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ASA Distributor Members Continue to RollAmerican Supply Association Share February 2012 was the 21st consecutive month of increased revenue for American Supply Association distributor members.  It also marks the first time the national rolling 12-month revenue has broken into double digits.  February per day revenue, as compared to 2011, was up 11.8 percent.  This percentage is up 25.3 percent as compared to 2010, up 13.9 percent as compared to 2009 and up even 9.8 percent vs. a very strong 2008.  The PHCP and PVF distributors are also up 10.4 percent on a trailing 12-month basis.  Geographically, all regional monthly revenue showed positive double-digit growth with the exception of Texas and adjacent states market, which was up only 1.3 percent.  Again, as in January, distributors with less than $10 million in annual revenues had significantly less growth reporting in at only a 0.5 percent growth for the month.  Conversely, the industrial pipe, valve and fitting segment continues to be red hot; showing a very hearty 23.7 percent growth for 2012 and a 16.6 percent growth on a trailing 12-month basis. More

ASA, MwDA to Host Spring Networking ReceptionsAmerican Supply Association Share Following on the success of similar events sponsored by the Wholesalers Association of the North East (WANE) last month in Boston and Philadelphia, ASA and the Midwest Distributors Association (MwDA) have scheduled similar events in Dallas from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 4, and Kansas City from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, April 12.  All owners, principals and managers who represent member and nonmember wholesalers, manufacturers and independent manufacturer representatives serving the PHCP-PVF industry are invited to attend these brand-new events — especially bright and talented individuals who represent the future leadership of these businesses as well as the industry.  Click here for complete details available on the Industry Calendar at www.asa.net. 

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Medal of Honor Recipient Meyer Among NetworkASA 2012 SpeakersAmerican Supply Association Share Dakota Meyer gained national attention in 2009 for his actions in Afghanistan during his second deployment with the U.S. Marines.  On Sept. 8 of that year, near the village of Ganjgal, Meyer learned that three U.S. Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman were missing after being ambushed.  Meyer charged into an area known to be inhabited by insurgents and under enemy fire.  He eventually found all four men dead and stripped of their weapons, body armor and radios.  With the help of some friendly Afghan soldiers, he moved the bodies to a safer area where they could be extracted.  During his search, Meyer personally evacuated 12 friendly wounded and provided cover for another 24 Marines and soldiers to escape likely death at the hands of a numerically superior and determined foe.  For these actions, Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama on Sept. 15, 2011. 

Dakota Meyer is only part of the incredible speaker lineup set for Network ASA 2012 - Own It!  Your Company, Your Industry, Your Future, Oct. 17-20 at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.  Click here to see what else ASA has in store for the event and here to register today! 

Health Care Law Turns Two This Week — Where Do We Stand?American Supply Association Share On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law.  Since then, it has been considered both landmark and contentious, depending on who is being asked.  To many members of the American Supply Association, it has been viewed negatively.  However, some do see some positives as a result of the law.  If you would like to see what your peers have said about the law, click here. More

Iron Ore Producers Undeterred by Slowing Growth in ChinaThe Globe and Mail Share The world's largest miner may have sent a chill through global markets with a warning that growth in China's steel output is slowing, but Canadian suppliers of iron ore have no plans to slow their expansion plans.  Rio Tinto Group, which controls Canada's biggest producer of iron ore, a key ingredient in steel, said in a presentation that it's continuing to build mines in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.  ArcelorMittal, the world's biggest steel maker and the No.  4 producer of iron ore, is pursuing a $2.1 billion expansion in Quebec. More

Economists Optimistic on New Construction NumbersLos Angeles Times Share Economists brushed off a decline in new residential construction starts last month and instead looked at an increase in permits issued for houses and apartment buildings as a positive indicator that the real estate market is on the mend.  Housing starts fell 1.1 percent from the prior month to hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 698,000, the Commerce Department reported.  That was a 34.7 percent surge from February last year. More

US Jobless Claims Fall, Manufacturing Holds UpReuters Share U.S. economic growth showed signs of becoming more self-sustaining as the number of Americans claiming new jobless benefits fell back to a four-year low, and manufacturing activity in the Northeast picked up this month.  But the impact of higher oil prices also was starting to be seen in data.  Producer prices racked up their biggest increase in five months in February, while manufacturers in New York state reported a surge in input costs in March.  The recent gains in oil and gasoline prices have raised concerns the higher costs could start to squeeze businesses and consumers and put a dent in the recovery.  Still, producer prices last month did not rise as much as economists had expected, and underlying inflation pressures were contained. More

Breaking Down the ISM's Recent Manufacturing ReportManufacturing. Net Share Steady and sustainable growth seems to be in store for the manufacturing sector and the economy as a whole over the course of the next few months.  At least that's according to the latest Manufacturing ISM Report on Business.  It states economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in February for the 31st consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 33rd consecutive month. More