

In many ways, the impact of digital transformation and disruption on the retail industry is ahead of similar changes happening in distribution. Distributors can learn from retail and then upgrade their strategies and operational plans to be better prepared for changes that are certain to come. Distributors that fail to learn from retail’s transformation risk being blindsided by predictable changes that will come to distribution. Forewarned is forearmed, and in the war for digital dominance, every distributor must strive to be armed to the teeth and ready for battle. 




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Gilchrist Foundation Awards Scholarships

Press Release:

The Gilchrist Foundation has awarded four scholarships from the 2020 applicants.  Congratulations to the recipients. We wish them well and are pleased to assist them with their education.  

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Advance Components promotes Brad Burel to VP Sales

Advance Components is pleased to announce the promotion of Brad Burel from Director of National Sales to Vice President of Sales. Brad has been with Advance for 16 years, where he started in Account Management, transitioned to the role of Regional Sales Manager, and several years ago was promoted to Director National of Sales. 

“Advance is excited that Brad will be leading a new initiative to merge the company’s sales and account management teams into a new single unified sales team,” says Gary Cravens, Advance’s President. “Our goal remains to be a customer-focused company, and Brad is key to continuing and expanding our mission.”

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NAW Podcast Episodes 2 and 3

A few weeks ago, NAW launched the NAW Podcast Series: INNOVATE TO DOMINATE, sponsored by PROS. So far we’ve launched three episodes in this limited series to help distributors face the forces of change through innovation: Check out Episode 1: An Introduction to the Innovate to Dominate Podcast Series to get an overview of the series and highlights from subsequent episodes.

All the remaining episodes in this series can only be accessed by subscribers, so please subscribe today! As a subscriber, you'll receive exclusive episodes directly to your inbox. In addition, every subscriber has a chance to win a FREE electronic copy of NAW’s Innovate to Dominatebook with compliments from PROS!

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How to Leverage Sales Analytics for Successful Remote Selling

From the NAW Blog:

A new article by Senthil Gunasekaran, Co-author of Seven Enduring NAW Institute Best Sellers, is live in the NAW Blog: Distributing Ideas


Here is a preview.

As distributors respond to COVID-19, they are noticing the limitations of traditional recessionary responses such as cost reduction and working capital preservation. These responses may not be optimal due to the inherent constraint of this recession: social distancing. This constraint directly affects face-to-face sales. Transitioning sales teams to work successfully in this new environment is key to revenue recovery.




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Know Your Customers From Afar

From the NAW blog:

The COVID-19 pandemic has complicated the relationship between distributors and customers. Distributors’ sales processes have changed as travel and onsite visits have become all but impossible. Customer behavior has shifted within this new environment too. The combination of these factors means that distributors now face a unique and challenging puzzle: They must figure out how to make personalized sales without actually having personal contact with customers.

Brand-New NAW Podcast Series: Innovate to Dominate, Episode 1

NAW is pleased to introduce the new NAW Podcast Series: INNOVATE TO DOMINATE, sponsored by PROS.

In our first episode, “An Introduction to the Innovate to Dominate Podcast Series,” you’ll learn about INNOVATE TO DOMINATE and what it means for you in the context of COVID-19. Watch or listen to this podcast – Check it out!

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Watson Woodrow Stanley Obituary

Watson Woodrow Stanley, 96, Purple Heart Recipient and a resident of Howell, MI passed from this life Monday, May 18 of natural causes.

Watson was preceded in death by his wife Bette Ann Eckert (deceased in 1997) and will be sorely missed by his wife Elizabeth (daughter Alicia).  He was the loving father of 3 children, William (Barb) Stanley, Robert (Lana Kenny) Stanley and Judy (Jim) Cash. Watson cherished his 10 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. He was the brother of Mae (Max) Stevens and Patricia (David) O’Donnell.

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Midland Industries Opens Houston Distribution Center

Midland Industries, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is excited to announce the opening of its newest distribution center, located at 5544 Armour Dr. Houston, TX 77020. This facility will stock a complete line of industrial, plumbing, waterworks, and irrigation products including, brass fittings, valves, malleable fittings, steel nipples, ductile iron gate and check valves, lead-free brass fittings, bronze fittings, brass nipples, stainless steel fittings and nipples, and much more. In addition to providing faster deliveries to our customers in the South, this facility features a will-call area supporting customers in the Houston area that wish to pick up. As we continue to grow, we are eager to serve our ever-expanding customer base in this region.

Würth Industry North America Signs Agreement To Nationally Distribute Markforged 3D Printers And Offer New Digital Kanban Solutions

Würth Industry North America (WINA), a leading industrial distributor of supply chain solutions for fasteners, MRO and safety equipment, announced March 31, 2020 that it has signed a national agreement with Markforged, the leading provider of industrial metal and carbon fiber 3D printers. The agreement will better serve the needs of Würth Industry's customers in the general manufacturing market, as well as oil & gas, heavy equipment, and transportation.

"We are thrilled to bring innovative digital supply chain solutions to our customers," said Dan Hill, Chief Executive Officer for Würth Industry North America. "By integrating Markforged 3D Printing technology with our existing kanban programs, we are able to offer quicker time to market and lower inventory costs. We're able to cut out the sourcing, purchasing, and transportation costs and deliver the value directly to the customer."

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A Playbook for Distributors to SURGE Ahead Using Customer Stratification

From the NAW Blog

Each of your customers brings value to your business. Some already provide a considerably high value that your business relies on, while others have significant potential that you haven’t fully tapped. Then there are the customers who cost more to serve than they provide in value. The question is: Do you know which customer is which? And are you adjusting your approach accordingly?

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Staying Competitive in the Face of Disruption

From the NAW Blog

Many distributors have been doing things the same way for years. In some cases, what worked then still works now. Yet, part of preparing for the future is preparing for the unexpected — whether that is economic volatility or other industry disruption, such as the Coronavirus.

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Which Multi-Trillion Dollar Opportunity Should You Pursue?

From the NAW Blog

Digital marketplaces were a major theme at the recent NAW Executive Summit, and for good reason; B2B marketplaces are predicted to be a $3.6 trillion boon for distributors in the next few years. This new opportunity is certainly good for distributors, but it does make action even harder. How can AI, e-commerce and marketplaces all be multi-trillion dollar opportunities? Further, which one should distributors pursue first?

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Distributors Are Innovating, But Are Manufacturers Paying Attention?

From the NAW Blog

Distributors are a strategic go-to-market asset for manufacturers and many are stepping up to reinvent the traditional distribution business model for the digital age. My recent conversations with manufacturers indicate that many suppliers have not noticed and very few have actively engaged with even their most influential distributor partners. The partnership between distributors and manufacturers remains as crucial as ever, but it will die without proactive collaboration around emerging innovation opportunities.

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Sherex Launches New Hand Tool Calibration Unit

Sherex Fastening Solutions, a global leader in engineered fasteners, tooling, and automation, is excited to announce the release of its Hand Tool Calibration Unit.

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4 Ways AI Can Grow Business During COVID-19

From the NAW Blog

The United States is entering a new phase of crisis management. For the first time in weeks, restrictions are easing instead of intensifying. The economy is reopening. And for distributors, that means the biggest changes are yet to come.

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Fastener Fair USA Postponed to March 2021

After careful consideration and due to the escalation of COVID-19 in the United States, Reed Exhibitions has announced May 8, 2020 that the next edition of Fastener Fair USA will now take place March 23-25, 2021 at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Initially optimistic that the event could be held in late July, as the pandemic has continued to escalate and the challenges it has brought to the industry, it is clear that July is no longer a viable option.

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Stress Testing and Strategic Cost Reduction During the Pandemic

From the NAW Blog

We’ve been tracking weekly sales in our Pandemic Revenue Index, in which distributors are reporting double-digit declines week over week. A lot of distribution companies have been handling the COVID-19 crisis moment to moment, with barely a chance to catch their breath.

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Offering Virtual Over Human Services Is a False Choice

From the NAW Blog

As distributors imagine business after the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a growing consensus that the crisis will lock in a trend toward customer preferences for virtual experiences. While a sustained shift in buying habits is very likely, that outcome does not reflect the full impact on the future of business. Yes, social distancing has forced remote working and online ordering. However, the crisis also reveals that we are all members of cherished communities, and the path forward is about people working with people to solve problems.

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EFC International Announces Expansion with New Warehouse and Office in Chicago

EFC International, a supplier of engineered fasteners, continues to expand. They are moving their Chicago branch office and warehouse to a new 64,000 square foot facility at 4150 Chandler Drive, Hanover Park, Illinois.

Thomas Mansholt, vice president of operations states, “Our move enables EFC to enhance our service level by providing additional stocking programs with increased inventory space to meet both customer and supplier needs. With 4,200 pallet locations, 26-foot clear height ceilings, and a circular flow from receiving to inventory to shipping, we can ship product more efficiently and the facility allows for growth. The increased number of dock doors provides efficient flow for containers to be loaded for export, supporting customers for all EFC Global locations. This is another sign of our commitment to Redefine The World Of Distribution.”

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