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Portfolio Management: Distributors’ Advantage Over Amazon

From the NAW Blog:

Distributors are well-positioned to work intimately with key customers. They can devote the time and resources to engage proactively with customers to understand needs and goals. They can analyze both transactional and customer-provided data to generate industry-specific insights, develop robust benchmarks (in the form of spending patterns seen across similarly grouped customers) and tailor advice to match customer objectives. The benefits of doing so are immense.

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IFE partners with Rick Rudolph Associates

We are proud to announce the assignment of Rick Rudolph Associates to promote IFE products in New England.

Rick Rudolph Associates is a Manufacturer’s Representative Agency representing the highest quality manufacturers, master distributors, and importers of the finest products and services to New England’s distributors. Rick Rudolph Associates, based in Melrose, MA, has a team of experts that can provide the resources and solutions you need to get the job done right.

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Gage Bilt Installation Tools Join the Advance Lineup

Advance Components is proud to announce a new partnership with Gage Bilt, a top manufacturer of rivet and lockbolt installation tools and components. Advance will now stock Gage Bilt’s extensive line of pneudraulic, hydraulic and pneumatic tools.

Since 1956, Gage Bilt has been manufacturing economically-priced, heavy duty riveters to install a wide variety of aerospace and commercial fasteners. Gage Bilt tools are ergonomically designed for fast installations, reduced hand fatigue, and simple maintenance. Gage Bilt tools can be used to install fasteners from POP®, Avedel®, Cherry® and Huck®.

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YRC Worldwide Association Services

NFDA members receive discounted shipping through YRC.  Click here to learn more about how YRC can help take care of your freight needs.

Product Expertise Isn’t Enough for B2B Buyers Anymore

From the NAW Blog:

It’s no secret that for years most distributors have neglected core sales skills training for their sellers. There are several reasons for this benign neglect of sales skills investment. First, historically, industrial B2B buyers didn’t necessarily need a highly skilled seller. Their purchases were largely needs-driven — not discretionary — and so the core need was product or technical expertise and order fulfillment. For this reason, virtually all systematic sales training in distribution was focused on products and applications (not selling skills or competencies).

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A Mid-Crisis Assessment to Prepare for the New Normal

From the NAW Blog:

During and after extreme disruption, such as that caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the thought of doing a performance assessment can be overwhelming. However, taking a microscope to performance in a time of crisis can tell us more about our core underlying capabilities than in a time of stability.

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4 Mantras for Distributors to Expertly Manage Change

From the NAW Blog:

In our book for NAW, "Optimizing Distributor Profitability: Best Practices to a Stronger Bottom Line," we present 47 best practices for distributors to apply in their businesses, along with plentiful resources and examples for mastering the process. However, we’re aware that just crossing the starting line can be a challenge — especially in such uncertain times.

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How to Build a Killer Insider Sales Team

From the NAW Blog:

In recent years, inside sales has emerged as a highly profitable channel for distributors. “When appropriately utilized, inside sales reduces cost-of-sales by 40%–90% relative to field sales, while revenues may be maintained or even grown,” according to the Harvard Business Review. Selling more while spending less sounds great, but it is much easier said than done.

Viva la revolución: A Movement for Distributor Dominance

From the NAW Blog:

By adopting a new mindset, distributors have the opportunity to break free of the chains that bind them to meager margins and feeble brands. That mindset is about believing that they can do more than survive. Distributors can dominate!

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Restructuring Distributor Sales Teams to Better Serve the Modern Buyer

From the NAW Blog:

As modern buyers have embraced self-service (via internet searches, social media and e-commerce platforms) for much of their buyer journey, the need for traditional sellers who provide product information — and even application insights — has dropped radically. Buyers complete 70 percent of their journey before they even engage with sellers. COVID-19 has accelerated the pressures to boost productivity and elevate sales teams’ value-add.

NAW Partners with NFL for PPE

Throughout the pandemic, distributors have proven critical to saving lives and keeping the economy moving by reliably distributing food, medicine, PPE, and other vital supplies to every corner of America. As we enter a new phase where vaccines are making their way into the arms of millions of Americans, our industry has a critical opportunity to step up once again and accelerate the American recovery.

NAW and our member companies are partnering with the National Football League to support mass vaccination sites in stadiums across the country. When fully operational, these sites will have the capacity and vaccine supply provided by FEMA to vaccinate thousands of people each day. NAW is actively building a coalition of distributors who are committed to accelerating the administration of the vaccine and are able to help the NFL secure items needed to operate these mass vaccination sites. 

This week, NAW member companies have begun donating supplies to the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers to support the launch of their vaccination sites; we expect to speak with many of the remaining 30 NFL clubs shortly to understand their needs and connect them with distributors best positioned to meet those needs. 

If you would like to join us and have the ability to donate or serve as a source for purchase for any of the following items, please respond directly to me and NAW’s Chief Business Development Officer Dan Schuberth ([email protected], 732-585-3010):



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SPIROL Launches New Series of Molded-In Aluminum Threaded Inserts for Plastics



SPIROL is pleased to introduce a new, high-performance series of Molded-In Inserts for plastics assemblies. The rugged design of the Series 63 Through Hole Inserts and Series 65 Blind End Inserts consists of multiple bands of helical knurls to maximize torque resistance, balanced with radial undercuts to achieve high pull-out (tensile) force. These Molded-In Inserts are designed to be placed in the mold cavity prior to plastic injection, and offer exceptional performance due to unrestricted plastic flow into the retention features on the outside diameter of the Inserts.

These lightweight, lead-free Threaded Inserts for Plastics are manufactured from 2024 grade aluminum which provides the best combination of strength, corrosion resistance, machinability and cost. The Series 63 and Series 65 Molded-In Inserts are lead free, 40% stronger than brass, and 1/3 the weight of the same Insert manufactured from brass. Standard metric thread sizes include M4, M5, M6, and M8, and standard inch threaded sizes include 8-32, 10-24, 1/4-20, and 5/16-18.


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EFC International Partners with Research Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc. (REMINC)

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – February 18, 2021.

EFC International is pleased to announce its expanded focus on the world-wide distribution of genuine parts made by Research Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc. (REMINC) Authorized Licensees. EFC’s team of application engineers support customers with advanced engineering assistance, direct factory relationships and rapid prototype solutions, as well as extensive value analysis and value engineering services. Matt Dudenhoeffer, President and CEO of EFC, states, “EFC, REMINC and REMINC’s Licensees look forward to this partnership knowing that end-users will benefit from our combined strengths.”

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Fastener Fair Italy 2021 postponed

February 2021

Fastener Fair Italy 2021 postponed: 3rd International Exhibition for Fastener and Fixing Technology will take place from 30 November – 1 December 2022 at Fiera Milano City, Italy.

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Top Fifteen LTL Tips - Part Three

Click here to view the third installment of YRC Freight's Top Fifteen LTL Tips.

Top Fifteen LTL Tips - Part Two

Click here to view the second installment of YRC Freight's Top Fifteen LTL Tips.

Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2021 Postponed

Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2021 postponed: 9th International Exhibition for the Fastener and Fixing Industry will take place from 9 – 11 November 2021 in Stuttgart, Germany

Mack-Brooks Exhibitions has today announced the postponement of Fastener Fair Stuttgart, which was scheduled to take place at the Stuttgart Exhibition Grounds in Germany from 18 to 20 May 2021. The next Fastener Fair Stuttgart, 9 th International Exhibition for the Fastener and Fixing Industry, will run from 9 – 11 November 2021. This decision was taken in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and following conversations with all exhibitors and visitors that have taken place over the past weeks and months. Uncertainties around continued travel restrictions were also a contributing factor to this decision due to the truly international character of the Fastener Fair Stuttgart show.

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An Analysis of Financial Performance in Distribution in 2019

This article, prepared by Benchmarking Analytics, compares the performance of NFDA members with other lines of distribution in 2019.

Read the full article

Top Fifteen LTL Tips - Part One

Click here to view the first installment of YRC Freight's Top Fifteen LTL Tips.

How to Do Strategic Planning When Nothing Is Certain

From the NAW Blog:

How do you plan when all certainty has gone out the window more than once in the past year? Even with an end to the pandemic in sight, distributors may be looking at their 2020 business plan and wondering if it’s even worth putting a plan together for 2021. It’s tempting to stay light on your feet and be ready to pivot.

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