Fastener Distributor's Index (FDI)
A distributor customer of mine mentioned he received an e-mail from Eric Dudas of FastenersClearingHouse.com (FCH) & Fully Threaded Radio. My customer mentioned it had something to do with an upcoming Fastener Distributor's Index that the FCH Sourcing Network was working on along with Holden Lewis, a market analyst with BB&T Capital Markets. I recall that the Index was mentioned on a recent episode of Fully Threaded Radio but I was curious to learn more about it. According to a recent news release, the objective of the index is to identify demand, pricing and outlook trends within the U.S. Industrial fastener industry. According to the news release, "Over time, the new index will create a much-needed historical track record while reflecting current market expectations."
So, what will happen is that distributors across the industry will be invited, each month, to participate in a web based survey and the data will be compiled at BB&T Capital Markets group. The FDI results will then be published in Fastener Technology International Magazine and on Fully Threaded Radio.
I will be very interested to see the results of this index. Holden Lewis is a regular contributor on Fully Threaded Radio and I find his reports to be detailed and specific and not just rambling commentary on the industry. I find them pretty interesting and I am curious to see what he does with data collected through the assistance of Eric and Brian Musker and their connections from the industry. They have a good pulse on the industry and Holden seems like a very capable analyst. The combination is intriguing.
I understand that a new Fully Threaded Radio episode will be unleashed on Thursday, January 12 and the Index will be discussed in greater detail. Be sure to check out that podcast.
Part of the goal of this site is to bring news from the "fastener street" to the computer nearest you. I try to get a pulse on what I am hearing in the fastener marketplace and bring it back to you in a rambling sort of presentation I refer to as a blog. Sometimes people add comments and participate and sometimes I am a lone fastener voice in the wilderness. I hope the index brings some more of the fastener pulse to those of us in the fastener marketplace who are out there in the trenches. We all have our own feel for what is going on but it would be nice to hear a report on what is happening based on a collection of data gathered across the industry. I'll still be here offering my "gut reactions" and, as always, I invite you to post your own.
For what it is worth, 2012 seems to be starting off strong. The weather in my geographic location has been much warmer than normal and there has been little snow. For you folks located in Texas and other southern states, that can be a big deal in the snow belt. The weather has inspired me to hit the road as much as possible and I have made several road trips in the early part of the year. Everywhere I have gone so far, I am getting reports that distributors are very busy and business seems to be picking up right where we left off at the end of a very strong 2011. Let's hope it continues.
So, what will happen is that distributors across the industry will be invited, each month, to participate in a web based survey and the data will be compiled at BB&T Capital Markets group. The FDI results will then be published in Fastener Technology International Magazine and on Fully Threaded Radio.
I will be very interested to see the results of this index. Holden Lewis is a regular contributor on Fully Threaded Radio and I find his reports to be detailed and specific and not just rambling commentary on the industry. I find them pretty interesting and I am curious to see what he does with data collected through the assistance of Eric and Brian Musker and their connections from the industry. They have a good pulse on the industry and Holden seems like a very capable analyst. The combination is intriguing.
I understand that a new Fully Threaded Radio episode will be unleashed on Thursday, January 12 and the Index will be discussed in greater detail. Be sure to check out that podcast.
Part of the goal of this site is to bring news from the "fastener street" to the computer nearest you. I try to get a pulse on what I am hearing in the fastener marketplace and bring it back to you in a rambling sort of presentation I refer to as a blog. Sometimes people add comments and participate and sometimes I am a lone fastener voice in the wilderness. I hope the index brings some more of the fastener pulse to those of us in the fastener marketplace who are out there in the trenches. We all have our own feel for what is going on but it would be nice to hear a report on what is happening based on a collection of data gathered across the industry. I'll still be here offering my "gut reactions" and, as always, I invite you to post your own.
For what it is worth, 2012 seems to be starting off strong. The weather in my geographic location has been much warmer than normal and there has been little snow. For you folks located in Texas and other southern states, that can be a big deal in the snow belt. The weather has inspired me to hit the road as much as possible and I have made several road trips in the early part of the year. Everywhere I have gone so far, I am getting reports that distributors are very busy and business seems to be picking up right where we left off at the end of a very strong 2011. Let's hope it continues.
"Lone voice in the fastener wilderness"? You got a John the Baptist identity crisis, T.S.?
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Not so much. I was thinking more of a lonely desert dweller out on the prarie kind of thing. I did consider trying honey and locust for a meal one night but have decided to avoid that dietary choice and stick with the salesmen's Breakfast of Champions - Dunkin Donuts coffee and Clif Bars.
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Hi TS -
Thanks for the great post! As you mentioned, FTR37 has more information and it is now available on the Fully Threaded Radio site: www.fullythreaded.com
If any company in the vast FastenerTalk audience would like to participate in the FDI, contact me and we'll get you set up with access to the survey website.
Note that we're shooting for just one representative from each company to complete the survey each month. We want to be careful not to double count anyone.
Email me at: eric@fastenersclearinghouse.com
This should get pretty interesting as we build a history of data, and our hope is that it will benefit everyone in the industry.
Thanks again,
Eric
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