Many distributors believe they collect 100% of the special pricing agreement profit margin they claim. The real question is different: Are you claiming everything you’re entitled to? The second of this three-part deep dive series...
Our latest update shows a modest downgrade for 2025 annual revenues before we get December’s government data, and a larger downward revision for 2026. Get your product sector-specific forecasts here through 2027.
For many distributors, Special Pricing Agreement management has become an administrative burden to survive, not something to optimize. The first of this three-part article series explores how SPAs represent hidden margin for distributors and a...
One-third of distributors polled in the 4Q25 Baird-MDM Industrial Distribution survey say recruiting skilled labor is their biggest workforce challenge this year — and rising wages are forcing some to make cuts. We analyze the...
Years of supply chain disruption haven’t triggered the sourcing pivot many expected. New Baird-MDM survey findings explore why industrial distributors are largely holding steady — and what’s really standing in the way of faster reshoring...
Now is the time for distributors to abandon their “just-in-case” mindset, argues Nelson Valderrama. Today’s (and future) markets and competition require strategic inventory management that optimizes the return on investment in countless SKUs with shifting...
Driven by continued AI adoption and ERP upgrades, more than half of the distributors/manufacturers polled in the 4Q25 Baird-MDM survey expect to increase IT investment in 2026.
Our January update shows 2025 finishing up as a solid annual growth year for the industry. Get your product sector-specific forecasts here through 2027.
We dissect all the key figures from Fastenal’s full year, 4Q and December results and provide the context around them.
As data centers demand nearly $7 trillion in infrastructure investment by 2030, electrical distributors are making strategic bets — from major facility expansions to new leadership roles. See how distributors are looking to capture their...
Under new CEO Martina McIsaac, MSC Industrial is emerging from a difficult 2024 and first half of 2025 by refocusing on sales execution, core customers and productivity. Early fiscal 2026 results show rising efficiency, manufacturing-led...
For many mid-size distributors, the warehouse is the biggest asset — a huge “bank account,” if you will. But unlike savings you can easily access, this inventory is a financial pain point. It’s a trap...
