Outdoor Products Industry Having Strong Year, Says Commercial Distribution Finance

The outdoor products industry, which includes lawn, garden and agriculture equipment, is experiencing healthy growth, according to dealer performance data from Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF), a business of GE Capital. CDF dealer financing volume is up over 12% through June, indicating dealers are ordering more product to meet increasing demand. Dealer inventory turnover is running at a strong annual rate of over 2.5X.

“Although parts of the country are experiencing drought conditions, there has been sufficient rainfall this spring and early summer to help propel sales in the lawn and garden and agriculture categories,” said Mike Horak, president of CDF’s outdoor products group. “Additionally, manufacturers have launched an array of new products that is helping to drive sales, and dealers are doing an excellent job managing their inventory, which is always tough in a seasonal business influenced by weather.”

CDF customers have access to an online inventory management tool, COMS, which gives them detailed information on their inventory. This tool also provides insights about particular products so they can easily see which products are selling.

“We’ve worked closely with our customers to develop custom financing solutions to help them be successful,” said Horak. “Based on the first half of the year, we expect the growth will continue and most dealers will have an overall successful year.”

About Commercial Distribution Finance

Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF) provided $46 billion in financing for more than 40,000 dealers and more than 2,000 distributors and manufacturers globally in 2014. CDF operates in 60 countries and provides inventory financing solutions, service and intelligence through in-depth industry expertise and commitment. Programs include inventory and accounts receivable financing, asset-based lending, private label financing, collateral management, and related financial products. For more information, visit gecdf.com or follow company news via Twitter (GEInventoryFin).

GE (NYSE:GE) imagines things others don’t, builds things others can’t and delivers outcomes that make the world work better. GE brings together the physical and digital worlds in ways no other company can. In its labs and factories and on the ground with customers, GE is inventing the next industrial era to move, power, build and cure the world. www.ge.com

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GE CapitalTara Lambropoulos, [e-mail]