News and Trends

Airgas profit rises by a third in Q1
Airgas has reported a 22% surge in its fiscal first-quarter sales, with profit rising 33% from the year-ago period. Contributing to the increase were acquisitions and organic growth across multiple product categories. Modern Distribution Management (7/23) Reuters (7/23)

Four U.S. materials firms cited by S&P as having good growth potential
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., Titanium Metals Corp., Albemarle Corp., and Greif Inc. were singled out by Standard & Poor's Inc. for its 2008 Global Challengers list, a ranking of mid-sized companies that exhibit the "highest growth characteristics." The companies were among 73 U.S. firms that made the list. Forbes/Associated Press (7/23)

Best Practices

Tips for keeping it together after losing a job
When confronting being laid off, keep your cool. Try to negotiate the terms of your departure, and make sure you have your personal files when you leave. CareerJournal (The Wall Street Journal) (7/22)

Network-safety lessons
Businesses can learn much from a recent "hijacking" of the San Francisco government's new wide-area network, allegedly by a disgruntled administrator. PC Magazine (7/23)

Sales

Keep sales staff strong, nurture existing relationships in tough times
While many companies may be tempted to lay off staff and freeze employment during tough times, the opposite is in fact recommended by this writer. A strong marketing and sales staff is needed during tough times, and rather than focusing on generating new business, it's a good time to build relationships with existing clients. The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (7/23)

Small Business Manager

Business owners work harder in bitter economy
Business is getting weaker and new customers harder to find, according to a recent survey. As a result, small-business owners are working extra hours and watching sales, cash flow and inventory more closely. Inc.com (7/21)

Executive Life

Column: Economy is far from a depression
Calling the current economic crisis a depression would be overkill, Robert J. Samuelson writes in a Newsweek commentary. The Great Depression of the 1930s was a social and economic breakdown. "The use of 'depression' to describe the economy is a case of rhetorical overkill that speaks volumes about today's widespread pessimism and anxiety," he said. Newsweek (7/23)

Vizio preps new high-end TV line for fall
With TV competitors such as Sony and Samsung making moves in the lower-priced segments of the market, Vizio announced it would roll out a new line of high-end products this fall. The new Extreme Vizio Technology line of flat-panel LCD TVs includes what Vizio is calling "Smooth Motion Video," a new motion-estimation and motion-compensation technology. TWICE (7/21)

NAW Insider

Automation creates need for e-commerce insurance

Where would you be if a virus caused your computer network to crash, or if an artificially generated electric current damaged your material handling equipment? Would the expense be out of pocket if one of your salespeople had a laptop stolen? The Hartford offers low-cost solutions for some exposures that could be high-tech nightmares. Learn more here.

Critical tool for financial success in tough times

In today's tough economic climate, it's vital that your employees understand the realities of how the finances of your business work. That's where the Official Guide to Wholesaler-Distributor Financial Success comes in. It's your complete employee training tool. It shows you how to transition employees at every level to financial management thinking. Buy multiple copies for everyone on your staff.

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