December 22, 2006

E-Mail news for the wholesale distribution industry

News and Trends
	Barnes Distribution increases presence in China Maintenance, repair and operating supplies wholesaler-distributor Barnes Distribution, a division of Barnes Group, is expanding its AS Raymond specialty spring operations in China with the construction of a new office and distribution center, which is set to open Jan. 1.   Modern Distribution Management (12/20)
	Senate likely to alter currency imbalance rules Legislation is expected in the Senate to make it easier for the U.S. to call out China on its reported exchange rate manipulation. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has been working to create a dialogue with China, and the White House is expected to support the bill.   Financial Times (free content) (12/20)
	Analysis: RFID only as good personnel using it A paper by Texas Instruments and RFID4U identifies common problems businesses have when using RFID and how to adjust practices to reduce errors. "RFID has been getting a bit of a bad rap due to the expectations that tags can be read 100% of the time at every point for every product," said an RFID4U vice president. "With proper empirical testing, companies can find the best tags and labels for their application and gain the data they need for improved supply chain tracking."   Supply & Demand Chain Executive (12/20)
	Other News
	Ferguson completes two more acquisitions Modern Distribution Management (12/20)
Executive Resource Center Get instant access to valuable information today. Download any or all of four wholesale distribution eKits and discover more about warehouse solutions and industry trends through whitepapers, podcasts, customer references and more! Click here.

Best Practices
	Don't forget to turn off the lights Save money and energy at the office over the long holiday weekend by turning off electronics, including computers, printers and fax machines.   InformationWeek (12/20)
	Engaging clients, employees makes them feel valued Fear, budget issues and short-term focus are three of the most common barriers that keep businesses from fully engaging customers and employees. Permanently removing these barriers will improve your company's ability to reach new customers or workers and retain current ones.   The Gallup Organization (12/14)

Sales
	Plant referral seeds, see business bloom Think of your pool of referrals as a garden -- planting seeds, watering prospects and weeding out bad referrals -- and you're likely to reap the benefits of a good growing season.   Selling Power (free registration) (12/19)
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Small Business Manager
	Make HR a priority Good human relations -- taking care of employees' benefits and office needs and listening to suggestions -- is a sure-fire way to improve your bottom line and the perceived appearance of your company.   Society for Human Resource Management (12/2006)

Executive Life
	T+L releases Top 500 hotels list Travel + Leisure has released its World's Best Awards survey, which T+L refers to as "the ultimate hotel guide." Asia's share of the list is growing.   Travel + Leisure (1/2007)
	Laser pointer makes memory drive unique Combined USB memory drives and laser pointers from Traxdata will make a fun and quirky gift for any business traveler.   Pocket-lint.co.uk (12/20)

NAW Insider
	Get paid in 2 days instead of 30+ Accepting credit card payments dramatically improves cash flow -- funds are deposited in just two business days. Sign up for the NAW-negotiated MasterCard/Visa group processing rates through Solveras before Dec. 31, 2006, and you'll earn an upfront cash bonus of 1% of your monthly volume. Visit the NAW/Solveras Web site for details, and take advantage of the customized free savings analysis.
	Don't hire an Accident! Carefully selecting the drivers who work for your company is critically important. As a wholesaler-distributor, you know that even a single accident can cause substantial losses. Learn more about effective hiring practices for drivers.
Learn more about NAW -> Join NAW  |  Business Products  |  Publications  |  Meetings  |  Govt. Relations

Weekly Poll
	Does your office hold a holiday party? After you've voted, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page.
	Yes             No             We used to, but not anymore
Commercial/Institutional Products & Service Consultant   A.W. Hastings   Enfield, CT     Industrial Marketing Specialist   Crescent Electric Supply Co.   East Dubuque, IL     Manager, Marketing Research and Analysis   Crescent Electric Supply Co.   East Dubuque, IL     VP Regional Manager   United Pipe & Supply Co., Inc.   Portland, Oregon     VP sales&marketing   BTC Electronics   Wake Forest NC

Editor's Note
	Publication notice In observance of Christmas in the U.S., NAW SmartBrief originally scheduled to be published on Monday, Dec. 25 will be published on Tuesday, Dec. 26.

SmartQuote
You don't win on emotion. You win on execution." --Tony Dungy, NFL head coach, Indianapolis Colts

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