Wolseley Canada announced current Senior Vice President Keith VanderVennet will return to Wolseley’s U.S. operations as the senior vice president of sales.

A survey of American Supply Association distributor members reveals a bleak outlook for a significant economic recovery in 2013.

Pacific Plumbing Supply came across some found money.

Now that the nation is a few months removed from the uncertainty brought by the national elections, wholesalers can get their businesses back on track.

Everything is under one canopy – the TORRCO canopy. After some aggressive business moves in the Connecticut, western Massachusetts and eastern New York markets, it was time for 95-year-old Waterbury, Conn.-based Torrington Supply to streamline its message so there was no confusion among customers.

The supply house business is more complicated than ever. Social media, the next generation of employees, and new technology that either helps or hinders communication present challenges to owners and managers.

When I was in high school a good friend turned me on to a quirky radio program called “Swap Shop.” The premise of the show was people calling in to buy, sell and trade hard-to-find items. A quick Internet search reveals the call-in show still exists on a radio station in Florida.

It’s no surprise online retail giant Amazon.com entered the industrial market in 2012 with the launch of Amazonsupply.com. After all, the market for U.S. industrial supplies is more than $150 billion.