Supply House Times

As the second Donald Trump Administration begins, industries are cautious due to tariff uncertainty impacting transportation, diesel prices, and labor costs. Air freight demand may slow due to low consumer confidence, according to Ceva Logistics 2025. While capacity is rising, concerns about oversupply could lead to carrier adjustments or a drop in freight rates.

In a recent discussion with Epicor, Supply House Times highlighted trends such as cybersecurity, onshoring, and automation in supply chain technology. By 2025, automation will be crucial for addressing the talent shortage and closing the knowledge gap as experienced workers retire. AI can help by organizing data, supporting new employees in maintaining productivity, and alleviating concerns about job displacement.

For distributors, inventory is the largest balance sheet item and can be a liability if not managed strictly. Achieving over 99% bin-level accuracy is attainable with departmental alignment, solid processes, and strong leadership. Here’s why it matters, the consequences of failure, and how to succeed.

World Vision is the largest nongovernmental provider of clean water in the developing world. Through World Vision’s work, every 60 seconds a family gets water, a hungry child is fed and a family gets the tools to overcome poverty.

In the PHCP/PVF industry, the traditional sales approach is built on relationships, technical expertise and in-person networking. While these fundamentals remain crucial, today’s digital-first buyers expect more. They research products, compare solutions online, and often form opinions long before speaking with a sales rep.

This year’s EMERGE (May 13-15) in Las Vegas will be a doozy and will put the division in a position to where it has nearly doubled in size since the 2023 event in Savannah, Georgia. Last year’s EMERGE conference in Boston set a new all-time attendance mark and the Vegas version in May will threaten it.

Cyber criminals often target distributors because they manage large B2B transactions, house valuable financial information, and sometimes use ERPs that are not up to date with modern security protection. Additionally, as infuriating as this is – cyber criminals know that distributors are essential to the supply chain, and are more likely to pay ransom in order to resume business operations quickly.

This year’s trends feature a variety of textures, including fluting, ribbing, and knurling on faucets, hardware, and vanities. Fluting is increasingly seen in freestanding bathtubs and sinks, with a wide array of styles and colors showcased by vendors. The popularity of matte textures remains strong.

The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) plans to implement updated efficiency standards, NAECA4, for residential electric storage water heaters over 35 gallons by May 6, 2029, requiring heat pump technology.