Electrical Marketing's LiveWire

ABB and Baldor said they would use a single U.S. sales force to sell and support the complete line of ABB and Baldor low- and medium-voltage industrial drives and industrial electric motors. The companies said in a press statement that this will offer customers a single point of contact for ABB and Baldor industrial motors, drives and generators; 24-hour local sales and service; the broadest range of industrial drives and motors in the marketplace from one source; and a full line of products for energy-efficient motor-driven systems.
Aaron Aleithe, V.P. and general manager for ABB US’ Low Voltage Drives business unit, said in a press release that this decision will make buying industrial motors and drives easier for customers.
Ron Tucker, Baldor’s CEO and president, said in the same release, “By pairing a Baldor premium-efficient motor with an ABB industrial drive, customers have the opportunity to further decrease their energy consumption significantly. ABB and Baldor both have a long history of manufacturing industrial electric motors and drives. Together, we believe we can take better care of our industrial customers than anyone else.”
ABB Ltd finalized a deal in January 2011 to buy Baldor for $4.2 billion. Details

Lowe’s said it plans to close 20 underperforming stores in 15 states. Seven of the stores are in New England, including locations in Haverhill, Mass.; Biddeford and Ellsworth, Me.; and Claremont, Hooksett and Manchester, N.H. Details

The Improving Market Index (IMI) published monthly by the National Association of Home Bulders (NAHB), Washington, D.C., shows that shows 23 individual housing markets now qualifying as “improving” under the new gauge’s parameters. This is nearly double the 12 housing markets that made the list last month. The index, published for the first time in September, reveals metropolitan areas that have shown improvement for at least six months in housing permits, employment and housing prices. Click here to see if your metro is mentioned.

Aquion Energy in Pittsburgh is working on a sodium battery for helping to balance the electrical grid. The technology is said to be low-cost and durable. Should be an interesting one to follow.

Story from the blog New Energy and Fuel.

Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc., Melville, N.Y., and Ford Motor Co. said the new Ford Electric Vehicle (EV) Home Charging Station has achieved UL certification for UL 2231, UL 2251 and UL 2594. The new Level 2 EV charging device, which Leviton designed exclusively for Ford, is also compatible with all additional industry safety standards and recommended practices, including SAE J1772™ and NEC 625. “We are excited to partner with Ford to give Focus Electric owners an industry leading, easy-to-use vehicle charger that provides the safety features for which Leviton products are known,” said Mike Mattei, V.P. and general manager for Leviton’s Commercial and Industrial Division.
The Ford Electric Vehicle Home Charging Station provides up to 32A at 240V AC, fully charging a Ford Focus Electric’s battery in a little over three hours, more than four times faster than the standard portable charger. The EV charging station including standard installation retails for $1,499 and is now available through select Ford dealerships and Best Buy stores to support the upcoming launch of the all-electric Ford Focus. Details

Neil Gillespie and Allen Ray of Growth Wizards are working on a benchmark study on the current climate in the ERP world, and they need to ask you a few quick questions about your current ERP system in this brief survey. With all the recent acquisitions of ERP providers, the competitive landscape of ERP companies serving distribution has consolidated and it may affect the technical support and future ERP system development that distributors need. The survey questions make an excellent criteria list for evaluating different ERP systems. And if you complete the survey by Wednesday Oct. 19, 2011, Allen and Neil of Growth Wizards will email you a free ERP evaluation template. Now that’s a deal you can’t miss. Just click here to take the survey or paste the following link in your browser:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22D8GRELGUF

Anixter International Inc., Glenview, Ioll., is establishing a strategic partnership in Saudi Arabia with Mohawarean Trading Company (MTC), a subsidiary of Mohawarean International Group (MIG), through the formation of a new business entity, Anixter Saudi Arabia Limited. Anixter will have the majority holding in the joint venture. This deal follows previously Anixter’s investments in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Qatar.
Commenting on this new venture in a press statement, Anixter’s president and CEO, Bob Eck, said, “One of our key strategies is to expand the markets we serve, and we believe the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia presents a significant opportunity for Anixter and its business partners given the Kingdom’s investments in infrastructure, strong economy, and strategic economic and geographic position in the Middle East markets that Anixter serves.” Eck added, “We wish to thank MIG for the in-depth guidance they provided in launching this new business. Their market presence, knowledge and on-going support will be invaluable to the business as we establish our position in the local market.”
Details

Graybar Electric Co., St. Louis, Mo., announced that on Sept. 28, it entered into a $500 million, five-year unsecured revolving line of credit. Bank of America Merrill Lynch was the lead institution in the transaction, with PNC, U.S. Bank, SunTrust Bank and J.P. Morgan acting as joint lead arrangers. Commerce Bank, Regions Bank, Wells Fargo, Fifth Third Bank, Comerica and UMB also participated in the transaction.
A press release announcing the financing said the deal was marketed and priced without requiring Graybar to encumber any of its assets. Graybar’s future investments in facilities, as well as its growth in working capital assets, such as inventory and accounts receivables, were part of the consideration for the deal. It’s the largest financing agreement in Graybar’s history and replaces the company’s prior $200 million arrangement. The company will retire debt currently outstanding in the U.S. as well as that of the company’s subsidiary in Canada. Graybar has paid off much of its long-term debt over the past five years, with balances falling from $236 million at the end of 2006 to $86 million as of the end of the second quarter of 2011.
“This financing agreement gives us significant flexibility moving forward,” said Bob Reynolds, Graybar’s chairman, president and CEO in a press statement. “Our business is gaining momentum, with growth exceeding 20 percent for the first half of 2011. With this financing, we have the capacity to pursue additional growth opportunities and sustain our long-term success.”
Press release

Smart Money Q&A with Home Depot CEO Frank Blake
Big Orange wants contractors to spend more money at its home centers. Smart Money

HD Supply Utilities division gets into cyber security
North America’s largest distributor of utility supplies helps N-Dimension Solutions Inc. install a security system for the smart grid in Princeton, Ill. EON Enhanced Online News

GE to provide 262 turbines for BP wind farm in Kansas
A massive $800 million wind farm spanning four counties is expected to employ 500 construction jobs and 30 operations jobs. The Wichita Eagle

All systems go for Denver airport expansion
A $500 million expansion is ready to take flight at Denver International airport. Denver Business Journal

Just For Fun: Surfing may get passing grade as high-school sport in Hawaii
Here’s one more reason to move to the Aloha State. CNN

W.W. Grainger Inc., Lake Forest, Ill., is moving fast on its mission to become a more global distributor, as you can see from its recent acquistions of Acklands-Grainger Inc., Fercomat Inc., Canada’s largest distributor of industrial, safety and fastener supplies through its Acklands-Grainger division, and its purchase of Fabory, a large Dutch fasteners distributor.
CEO Jim Ryan offers some interesting details on this strategy in this Seeking Alpha posting on its recent acquisition of Fabory. Grainger plans to use Fabory, which is considered Europe’s “master of fasteners,” as a base for future expansion. Fabory last year did approximately $350 million in sales and has more than 1,600 team members at 120 locations in 14 countries.