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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

STAFDA's Foley Elected To NAM's CMA Board

STAFDA’s Executive Director, Georgia Foley, has been elected to the Board of Directors for the Council of Manufacturing Associations (CMA) of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), one of the most powerful and influential policy-setting organizations in Washington DC.  Her three year term begins in January 2016.  With over 1,150 manufacturers in STAFDA, Foley plans to share her CMA experience and resources with the membership.

The CMA is comprised of 260 trade associations working together on behalf of manufacturing in the United States.  The CMA Board provides knowledge, resources, and guidance to help NAM broaden its reach and advocacy efforts.  STAFDA has been a NAM member since 2006.

In addition to her new CMA Board assignment, Foley continues to serve on the Board of Directors for the Small Business Legislative Council (SBLC), also in Washington DC, and on the Convention Advisory Board of the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau.

What Wowed ABC's "Sharks" At STAFDA 2015?

Have you ever used a gas can to fuel up a lawn mower or other motor equipment and ended up spilling gas? For those in Industrial Distribution's audience, the chance is pretty high. Even for the average joe, spilling gas while trying to fill up a motor is a nuisance.
















SureCanUSA president Brad Ouderkirk sought out to solve that problem, and it turns out his simple solution isn't just a home run with those mowing their lawns, but with very successful business entrepreneurs as well.

At the 39th annual Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Association (STAFDA) convention and trade show in Phoenix on Nov. 9, Ouderkirk's innovative new gas can was on display to be anonymously reviewed by Keynote Speakers Lori Greiner, Daymond John, and Kevin O'Leary from ABC's popular show, Shark Tank. The SureCan was reviewed on stage in the North Ballroom of the Phoenix Convention Center, along with four other products that had all company logos removed. All five products were submitted by manufacturers who had display booths during the conventions trade show Nov. 9-10.

Greiner is a reknown inventor and investor of retail products, and has been called "the Queen of QVC." John is best-known as the founder and CEO of clothing line FUBU, while Softkey founder O'Leary is hailed as the Donald Trump of Canada.

While three of the five products received mixed reviews – partially because the Sharks simply didn't fully understand their purpose – they all loved the SureCan. The product's has a patented flexible rotating nozzle that enables the user to point it straight down from the can, thus greatly reducing the chance of gas spillage compared to the standard method of tipping the can. The nozzle was a huge hit with the Sharks, as all three saw the immediate benefit from its simple solution.
ABC's Shark Tank stars Lori Greiner (left) and Kevin O'Leary (right) inspect the SureCan, an innovative new gas can by SureCanUSA. (ID photo)
ABC's Shark Tank stars Lori Greiner (left) and Kevin O'Leary (right) inspect the SureCan, an innovative new gas can by SureCanUSA. (ID photo)


"It's brilliant," said Greiner, a reknown inventor and investor of retail products, while on stage. "I could see that replacing all other gas cans. I could see that in all Home Depots."
"Great products have very simple solutions, and the gas tank says it all. I get it right away," O'Leary commented. "I would buy that. It's easy to see it's benefit in 2 seconds."

"It cures a pain you didn't know you had," added Green, who played to the crowd by mockingly trying to keep the gas can for himself.

Once the features of the gas can were shown – including a thumb-release flow trigger – it drew an ovation from the crowd of industrial suppliers and distributors.

Asked to rank the five products, all three Sharks were quick to put the SureCan at No. 1.

With the rave reviews, SureCan's booth during was consistently buzzing with traffic during both days of the trade show.
SureCanUSA's display of its 2.2 gallon and 5-gallon SureCan's at its STAFDA trade show booth. (ID photo)
SureCanUSA's display of its 2.2 gallon and 5-gallon
SureCan's at its STAFDA trade show booth. (ID photo)






















 
"So far it’s been an incredible response," said Ouderkirk at the booth on Nov. 10 when I asked him about the experience. "The booth has been like this all day. I haven’t been able to sit down yet."

SureCan is still new to the market, as Ouderkirk began selling it in June, and he says he sold 12,000 cans as of the trade show. Given the response at STAFDA, that figure is sure to escalate.

"I think this will help us a lot," he said about SureCan's success at the show. "I was a little nervous when they got to the end (of reviewing) and what was about to happen, but the reaction was more than we could ask for."

Ouderkirk said he was actually approached by a STAFDA member who was impressed by the product before the convention and helped become one of the five products that were reviewed.

Ouderkirk – a builder by trade who made the first SureCan prototype out of wood – had to put to the product through 4 years of testing before it could hit the market.

"Now, we believe it's the best gas can hopefully in the world," he said.

More product information, including pricing, can be found at SureCan's website here.

See the SureCan in action in its promotional video:
https://youtu.be/BCqO-Afhi1I

SureCan is made in Lebanon, Tennessee, where the company recently invested $15.5 million in its manufacturing facility.

Vestil's Hitch Mounted Truck Jib Crane

Though the SureCan was the Shark's favorite of the five products they reviewed, it wasn't the only one they liked.

Also on stage was the Hitch Mounted Truck Jib Crane, by Angola, Indiana-based Vestil Manufacturing. Made for owners/users of pick-up trucks, the hand-crank operated crane is mounted on the hitch of a truck to help users lift loads of up to 600 pounds. The crane lifts items from ground to truck bed height, and then rotates them into the desired cargo area. Installation and use requires no modifications to receiver or truck.

The three Sharks all ranked the crane at No. 2 out of the five products.

"I have a pick-up truck. I wish I had that," O'Leary said. "It looks cumbersome, but looks very useful."

"You 'get it' right when you see it," Green added. "I haven't seen it in the market yet."
ABC's Shark Tank stars Lori Greiner (left) and Kevin O'Leary listen as STAFDA Executive Director Georgia Foley explains the features of the Truck Jib Crane by Vestil Manufacturing. (ID photo)
ABC's Shark Tank stars Lori Greiner (left) and Kevin O'Leary listen as STAFDA Executive Director Georgia Foley explains the features of the Truck Jib Crane by Vestil Manufacturing. (ID photo)















Two days later at the trade show, I stopped by the Vestil booth to get their reaction to the positive reviews.

"It was great. To have it promoted and in front of that many people, with the impact they’ve had on so many other business, was great feedback," said Vestil director of sales Ryan Funkhouser. "It’s great for the company."

Funkhouser said that once the crane was chosen to be reviewed by the Sharks, the company was confident they and the STAFDA crowd would like it.

"We know there’s a large population, especially in our industry, that have trucks," Funkhouser said. "The mass appeal made us confident, but you never know what you’re going to get with what three entrepreneurs are going to say about it. There’s that nervous factor."

Like with SureCan, having the crane on stage in front of everyone and getting positive feedback also helped Vestil at its trade show booth.

"We’ve had a lot of people stop by and say they voted for it and they thought it was awesome," Funkhouser said. "People have stopped by with their own feedback with how they’d improve it. It’s got a lot of people in the booth and gained us a lot of visibility."

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Sonata to acquire Premier United States based Microsoft Dynamics Partner I.B.I.S., Inc.

Sonata Software, a global strategic IT solutions firm, announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the supply chain software and services provider I.B.I.S., Inc. (INTERACTIVE BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.). Founded in 1989, I.B.I.S., Inc. has a strategic partnership with Microsoft for the Dynamics solution and delivers world-class supply chain solutions, including its proprietary Advanced Supply Chain Software solution. The acquisition of the United States based IBIS will allow Sonata, aBangalore, India based company to accelerate its footprint globally.

Advanced Supply Chain Software™ powered by I.B.I.S., Inc. is a total Dynamics® AX and CRM supply chain solution designed expressly to meet the needs of modern distributors, manufacturers, and retailers. A winning combination of industry supply chain expertise, world-class supply chain software, and 26 years of successful Microsoft Dynamics® implementations has culminated in making IBIS the preferred Microsoft Dynamics® partner and solution provider for distributors and manufacturers worldwide. The company already serves leading US enterprises.

Sonata’s vision is to provide digital transformation solutions to Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), and Distribution companies. Microsoft Dynamics® AX and CRM solutions are being increasingly adopted globally by companies to transform their businesses. Sonata’s expertise, intellectual property, scale, and global presence with Microsoft Dynamics® AX, especially in the retail industry, along with IBIS expertise,intellectual property, and strong local footprint in the US within the distribution industry space will create a powerhouse that caters to Retail, CPG, and Distribution companies globally who want to deploy Microsoft Dynamics®.

Speaking on the occasion, Srikar Reddy, MD & CEO of Sonata Software said, “Sonata has a strong partnership with Microsoft on Dynamics globally. We have a strong footprint in Microsoft Dynamics® based Retail solutions. Together with IBIS, we now have a strong management team, world class Advanced Supply Chain Software™ for distribution companies, a solid referenceable customer base, and a strong and deep partnership with Microsoft in the United States. The marquee customers currently with Sonata and IBIS will both gain from the complementary capabilities we bring to the table.”

Andy Vabulas, founder and CEO, I.B.I.S., Inc. commented, “IBIS is excited to be a part of Sonata, which adds significant scale, a wider geographic footprint, and client base we can now access. We have built IBIS as a company over the past 26 years and believe my team and I have the right partner in Sonata to achieve our vision of a global scale Dynamics organization. Our clients, products, and services will gain from the rich engineering and delivery capability that Sonata has in the Microsoft Dynamics® portfolio. I’m sure this acquisition will enhance our product reach as we will be capable of delivering enhanced services while reaching many more clients globally. Our customers will benefit from the depth and breadth of the products and services that a global company like Sonata brings to the table.”

About Sonata Software

Sonata Software is a global IT services firm focused on catalysing transformational IT initiatives of its clients through deep domain knowledge, technology expertise and customer commitment. The company delivers innovative new solutions for Travel, Retail & Consumer Goods and Software Product Companies by integrating technologies such as Omni-channel commerce, Mobility, Analytics, Cloud and ERP, to drive enhanced customer engagement, operations efficiency and return on IT investments. A trusted long-term service provider to Fortune 500 companies across both the software product development and enterprise business segments, Sonata seeks to add differentiated value to leadership who want to make an impact on their businesses, with IT.

About I.B.I.S., Inc.

Founded in 1989, I.B.I.S., Inc. provides business solutions which enable companies with complex supply chain requirements to maximize their business success. Through a Strategic Developer Partner relationship with Microsoft, the company provides world-class solutions for enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), business intelligence (BI), and application development. I.B.I.S., Inc. specialties include Microsoft Dynamics AX and CRM solutions focused on the supply chain needs of distribution, manufacturing, and retail industries.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Snap-on Industrial Tools at Height


Snap-on Industrial's Tools at Height tethered tool program includes more than 1,000 tools that are designed for work being performed at height or anywhere dropped or lost tools are a concern. 
Snap-On Industrial

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Foxfire has moved


Foxfire's new home is located at Greenville's bubbling tech hub called NEXT which is on Main Street and just a few blocks from their old office. They are thrilled to be a part of the technology community in the heart of Greenville.  

Check out the video about this new 20,000 sq foot space.  

New address is:

Foxfire Software
101 North Main Street
Suite 313
Greenville, SC 29601

Friday, September 11, 2015

Download 2015 Mid-Year Supplements

New Software Research Guides Available 

Can not keep up with all the changes in the latest software?

Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you?

Then read the 2015 Mid-Year Supplements

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Poll: Majority Of Manufacturers Rely On Spreadsheets Instead Of ERP

A new survey suggests that a majority of top manufacturers and distributors still rely on spreadsheets and other manual processes instead of business management software.

According to the 2015 Manufacturing Survey by Illinois-based accounting firm Sikich LLP, 53 percent of those polled used manual processes to measure key performance indicators, compared to just 26 percent that used applications such as enterprise resource systems.

“The persistence of manual processes in the industry is troubling," said Sikich’s Jim Wagner. "Technology can help companies grow more efficient, lower costs and better serve customers. It has the potential to transform the industry and drive success, but companies need to make full use of it to realize gains."

The survey found that companies use technology in greater numbers to improve manufacturing processes, business intelligence, reporting and customer service.

In addition, 54 percent expected their revenue to increase by more than 5 percent in 2015, while 96 percent projected hiring to remain constant or increase this year.

Although about half of respondents were more optimistic about the national economy compared to 2014, Sikich analysts said that many companies remained hesitant to expand product offerings or markets.

Almost 40 percent of those polled expected existing markets to be their top opportunities for growth, while nearly one in three planned to spend less than 1 percent of sales on new product development.

The vast majority of respondents anticipated rising tax, labor and raw materials costs over the next 12 months.

“Many manufacturers continue to adopt a cautious approach to growth,” Wagner said. “But while a focus on existing markets presents less risk, it won’t sustain manufacturers forever."

The 2015 report surveyed 116 manufacturers and distributors; nearly 75 percent of participants reported annual revenue of more than $1 million.

IBS Named 2014 Qlik Nordic Rookie Partner of the Year

Ability to drive joint business growth cited as key IBS strength.

International Business Systems, a global supply chain software leader, has recently been named 2014 Nordic Rookie Partner of the Year by Qlik, a leader in visual analytics. The award recognizes IBS' contribution to the Qlik business ecosystem and ability to drive joint business growth on the strength of its industry-leading IBS Analytics solution, a data discovery platform powered by QlikView that makes data actionable for every user. IBS claimed the award during its first full year as an official Qlik OEM partner.

Unlike tools that simply put a new face on the same old data, the IBS Analytics solution optimizes data structures and provides an analytical query engine, interactive user experience, highly graphical interface and collaboration tools to support the way humans naturally search for information. With it, users can explore complex data, detect patterns, share and compare information, and make proactive business decisions using easy-to-navigate dashboards and easy-to-understand visualizations.

"Our partnership with Qlik is just one more demonstration of our commitment to IBS customers to provide the most powerful, productive and results-oriented software in the supply chain industry," said Doug Braun, IBS CEO.  "It is a great honor for us to receive this award, which we consider to be only the first in a long-term relationship that will benefit our mutual customers moving forward."

The Qlik Partner Awards recognize the Qlik partner community for excellence in several categories.

"IBS is an important partner in our go-to-market strategy and helps us extend our leadership in delivering solutions for guided analytics and self-service visualization," said Johan Salenstedt, Vice President of Nordic Sales & Managing Director at Qliktech Nordic AB, and Country Manager at Qlik. "We are proud to acknowledge the achievements made in 2014 by IBS, and look forward to our mutual success in 2015."

About IBS

International Business Systems (IBS) is a leading global integrated ERP, WMS and supply chain distribution software solution provider. For more than 35 years, we have helped customers such as WORLDPAC, Fidelitone, Associated Pharmacies, Inc., GILLIG, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Miele Inc., Tri Literal LLC, Mighty Auto Parts, Victory Packaging Inc. and many more streamline, automate and accelerate their distribution network processes, and drive profitability and efficiency.

For more information, please visit www.ibs.net or contact:

Renee Truttmann
Chief Marketing Officer
+1 760 201 6243
renee.truttmann@ibs.net

Friday, August 14, 2015

Maurice Sporting Goods Selects IBS Dynaman WMS

Advanced WMS features and ability to meet aggressive growth plans sealed purchase decision. 

International Business Systems (IBS), a global leading integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Warehouse Management System (WMS) and supply chain provider, today announced that Maurice Sporting Goods, the largest family-owned and operated sporting goods distributor in the world, has selected IBS Dynaman WMS to streamline processes and more fully automate the growing needs of its distribution operations in North America.

Much of Maurice Sporting Goods' dramatic growth in the past several years has been driven by a growing portfolio of sporting goods products in a widening number of categories. This has led to higher SKU counts and increased shipping volumes, prompting the search for a more advanced WMS.

The company selected IBS Dynaman WMS to help control its distribution center operations, from receiving through put away, real-time inventory management and pick-pack-ship functions. Dynaman's value-added services component will be used to meet client outbound order assembly and kitting requirements. The investment in the new WMS system is a significant part of Maurice Sporting Goods' overall commitment to providing world-class logistics support to both its vendors and its retail customers.

"We consider it a great privilege to add Maurice Sporting Goods to our growing list of world-class companies impacting the retail/e-commerce supply chain," said Bob Carver, IBS Director of Sales, Dynaman Division. "Maurice is today's leader in the outdoor sporting goods retail industry, in part by providing efficient distribution. We are honored that it has selected IBS Dynaman to further advance its distribution operations."

"The need for a new WMS became critical for us as SKU counts and shipping volumes greatly increased among our four primary distribution centers," said Michael Olshansky, Maurice Sporting Goods CTO. "IBS definitely demonstrated that Dynaman is a superior WMS product, and its distribution expertise made us feel confident in accomplishing our aggressive global expansion plans."

About IBS
International Business Systems (IBS) is a leading global integrated ERP, WMS and supply chain distribution software solution provider. For more than 35 years, we have helped customers such as WORLDPAC, Fidelitone, Associated Pharmacies, Inc., GILLIG, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Miele Inc., Tri Literal LLC, Mighty Auto Parts, Victory Packaging Inc. and many more streamline, automate and accelerate their distribution network processes, and drive profitability and efficiency. For more information visit www.ibs.net.

About Maurice Sporting Goods
Maurice Sporting Goods, Inc. is a family-owned wholesaler of sporting goods products in the fishing, hunting, outdoor recreation, marine, fitness/athletics, sports licensing and outdoor gift categories, serving mass retailers and independent dealers throughout the United States, Canada and other international markets. For more information, refer to www.maurice.net.

For more information, please visit www.ibs.net or contact:

Renee Truttmann
Chief Marketing Officer
+1 760 201 6243
renee.truttmann@ibs.net

Advanced WMS features and ability to meet aggressive growth plans sealed purchase decision.
FOLSOM, Calif., August 6, 2015International Business Systems (IBS), a global leading integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Warehouse Management System (WMS) and supply chain provider, today announced that Maurice Sporting Goods, the largest family-owned and operated sporting goods distributor in the world, has selected IBS Dynaman WMS to streamline processes and more fully automate the growing needs of its distribution operations in North America.
Much of Maurice Sporting Goods' dramatic growth in the past several years has been driven by a growing portfolio of sporting goods products in a widening number of categories. This has led to higher SKU counts and increased shipping volumes, prompting the search for a more advanced WMS.
The company selected IBS Dynaman WMS to help control its distribution center operations, from receiving through put away, real-time inventory management and pick-pack-ship functions. Dynaman's value-added services component will be used to meet client outbound order assembly and kitting requirements. The investment in the new WMS system is a significant part of Maurice Sporting Goods' overall commitment to providing world-class logistics support to both its vendors and its retail customers.
"We consider it a great privilege to add Maurice Sporting Goods to our growing list of world-class companies impacting the retail/e-commerce supply chain," said Bob Carver, IBS Director of Sales, Dynaman Division. "Maurice is today's leader in the outdoor sporting goods retail industry, in part by providing efficient distribution. We are honored that it has selected IBS Dynaman to further advance its distribution operations."
"The need for a new WMS became critical for us as SKU counts and shipping volumes greatly increased among our four primary distribution centers," said Michael Olshansky, Maurice Sporting Goods CTO. "IBS definitely demonstrated that Dynaman is a superior WMS product, and its distribution expertise made us feel confident in accomplishing our aggressive global expansion plans."
About IBS
International Business Systems (IBS) is a leading global integrated ERP, WMS and supply chain distribution software solution provider. For more than 35 years, we have helped customers such as WORLDPAC, Fidelitone, Associated Pharmacies, Inc., GILLIG, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Miele Inc., Tri Literal LLC, Mighty Auto Parts, Victory Packaging Inc. and many more streamline, automate and accelerate their distribution network processes, and drive profitability and efficiency. For more information visit www.ibs.net.
About Maurice Sporting Goods
Maurice Sporting Goods, Inc. is a family-owned wholesaler of sporting goods products in the fishing, hunting, outdoor recreation, marine, fitness/athletics, sports licensing and outdoor gift categories, serving mass retailers and independent dealers throughout the United States, Canada and other international markets. For more information, refer to www.maurice.net.
For more information, please visit www.ibs.net or contact:
Renee Truttmann
Chief Marketing Officer
+1 760 201 6243
renee.truttmann@ibs.net
- See more at: http://www.ibs.net/en/company/news/2015/Maurice-Sporting-Goods-Selects-IBS-Dynaman-WMS/#sthash.GaUMeH7K.dpuf

Monday, June 1, 2015

DDI System Inform ERP Users Realizing ROI Within 3 Years!

Read report to learn how DDI System's Inform ERP software is helping distributors achieve success.

In fact, 92% of DDI's customers have realized significant ROI within the first 3 years. Increase overall profitability & productivity in your operations, gain better inventory forecasting tools and grow your online & mobile sales. 

Click Here to visit website. 


Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Infor Delivers Major Enhancement To Configure Price Quote

Infor, an industry cloud company, has announced significant enhancements to the user interface of Infor Configure Price Quote (CPQ) to help customers increase sales, reduce costs and differentiate their brand. The new personalization capability allows organizations to differentiate themselves quickly and easily in their markets with visual layout design and custom style functionality. The ability for customers to personalize the configuration and quoting experience themselves allows for tailored content and presentation of the CPQ process to the specific needs of a sales channel, distributor or end user. Infor CPQ is designed to provide a seamless, customized experience for the end user to encourage repeat use for future business needs.

Formerly known as Infor Product Configuration Management (PCM), Infor CPQ is a visual product configurator solution that is specifically designed to help manufacturers and distributors that design, sell and market configured products and/or services through distribution channels. The product is created to meet the unique business challenges of various industries with greater speed and accuracy. Infor CPQ provides an easy to use, image-driven solution to help users track processes in a unified format, from quotation through order delivery.

"Configure, price and quote (CPQ) tools have historically been deployed with a focus on internal sales efficiency. However, organizations started opening up their sales environment, providing CPQ tools to partners and customers. The ability of customers to personalize their experience, with greater transparency, helps them to better engage with organizations," said Praveen Sengar, Gartner.

There are two major components of the user experience. The first is the ability to establish custom layouts that can vary by role and device and apply them to a rule set for creating a compelling experience. The second aspect of this personalized interface is to incorporate an organization's themes and styles sheets within the layout for enhanced branding consistent with the organization's go-to-market channels.

"By enabling the guided selling and visualization experience to be tailored to the context needed by the end user, through new rules and custom layouts, organizations can drive adoption while improving their bottom line", said David Cahn, director, CPQ Product Management, Infor. "The ability to personalize the configuration user experience is about making a relevant connection to an individual."

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Inventory Optimization and Maximizing Profitability


Please attend the Business Improvement Webcast Series for distributors on May 28, 2015:

Epicor welcomes Jon Schreibfeder, president of Effective Inventory Management, for an educational and informative discussion on how distributors can overcome four major challenges:
  • Increased competition
  • Lower margins
  • Product proliferation
  • Demanding customers
Jon will discuss useful strategies for managing your inventory investment to maximize net profits, including valuable tips on:
  • Accurate forecasting
  • Using adjusted margin to access profitability
  • Ensuring your inventory is accurate
  • Meeting customer expectations

In addition, you'll learn about some powerful tools for helping you effectively manage your inventory.  Epicor will demonstrate how you can identify buying trends and unique demand patterns, apply the best forecasting methods, eliminate excessive stock, manage VMI, and improve processes for better inventory control. 

You’ll walk away with an even better understanding of how to exceed customers’ expectations of product availability and maximize net profits



Banner-Distribution-UpcomingWebcast.jpg

 
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