Eric Smith

Connecting with colleagues, customers and even competitors has been transformed during COVID-19. Staff meetings, sales calls and industry conferences have taken place almost exclusively on a screen. But while most of us have become adept at Zoom, Skype, Webex and myriad other online interactive platforms, one important question remains: Will this trend of virtual events […]

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced Tuesday that the goods and services deficit was $67.1 billion in August, up $3.71 billion from $63.4 billion in July, revised. Exports and imports increased in August but remained below pre-pandemic levels, reflecting the ongoing impact of COVID-19, as many businesses continued to operate at […]

The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) for September was 52, up from 49.2 in August, according to the latest analysis from Baird, FCH Sourcing Network and the Institute for Supply Management. The Forward-Looking Indicator (FLI) also improved, up to 60.6 from the ~53-54 range of the past several months. According to the report, “Taking […]

SiteOne Landscape Supply Inc. (NYSE: SITE), Roswell, Georgia, has acquired Hedberg Supply, the landscape supplies product division of Hedberg Aggregates. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Hedberg Supply is a supplier of hardscapes products in Minnesota. The company serves the Twin Cities with two locations focused on the distribution of hardscapes, nursery and landscape supplies to landscape […]

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma-based industrial and MRO distributor BlackHawk Industrial on Monday announced it had acquired D&L Industrial. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Based in Irwin, Pennsylvania, D&L is a cutting tool distributor that serves the Southwestern Pennsylvania market. BlackHawk said the acquisition will extends the company’s service capabilities into a large manufacturing market. […]

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma-based industrial and MRO distributor BlackHawk Industrial on Monday announced it had acquired D&L Industrial. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Based in Irwin, Pennsylvania, D&L is a cutting tool distributor that serves the Southwestern Pennsylvania market. BlackHawk said the acquisition will extends the company’s service capabilities into a large manufacturing market. […]

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma-based industrial and MRO distributor BlackHawk Industrial on Monday announced it had acquired D&L Industrial. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Based in Irwin, Pennsylvania, D&L is a cutting tool distributor that serves the Southwestern Pennsylvania market. BlackHawk said the acquisition will extends the company’s service capabilities into a large manufacturing market. […]

Building materials distributor ABC Supply Co. Inc., Beloit, Wisconsin, has opened a new location in Concord, North Carolina, outside of Charlotte. Chris Bauerle has been tapped to manage the new location. Bauerle has spent 17 years in the building materials industry, working 13 years for Norandex Building Materials Distribution and then joining ABC Supply in 2015 when […]

Brady, a Las Vegas-based full-line janitorial supply, equipment and foodservice distributor, has acquired Mission Janitorial & Abrasive Supplies. San Diego, California. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Founded in 1939, Mission is now led by owners Kevin and Greg Carlson. Kevin Carlson will stay on as general manager of the San Diego and Bishop branches, while […]

Brady, a Las Vegas-based full-line janitorial supply, equipment and foodservice distributor, has acquired Mission Janitorial & Abrasive Supplies. San Diego, California. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Founded in 1939, Mission is now led by owners Kevin and Greg Carlson. Kevin Carlson will stay on as general manager of the San Diego and Bishop branches, while […]

Brady, a Las Vegas-based full-line janitorial supply, equipment and foodservice distributor, has acquired Mission Janitorial & Abrasive Supplies. San Diego, California. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Founded in 1939, Mission is now led by owners Kevin and Greg Carlson. Kevin Carlson will stay on as general manager of the San Diego and Bishop branches, while […]

Bearings manufacturer RBC Bearings Inc. (Nasdaq: ROLL), Oxford, Connecticut, announced the appointment of Robert M. Sullivan as vice president and CFO, replacing Daniel A. Bergeron. Bergeron will assume additional operational responsibility within RBC Bearings as vice president and COO. Also, John J. Feeney will become vice president, general counsel and secretary to replace Joseph Salamunovich, who is stepping down to a support […]

Landscape distributor Heritage Landscape Supply Group Inc., a McKinney, Texas-based subsidiary of SRS Distribution, has acquired Aquarius Supply, an independent distributor of irrigation, outdoor lighting, agronomics, and other landscape products. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Headquartered in Hawthorne, New Jersey, Aquarius was founded in 1969 by George Beausoleil and is currently managed […]

What a way to begin the final quarter of an already bizarre year. On Oct. 1, the first day of 4Q, President Trump announced that he tested positive for COVID-19. The news sent shockwaves throughout the world, and the market reacted negatively Friday with the Dow and the S&P 500 both dropping. The question now […]

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in September, and the overall economy grew for the fifth consecutive month — after dipping significantly due to the coronavirus — say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. The September PMI registered 55.4%, down 0.6 percentage point from the August reading of 56%. […]

Real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in the second quarter of 2020, as real GDP for the nation decreased at an annual rate of 31.4%, according to statistics released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The percent change in real GDP in the second […]

Emerson (NYSE: EMR), St. Louis, on Friday announced it has completed the acquisition of the Progea Group, a provider of industrial internet of things (IIoT), plant analytics, human machine interface (HMI) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) technologies. “The acquisition of Progea strengthens our ability to provide customers with an integrated package of control, […]

The Home Depot (NYSE:HD), Atlanta, on Friday appointed Ted Decker to president and chief operating officer, effective October 5. Decker is a 20-year veteran of the company who has served as executive vice president of merchandising since 2014. The company also appointed Ann-Marie Campbell to executive vice president of U.S. stores and international operations; Jeff Kinnaird to […]

Landscape supply distributor SiteOne Landscape Supply Inc. (NYSE: SITE), Roswell, Georgia, announced this week that it has acquired Burnco Landscape Centres Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Burnco Rock Products Ltd. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Burnco serves the three western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan from 12 locations focused on the distribution of […]

Swedish manufacturer Atlas Copco has named Peter Kinnart as senior vice president, CFO, and member of the company’s group management, effective July 2021. Since January 2019, Kinnart served as vice president business control at Atlas Copco’s Business Area Compressor Technique. He joined Atlas Copco in 1993, as controller at Atlas Copco Airpower in Antwerp, and […]