<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-12-381135.txt : 20121011
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-12-381135.hdr.sgml : 20121011
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20120905170106
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-12-381135
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20120905

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LAWSON PRODUCTS INC/NEW/DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000703604
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	WHOLESALE-MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES [5080]
		IRS NUMBER:				362229304
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		8770 WEST BRYN MAWR AVENUE
		STREET 2:		SUITE 900
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60631
		BUSINESS PHONE:		773-304-5208

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		8770 WEST BRYN MAWR AVENUE
		STREET 2:		SUITE 900
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60631
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">September&nbsp;5, 2012 </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Division of Corporation Finance </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">100 F Street N.E. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Mail Stop 4631 </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Washington, D.C. 20549 </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Attn: W. John Cash,
Branch Chief </FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>RE:</B></FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Lawson Products, Inc.</B></FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended December&nbsp;31, 2011</B></FONT></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Form DEF 14A filed April&nbsp;5, 2012</B></FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Form 10-Q for the Period Ended June&nbsp;30, 2012</B></FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>File No. 0-10546</B></FONT></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Dear Mr.&nbsp;Cash, </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">As Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Lawson Products, Inc. (&#147;Lawson&#148; or the &#147;Company&#148;), I am responding to the letter from the staff of the Division of
Corporation Finance of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (&#147;Staff&#148;) dated August&nbsp;22, 2012, containing comments on the above-referenced filings. For your convenience, we have included in this letter each of the
Staff&#146;s comments before providing our response to that comment. As noted in our responses below, all proposed revisions refer to Lawson&#146;s intended method for complying with the Staff&#146;s comments in Lawson&#146;s future filings with the
Commission, if appropriate, given the then current facts and circumstances. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><U>Definitive Proxy Statement </U></B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><U>Compensation Discussion and Analysis </U></B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><U>Determination of Competitive Practices, page 17 </U></B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">1.</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">We note that you disclose in the first paragraph on page 18 that you use data from peer groups to benchmark total direct compensation. In future filings, for each named
executive officer, please disclose where you target total direct compensation against the peer companies and where actual payments fell within the targeted parameters. To the extent actual compensation was outside a targeted percentile range, please
explain why. Please show us what your disclosure would look like. </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:18px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><I><U>Response:</U> </I></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">In future filings for each Named Executive Officer (&#147;NEO&#148;), we will disclose how our actual and target total direct compensation
compares to the peer company group and explain the rational if payments were outside of the targeted parameters. Our future disclosure will be similar to the following: </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">The Company&#146;s executive compensation programs are designed to reward executives for the development and execution of successful business strategies. In determining the type and amount of compensation
for each executive, we use both annual cash compensation, which includes a base salary and an annual incentive award, and a long-term incentive opportunity, which includes both cash and equity components. Our compensation programs are designed to
encourage and reward the creation of long-term stockholder value. The Compensation Committee believes the mix of these forms of compensation in aggregate (which we refer to as &#147;Total Direct Compensation&#148;) support the company&#146;s overall
compensation objectives of attracting top talent for executive positions, incentivizing such executive officers, rewarding them for achievement of individual and company goals, and aligning the interests of executive officers with those of our
stockholders. </FONT></P>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">The Compensation Committee has established market median as the market level to target for
each element and in total. Actual compensation may be higher or lower than market median based upon actual performance vs. pre-established goals, depending upon the award value delivered via the company&#146;s annual and long-term incentive plans.
</FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">The peer group benchmarking study conducted in 20XX was conducted such that the Compensation Committee could understand the
competitiveness of the total direct compensation of the NEOs as compared to market practices. The job titles, responsibilities and scope based on publicly available information were reviewed in determining appropriate job matches and summarized peer
company executive officer compensation data for each NEO. The total direct compensation measured in our study included base salary plus annual incentives plus long-term incentives. </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Total direct compensation of the peer group executives compared to the targeted and actual total direct compensation of the
Company&#146;s NEOs was as follows: </FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom" ROWSPAN="2" NOWRAP> <P STYLE="border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:15pt"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1">Title</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="2" ROWSPAN="2" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1">Peer&nbsp;Group</FONT><br><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1">Median&nbsp;
TDC</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ROWSPAN="2"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="6" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1">Lawson Products</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1">Target</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1">Actual</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD></TR>


<TR BGCOLOR="#cceeff">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Chief Executive Officer</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">$</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">$</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">$</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Chief Financial Officer</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD></TR>
<TR BGCOLOR="#cceeff">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">NEO Title</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">NEO Title</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD></TR>
<TR BGCOLOR="#cceeff">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">NEO Title</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">X,XXX</FONT></TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">In future proxy statements, we will discuss for each NEO any material variations in compensation from the
benchmark targets. </FONT></P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><U>Form 10-Q for Fiscal Quarter Ended June&nbsp;30, 2012 </U></B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><U>Consolidated Financial Statements </U></B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><U>Note 8 &#150; Contingent Liability, page 10 </U></B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">2.</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">We note your disclosure regarding the employment tax examination and the contingent liability you recorded related to Drummond. Please revise future filings, including
your next Form 10-Q, to address the following: </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR>
<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Explain how you determined the amount you accrued during 2011, including, to the extent applicable, if and how you assessed any additional potential
liability for time periods and/or subsidiaries, in addition to those currently being examined; </FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Explain why you believe the amount you accrued represents your best estimate of the costs to resolve this matter, particularly in light of the amount
of the notice of adjustment you received in January 2012; and </FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR>
<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Explain the process and anticipated time frame for resolving this matter with the IRS. </FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Please provide us your proposed disclosures with your response letter. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><I><U>Response:</U> </I></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">In future filings we will expand our disclosure as
follows (expanded proposed disclosure is underlined): </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">One of the Company&#146;s subsidiaries, Drummond American LLC
(&#147;Drummond&#148;), underwent an IRS tax examination for the years 2007 and 2008 of its long-standing treatment of its sales representatives as independent contractors. In January 2012 the Company received a Notice of Proposed Adjustment in the
amount of $9.5 million, including penalties, from the IRS challenging Drummond&#146;s position that the sales representatives were independent contractors. <U>The Company disagreed with the IRS position and filed an administrative appeal with the
IRS Appeals Office.</U> </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Although the Company intends to vigorously defend its position for the treatment of its sales
representatives as independent contractors, the Company established a liability of $1.2 million during 2011 as its best estimate of the cost to resolve the matter with the IRS. <U>The notice of Proposed Adjustment was determined by applying the full
statutory rates and penalties, rather than applying the reduced tax rates provided by section 3509 of the Internal Revenue Code (&#147;IRC&#148;). The Company believes the use of reduced tax rates is mandatory for all IRS worker classification
assessments, except when the employer intentionally disregarded its employment tax obligations. Because the Company believes it fully complied with its employment tax obligations, the Company based its estimated loss at the reduced tax rates. The
Company applied these reduced tax rates against only one year because any settlement resolution would likely be limited to one year as this is consistent with the IRS&#146;s settlement practices. The Company has assessed its potential exposure for
other subsidiaries and time periods and has concluded that an additional liability is not probable. No adjustment has been proposed by the IRS for any other time periods or subsidiaries of the Company.</U> </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><U>The case has been assigned to the Chicago Appeals Office. The first meeting with the Appeals Office will likely happen in the fourth
quarter of 2012. The Company is unable to establish an estimated time frame in which the case will be resolved through the appeals process. </U>An unfavorable outcome of this matter could have a material adverse effect on the Company&#146;s
business, financial condition and results of operations. </FONT></P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><U>Management&#146;s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, page 11
</U></B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">3.</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">We note the declining trends in sales and gross profit margins during the interim periods. Please revise future filings, including your next Form 10-Q, to more fully
address the following: </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Disclose and discuss changes in your market share relative to your competitors during the periods presented; </FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Quantify total sales to government bases that support troop deployments and address if additional declines in such sales are anticipated;
</FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Quantify the impact of and explain the reasons for each factor you identify as impacting sales and gross profits during each period presented,
including, lower freight revenues, increases in small customer attrition, declines in sales representatives, and lower outbound freight recoveries; </FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">In light of the inventory reserves you recorded, address the anticipated impact on future sales of your decision to discontinue certain products;
</FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">In light of your intention to continue to increase the percentage of sales from strategic customers, address the anticipated impact on future gross
profit margins of this strategy; </FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Explain the facts and circumstances that resulted in the entire goodwill balance being impaired during the quarter ended June&nbsp;30, 2012; and
</FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Explain the negative factors that resulted in you recording a tax valuation allowance during the quarter ended June&nbsp;30, 2012.
</FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:18px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><I><U>Response:</U> </I></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">In future filings, including our next Form 10-Q, we will expand our disclosures to more fully address these topics in our Management&#146;s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">****** </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">I trust that the foregoing has been responsive to the Staff&#146;s comments. Additionally, Lawson hereby acknowledges that: </FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>

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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Lawson is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the filing; </FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Staff comments or changes to disclosure in response to Staff comments do not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the
filing; and </FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&#149;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Lawson may not assert Staff comments as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the
United States. </FONT></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">All inquiries, questions, comments, notices and orders with respect to this letter, should
be directed to the undersigned at (773)&nbsp;304-5665. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Sincerely, </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Ronald J. Knutson </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">cc:</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Kevin Stertzel </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Anne McConnell </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Sherry Haywood </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>
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