Distribution and wholesale industry small business confidence drops
According to the latest Small Business Research Board (SBRB) report, concerns about the economy and a steep drop in plans for hiring led to a steep decline in the confidence of distribution and wholesale companies during the fourth quarter of 2007.
The SBRB study indicated that the Distribution & Wholesale Small Business Confidence Index dropped to 31 during the fourth quarter or 10 points (nearly 25%) from the 41 recorded during the prior quarter. The third quarter 2007 report was the first index issued by the SBRB. Declines in two of the three major categories comprising the confidence index contributed to the lower fourth quarter results.
Of the respondents, 24% said that they believed the economy would improve during the next 12 months; this was 13 points fewer than the 37% who expressed such optimism during the third quarter. Concurrently, only 15% of the participants said they would increase hiring during the coming 12 months; this was 19 points fewer than the 34% who said they had plans for increased hiring when polled during the third quarter.
By contrast, 54% of the owners and managers participating in the poll said that they believe revenues will increase during the coming 12-month period; this was two points more than the 52% who expressed the same opinion during the prior quarter.
The current distribution and wholesale industry confidence index is 2.67 points lower than the 33.67 reported for all U.S. small businesses during the fourth quarter of 2007. More than 950 small business owners participated in the nationwide poll. The sbrb study is a voluntary survey conducted quarterly.
More information can be found at www.biznus.net.
First Supply adds new Wisconsin location
First Supply, one of the Midwest’s premier wholesale distributors, has opened a new location at 1703 Academy Avenue in Tomah, Wis. The new facility opened in early March. Service hours are Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Dee Dee Torkelson will serve as branch manager in Tomah. She will report directly to Russ Lee, general manager of the La Crosse facility.
Please call the Tomah branch at 608/372-3778 with any questions
F.W. Webb presents award in memory of Kartanos
At F.W. Webb’s Vermont Regional Sales Award meeting, the 2008 Lothar Kartanos Memorial Sales Award was presented to Devon Craig. Craig was the first recipient of this new annual recognition.
Lothar Kartanos earned the respect of an industry that he loved. For almost 25 years he represented F.W. Webb in the industrial marketplace. He spent a lifetime working with Webb salespeople and customers in paper mills, power plants, chemical plants, colleges, hospitals and manufacturing sites and was an expert at applying products to process. Kartanos conducted steam seminars and trap surveys and made presentations on vendor managed inventory and targeted cost reduction programs.
His reputation and legend grew, as did his contribution to customers and peers in the New England and upstate New York marketplace. Kartanos loved walking customers through the process from pumps and piping to process control and automation.
Lothar Kartanos loved the industry, Webb and his customer friends. He truly made a difference, and he will be missed. In Kartanos’s honor, Webb’s annual Sales Award will be presented to the person that best exemplifies the excellence of his legacy.
Lute Supply, headquartered in Portsmouth, Ohio, received the Harold V. Goodman Distributor Award during a ceremony held in conjunction with Goodman Manufacturing Company’s annual distributor meeting at the Inter Continental hotel in Houston.
To qualify for consideration to receive the award, an independent distributor has to meet the following criteria:
- Have a minimum 15 years of service as a Goodman and/or Amana brand distributor
- Show consistent sales growth year-over-year
- Maintain inventory management excellence
- Deliver best-in-class customer service to hvac dealers
- Invest consistently in distributorship improvements.
In presenting the award, Pete Alexander, Goodman senior vice president-independent distribution, said, “Lute Supply has demonstrated a continuous commitment to excellence as an HVAC distributor. Our long-term association with Lute Supply has resulted in a very stable relationship. I thank them for the past loyalty to our company and look forward to many, many more years of partnership with this organization.”
Lute Supply is a family owned third-generation wholesale distributor with multiple locations in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Indiana. It is only the sixth distributor to receive the Harold V. Goodman Award in the last 25 years.
Meier Supply opens Albany branch
Meier Supply Company Inc. has expanded into the Albany, N.Y., market with the February opening of their branch at 20 Kairnes Avenue, Albany.
Chris LaPlante, 22-year industry veteran, was recently hired as the branch manager. LaPlante holds a Universal EPA 608 certification, has attended several coss seminars, completed Copeland CST training, taken advanced heating and refrigeration correspondence courses and is Gastite certified.
“I’m looking forward to working with the hvac, commercial refrigeration and controls professionals in the Albany region,” said LaPlante. “As the authorized Ruud distributor for seven counties in the Albany region, we are also looking forward to developing the Ruud dealers in the area.”
Meier Supply was named to the Central New York Fast Track 50 for the second consecutive year in 2007, ranking 18th among firms with revenue greater than $10 million. The company also celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. They offer a complete line of quality products, including Mitsubishi Electric, Copeland, Ruud, DuPont, Heatcraft, Honeywell, Friedrich, Arzel Zoning, WeatherKing, Mueller, Sporlan, Russell and Tecumseh, among others.
For more information visit www.meiersupply.com or call the Albany branch at 518/489-0010.
Moen contributes to green affordable housing development
As part of a national program to support the cause of affordable housing in the Hispanic community, Moen Incorporated partnered with Chicanos por la Causa to help create 46 single-family homes at the Cardenas Villas at Yanche community in South Central Phoenix. The residences are the brainchild of the architects at the Arizona State University Stardust Center and are noted for their green, energy efficient design.
Moen’s contribution consisted of nearly $100,000 worth of kitchen and bathroom faucets, showerheads and other fixtures, provided under the auspices of the company’s national “Alcanzando Sueños con Moen” (Achieving Dreams with Moen) product donation program that benefits Hispanic communities around the U.S.
Kathy Flinn, Moen’s director of advertising and brand, helped Chicanos por la Causa ceo Edmundo Hidalgo and others mark the grand opening of the community on March 13.
Schmidt’s Wholesale buys Smith Supply
Schmidt’s Wholesale Inc. opened its third location at 223 Broadway, Newburgh, N.Y., on February 18, when the company purchased Smith Supply.
“Our continued growth into this market and during these difficult industrial times is truly a reflection of a well executed growth plan,” remarked Gary Schmidt, president of Schmidt’s Wholesale. “We are looking forward to making this location our own with an expanded selection of product lines and inventory.”
A grand opening celebration is planned for late spring.
Established in 1954 in Monticello, N.Y., Schmidt’s Wholesale is local, family owned distributor of plumbing, heating, pump, electrical, HVAC and water work equipment and supplies. Still at its original location, Schmidt’s now operates two branches in Florida and Newburgh, N.Y. to service the lower Hudson Valley.
For additional information, visit www.schmidtswholesale.com.
Supply New England holds successful seminar series
Supply New England’s Kitchen & Bath Gallery in West Yarmouth hosted a free seminar series this past March. The seminars brought hundreds of potential customers through the doors to listen and learn about cabinetry, baths, tile and countertops -- and, potentially, to win $2,000 worth of products offered in raffles conducted at the conclusion of each class.
The West Yarmouth gallery is Kitchen & Bath Gallery’s newest and largest showroom, and its first Kohler Premier Showroom. The 7,500-square-foot showroom features a full array of kitchen and bath products, including fixtures and faucets, kitchen and bath cabinetry, tile and accessories from leading manufacturers.
The seminars were held on four consecutive Saturday afternoons during March and were conducted by Gallery designers with the assistance of featured manufacturers and area contractors. Almost 500 people attended the classes over the four-week period, with each class being larger than the last. The campaign depended on newspaper and radio advertising to publicize the classes.
Featured manufacturers who donated $2,000 worth of products included Bertch Cabinetry, Kohler and Cancos Tile.
Tyco Thermal Controls celebrates an industry first
Tyco Thermal Controls, a global leader in providing heat-tracing solutions, recently produced and sold its 1 billionth foot of Raychem self-regulating heat-tracing cable. This is a major and unique accomplishment in the manufacture of heat-tracing products.
In 1971, Raychem Corporation’s heat-tracing business, known today as Tyco Thermal Controls, invented the world’s first self-regulating heat-tracing cable. It soon became the industry standard for electric heat-tracing applications, and the Raychem brand name remains synonymous today with innovation, quality, reliability and service.
“At Tyco Thermal Controls, we are very proud to reach this historic milestone,” said Tyco president Jim Thompson. “To be the first company in the world to have manufactured and sold 1 billion feet of heat-tracing cable is a major achievement and is a testament to the trust that customers place in our products.”
For more information, call 800/545-6258, e-mail info@tycothermal.com or visit www.tycothermal.com.
Several contractors, installers, distributors, regulators and vendors took part recently in a Zoeller Pump Company open house, conducted in coordination with the 2008 Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo held in Louisville February 28-March 1.
The group was treated to breakfast, followed by an intensive plant tour. Demonstrations regarding manufacturing processes were held at various locations throughout the plant, and members of the group had the opportunity to view and handle many of the company’s wide line of septic onsite wastewater products.
“This one fell into our lap, thanks to the Pumper Show relocating to Louisville,” said Mark Huntebrinker, Zoeller Pumps director of marketing. “We love to show off our facility. The enthusiasm and pride throughout the organization definitely resonates with our visitors.”
Zoeller Pump Company, a Louisville-based manufacturer of sump/dewatering, effluent, sewage, grinder and explosion proof pumps, provides one of the industry’s most complete offerings to plumbing and onsite professionals.