| September 7, 2007 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
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- Automation adds efficiency to distributor's DC
When Gordon Food Service decided to build a fourth distribution center in 2004, this one in Kentucky, to service clients in that state, Tennessee and parts of several other states, it knew it had to automate the 300,000-square-foot facility. The food-service distributor needed to handle challenges such as rapid shipments, multiple storage areas and an automated storage and retrieval system. "Automation has enabled us to improve our overall performance in the facility and to our customers," says GFS' DC development manager. DC Velocity
(9/2007)
     
- Avnet updates software to improve internal operations
Avnet Inc. has implemented a new software solutions system, by Hewlett-Packard Co., in an effort to better organize and simplify its incident, request and change management systems. "We needed one system that had the capacity or functionality for all support groups but that retained the same information and displayed it to everyone, so it would resolve some cross-team communication issues that we were seeing," said the distributor's director of automation for Avnet Global Information Solutions. eChannelLine Canada
(9/3)
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| | Live Webcast: Private Label Success
Join IBM for a complimentary live web conference as distribution industry expert, Dr. Adam Fein, moderates a panel of guest distributors sharing their personal experiences on how they leveraged the private label trend to increase profitability through integrating supply and demand operations--Friday, September 14 at 1PM ET. | |
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| Best Practices |  | |
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- Organized plan can prevent on-the-job heat-related injuries
Employers and organizations ranging from the U.S. Army to utility companies must have policies in place for keeping workers healthy during times of intense heat. Georgia Power, for instance, uses its own system, called Target Zero, in addition to OSHA-recommended work practices, and the Army provides workers with a work/rest/water consumption table for dictating necessary water intake and rest cycles. Workforce Management Online
(9/2007)
- "Cost of expertise" holds back some managers
If you place too much value on how you operated in previous periods of success, you'll limit your possible solutions to new problems or issues and might fall into a rut. "Managers who have been successful develop a vested interest in maintaining things the way they are," said one psychology professor. "They want to keep defining problems the same way they've always defined them." Inc.com
(9/1)
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- Every brand should tell a story
In addition to having a strong brand, a good brand story can be a powerful tool. "Brandtelling," as this author calls it, involves memorable or inspirational stories that convey a consistent message. Manage Smarter
(9/5)
| Small Business Manager | | |
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- Early success shouldn't compromise friendships
When business and financial success occurs early in one's career, it can cause awkward dynamics with friends, but successful entrepreneurs should still be able to maintain those friendships. Sometimes those friends can even make good employees and help share in entrepreneurs' success. Entrepreneur
(9/2007)
| Executive Life | | |
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- Study: Sleeping can be just as effective as painkillers
Sleeping an extra hour or two can have the same numbing effect on pain as a 60 mg dose of codeine, according to research findings presented at a world sleep conference in Cairns. The study compared the effectiveness of 60 mg doses of analgesics with that of an average of 10 hours of sleep for six consecutive nights. Chronic pain sufferers or people about to undergo surgery should use sleep as a pain management method, according to this study conducted by the Sleep Disorders and Research Centre of the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
(9/5)
- Travel agent comeback among top travel trends
From consumers returning to travel agents to adult-only vacations, Forbes lists the top 10 current travel trends. Eco-awareness top the lists of travel trends: "Travelers today are much more concerned about the environment than they have ever been," says Alexandre Chemla of Altour International. "A couple of years ago, you didn't hear about this as much, but now upscale travelers want to do whatever they can to be eco-conscious." Forbes
(8/31)
| NAW Insider | | |
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Learn how to protect your business from wildfires
Wildfires in the U.S. are most common in the Western states, but they can happen anywhere. To learn what you can do to protect your business from wildfires, read more here http://www.naw.org/smartbrief.
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