PowerFilm’s AA Solar Charger works to keep 2 or 4 AA rechargeable batteries always at the ready.

The compact design makes the AA solar charger an easy addition to your next outing or excursion. Feel secure in knowing your AA battery powered devices will always be on.

How the charger works:

1. The 1.5 watt solar panel charges 4 AA (included) batteries in 6 hours or less depending on the level of charge in the batteries.
2. Once charged, the AA batteries are ready to be placed in any device running on AA batteries.
3. Can be used to charge 2 or 4 AA batteries (charge time for 2 batteries is reduced).

What’s in the package?

• 4 rechargeable AA batteries
• 1 AA Foldable Solar Charger
• 2 AAA battery adaptors for charging AAA rechargeable batteries

Best uses:

• AA or AAA battery charging only
• Digital cameras
• Flashlights
• Portable radios
• Two-way radios
• Camp lighting

Specs

• Operating Voltage: 3.6
• Wattage: 2.2
• Current: 0.6 amps
• Width (mm): 139.7
• Length (mm): 800 unfolded; 82.55 folded
• Width (in): 5.5
• Length (in): 31.5 unfolded; 3.25 folded
• Weight (kg): 0.224 w/ batteries
• Weight (lb): 7.9 ounces w/ batteries

Find more PowerFilm products here on our website!

“Right Products. Great Price. Goals Met.“

A tsunami in Japan and floods in Thailand in 2011 disrupted the electronics supply chain. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) were not able to get the electronic parts to produce products as planned. Many were taken by surprise. Any OEM and or supplier that take a reactive approach rather than proactive to dealing with natural disaster disruptions are taking a big gamble.

Labor unrest, electrical/nuclear blackouts, and counterfeit parts sneaked into ad hoc electronics supply chains. Some OEMs were not able to quickly identify their deep tier suppliers after the disruptions.  In at least one instance, a third-tier supplier was discovered as the single source for multiple suppliers in the second-tier.

To better prepare for similar disruptions, many OEMs have turned to enterprise risk management (ERM) to proactively detect, prevent and mitigate risks in the supply chain with a focus on deep tier suppliers.  While business continuity planning is an important part of ERM, it can also help to increase the globalization of electronics supply chain with alternate locations and transportation routes.  The larger the globalization is, the more information flows though the supply chain and the more it is vulnerable to cyber attacks.

Progress has been made in standardizing ERM to allow OEMs to collaborate one another.  ERM includes ISO 28000, the standard for security risk management system for supply chain, as well as other related ISO standards.

While different vendors have different strategies on implementing actionable electronics supply chain risk management plan, the best strategy is dynamic risk assessment plan. For example, LockPath’s Keylight platform lets administrators conduct dynamic assessments to gain greater visibility into the risk and compliance landscape.  The administrators can include questions, link assessments to controls, and configure follow-up or remediation tasks based on user responses.

Risk management plan consists of four key elements:  assets, vulnerabilities, risks and safeguards/remediation.

Location is the most important asset. The organization should ascertain whether it is located in an industrial cluster. Contacts of OEM’s emergency personnel should be readily available. Audit reports, disaster recovery and business continuity plans, Service Level Agreements and charts of how multi-tier suppliers are related to one another should also be considered important resources.

All electronics supply chain assets come with vulnerabilities. In many organizations, through growth or acquisition, supply chain warehouses have merged. Too often, single source n-tier suppliers are discovered only after a disaster or catastrophe. OEMs should also avoid using second sources within an single industrial cluster in a high-prone disaster area. Organizations should also consider its cyber vulnerability. Today’s jackers are more sophisticated with biometric frauds and new types of attacks.

A dynamic risk assessment approach is more flexible than a static approach. Lockpath’s Keylight platform, for example, contains Risk Manager, Audit Manager and Compliance Manager and four other applications.  “The seven applications of the Keylight Platform are designed to be used individually or their power can be magnified by using them in combination with each other,” said Sam Abadir, director of product management at LockPath, adding that “having an integrated view of risk across the supply chain will make OEM’s business more resilient to risks and interruptions.”

When safeguards cannot be implemented cost effectively, consider three ways of handling of residual (remaining) risks.  First, get property insurance (from providers such as FM Global) that can be customized to the supply chain enterprise’s business needs. Consider supply chain intelligence analytics (a wide variety of platforms such asFusionOps are on offer) to reduce the number of residual risks. Third, consider Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC). This industry organization requires members to take an annual self-assessment to help identify the social, environmental, and ethical risks in their supply chains.

How has your risk management planning evolved over time?

*Article originally posted at Ebnonline.com*

Andis® introduces the new Cordless Envy Li clipper into its line of beauty and barber tools. Designed to be lightweight and versatile, the Cordless Envy Li clipper is a high speed, adjustable clipper for all-around professional styling. The Cordless Envy Li is also Andis’ first professional adjustable-blade professional clipper, a favorite for barbers and stylists executing the best fades in the industry.

Styling has never been more effortless than with the versatile Cordless Envy Li clipper, says Karen Formico, vice president of marketing for Andis. As Andis’ first adjustable blade cordless clipper, it delivers the same power as our popular Envy Clipper and is perfect for delivering a professional look with the versatility of cordless.

The Cordless Envy Li clipper is powered by a powerful lithium-ion battery that runs continuously for up to two hours and can be operated with the cord when the battery is charging for uninterrupted cutting. In addition, the clipper is equipped with a carbon steel blade that adjusts from size 000 to 1, for styling versatility.

Find The Cordless Envy Li Adjustable Blade Clipper by clicking the picture below!

 

Right Products. Great Price. Goals Met.

LONDON — Technavio analysts forecast the global industrial fire safety equipment market to grow at a CAGR of a little over 7 percent during the forecast period, according to their latest report.

The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global industrial fire safety equipment market for 2016-2020. APAC, EMEA and the Americas are the key regions of the market, which have been considered in the scope of the report.

According to Gaurav Mohindru, a lead analyst at Technavio for research on engineering tools, “The Middle East, which has an extensive presence of high-risk industrial sectors like oil and gas production and refining, is incorporating advanced technologies to tackle unforeseen fire and safety hazards. Across the Middle East, countries are integrating drones into their homeland security systems to fight fires and other disasters in high-risk industrial areas. These innovations may be integrated with the conventional industrial firefighting equipment in the near future.”

Technavio analysts highlight the following three factors that are contributing to the growth of the global industrial fire safety equipment market:

• Outdated infrastructure in oil and gas sector
• Redefined industrial safety codes and regulations
• Anticipation of future scenarios using fire protection analysis

Outdated infrastructure in oil and gas sector

The oil and gas industry is considered to be most dangerous and hazardous industry. The history of fire accidents in the industry has shown that careless actions have, many a time, led to catastrophic consequences.

For instance, 27 people were killed and 73 injured in an explosion at Algeria’s Skikda LNG plant in 2004; the cause was a leakage of a large quantity of gas from a cold box exchanger that ignited when it was fed into the boiler.

This accident was in the downstream sector. In the oil and gas industry, the upstream sector, especially offshore drilling sites where many rigs manufactured before the 1970s are still in operation, constitutes the largest source of fires. The major concern thus lies with the downstream sector.

The majority of the oil rigs are in the US, which has more than 3,000 operational rigs with 98% of the machinery being in operation for more than 30 years.

These oil rig platforms are mostly equipped with traditional fire safety systems. After incidents like BP Macondo in 2010, the US government and the Coast Guard made it mandatory to install upgraded fire safety systems. The use of outdated machinery and fire safety systems will increase the demand for new fire safety equipment in the sector, thus boosting the growth of the market.

Redefined industrial safety codes and regulations

The development of new codes is in the process of initiation in many industries to ensure the safety of the work environment. The first step in such a development is conducting rigorous fire protection and operational analysis. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a US-based agency that coordinates with the community for fire protection to improve the efficiency of firefighters and provides a clear understanding of real-life fire accident scenarios. By doing so, the agency aims to develop the tactics and procedures needed for safe operations during accidents. Most industries like chemical, oil and gas and other prominent process industries are also upgrading their infrastructure with widely-used fire detection and suppression systems.

Anticipation of future scenarios using fire protection analysis

Earlier, a fire safety system in an industrial facility was installed with the primary aim of dealing with accidents after such situations had occurred. They were not designed to meet the future demands or circumstances. The number of equipment installed in a facility were insufficient not only in terms of the size of the facility but also with regard to the potential threats.

Codes relevant to industrial design are now updated based on rigorous and sophisticated testing standards rather than relying on traditional safety procedures.

For instance, the NFPA 2: Hydrogen Technologies Code governs standards for hydrogen equipment that is based on calculated flame hazards, which are caused by the system pressure and volume. The previous NFPA versions had regulations relating to standardized setback distances, which were calculated based on the exposure.

*Original article is from IndDist.com*

Check out HEC Distribution’s line of fire safety equipment today.

Right Product. Great Price. Goals Met.

 

 

When it comes to realignments in the global supply chain, mega-retailers such as Amazon, Alibaba, Target, and Walmart flooding today’s headlines with announcements of strategic acquisitions, new distribution and fulfillment centers, and multi-million-dollar investments to overhaul existing supply chain operations.

But, it’s not only the global retail giants that gain market share and operating efficiencies through flexible supply chain strategies. Achieving flexibility should be the goal of every supply chain leader, especially in today’s complex operating ecosystem. One area of progressive solutions is flexible distribution center (DC) design. The warehouse has evolved from its basic function as a storehouse to an intelligent component of the entire global supply chain. The warehouse design of tomorrow is transitioning to meet the physical needs of the basic warehouse operator as well as the more highly automated e-commerce fulfillment center.

Along with agile and lean, flexible is a common supply chain buzzword these days. But what does it mean to be flexible from an operations standpoint? Academically speaking, the word flexibility in supply chain terminology refers to the ability to adapt quickly to market demands and deliver products and services to customers promptly, according to Marc Schniederjans, author and business professor, University of Nebraska.

It’s important to fully grasp the concept of flexibility—not only its definition, but also its real-life operational applications. Flexibility leads to agility, and agility provides organizations across the supply chain a competitive market advantage. In supply chain speak, flexibility can convey a multitude of applications. As DC managers transition from tactical to strategic approaches in supply chain management, companies of all sizes are evaluating flexible alternatives in building and network design, expanded value-add customer services, and strategic software applications.

MAXIMIZING THROUGHPUT

When Walmart took a strategic overview of its supply chain in 2005, one area of focus was maximizing throughput in its distribution network. At the time, with almost 300,000 SKUs, the global retail giant assessed how its perishable commodities and dry goods functioned in the distribution system.

In a strategic move to promote flexibility, the company elected to open 40 high-velocity cross-dock distribution centers designed specifically for perishables distribution to store locations. Built on a smaller footprint, these temperature-controlled facilities required less automation, thus promoting quicker inventory turns than the larger DCs in Walmart’s distribution network.

Soon thereafter, Walmart’s supply chain managers were so enamored with the idea of high-throughput DCs that the company elected to consolidate fast-moving, high-turnover dry merchandise—such as paper goods, seasonal items, and toiletries—in the perishable facilities. The consolidation strategy of combining high-demand dry goods with perishables paid off, further enhancing efficiencies and flexibility in Walmart’s supply chain. Fast forward a full decade and Walmart is realigning its network design to capture the emerging e-tail market with a $1-billion investment in specialized fulfillment facilities, automated high-throughput equipment, and new supply chain talent.

When it comes to DC network designs, Amazon wrote the book on flexibility in facility specialization. With a total of 160 (and growing) current U.S. distribution facilities, Amazon has seven distribution facility prototypes across its North American supply chain. The distribution focus and number of each warehouse facility type are:

• Fulfillment and redistribution centers (75)
• Sortation centers (26)
• PrimeNow hubs (43)
• Delivery/sortation stations (16)

In Amazon’s ever-evolving delivery network, new facility prototypes include Delivery Station Networks, which are located close to metropolitan population centers and smaller in size—less than 100,000 square feet. Amazon has also introduced two new delivery concepts for groceries that require independent operating facilities: Amazon Fresh for perishables and Amazon Pantry for same-day delivery of dry goods. As delivery channels evolve from the point of production to the point of consumption, Amazon and other multi-channel retailers are realigning supply chain strategies.

DC DESIGN DYNAMICS

Today’s modern warehouse design is larger, taller, wider, brighter, smarter, and more flexible. Basic design in the 21st century DC includes higher ceiling heights (36 feet and higher), flat concrete floor surfaces, LED and natural light features, expanded trailer storage, and highly automated materials handling equipment operated by intelligent software.

Mandated by a more sustainably conscious corporate mindset, LEED-certified buildings were more commonplace in the pre-recession era. In today’s more cost-driven environment, LEED is no longer the required standard in warehouse design.

“Developers or tenants don’t want to pay for the extra cost of upgrading to LEED certification,” notes Stuart Price of Conlan Construction, a general contractor that specializes in constructing distribution facilities. “Today, we build to what we call LEED-light.”

DOES THIS PRODUCT MAKE MY FLOOR LOOK FLAT?

Just when it seemed industrial developers had introduced every imaginable upgrade to improve operating efficiency and throughput, the issue of a better warehouse floor has surfaced. Similar to warehouse roof systems, floor slabs are an entity unto themselves, producing various operational optimization complexities.

The latest trends in DC building design include super-flat floor surfaces and specialized concrete to ensure a level and solid pour. Known to settle, curl, crack, chip, and sweat, warehouse floors have progressed from rough concrete slabs to a smooth, flat, and sheen surface, designed to enhance floor-load capacity.

“A level floor slab is more important than ever,” says Mike Gray, president of Ridgeline Development, a real estate developer of bulk distribution properties in major North American markets. “Requirements for a flat and level floor system are increasing due to the materials handling equipment servicing higher cube heights and narrow aisle widths in modern warehouse facilities.”

An Illinois-based concrete innovator recently introduced a new design—Ductilecrete—in floor slab structures. The concrete product is stronger and more durable than traditional warehouse floor systems. The floor guarantees against curling, shrinkage, and moisture—issues that plague an aging floor slab.

The concrete surface is not only more resilient but contains fewer expansion joints, which equates to less floor damage and wear on materials handling equipment and lower maintenance costs. The surface also provides a light-reflective sheen that minimizes glare and mitigates risk for forklift operators.

“No other occupant of a warehouse facility benefits more from a slab system with fewer expansion joints than today’s e-commerce user,” Gray says. “A flat and expanded floor surface area enables higher and tighter rack configurations and level conveyor installation.”

A slab with up to 75 percent fewer expansion joints maximizes the floor surface area for flexible applications. The flat floor throughout the warehouse enables more solid footing for high-bay pallet racking, heavy machinery, and high-speed conveyors used in e-commerce fulfillment centers. Fewer expansion joints, combined with today’s wider column spacing, equate to flexibility in rack systems and conveyor layout design.

“New designs in flat floor slab systems resonate with our distribution customers,” explains Thomas Cobb of Oakmont Industrial Group, a national developer that specializes in bulk distribution properties. “The floor strength enables our tenants to increase storage capacity and flexibility due to the heavier floor loads without the increased costs associated with a thicker slab foundation.”

In late 2015, Interface Carpets, an international flooring company that specializes in modular carpet tile, leased a 370,000-square-foot cross-dock facility from Oakmont for a southeast regional DC.

“Some of the main drivers in the selection of this property were the 36-foot ceiling clear height and the increased load capacity offered by the super-flat floor system,” Cobb explains. “The floor design enabled Interface to maximize its storage requirements with higher racking and a narrow aisle configuration.”

In addition to advanced building features, such as higher ceilings and flat floor surfaces, e-commerce facility design also calls for flexibility in truck court and employee parking areas. As distributors demand more on-site trailer parking in DC locations, developers are challenged with designing truck courts and storage yards with higher trailer parking ratios.

Additionally, asphalt truck courts are becoming obsolete in favor of all-concrete designs.

“With heavy truck traffic in a typical distribution center, it makes sense to design the truck court with 100-percent concrete—from a maintenance and utilization standpoint,” says Conlan’s Price. “Concrete generates less heat than asphalt, providing a practical, sustainable solution.”

FROM HARD SURFACES TO SOFT LANDINGS

While upgrades in DC design are trending to meet the high volume demands of fulfillment centers across North America, software solutions targeting inventory management and throughput optimization are evolving to address omni-channel distribution models.

Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) were introduced two decades ago to manage inventory, but software systems have advanced as the demand for data flow and supply chain intelligence has increased. From the legacy WMS platforms, Warehouse Control Systems (WCS) were launched to interact with advanced materials handling equipment, such as sortation and picking simulation systems.

The latest evolution in next-generation supply chain software is the Warehouse Execution System (WES)—an IT platform that interfaces with an existing ERP system or WMS to optimize inventory flow and execute more complex picking production commonly found in e-commerce facilities.

“Our WES acts as the conductor in an orchestra concept,” says Dave Williams, director of software solutions at Westfalia, a warehouse automation firm based in York, Pa. “The WES conducts the other software applications, allowing a shipper to track inventory downstream in the supply chain all the way to the retail level.

“Our software gives shippers the ability to track inventory from the raw material stage to the consumer purchase point,” he adds. In a highly regulated industry such as food and beverage, flexibility is the key to high throughput and lean operating systems to eliminate food waste.

“How a customer rotates inventory is a primary concern,” says Williams. “Our WES software enables a distributor to track perishable expiration dates to ensure quality and freshness. The ‘first expired/first out’ concept is a huge driver in the way our WES interfaces with product flow. We build flexibility into our software tools.”

WAREHOUSE FUNCTIONALITY EXPANDED

Today’s modern warehouse encompasses more than just a storage box with four walls to house inventory. Next-generation DCs include value-added services (VAS) and intelligent applications. Across the global supply chain, the 21st century DC offers flexibility to the end customer. In today’s competitive landscape, distribution companies across North America are enhancing their value proposition.

Companies are providing customers more value-added services, particularly in modern e-commerce operations. For example, New England-based ModusLink recently partnered with a top tier electronics manufacturer to provide flexible postponement, customized assembly, packaging, and last mile delivery strategies to enhance the shipper’s B2C strategy.

“From our solutions center, we provide full flexibility with a custom fit for the consumer’s phone,” explains Shel Virden, group business director of global account management for ModusLink. “Our process starts with the online order, includes adding personalized phone accessories, and ends with direct delivery to the end user.”

Shippers and manufacturers trust third-party providers to execute flexible value-add services beyond traditional warehouse functions. “We manage the customer’s inventory supply side as well,” Virden says. “We’re the last group in the supply chain to touch the phone before it gets in the customer’s hands, so we are given a high level of trust from brand execution to final-mile delivery.”

When it comes to e-commerce specialization in warehouse flexibility, Mason, Ohio-based Intelligrated provides advanced sortation automation with its Dynamic Discharge Compensation (DDC) technology. DDC provides for high-speed conveyor processing up to 25,000 units per hour with 99.99 percent accuracy.

Through enhanced vision technology, DDC detects each item’s exact size and location on the conveyor and relays the data to intelligent software, adjusting the product’s discharge timing from the belt to enhance throughput and order accuracy.

“The high-speed conveyor provides near perfect intelligence and precision to compensate for the product size and location on the belt once the item is discharged from the belt,” says Satyen Pathak, Intelligrated’s senior product manager.

GAINING A COMPETITIVE EDGE

Keeping pace with the latest in materials handling equipment, software solutions, and facility design features can be daunting for supply chain managers. Where does an organization invest resources to help maintain a competitive edge in the distribution game?

Senior management scrutinizes key metrics such as ROI, so deciding where to invest capital to enhance DC flexibility and functionality can be the difference between gaining or losing market share.

Taking flexible warehouse solutions to a new level, newcomer Flexe has introduced the ultimate in warehouse space utilization. Through a cloud-based platform, the Seattle start-up connects short-term users of warehouse space with companies across North America that have excess storage capacity.

“Our platform works well for companies that can’t predict what the next three to five years will look like,” according to Ryan Morel, Flexe’s general manager of market development. “We can coordinate storage for a single pallet or meet a large seasonal storage need where a 3PL may not be the answer.”

In the end, flexibility is about service to the customer and providing operating efficiency across the supply chain. As updated building design features support higher throughput and storage capabilities, advanced warehouse execution software complements a synchronized distribution platform.

Technology applications, advanced automation, and progressive building design all add up to provide flexible support to the end-to-end supply chain.

 

*Article originally posted at InboundLogistics.com*

 

Historically speaking, there’s no doubt that the U.S manufacturing industry has had an incredible effect on the U.S economy. Through the captains of industry in the 20th century, manufacturing quite literally propelled the U.S into the World super power it is today.

When we talk about manufacturing, we’re referring to the process of transforming raw material into new products – Using whatever industrial means necessary. The production of cars, furniture, oil rig machinery and even medicines falls under the category of ‘manufacturing’.

It may sound like a dull sector, but manufacturing is the driving force behind tools and technologies used across multiple sectors. Health care, construction, solar energy, nuclear energy and automobile innovation – It all starts with creating a product, and it’s human nature to constantly adapt, evolve and improve anything we create. Manufacturing is one of the key industries to drive forward R&D in the U.S, showing a 250% increase in manufacturing efficiency per employee since 1987.

Throughout the 21st century China has been popularized as the manufacturing powerhouse. Whilst that is true, the public assumption that U.S. manufacturing has decreased as a result couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, even back in 2010, Business Insider reported that Chinese manufacturing companies were making plans to invest in Idaho!

Over 9% of the U.S population are employer in the manufacturing sector, and they’re earning on average $25.58 / hr, significantly more than the $21.32 / hr national average. Numbers employed in the sector were hurt significantly after the 2008 financial crash, but the situation is steadily recovering, and it’s estimated that an additional 3.5 workers will be needed in the next 10 years to meet the demand for homegrown U.S. manufacturing.

The infographic below shows 15 incredible facts about the positively flourishing U.S manufacturing sector, and the exciting times that lay ahead.

*Originally posted at BusinessInsider.com*

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“Half of the money I spend on marketing is wasted, I just don’t know which half.”

A popular statement, no doubt; however, in 2016, it should be a statement from the past. The world of industrial manufacturing and distribution is driven by data and automation. The rise of industrial robotics, smart manufacturing and the Internet of Things is changing the ways we produce and move products around the world. As a result, businesses are improving efficiencies, limiting downtime and reducing the costs associated with getting a product into a customer’s hand.

The buzz surrounding the latest efficient technologies on the warehouse floor is exciting, but what often gets lost in this excitement is the cost of acquiring a customer. The B2B sales cycle is traditionally longer. Sales teams are forced to navigate a confusing process, which can result in missed opportunities and lost revenue. However, the same digital and data-driven revolution that is leaving its mark on industrial distribution systems is having an equally significant impact on industrial sales and marketing efforts.

Largely this is due to a change in B2B customer behavior. A recent report from the respected global consulting firm, Bain & Company, interviewed 370 marketing and sales executives working in the industrial and technology sectors. The numbers are impressive. Almost half of those surveyed said that digital capabilities have significantly changed their customer’s behavior. The report estimates that nearly two-thirds of all industrial B2B buyer research is now done online, meaning that customers have access to more information, and as a result, more power than in the past.

This power shift has by no means left industrial sales and marketing teams in the dark. Instead, for the most successful businesses, the lights have never been brighter. Digital capabilities allow industrial marketers to do more with less, resulting in more effective efforts that better connect and engage with buyers. As buyers spend more time online, businesses are able to paint a clearer picture of their behaviors and buying habits. Bain & Company suggest that most businesses are already sitting on a wealth of customer data, however only the most successful are using this information to their advantage.

Industrial buyers conducting research online provide valuable information for sales and marketing teams. It is easy to understand what customers are interested in, which pages or lines of business on a website get the most attention, and which products or offers are proving to be the most effective. For industrial businesses that make proper use of this information, it is impossible for marketing efforts to go to waste. By monitoring what’s working best, where customers are coming from, and what impact those efforts are having on sales, industrial businesses can turn once blind marketing efforts into well-oiled sales machines.

And the impacts of the digital revolution don’t stop there. While it is now possible to build and measure B2B marketing campaigns with incredible accuracy, industrial sales teams are still faced with managing a traditionally longer sales cycle. Unlike B2C sales, B2B purchases are rarely made on emotion. Instead, they are the result of a lengthy review process, often by many different people within an organization. Products are assessed, compared and sometimes tested before a major purchase is made. All of this can be exhausting for sales teams and valuable opportunities can be overlooked or lost during the extended process.

Marketing automation tools have changed this. Automation helps sales teams to understand what B2B customers are interested in and how close they are making a purchasing decision. It also allows sales teams to send automated communications to buyers throughout the sales cycle, ensuring that no leads are forgotten, while alerting sales teams when a prospective customer returns to a website or looks at a new product. All of these factors combine to improve efficiency, allowing sales teams to focus efforts on the leads that are most likely to buy, without losing track of leads that may not be as far along in the buying journey.

Fred Yee
CEO and Founder of ActiveConversion
B2B manufacturers and industrial distributors are on the front lines of the digital revolution. Technologies which improve production and distribution system efficiency are becoming essential to compete on a global scale, but that is only half the picture. The most successful industrial distributors are also implementing data-driven marketing technology to understand customer behavior and streamline the sales process by reducing wasted efforts and scoring the best opportunities — all resulting in a lower cost to acquire new customers.

 

*Originally posted at IndDist.com*

 

Home Depot and Lowe’s — the two largest home improvement centers in the country — say they have increased sales to professional customers by double digits and are targeting them by offering better credit terms, flexible deliveries and on-line transactions. The growth seems to indicate both companies will continue to seek professional (pro) customers and MRO buyers, a direct shot at construction and industrial distributors.

Distributors should note the steps that these two giant companies are taking to capture a higher share of the pro construction market. Both are adding products to their pro business lines as well offering a number of new services, making it easier for their pro customers to order and receive supplies.

“We continue to strengthen our pro business, driving comps well above the company average, by further advancing our products and services offering to better serve the pro customer,” said Lowe’s COO Ricky Damron during the company’s Q1 earnings conference call.

Lowe’s has been developing an omni-channel approach to serve its pro customers. One of those strategies is using Account Executive Pro Services (AEPs). AEPs work with larger regional customers to have them order and replace products across multiple geographies and locations.

“Our AEPs are a key component of our strategy to grow our business with larger pro customers,” Damron said during the earnings call.

Lowe’s has more than 180 Pro outside representatives in the field and says it has experienced great success with the program as grows sales in AEP comp sales. The company expects to add more AEPs to create additional opportunities to reach pro customers.

Damron also says that Lowe’s is using a targeted marketing approach aimed at the professional customer and conducting special buying events for them to drive awareness and generate new business.

“We have been pleased with these results in driving both incremental purchases with existing pro customers and increasing relationships with new customers,” Damron said.

Meanwhile, Home Depot has taken several steps to grow its pro business and sales to that segment are reported to be outpacing the company’s average.

The company is offering pros private label cards that have extended terms, special return policies and other steps that are leading to a substantial number of new accounts, higher than what HD had originally anticipated.

Home Depot also recently designed and tested a pilot plan to deliver products faster and more efficiently to pro customers. The company says that it was encouraged with initial sales and it has since expanded into additional markets such as Atlanta, GA.

“We saw a pretty substantial increase in the customer option to choose delivery and we’re seeing double-digit growth,” said Craig Menear, chairman, CEO and president of Home Depot in a call with analysts following release of the company’s Q1 earnings.

The company offers flexible delivery to contractors seven days a week and next day delivery on in-stock items. It also offers contractors the ability to order on line and pick up orders in two hours, as well as beneficial credit terms and fuel discounts.

Menear also said Home Depot expects to see more growth in MRO sales due to its acquisition of Interline Brands, one of the largest industrial distributors in the country.

“The Interline integration is progressing nicely,” he told financial analysts. “We continue to move forward on a number of exciting sales driven initiatives, and we have outlined a path to truly realize the value of the Interline acquisition and the total pro opportunity over the next 18-to-24 months.”

Home Depot acquired Interline Brands last July for $1.63 billion. The acquisition was designed to help HD sell more supplies to customers in the building and maintenance profession. The company is pleased with the collaboration within its sales organization as they jointly attack end user professional markets.

Home Depot says it currently has a small percentage of sales in building and maintenance and Menear said “we think there’s lots of opportunity to grow.”

After releasing its quarterly results, Home Depot raised its fiscal 2016 sales guidance and now expects sales will be up approximately 6.3 percent and comp sales will be up approximately 4.9 percent.

Lowes’ RONA Acquisition Approved

In addition, Lowe’s is expanding its reach and has has received regulatory approval for its huge $2.3 billion purchase of RONA, its large competitor in Canada.

In Mid-May, Lowe’s received approval from Canadian regulatory authorities for its $2.3 billion acquisition of large competitor RONA, a leader in Canada’s home improvement and renovation retail market. The transaction was approved by RONA’s shareholders in March, but was subject to approval by regulators in the U.S. and Canada.

RONA, with its headquarters in Boucherville, Quebec, has approximately 500 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores and nine hardware and construction material distribution centers. The company has more than 17,000 employees in corporate stores and over 5,000 employees in the stores of its independent affiliate dealers.

Lowe’s has 42 stores in Canada and virtually no presence in Quebec, a province that accounts for about 23 percent of the country’s population. RONA has a dominating presence as the home improvement market retailer.in Quebec.

Lowe’s had attempted to buy RONA four years ago, but the deal failed to go through, largely because of political backlash in Quebec.

 

*Originally posted on IndDist.com*

Spring cleaning isn’t just for our homes—if you own or operate a commercial kitchen, now is a perfect time to perform some easy preventative maintenance tasks to make sure your kitchen equipment is cooking and cooling efficiently. Read on for some common areas in need of preventative maintenance.
Thermostats

When thermostats display the wrong temperature, heating and cooling food becomes inefficient and can lead to food safety and quality issues. Throughout the year, check your thermostats and other control systems to ensure ovens, refrigerators, and freezers are operating at the correct temperature. Check your equipment operational manual for instructions on how to calibrate thermostats.

Gaskets

Gaskets help ovens keep hot air inside of them and refrigerators and freezers keep colder air inside, but gaskets can and do wear out over time. Periodically check the condition of the gaskets in your kitchen. If there are rips or tears in them, replace them right away. To see if their seal is still tight, close the door on a dollar bill—if you can pull the bill out with no resistance, it’s time to buy a new gasket.

Burners & Pilot Lights

Keep your range and oven cleaned throughout the year so grease and food spills don’t build up and cause significant damage over time. If you have a gas range, check its burners periodically—do the flames light up evenly together? If not, the burner ports may be clogged. Check your operational manual for instructions on how to clean these ports. Also check your gas oven’s pilot light. If the pilot light doesn’t stay lit, it might be clogged as well, so again, check the operational manual for instructions specific to your model. Whenever you’re dealing with gas, be sure to turn it off at the shut-off valve before making any repairs.

Condenser Coils

Typically found underneath your refrigerator, condenser coils cool down the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle. Coils covered in dust and grime can lead to inefficient performance and a shorter equipment lifetime though. At least four times a year, simply vacuum off this dust buildup on your coils to restore your refrigeration unit back to its most optimal efficiency.

Water

Calcium buildup in equipment from hard water can lead to poor water pressure and low-quality water. Descale your steamers, boilers, ice machines, and combi ovens with descaling chemicals approved by your equipment’s manufacturer at least twice a year.

Originally posted on 3Wire.com

 

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