{"id":12247,"date":"2023-09-25T09:57:14","date_gmt":"2023-09-25T09:57:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.findadistributor.com\/news\/?p=12247"},"modified":"2023-09-25T09:57:14","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T09:57:14","slug":"caldwell-boosts-inventory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.findadistributor.com\/news\/caldwell-boosts-inventory\/","title":{"rendered":"Caldwell Boosts Inventory"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cIn-stock inventory matters in our industry,\u201d said Doug Stitt, president and CEO at The Caldwell Group Inc.<\/a> \u201cAnd Caldwell<\/a> is responding to serve distributors better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caldwell<\/a> recently increased in-stock inventory levels on more than 400 of the company\u2019s best-selling items and has given the go-ahead for manufacturer representatives and inside sales teams to begin sharing details of the program with distributors.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur in-stock program makes us more efficient, smarter, and better prepared to serve customers than ever before because it forces us to focus on what matters\u2014supporting distributors,\u201d Stitt continued.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stitt and his team have been working for more than a year to get manufacturing processes, product management protocols, sales reporting, distributor feedback loops, and warehouse space planning in top working order to support increased levels of on-the-shelf inventory, resulting in faster order turnaround, higher order fill rates, and stronger relationships with the below-the-hook distributor network.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The result was the list of more than 400 items that are in stock, ship within one business day, and ship for free\u2014no additional shipping charges are added to the invoice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur customer service team hears how important in-stock availability is on a daily basis. We know we win orders because we have more equipment on the shelf and are ready to ship. The fact that these items ship via standard ground for free is the icing on the cake,\u201d added Jeff Ferchen, director of business development.<\/p>\n

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Caldwell has increased in-stock inventory levels on more than 400 items.<\/p><\/div>\n

Why focus on increasing inventory levels when much of the manufacturing and construction segments are still worried about the possibility of a recession? Caldwell<\/a> thinks the answer is obvious.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

President Joe Biden\u2019s infrastructure bill, signed into law in 2021, authorized funds for things like federal-aid highways and highway safety programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat means more bridges being built, more water and sewer pipes being laid, and more highways being improved,\u201d Stitt said. At the same time, he said Caldwell<\/a> is seeing increased demand from offshore drilling, aerospace, and energy-related industries. \u201cCertain industries are still enjoying significant growth due to pent up post-COVID demand, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n

To make the change possible, Stitt and the team looked at their entire operation. They made production processes more efficient with a dedication to Lean. They reviewed historical sales trends and seasonality data. They streamlined picking and shipping efforts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know distributors don\u2019t want to carry extra inventory, which adds cost to their business. So, they need to count on us to replenish quickly when they need to. We\u2019ve set ourselves up to do just that,\u201d Stitt said.<\/p>\n

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In-stock products ship for free within one business day.<\/p><\/div>\n

The bolstered inventory levels include below-the-hook lifters, such as lifting beams, coil grabs, sheet lifters; construction lifters, such as barrier grabs, pipe lifters; forklift attachments, such as fork booms, extensions, drum lifters; plus, Renfroe plate clamps and RUD lifting points.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n