| February 27, 2009 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
 |  |
- United Natural Foods' profit jumps 50% to $13.6M for Q2
United Natural Foods Inc. posted a profit of $13.6 million for the second quarter, a roughly 50% jump from the $9.1 million in the year-earlier period. The food distributor cited lower fuel costs and higher specialty sales as a basis for the increase. However, United Natural lowered its 2009 profit forecast on losses from the peanut recall and lower-than-expected sales growth. Forbes/The Associated Press
(2/24), Reuters
(2/24)     
- ABC Supply acquires distributor Chesapeake Siding and Roofing
ABC Supply Co. Inc. acquired Chesapeake Siding and Roofing Inc., a wholesale distributor of exterior building products, for an undisclosed amount, in a transaction that was finalized Feb. 23. "The acquisition of Chesapeake Siding and Roofing fits our strategy of providing accessible locations in all major geographic markets as we continue to build a national network of wholesale distribution centers for the professional contractor," said ABC Supply President and CEO David Luck. American City Business Journals/Milwaukee
(2/24)
- Henry Schein posts Q4 net income of $56.9M
Henry Schein posted net income of $56.9 million for the fourth quarter, a 27% drop from the year-earlier period. The health care products distributor saw sales drop 7.5% to $1.6 billion for the quarter versus $1.7 billion a year earlier. Noting that the current tough economic climate is likely to continue, the company lowered its 2009 earnings outlook. CNNMoney.com/Dow Jones Newswires
(2/24), Forbes
(2/24)
- Bright grads seek internships
Internship opportunities have diminished this year as competition for the summer job market has become more intense. Now, some companies are indicating they might hire interns to take advantage of the graduating seniors who have not yet found jobs. "Recruiters have a bigger advantage this year than in any other year that my generation has experienced," says Richard Bottner, founder and president of Intern Bridge. ERE.net
(2/24)
 |
|  |
| | Motorola and Sears: Consistent, Reliable Communications
To continue providing next day delivery on large home and garden items, Sears opened a new direct distribution center. Reliable communications are critical to coordinate the large volume of products. Motorola's two-way radios enable the entire warehouse to talk radio to radio; crisp audio in the noisy environment; and batteries that last for multiple shifts. Click here for a FREE case study. | |
 |
|  |
| Best Practices |  |  |
|
- Visualize 2009 as your business' best year ever
The state your business will be in on the first day of 2010 will have less to do with the economy or the unemployment rate than it will on decisions that you, the business leader, make between now and then. A good start is to pinpoint the best sources of latent profit in the current economic climate. Set aside a quiet place and imagine that 2009 was the most profitable year you ever had, and further imagine what happened to make the year successful. TomPeters.com
(2/20)
- Moral gray zones commonly found in business
 Companies commonly have what Michel Anteby calls moral gray zones, or areas where workers skirt company rules. He cites as an example paramedics who carry out life-saving techniques they are not officially allowed to perform in order to save patients who are in dire straits. In an interview, Anteby describes how prevalent gray zones are and why they are significant. HBS Working Knowledge
(2/17)
| Sales | | |
|
- A 100% sales goal can be child's play
A nine-year-old's approach to raising money for the American Heart Association offers some good lessons in how to achieve a 100% closing ratio. Adding a personal touch, using humor, smiling and going into the pitch with a full understanding of the value of the sale can help to forge a perfect sales record, this article says. Manage Smarter
(2/19)
| Small Business Manager | | |
|
| Executive Life | | |
|
- Passenger screening at airports gets up close, personal
The TSA will test body scanners at the Salt Lake City airport -- and a handful of others -- to determine whether they can replace walk-through metal detectors as the new primary screening tool. But an American Civil Liberties Union spokesman says the scans are embarrassing. "They are virtual strip searches. You see a fairly graphic picture of the naked body," he added. The Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
(2/23)
- Some boutique hotels are off the beaten path
Small boutique hotels that feel more like cozy residences in nice neighborhoods than glitzy hotels are not impossible to find, but most of them require looking beyond the standard travel booking engines. A Travel + Leisure list of 12 such properties with character and charm to spare include The Main House in London's posh Notting Hill neighborhood, the Whitelaw Hotel in Miami's Art Deco district, the Hotel Cote Cour in Beijing's Old Beijing section and the Hotel Le Saint-Gregoire in Paris' quiet Sixth Arrondissement. CNN/Travel + Leisure
(2/23)
| NAW Insider | | |
|
-
Learn the essentials to be a profitable wholesaler-distributor
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 brand-new and updated instructional text and all-new graphics!
|
-
The Hertz Green Collection: Reserve and conserve
Now you can reserve fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly cars that are both easy on the wallet and suitable for families and small groups traveling together. Reservable by specific make and model with an EPA highway fuel efficiency rating of 28 miles or more per gallon. To enroll in the NAW/Hertz Business Account Program, visit NAW's Web site.
|
| Weekly Poll | | |
|
-
Does your company hire interns?
After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.
 | Yes -- We have interns year-round. |
| Yes -- We have interns, but only in the summer. |
| Yes -- We have interns, but not on a regular basis. |
| No -- We never hire interns. |
| SmartQuote | | |
|
 | If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."
|
| |
| |
|
Read more at SmartBrief.com |
|
A powerful website for SmartBrief readers including:
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| | Recent NAW SmartBrief Issues:
- Thursday, February 26, 2009
- Wednesday, February 25, 2009
- Monday, February 23, 2009
- Friday, February 20, 2009
- Thursday, February 19, 2009
| | | Lead Editor: Brooke Howell
Contributing Editor: Nancy Melville | Nina Davidson
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2012 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
