May was a quiet month for ASA members with a slight dip in year-to-date sales, but the trailing 12-month sales showed a small positive growth of 0.4%.

This article covers the significant trends impacting the industrial distribution sector, including digital transformation, data optimization, omnichannel approaches, and industry consolidation. It offers insights into how these trends will shape the future of industrial distribution.

As 2023 comes to a close it is now time to review my predictions from last year as well as predict ten more trends I see as we enter 2024.

On Aug. 16, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). While the bill claims it will, “make a historic down payment on deficit reduction to fight inflation, invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40% by 2030,” plumbing associations aren’t convinced the IRA will do much — if anything — to reduce inflation or benefit small businesses or the American consumer.

While both inflation and mortgage rate increases have impacted the segment, the overall annual forecast still represents a double-digit increase over 2021.

The FED has plans to raise these rates slowly throughout the year, but the last time Jerome Powell (current FED chairman) attempted this in 2018, he had to revert his course and lower rates once again. It is possible that Powell is forced to keep rates low again, even with high inflation.

As we contemplate the economy at the midpoint, we are still seeing some strengths and weaknesses.

ASA Chief Economist Chris Kuehl is back Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. Eastern/1 p.m. Central with his first ASA economic update webinar of the year, taking a look at the 2022 forecast. 

“As we enter into 2022,” — when you say that out loud it sounds a lot like “2020-2.” Don’t be alarmed, I believe things are moving in a positive direction. I have laid out trends that I see as important factors moving into the new year. I am not going to prognosticate about where the stock market is going, but rather about what I feel is going to be the most important factors impacting supply houses across the country.  

After enduring a unique set of challenges through 2020 and 2021, industry experts are excited to move forward into another high-demand year. The excitement is coupled with caution, as supply chain constraints, material pricing and labor shortages are not expected to resolve themselves in the near future.