| November 24, 2008 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
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- Metro Inc. profit grows as it consolidates brands
Metro Inc. reported net earnings of $73.2 million for the fourth quarter ended Sept. 27, a more than 25% jump in profit from the same quarter of last year. As Canada's third-largest food retailer, Metro Inc. this year undertook the consolidation of its five Ontario grocery brands under the Metro name. Metro operates 720 food stores and 250 pharmacies. Reuters
(11/19)
, Financial Post (Canada)
(11/19)
     
- Grainger to triple capacity of S.C. distribution center
W.W. Grainger Inc. plans over the next five years to expand its operations at a Fountain Inn, S.C., distribution center, retrofitting the facility to handle 350,000 different items instead of its current capacity of 100,000 products and adding a minimum of 200 jobs on top of the warehouse's current 330 positions -- changes that would make the facility the company's largest East Coast distribution center. Industrial Distribution
(11/19)
, The Greenville News (S.C.)
(11/18)
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| | Gain Success in Distribution – Improve Industry Performance
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| Best Practices |  | |
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- Presidential win offers lessons in innovation
The strategies employed in President-elect Barack Obama's win offer good examples of how true innovators are successful. The same patterns seen in breakthrough companies were apparent in Obama's campaign, this writer says, noting that when the competition assumes tomorrow's market will be the same as yesterday's, there is an opportunity to create new customers. FastCompany.com
(11/11)
, FastCompany.com
(11/12)
 | SmartBrief Year-End Reports Sponsorship: Big Trends, Big Stories, Big Results (Small Expenditure)
We focus on the big stories of 2008 and look ahead to the trends that will shape 2009 in your industry. Each YER has a single sponsor, offering a highly effective and exclusive marketing opportunity. Click to download a fact sheet. |
| Sales | | |
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- Appeal to motivators driving good talent away from jobs
Companies can lure top candidates, even if they aren't paying as much as the competition, by offering solutions to the underlying motivators that are driving these candidates to change jobs. Reasons for changing jobs often include a situational motivator, such as a long commute or a spouse transfer, or a dissatisfaction that is driving a candidate away from a job. Selling Power (free registration)
(11/12)
| Small Business Manager | | |
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- Companies cut spending on employee gifts
The tough economy will prompt companies to cut back on gifts to employees this year as consumers reduce how much they spend and buy less expensive goods. An October American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor survey found that 29% of the businesses surveyed planned to give employees gifts, a drop from 46% in August. CNNMoney.com/The Associated Press
(11/17)
| Executive Life | | |
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- Bush announces holiday travel measures
On Tuesday morning, President George W. Bush outlined plans for easing travel delays during the upcoming busy holiday periods surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas. Bush said more air travel lanes will be available across the U.S. this holiday season. He said the goal is to "make travel easier" for American travelers. TravelPulse
(11/19)
, Google/The Associated Press
(11/18)
, CNNMoney.com
(11/17)
- HP introduces multitouch PC
Hewlett-Packard debuted the tx2, a notebook PC that is multitouch-enabled, beating rival Apple to the punch. The tx2 allows users to perform a number of tasks by placing two fingers on the screen, including dragging files around and changing the size and orientation of graphical elements. BusinessWeek
(11/19)
, TWICE
(11/19)
| NAW Insider | | |
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Save 10%: Interactive online courses in professional development
With the high price of travel, economic constraints and no time to get away, it is no wonder that wholesaler-distributors are looking for lower-cost alternatives to provide professional development for their employees. To address this issue, NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence has partnered with the Texas A&M System to present a suite of online courses specifically designed for our industry.
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New Edition: Learn the Essentials of Profitable Wholesale Distribution
Making money in distribution gets tougher every year -- it's even harder during an economic slump! Running a successful company requires cooperative efforts from knowledgeable and motivated employees. Speed their learning and retention by giving them Essentials of Profitable Wholesale Distribution. Twice the size of the first edition, this second edition includes both brand-new and updated instructional text and all-new graphics!
| Weekly Poll | | |
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What is the best part of the holiday season?
After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.
 | The giving nature of the season |
| The time off work |
| The food and festivities |
| All of the above |
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | It's not your salary that makes you rich, it's your spending habits."
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| | Recent NAW SmartBrief Issues:
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- Thursday, November 20, 2008
- Wednesday, November 19, 2008
- Monday, November 17, 2008
- Friday, November 14, 2008
| | | Lead Editor: Ashley McMaster
Contributing Editor: Nancy Melville | Robert Jones
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