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Distribution Industry Analysis

Distribution Industry Analysis

How Distributors Can Navigate Tariff Impacts and Protect Margins

Distributors can quickly test multiple mitigation strategies and identify the most effective path.
  • Chandra Subramanian
  • May 2, 2025
news distribution
Distribution Industry News

AZP Multifamily Closes Doors: What Happened?

Fast-growing multifamily MRO distributor was hit with a perfect storm.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 14, 2023
News Grainger
Distribution Industry Analysis

The 5 Growth Engines of Grainger’s High-Touch Solutions Division

A look at Grainger’s 5 growth engines and how the distributor plans to use them to drive growth.
  • Ian Heller
  • October 3, 2022
DD ep 2 Q&A
Distribution Industry Analysis

Commodity Prices: A Softening – But By How Much … and For How Long? (The Discerning Distributor: Episode 2)

Get expert context on the commodity market conditions, other input prices and what the latest developments mean for your business.
  • Alex Chausovsky
  • September 27, 2022
inflation
Distribution Industry Analysis

Inflation: What’s Coming – and How Distributors Can Manage It (The Discerning Distributor: Episode 1)

We dig into inflation, interest rates and what distributors can expect in the face of a potential economic slowdown.
  • Alex Chausovsky
  • September 13, 2022
A conversation with NAW
Distribution Industry Analysis

How NAW is Promoting Cooperation in Uncertain Times

Hoplin shares distributors’ key concerns and how NAW is working to support distributors.
  • Ian Heller
  • August 22, 2022
Distribution Industry Analysis

USESI CEO on How Improving Culture Drives Greater Profitability

Randy Eddy sat down with us to talk about why culture is so important and how to measure it.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 25, 2022
Forest with mountains and partly-cloudy sky in background
Distribution Industry Analysis

Annual Conference for Canadian Institute for Plumbing & Heating: Aligned, Collaborative and Value-Added

Everything about the event was first rate – from the destination to the food to the quality and productivity of the meetings.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 13, 2022
Are Distributors Experiencing Pandemic Myopia?
Distribution Industry Analysis

Are Distributors Experiencing Pandemic Myopia?

Are some distributors lulled by a false sense of security post-pandemic?
  • Dirk Beveridge
  • July 12, 2022
dirk q&a
Strategy

Dirk Beveridge on How the Role of Leaders Must Change in Distribution 

Beveridge believes distributors have a unique opportunity to bring deeper meaning to their organizations.
  • Jonathan Bein
  • June 1, 2022
M&A Boom
Distribution Industry Analysis

Brent Grover: M&A Boom in Distribution is ‘Not Sustainable’ 

Although 2022 seems primed for another bull year, NAW Fellow Brent Grover believes that distribution M&A has hit a peak in value and will
  • Jonathan Bein
  • March 7, 2022
shopping cart on top of computer keyboard full of boxes
Distribution Industry Analysis

Webinar: State of eCommerce in Distribution, Part 2 (February 23, 2022)

ow your distributor peers are planning to enhance and augment their ecommerce capabilities over the next three years – and how you can differentiate
  • Dean Mueller
  • February 23, 2022
Path Amid the Chaos
Digital Strategy

Global Industrial’s ‘Path Amid the Chaos’: A Conversation with Barry Litwin, CEO 

Barry Litwin of Global Industrial speaks about how they’ve built a foundation for effective customer experiences and have leveraged ecommerce to power Global Industrial’s
  • Ian Heller
  • February 15, 2022
economist presentation
Distribution Industry Analysis

ITR Economics Forecasts Growth Through 2025; Labor Shortage to Ease in 2024 

The U.S. economy is quickly bouncing back from COVID. The supply chain is slowly correcting itself, and distributors will see a lot of growth
  • Ian Heller
  • February 14, 2022
Behind the Deals
Distribution Industry Analysis

Behind the Deals: Lawson Products-Test Equity-Gexpro Services; Motion-Kaman; and White Cap-Ram Tool

Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein talked about recent distribution deals, synergies between the businesses, and their predictions for the rest of 2022.
  • Ian Heller
  • February 9, 2022
Facetree
Distribution Industry Analysis

‘Sourcing Simplified’: Factrees Aims to Change How B2B Channel Connections Are Made 

Factrees wants to change channel dynamics for the better. I recently spoke with Williams, who has deep experience in B2B and B2C ecommerce, about
  • Ian Heller
  • February 8, 2022
B2B eCommerce

Better Customer Experience? Distributors Lean Into eCommerce in 2022

Last year, we saw a sharp increase in the adoption of ecommerce due to the COVID-19 pandemic. eCommerce includes transactions through website, mobile and
  • Dean Mueller
  • February 1, 2022
How NetPlus Alliance is Helping Distributors Stay Relevant in a Time of Disruption
Distribution Industry Analysis

How NetPlus Alliance is Helping Distributors Stay Relevant in a Time of Disruption

Jennifer Murphy, President of NetPlus Alliance, joined us for a recent Wholesale Change episode to talk about the benefits of the buying group and
  • Jonathan Bein
  • December 20, 2021
From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 3
Distribution Industry Analysis

From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 3: Berkshire eSupply, Varis and Value-Added Services

Learn about growth options for master distributors, including how they might work with certain marketplaces.
  • Ian Heller
  • December 14, 2021
What’s Driving the Supply Chain Crisis, and How Distributors Can Navigate It
Distribution Industry Analysis

What’s Driving the Supply Chain Crisis, and How Distributors Can Navigate It

Helgi Leja, of Distribution Performance Solutions, and Bruce Strahan, of Argon & Co., talk about managing through a supply chain crisis like the one
  • Jonathan Bein
  • November 23, 2021

Upcoming Programs

  • Upcoming Program

Technology Leader Panel: Emerging Digital Tools for Distributors

Join us on May 14, 2025 at 9 PT/12 ET as we delve into the latest digital technologies reshaping the distribution sector.
Register Now
  • Upcoming Program

Distribution Leader Panel – Flexible eCommerce Platforms: The Future of B2B Distribution

Join us on May 15, 2025, at 8 PT / 11 ET to discover how modern ecommerce platforms enable seamless integration, personalized customer experiences.
Register Now
  • Upcoming Program

Subject Matter Expert Series: Transforming Wholesale Distribution Warehousing with AI

Join us on May 20, 2025, at 9PT/12ET as Will Quinn delves into getting the most out of the systems you already have.
Register Now
  • Upcoming Program

Wholesale Change: The Future of AI in Distribution

Join us on May 21, 2025 at 9 PT/12 ET as we explore how AI is reshaping distribution and what practical steps you can
Register Now
Distribution Industry Analysis

How Distributors Can Navigate Tariff Impacts and Protect Margins

Distributors can quickly test multiple mitigation strategies and identify the most effective path.
  • Chandra Subramanian
  • May 2, 2025
news distribution
Distribution Industry News

AZP Multifamily Closes Doors: What Happened?

Fast-growing multifamily MRO distributor was hit with a perfect storm.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 14, 2023
News Grainger
Distribution Industry Analysis

The 5 Growth Engines of Grainger’s High-Touch Solutions Division

A look at Grainger’s 5 growth engines and how the distributor plans to use them to drive growth.
  • Ian Heller
  • October 3, 2022
DD ep 2 Q&A
Distribution Industry Analysis

Commodity Prices: A Softening – But By How Much … and For How Long? (The Discerning Distributor: Episode 2)

Get expert context on the commodity market conditions, other input prices and what the latest developments mean for your business.
  • Alex Chausovsky
  • September 27, 2022
inflation
Distribution Industry Analysis

Inflation: What’s Coming – and How Distributors Can Manage It (The Discerning Distributor: Episode 1)

We dig into inflation, interest rates and what distributors can expect in the face of a potential economic slowdown.
  • Alex Chausovsky
  • September 13, 2022
A conversation with NAW
Distribution Industry Analysis

How NAW is Promoting Cooperation in Uncertain Times

Hoplin shares distributors’ key concerns and how NAW is working to support distributors.
  • Ian Heller
  • August 22, 2022
Distribution Industry Analysis

USESI CEO on How Improving Culture Drives Greater Profitability

Randy Eddy sat down with us to talk about why culture is so important and how to measure it.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 25, 2022
Forest with mountains and partly-cloudy sky in background
Distribution Industry Analysis

Annual Conference for Canadian Institute for Plumbing & Heating: Aligned, Collaborative and Value-Added

Everything about the event was first rate – from the destination to the food to the quality and productivity of the meetings.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 13, 2022
Are Distributors Experiencing Pandemic Myopia?
Distribution Industry Analysis

Are Distributors Experiencing Pandemic Myopia?

Are some distributors lulled by a false sense of security post-pandemic?
  • Dirk Beveridge
  • July 12, 2022
dirk q&a
Strategy

Dirk Beveridge on How the Role of Leaders Must Change in Distribution 

Beveridge believes distributors have a unique opportunity to bring deeper meaning to their organizations.
  • Jonathan Bein
  • June 1, 2022
M&A Boom
Distribution Industry Analysis

Brent Grover: M&A Boom in Distribution is ‘Not Sustainable’ 

Although 2022 seems primed for another bull year, NAW Fellow Brent Grover believes that distribution M&A has hit a peak in value and will
  • Jonathan Bein
  • March 7, 2022
shopping cart on top of computer keyboard full of boxes
Distribution Industry Analysis

Webinar: State of eCommerce in Distribution, Part 2 (February 23, 2022)

ow your distributor peers are planning to enhance and augment their ecommerce capabilities over the next three years – and how you can differentiate
  • Dean Mueller
  • February 23, 2022
Path Amid the Chaos
Digital Strategy

Global Industrial’s ‘Path Amid the Chaos’: A Conversation with Barry Litwin, CEO 

Barry Litwin of Global Industrial speaks about how they’ve built a foundation for effective customer experiences and have leveraged ecommerce to power Global Industrial’s
  • Ian Heller
  • February 15, 2022
economist presentation
Distribution Industry Analysis

ITR Economics Forecasts Growth Through 2025; Labor Shortage to Ease in 2024 

The U.S. economy is quickly bouncing back from COVID. The supply chain is slowly correcting itself, and distributors will see a lot of growth
  • Ian Heller
  • February 14, 2022
Behind the Deals
Distribution Industry Analysis

Behind the Deals: Lawson Products-Test Equity-Gexpro Services; Motion-Kaman; and White Cap-Ram Tool

Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein talked about recent distribution deals, synergies between the businesses, and their predictions for the rest of 2022.
  • Ian Heller
  • February 9, 2022
Facetree
Distribution Industry Analysis

‘Sourcing Simplified’: Factrees Aims to Change How B2B Channel Connections Are Made 

Factrees wants to change channel dynamics for the better. I recently spoke with Williams, who has deep experience in B2B and B2C ecommerce, about
  • Ian Heller
  • February 8, 2022
B2B eCommerce

Better Customer Experience? Distributors Lean Into eCommerce in 2022

Last year, we saw a sharp increase in the adoption of ecommerce due to the COVID-19 pandemic. eCommerce includes transactions through website, mobile and
  • Dean Mueller
  • February 1, 2022
How NetPlus Alliance is Helping Distributors Stay Relevant in a Time of Disruption
Distribution Industry Analysis

How NetPlus Alliance is Helping Distributors Stay Relevant in a Time of Disruption

Jennifer Murphy, President of NetPlus Alliance, joined us for a recent Wholesale Change episode to talk about the benefits of the buying group and
  • Jonathan Bein
  • December 20, 2021
From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 3
Distribution Industry Analysis

From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 3: Berkshire eSupply, Varis and Value-Added Services

Learn about growth options for master distributors, including how they might work with certain marketplaces.
  • Ian Heller
  • December 14, 2021
What’s Driving the Supply Chain Crisis, and How Distributors Can Navigate It
Distribution Industry Analysis

What’s Driving the Supply Chain Crisis, and How Distributors Can Navigate It

Helgi Leja, of Distribution Performance Solutions, and Bruce Strahan, of Argon & Co., talk about managing through a supply chain crisis like the one
  • Jonathan Bein
  • November 23, 2021

Recent Reports

2025 State of Technology in Distribution

From Silos to Synergy: Transforming B2B Distribution with Automation and Collaboration

Optimizing B2B eCommerce for Distributors: Strategies for Scalability, Supply Chain Visibility and Digital Integration

DSG-Report-2025-State-of-Distributor-Profitability-Cover

2025 State of Distributor Profitability: Distributors’ Action Plan

Distribution Industry Analysis

How Distributors Can Navigate Tariff Impacts and Protect Margins

Distributors can quickly test multiple mitigation strategies and identify the most effective path.
  • Chandra Subramanian
  • May 2, 2025
news distribution
Distribution Industry News

AZP Multifamily Closes Doors: What Happened?

Fast-growing multifamily MRO distributor was hit with a perfect storm.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 14, 2023
News Grainger
Distribution Industry Analysis

The 5 Growth Engines of Grainger’s High-Touch Solutions Division

A look at Grainger’s 5 growth engines and how the distributor plans to use them to drive growth.
  • Ian Heller
  • October 3, 2022
DD ep 2 Q&A
Distribution Industry Analysis

Commodity Prices: A Softening – But By How Much … and For How Long? (The Discerning Distributor: Episode 2)

Get expert context on the commodity market conditions, other input prices and what the latest developments mean for your business.
  • Alex Chausovsky
  • September 27, 2022
inflation
Distribution Industry Analysis

Inflation: What’s Coming – and How Distributors Can Manage It (The Discerning Distributor: Episode 1)

We dig into inflation, interest rates and what distributors can expect in the face of a potential economic slowdown.
  • Alex Chausovsky
  • September 13, 2022
A conversation with NAW
Distribution Industry Analysis

How NAW is Promoting Cooperation in Uncertain Times

Hoplin shares distributors’ key concerns and how NAW is working to support distributors.
  • Ian Heller
  • August 22, 2022
Distribution Industry Analysis

USESI CEO on How Improving Culture Drives Greater Profitability

Randy Eddy sat down with us to talk about why culture is so important and how to measure it.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 25, 2022
Forest with mountains and partly-cloudy sky in background
Distribution Industry Analysis

Annual Conference for Canadian Institute for Plumbing & Heating: Aligned, Collaborative and Value-Added

Everything about the event was first rate – from the destination to the food to the quality and productivity of the meetings.
  • Ian Heller
  • July 13, 2022
Are Distributors Experiencing Pandemic Myopia?
Distribution Industry Analysis

Are Distributors Experiencing Pandemic Myopia?

Are some distributors lulled by a false sense of security post-pandemic?
  • Dirk Beveridge
  • July 12, 2022
dirk q&a
Strategy

Dirk Beveridge on How the Role of Leaders Must Change in Distribution 

Beveridge believes distributors have a unique opportunity to bring deeper meaning to their organizations.
  • Jonathan Bein
  • June 1, 2022
M&A Boom
Distribution Industry Analysis

Brent Grover: M&A Boom in Distribution is ‘Not Sustainable’ 

Although 2022 seems primed for another bull year, NAW Fellow Brent Grover believes that distribution M&A has hit a peak in value and will
  • Jonathan Bein
  • March 7, 2022
shopping cart on top of computer keyboard full of boxes
Distribution Industry Analysis

Webinar: State of eCommerce in Distribution, Part 2 (February 23, 2022)

ow your distributor peers are planning to enhance and augment their ecommerce capabilities over the next three years – and how you can differentiate
  • Dean Mueller
  • February 23, 2022
Path Amid the Chaos
Digital Strategy

Global Industrial’s ‘Path Amid the Chaos’: A Conversation with Barry Litwin, CEO 

Barry Litwin of Global Industrial speaks about how they’ve built a foundation for effective customer experiences and have leveraged ecommerce to power Global Industrial’s
  • Ian Heller
  • February 15, 2022
economist presentation
Distribution Industry Analysis

ITR Economics Forecasts Growth Through 2025; Labor Shortage to Ease in 2024 

The U.S. economy is quickly bouncing back from COVID. The supply chain is slowly correcting itself, and distributors will see a lot of growth
  • Ian Heller
  • February 14, 2022
Behind the Deals
Distribution Industry Analysis

Behind the Deals: Lawson Products-Test Equity-Gexpro Services; Motion-Kaman; and White Cap-Ram Tool

Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein talked about recent distribution deals, synergies between the businesses, and their predictions for the rest of 2022.
  • Ian Heller
  • February 9, 2022
Facetree
Distribution Industry Analysis

‘Sourcing Simplified’: Factrees Aims to Change How B2B Channel Connections Are Made 

Factrees wants to change channel dynamics for the better. I recently spoke with Williams, who has deep experience in B2B and B2C ecommerce, about
  • Ian Heller
  • February 8, 2022
B2B eCommerce

Better Customer Experience? Distributors Lean Into eCommerce in 2022

Last year, we saw a sharp increase in the adoption of ecommerce due to the COVID-19 pandemic. eCommerce includes transactions through website, mobile and
  • Dean Mueller
  • February 1, 2022
How NetPlus Alliance is Helping Distributors Stay Relevant in a Time of Disruption
Distribution Industry Analysis

How NetPlus Alliance is Helping Distributors Stay Relevant in a Time of Disruption

Jennifer Murphy, President of NetPlus Alliance, joined us for a recent Wholesale Change episode to talk about the benefits of the buying group and
  • Jonathan Bein
  • December 20, 2021
From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 3
Distribution Industry Analysis

From Master Distributors to Marketplaces Part 3: Berkshire eSupply, Varis and Value-Added Services

Learn about growth options for master distributors, including how they might work with certain marketplaces.
  • Ian Heller
  • December 14, 2021
What’s Driving the Supply Chain Crisis, and How Distributors Can Navigate It
Distribution Industry Analysis

What’s Driving the Supply Chain Crisis, and How Distributors Can Navigate It

Helgi Leja, of Distribution Performance Solutions, and Bruce Strahan, of Argon & Co., talk about managing through a supply chain crisis like the one
  • Jonathan Bein
  • November 23, 2021
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