| June 13, 2008 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
 |  |
- Ashland hits 98.5% on-time mark while cutting carriers
Ashland Inc., parent company of Ashland Performance Materials and Ashland Distribution, has won a Best Practices Gold Medal from Logistics Management magazine after reducing its core carriers by 44% while improving on-time performance to 98.5%. "It may sound cliche, but you do need to have a partnership with your carriers, and you need to have a firm grasp of all you internal locations," says Craig Cover, a transportation buyer at Ashland. "If you have everyone on board, and everyone sees the benefits and realities, everyone is a winner in this." Logistics Management (free registration)
(6/1)
     
- M&A landscape looks different from boom years
Though merger and acquisition activity in the distribution sector hasn't "fallen off a cliff," it has seen a dip from the heady days of 2005 and 2006. Foreign buyers with strong currencies, private business owners around 55 and older who are interested in selling and a surfeit of private-equity cash are helping drive the market, according to experts who spoke in a Modern Distribution Management webcast. Modern Distribution Management
(6/10)
 |
|  |
| | Supply Chain Innovations: Executive Kit
Distribution industry expert, Dr. Adam Fein shares the four main topics of his acclaimed book Facing the Forces of Change®: Lead the Way in the Supply Chain in this compilation of articles. Click here to download IBM's
executive kit for strategic insight and innovations for your supply chain. | |
 |
 ADVERTISEMENT |
|  |
| Best Practices |  | |
|
- Use caution in setting up purchasing card program
The report of an employee who used her state-issued purchasing card to buy $316,000 worth of merchandise underscores the importance of building a reliable purchasing card program. Some tips for doing so include involving key players and senior management, setting up checks and balances and using consistent policies. Business Finance
(6/6)
- Downturn puts companies to the sensitivity test
When the economy is in a downturn, companies need to use sensitivity in handling pay cuts and staff reductions. A good example is Cisco, which, when it came time to make staff reductions, offered various benefits to laid-off employees in order to soften the blow. This in turn helped the company to preserve its reputation as being a good place to work so it could still attract top talent when it was in a position to resume hiring. BusinessWeek
(6/5)
| Sales | | |
|
- Female entrepreneurs offer insights on what works in selling to them
An informal survey of female entrepreneurs about what vendors should know about selling to them produced some enlightening responses. Women said that companies typically miss the mark when it comes to understanding key things about selling to women, but they had tips, including simplifying the process and not offering gadgets. Manage Smarter
(6/10)
| Small Business Manager | | |
|
| Executive Life | | |
|
- Survey finds Americans dream of monthlong vacations
A recent survey found that while the average U.S. worker gets about 13 days of vacation a year, almost 60% of travelers said their dream vacations would last at least a month. Additionally, those polled knew what kind of vacation they'd take. About 45% said they'd go on an around-the-world cruise, if money was not a consideration. Roughly 70% said the best part about a vacation is enjoying new places and experiences. TravelPulse
(6/12)
- The ultimate Father's Day dinner
Broiled or grilled filet mignon accompanied with bearnaise sauce and served with red wine makes the ultimate Father's Day dinner. Wine suggestions include a Vina Santa Rita cabernet sauvignon and a Renwood zinfandel. Wine Spectator
(6/10)
| NAW Insider | | |
|
-
Learn how to protect your business from wildfires
Wildfires in the United States are most common in the Western states, but they can happen anywhere. Learn more about what you can do to protect your business from wildfires.
-
Suit of armor: Six books to combat tough economy
These wholesale distribution-specific books will help you hold on to, or even increase, your profits during the economic downturn when times are tough. Together they provide the strategy to drive growth, the know-how to manage your finances, and the tools to better understand how sales, margins, inventory and expenses work together to make your business profitable. You save 30%.
| Weekly Poll | | |
|
-
Do you think airport body-scanning machines at are a good idea?
After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.
 | Yes, they will make travelers more secure. |
| No, they seem a little invasive to me. |
| Maybe -- I just hope they will move the lines faster. |
 | |  |
|
|
There's no better way to find first-rate professionals with expertise in the wholesale distribution industry.
Click here to display your open positions in NAW SmartBrief. |
|
|
 |
|  |
|
| SmartQuote | | |
|
 | Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."
|
| |
| |
|
Read more at SmartBrief.com |
|
A powerful Web site for SmartBrief readers including:
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| | Recent NAW SmartBrief Issues:
- Thursday, June 12, 2008
- Wednesday, June 11, 2008
- Monday, June 09, 2008
- Friday, June 06, 2008
- Thursday, June 05, 2008
| | | Lead Editor: Ashley McMaster
Contributing Editor: Nancy Melville | Robert Jones
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2009 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
