Activant releases new version of Prophet 21 software
Yardley, Pa. -- Activant Solutions Inc. announced the availability of Activant Prophet 21 version 11.5. A leading enterprise software solution for distributors, Prophet 21 combines the familiarity of Windows with the power of sql Server into a highly customizable solution.
More than 1,100 distributors utilize Prophet 21 to help them increase sales, improve customer service and reduce operating costs throughout their businesses. Activant puts its more than three decades of wholesale distribution experience into building Prophet 21, which provides distributors with an intuitive solution that allows them to easily access business data and quickly respond to changing market needs.
Features include order management, inventory management, warehouse management, purchasing, financial management, customer relationship management, business reporting and analysis, pda integration and e-business. Continually working to meet distributors’ changing needs, Activant has established customer advisory committees to help determine what functionality to incorporate in future product releases.
Based on industry trends and customer requests, the latest version of the Windows-based solution features new lost sales reason codes, improved profit margin tracking and more.
Prophet 21 launches a portal view each time a new module is opened, which, when enabled, populates with role- and module-specific information that allows users to quickly view their open tasks and activities, as well as open quotes and open orders.
Other new features include:
- Enhanced commission functionality -- This feature allows commissions to be calculated based on the order type and adjustments to be made for terms and late payments. It also includes support for commission splits.
- Modify existing financial statements -- Integration between Prophet 21 and Microsoft Excel has been enhanced to improve auditing accuracy by offering the freedom to insert, remove, or reposition lines on any Excel spreadsheet associated with a financial statement.
- Calculate pricing by product group profit margin -- To ensure that all items within a given product group continue to yield desired profit margins, the option now exists to specify a gross profit percentage and cost source at the product group level. The solution then recalculates the price of each item within the group, and, when updated, displays the new sales price on all order lines.
- Lost sales reason codes -- This feature allows users to track whether a sale was lost due to a data entry error, an inventory deficiency, or for another reason and provides a tremendous amount of insight into how inventory forecasting or internal processes must be altered to improve sale completion.
- Margin of last sale -- This new setting in pricing and customer maintenance helps keep margins and profit percentages predictable by enabling users to view the last price a particular customer paid for an item and the gross profit percentage earned on the last invoice. It also helps users determine whether or not new pricing will be based on the gross profit margin of the last invoice issued.
For additional information, visit www.distribution.activant.com or call 800/776-7438, press 1.
Chicago -- The officers of both the American Supply Association and the ASA Education Foundation appointed Michael M. Adelizzi to be ASA’s new executive vice president. His appointment became effective September 4.
This brings to conclusion a process that was begun almost eight months ago, after Inge Calderon, ASA’s executive vice president since 1995, decided to step down as the chief of staff in favor of taking on a new role with the growing Education Foundation.
A field of more than 75 applicants was narrowed down to a few finalists, who then underwent a series of interviews with ASA’s search committee.
Adelizzi’s most recent experience was as executive director/ceo of the Mason Contractors Association of America, where he spent the past 16 years building the association’s size, scope and influence in that industry. In addition, Adelizzi has worked with the Illinois Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors. He is also very active in his local community.
Eclipse User Group/UFO to use Billtrust for bill delivery
Princeton, N.J. -- Billtrust, a leading provider of outsourced billing services to wholesale distributors, was selected by the Eclipse User Group/ufo (User Friendly Organization) for the delivery of their invoices to its membership. With Billtrust’s billing services, the ufo can deliver invoices by U.S. Mail or via electronic delivery methods such as e-mail or fax.
The Eclipse User Group/ufo is an independent business organization formed to create a strategic alliance with Intuit Eclipse to help direct and enhance the software package to the benefit of its membership.
According to Mary Barlow, executive director of the ufo, “We have many members who are using Billtrust for delivery of their invoices, and we felt that it would be a logical step for us to start using them too. We prefer the e-mail delivery and really like the Easy Import file format options.”
Billtrust’s Easy Import allows the invoice recipient to download billing data directly into their accounting package. This saves time and ensures billing accuracy. More than 50 Eclipse users are currently outsourcing the paper and electronic delivery of their invoices and statements to Billtrust.
For details, visit www.billtrust.com.
Ferguson opens new showroom
Newport News, Va. -- Ferguson has expanded its showroom in Tulsa, Okla., allowing customers to choose from an enhanced selection of high-end products. Located at 6525 E. 42nd Street, the 6,500-square-foot showroom will be more than four times its original size and will feature a first-class gallery offering plumbing, door hardware, lighting and appliances. Previously, the location carried plumbing products only.
Ferguson’s showrooms are designed with plumbers, builders, remodelers and designers in mind and offer a vast selection of products from today’s most recognized manufacturers.
“We are excited to open this first-class facility and support the future growth of Tulsa’s downtown area through programs such as Vision 2025,” said Charles Tracy, manager for the Tulsa location. “We look forward to broadening our offering to create a true one-stop shopping experience to contractors and homeowners in this market.”
Highly trained consultants are available to help customers create a personalized, custom look in their home. Consultations are encouraged and can be scheduled by calling the showroom at 918/628-1500.
Hire A Hero launches semi-annual fundraising campaign
Carlsbad, Calif. -- The Armed Forces Support Foundation’s Hire A Hero program has launched its semi-annual fundraising campaign with a goal of collecting more than $2 million. Hire A Hero is a nonprofit program with the mission of helping the military community network and find quality careers and training opportunities.
Those who want to show their support for the military community by financially contributing to the program may visit www.hireahero.org/donate to learn about the different options that are available. Employers can list their jobs, and the military community can use the service at no cost. A variety of premium services are also available to employers. All pledges will be used to keep the Hire A Hero program up and running and free for the military community to use.
In addition to pledging, corporate sponsorships are available. Lincoln Educational Services was Hire A Hero’s first corporate sponsor. They contributed funds to help jumpstart the program, and they are also providing 122 academic scholarships to the military community.
“This scholarship means a lot to me not just on a personal level but on a deeper level,” said Kyle Keenan, who is stationed in Iraq and was awarded one of the first Hire A Hero/Lincoln scholarships. “I will now be able to better my education, and I will be able to better serve, protect, and defend the people of the United States, whether it is in the U.S. Army or in local law enforcement. This scholarship will also help make me a better-educated and more well-rounded person.”
Dan Caulfield, Hire A Hero executive director, added, “While Kyle is in Iraq and risking his life every day for us, he is also able to further his education in order to gain a good job when he returns home. Through our collection of donations and corporate sponsorships, we are able to help more people like Kyle live the American dream that he helped to build. We are looking for people and companies that want to do more than say thank you. By sponsoring the Hire A Hero cause, companies are able to enrich their core values, develop a strong culture, build their brands, generate new business and develop a large scale, sustainable pipeline of quality workers from the military community.”
For more information, visit www.hireahero.org.
Johnstone Supply plans new Las Vegas distribution center
Portland, Ore. -- Johnstone Supply Inc., an industry-leading cooperative distributor of hvacr parts and products with more than 300 independently-owned stores nationwide, has officially announced plans for a major new Southwest parts distribution center to be located in Las Vegas. A lease has been approved and construction on the new facility is currently underway. The dc is anticipated to begin receiving inventory in January 2008 and will be fully operational by May 2008.
The Nevada-based facility marks the latest in a rapidly expanding national network of regional distribution centers. Johnstone is implementing a strategy to enhance product availability and provide local product offerings for regional contractor needs. The cooperative plans to begin shipping operations from the new facility in March 2008 and phase in deliveries on a state-by-state basis over a two month period starting with Nevada, followed by California, Arizona, New Mexico and western Colorado.
The 130,000-square-foot facility will be the first in the Southwest for Johnstone Supply, joining existing major DCS in Portland, Ore., Memphis, Tenn., Allentown, Pa., and the newest, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Las Vegas facility will service 52 Johnstone Supply stores, offering next-day delivery and the opportunity to stock a customized line of products especially suited to the needs of Southwest HVAC/R contractors.
A searchable online catalog is also available, with the ability to order directly from local stores, at www.JohnstoneSupply.com.
New book by Mitch Harper outlines basic tenets of industrial sales management
College Station, Texas -- Mitchell Harper, a highly experienced former distribution company sales management executive, business owner and entrepreneur, who is now a senior lecturer at Texas A&M University’s Industrial Distribution Program, has released his first book. Industrial Sales Management 101: Is It Possible to Herd Cats? provides a compilation of the basic tenets of industrial sales management in an easy-to-read format.
This 146-page book includes many real-world situations that Harper has encountered and focuses specifically on the management of inside and outside sales personnel in the world of industrial distribution. He hopes that it will become a working text to utilize in managing sales professionals. The book consists of six chapters:
- Territory Design
- Compensation
- Measuring Performance
- Pricing Authority
- Coaching and Motivating
- Hiring and Saying Goodbye.
During his career in industrial distribution, Harper was responsible for managing many operational departments including sales, accounting, data entry, MIS, engineering, customer service and management. He feels a special bond with sales professionals, and considers that group to have been the most challenging -- yet rewarding -- of all the operational areas he has managed.
Harper has founded and sold several companies and retired from active work at the age of 37. He is a four-time Rotary Newman Award winner for Fastest Growing Firms, a two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalist, and a Mass Mutual Blue-Chip Companies Award finalist. In addition to his role at Texas A&M, Harper consults with industrial distribution companies throughout the U.S. and Canada and is a highly regarded convention speaker. Among his speaking engagements in recent years were for the ASA Young Executives Division and the PWDA.
Industrial Sales Management 101: Is It Possible to Herd Cats? is available for $30. For more information or to order the book, contact Harper at 979/823-5150, e-mail mitch@hwpo.com or visit www.hwpo.com.
Noritz America opens new Chicago office and showroom
Elk Grove Village, Ill. -- Noritz America Corp., a leading manufacturer of tankless water heaters, held a grand opening on August 23 for its newest satellite office and showroom, located at 861 Busse Rd. in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village. Increasing demands for the company’s high-performance tankless water heaters in the Midwest region prompted the company to open the new office, as well as a showroom, service center and training facility.
A friendly and knowledgeable staff is ready and willing to assist anyone with any questions they may have and to see why tankless is such a hot product in today’s environmentally conscious marketplace.
The new facility will feature a state-of-the-art 1,806-square-foot showroom, an informative training facility with working demo units to assist in educating local installers and contractors, and an advanced technical center with on-site engineers to assist with technical questions during an install and to perform warranty repairs for customers.
The Noritz showroom phone number is 847/427-6881. For more information, contact Noritz America at 877/91-noritz, or visit www.noritz.com.
Smith-Cooper Int’l. purchases Sharon Piping & Equipment
Commerce, Calif. and Chicago -- On June 29, Smith-Cooper International LLC announced the purchase of Sharon Piping and Equipment Inc., a leading supplier of stainless steel pipe, valves, and fittings, from long-time owner and founder Alfy Nathan. Included in the deal comes the Sharpe Valves division of SP&E, a leading branded manufacturer offering customized assembly of stainless and carbon steel valve products supplying many industries.
Sharon Piping & Equipment and its Sharpe Valves division will operate as a division of Smith-Cooper International under the name Sharon Piping & Equipment LLC. The current management team and all of the employees will continue to service the needs of its customers. At the helm of SP&E is current president John Wiechmann, whose long-time experience lies in wholesale PVF supply. Wiechmann stated that he is excited about what the future will bring and that he is ready to grow the business.
The Sharpe Valves division of SP&E will continue to be led by current president Alex Winkler, whose experience is with producing valves at every level of manufacturing including engineering, casting, machining and assembly. The full product offering from Sharpe Valves include a complete line of high-performance ball valves; multi-purpose gate, globe and check valves; and various control valve packages. These valves are used all over the world in many types of industries including manufacturing, chemical processing, paper and pulp processing, petroleum, power processing, food processing and much more.
“What I’m proudest of is that Sharpe supplies valves to both the service and processing lines of a plant, and we do it with the quickest turn-around time in the industry,” said Winkler.
When asked what drove the decision to acquire Sharon/Sharpe, Bob Cooper, president of Smith-Cooper International commented, “The allure of a company such as Sharon/Sharpe for us is obvious: a similar customer base and similar company cultures, and the fact that we are in the stainless fitting and valve manufacturing businesses virtually overnight made the decision for us.
“We are very excited about the possibilities that will emerge from the synergies that exist between our two companies and we will build on that beginning immediately.”
Sharpe Valves is noted for its technical quality, experienced staff, technical support and readily available inventory that allows for prompt delivery and eliminates long lead times. Both Wiechmann and Winkler agree that of the strengths that Sharon/Sharpe can boast, the employees are the most valued.
“The success of Sharon/Sharpe is based on a collaborative effort of all of the employees and vendors involved with the company, and without them, this level of success wouldn’t have been achievable,” Winkler said.
Cooper complimented the current management and staff of Sharon/Sharpe for a job well done to this point, and is looking to the future in the role as a much larger master distributor.
As Alvin Markus, Smith-Cooper International’s engineering consultant explained, “Master distribution in the PVF marketplace has become a vital component to the basic ‘manufacturer-to-distributor’ marketing channel. Master distributors have the advantage of vast, broad inventories to give fast, competitive service, selling exclusively to wholesale distributors.”
Master distribution has brought improved service and efficiency to the marketing chain, and “Smith-Cooper International does it better than anyone else,” noted Cooper.
For details, visit www.sharonpiping.com, www.sharpevalves.com and www.smithcooper.com.
Salem Plumbing Supply opens new facility
Gloucester, Mass. and Beverly, Mass. -- Salem Plumbing Supply - Designer Bath has opened a second store, a new trade location at 105 Rear Maplewood Avenue in Gloucester, Mass. The new facility is geared toward plumbers and contractors to provide convenience for the busy and growing Cape Ann market.
Featuring a trade counter and warehouse, the new 10,000-square-foot facility will have all the same trade brands available as in the Beverly, Mass., store.
In addition to products, staff at the new outlet will also be familiar. Long-time industry veterans will be on hand at the Gloucester location including Michael Frontiera, manager; Paul St. Pierre, assistant manager; Keith Tyler, warehouse manager; and Kevin Costigan, warehouse and driver.
“Salem Plumbing is known for having knowledgeable experts on staff,” said Frontiera. “Our customers, no matter which operation they visit, will be assured they can get the same quality service they have come to expect.”
The new Gloucester center will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday hours are 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. For more information call 800/649-bath or visit www.designerbath.com.