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3 Oct 22

Updated: 3 Oct 22

Kimberly Clark:
clean up or out?

'Musical chair' exec moves.
Flat sales, losing mkt share

Kimberly Clark, the $19Bn personal hygiene brandmaker, recently held an investors' conference. CEO Mike Hsu's near 4yr tenure has not improved flat sales performance or market share, yet he announced +5-7% inflated growth forecast for 2022, Now he's changing the short time serving exec team. How much longer will investors tolerate lack of progress for the iconic brand? 

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3 Oct 22

Updated: 3 Oct 22

Amazon's robot to
pick 1000 skus/hr

3D & AI powered 'pinch &
grasp' boosts productivity

Amazon's prototype 'Pick & Grasp' robotic picker is the latest development aiming to increase efficiency in its 200+ fulfillment centers. Innovations in a minimum clicks, webstore user experience; AWS cloud services; carbon reduction pledge; EV deliveries and automated warehouse systems look set to sustain its long term busines supply market leadership

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3 Oct 22

Updated: 3 Oct 22

Imperial bags
54/55th acquistns 

Rapid rollup: will owners
integrate or strip & flip?

VCs Bain Capital & Advent joint owned Imperial Dade, continued the rapid roll-up of regional hygiene, food service & packaging suppliers in the US/Canada. The latest moves in Alabama and Quebec track a path pioneered by Bunzl, followed by FEMSA-Envoy & BradyIFS. The persistent question mark continues: will VC's really invest in systems and brand integration?

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2 Oct 22

Updated: 3 Oct 22

Top Foodservice
Trends of 2022

New staff'g, mktg, product,
srvce, pkg, delivery needs

Dining service evolved at a slow pace until Covid disrupted the industry and ushered in a new era for foodservice needs. Restaurant operators and suppliers had to adapt to new challenges in supply and staffing shortages and higher 'touchless' hygiene standards...

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1 Oct 22

Updated: 3 Oct 22

Normalization en
route or recession?

WSt. doomsayers in denial
re: strong jobs & consumer

Worldwide economic slowdown is in process, with the concurrent chaotic effects of Covid, Putin's War & China's lockdown, causing  huge supply shortages and inflation. But, with inflation and shortages abating, are we entering a period of normalization like 2019, or will there be a recession as Wall St. insists? We get top economists latest views...

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30 Sep 22

Updated: 30 Sep 22

Laggard Lexmark
copies HP 'Instant'

Subscription D2C bypasses
channel ptnrs. Who's next?

HP launched Instant 'Ink-as-a-Service' subscription service direct to consumers (D2C) in Dec'20. Now fading Chinese owned ink giant Lexmark is following suit in a desperate attempt to slow its terminal demise. It's called OnePrint cartridge subscription service for some of its GO Line devices.

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29 Sep 22

Updated: 29 Sep 22

Sappi sells paper
mills to vultures

Europe 700K tons/capacity
set up for asset strip & flip

Leading paper and packaging maker Sappi Group has agreed to sell 3 major European paper mills to the vulture capitalist that accelerated the disintegration of Office Depot. Moreover, the VC doubled down in the dying print industry with another acquisition? You couldn't make this stuff up!

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29 Sep 22

Updated: 29 Sep 22

Hygiene Supply
overtakes OP mkt 

Foodsvc & Pkg cuts paper
& print to <25% biz market

Trad paper-printer products' domination of business supply is over. Tech supplies overtook OP in 2008; Hygiene & Safety supplies in 2015; Foodservice & Packaging each before 2025. Meanwhile, most dealers are stuck with 60%+/sales in OP, even as makers' volumes plunge as digitization takes over. We review biz market trends and recommend action...Later today

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28 Sep 22

Updated: 29 Sep 22

MillerKnoll's hybrid

work growth stalls

WFH concepts offset soft,
returning office demand

MillerKnoll the enlarged #1furnituremaker maintained its focus on strong WFH demand, with the contract market recovering but slowing orders. Retail designs stalled after recent styrong growth. Upbeat ceo Andi Owen is focused on strong WFH demand, mobile systems innovation and integration of Knoll.

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28 Sep 22

Updated: 28 Sep 22

R e s t a u r a n t s'
return  r o l l i n g 

Baird Survey reports
rising user demand

According to respected Baird Real-Time Restaurants Survey reports, on major chains representing $11Bn in revenues, consumer demand has accelerated throughout the summer months up to  Sept25. Moreover, compared with pre Covid norm 2019 restaurant revenues are up over 20% fed by double digit price inflation...

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