June 2014 News
NetPlus adds four suppliers
NetPlus Alliance welcomed four new suppliers to its buying and marketing group for industrial and contractor supplies distributors.
Skaalen named PFERD VP
PFERD INC. announced the appointment of Peter Skaalen as vice president of operations.
H.B. Fuller to acquire Tonsan Adhesive
H.B. Fuller Company has signed an agreement to purchase Tonsan Adhesive.
Durable goods orders fall
New orders for manufactured durable goods decreased 1.0 percent in may to $238.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today.
Real GDP drops 2.9%
Real gross domestic product decreased at an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the first quarter of 2014 according to the "third" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
NN Inc. acquires tapered roller bearing company
NN Inc. has acquired 79.2% of the outstanding shares of RFK Valjcici Konjic, a manufacturer of tapered roller bearings with operations in Konjic, Bosnia & Herzegovina.
WayPart releases updated search engine
WayPart Inc. has released version 2.0 of its Industrial Parts Search Engine.
IBC launches online university
IBC announced that it has partnered with BlueVolt to launch IBC University, an online product training platform.
Chicago Fed National Activity Index rises
Led by improvements in production-related indicators, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index increased to +0.21 in May from –0.15 in April.
Factory output rises
Manufacturing production increased 0.6 percent in May after having edged down 0.1 percent in April.
Manufacturing Outlook: Expect growth
Stable consumer-driven spending and a strong forecast for business investment bode well for the manufacturing sector.
Grainger to build NJ distribution center
Grainger has purchased 96 acres of land in Bordentown Township, N.J., where it plans to build a 1.3 million square-foot distribution center.
Airgas acquires Technical Alloy
Airgas has acquired Team Welding, which does business as Technical Alloy & Industrial Gas.
Graybar appoints vice presidents
Graybar appointed Jeff Netherton as vice president, Product Management and Garry Acker as vice president, Business Development, effective July 1.
Grainger May sales up 6 percent
Grainger reported sales for the month of May increased 6 percent versus May 2013.
HD Supply sales improve
HD Supply reported net sales for the first quarter increased 6 percent to $2.2 billion.
U.S. April cutting tool consumption falls
April U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $175 million, down 3.3 percent from April 2013.
PrimeSource acquires Progressive Steel and Wire
PrimeSource Building Products announced the acquisition of Progressive Steel and Wire LLC.
IBC adds preferred suppliers and distributors
IBC announced the addition of several new preferred suppliers and distributors to its IndustrialSupplyPlus division.
Timken redesigns engineering and product management teams
The Timken Company has redesigned its engineering, product management and business systems teams.
Rittoff joins Ideal Industries
Ideal Industries announced that Ian Rittof will join its Precision Tool business unit as an applications engineer.
Cedar named DE-STA-CO president
Positioning and workholding manufacturer DE-STA-CO named Mats Ceder its new president, effective June 10.
IDC-USA names award winners
IDC-USA announced the winners of its distributor and supplier awards at its 2014 IDC Product Forum in Indianapolis.
Graybar expands Bismarck branch
Graybar announced the expansion of the full-service branch in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Investment spending to drive manufacturing growth
Manufacturing production continues to outpace overall economic growth and will be led more by investment than by consumer-driven advances over the next 18 months, according to a new report.
DPA welcomes new members
The DPA Buying Group welcomed 10 new distributor members to its Safety and Industrial products divisions.
Manufacturing technology orders up 9.8 percent
April U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $391.53 million, 9.8% higher than April 2013.
Manufacturing and construction job growth
The monthly jobs figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed small gains in manufacturing and construction during the month of May.
ISA begins search for EVP
Industrial Supply Association president Michael Carr announced that ISA has hired an executive search firm to help identify candidates for its executive vice president position.
ISA marks 10 years of community outreach
The Industrial Supply Association announced that this year's Executive Development Retreat marks the 10th anniversary of ISA’s volunteer efforts with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Abrasive Resource receives award
The Manufacturing Leadership Council recognized Minneapolis-based Abrasive Resource during the 2014 Manufacturing Leadership Summit in Palm Beach, Fla., on June 5.
Manufacturing productivity increased 3.8 percent
Manufacturing sector productivity increased 3.8 percent in the first quarter of 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
Fastenal May sales up 8.3 percent
Fastenal reported that its May sales climbed 8.3 percent to $313.5 million, compared to $289.4 million in 2013.
Brennan Industries expands Canadian inventory
Brennan Industries is more than doubling its inventory in Canada at its distribution facility, located in Mississauga, Ontario.
GHX acquires Hose Specialty & Supply
Houston-based GHX Industrial, a subsidiary of The United Distribution Group, has acquired Harvey, La.-based Hose Specialty & Supply Co.
Dorner names regional sales manager
Mike Wilkins has been appointed a regional sales manager for Dorner Mfg. Corp.
Task Tools names Western Canada sales manager
Task Tools announced that Doug Osborne has joined the company as sales manager, Western Canada.
Manufacturing expansion accelerates
The Institute for Supply Management issued a correction to its monthly report on manufacturing activity.
Deb completes STOKO acquisition
Deb Group Ltd announced completion of its purchase of STOKO Professional Skin Care from Evonik Industries.
Milwaukee confirms Empire Tool acquisition
Today, Milwaukee Tool announced the acquisition of the Empire Level business based in Mukwonago, Wis.