I thought it would be helpful to reach out to multiple mechanical contractors and request their feedback on suppliers, as well as a reflection on the challenges they faced during the pandemic.

The Teamsters Union, which represents about 340,000 workers at UPS, has been in negotiation with the package carrier in hopes to avoid a potential strike.

Marcone has tripled in size over the last two years by adding HVAC, plumbing, commercial kitchen and pool/spa to the growing list of parts and equipment that it distributes.

In the first two seasons, We Supply America executive producer and host Dirk Beveridge traveled over 31,000 miles getting to know 59 distributors, their frontline employees and the history of their businesses along the way.

This collaboration represents a significant industry milestone, underscoring Proton.ai’s and Infor’s commitment to provide innovative AI and tailored CRM solutions that greatly improve the customer experience for distribution companies.

The overall survey queried sectors such as industrial, electrical, safety, HVACR, plumbing, building materials, safety, hardware, chemical and plastics, oil and gas products, JanSan and several others. The survey featured an 85-15 percent split between distributors and manufacturers.

As B2B offerings become increasingly commoditized, it has become more important than in any previous time in history to have a clear picture of the value proposition of your distributorship. The last 20 years - and in particular, the last two - have seen the slow but steady growth of industry behemoths that are driving commoditization of the PHCP industry.

Founded in 1923, by Henry Charles Oswald, Oswald Supply is family owned and operated through four generations and has a rich history centered on supporting heating systems throughout New York City. Over the past several decades, Oswald has expanded their presence nationally to support municipalities, housing authorities, heating & cooling Contractors, and industrial supply distributors. 

In an industry where mergers and acquisitions often get a bad reputation, it’s important to recognize the cases where the merging of two companies is of the best interest of each party and their respective customer bases. This was on full display in 2019 when two longstanding PVF product suppliers decided to merge into one powerhouse.

As always, to hear first-hand from reps on the state of the market, challenges and the evolving role of manufacturers’ reps, Supply House Times held its annual Rep Council roundtable discussion where five engaged AIM/R members gather to discuss the hot-topics.