Analysis: Major Distributors Eye Diversification and Decoupling from China

As expected, the cost (and uncertainty) of tariffs colored most of the discussions during the recent round of earnings calls. As some of America's largest publicly traded distributors made an effort to outline the impact tariffs will have on their business in the coming months, a few also shared insight into how the companies have been diversifying their supplier sources. As industrial supplies, fasteners and MRO products remain tied to Chinese manufacturing, some distributors are shifting to alternatives, while others acknowledge the reality that certain product categories simply can't be…