Was there an Elephant in the Room at the Applied AI for Distributors Conference?
Mark McGready, Director Data Analytics and Solutions for IDEA, attended the 2026 Applied AI for Distributors Conference organized by Distribution Strategy Group. While he spoke to attendees about IDEA’s Data Whispers solution and how Nudge (its avatar) helps drive sales, profits and acts as a virtual sales coach and information resource tailored to each distributor’s offering and is based…
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Q2 Pulse of Industrial Supply is Open till June 22
Fastenal’s headline number for May was 15%. Dig into the numbers and another area (non-contract accounts) is 8%. Online is 11%. The question becomes,…
Adding a Nudge to Sales Coaching to Accelerate Sales
Every conference has some session about AI. And every reception at every conference has someone asking about what you’re doing with AI. So, imagine being…
The Industrial Inventory Paradox & Central Surplus Origin
In 2009, my construction company was hired by an MRO and industrial electrical distributor for a warehouse renovation project. The owner knew exactly what he…
Fastenal’s May Outperforms. The Market?
Last month Fastenal reported sales of $751.5 million, putting them on track for around $9 billion (or slightly more at their growth rate) at the…
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The Industrial Inventory Paradox & Central Surplus Origin
In 2009, my construction company was hired by an MRO and industrial electrical distributor for a warehouse renovation project. The owner knew exactly what he wanted, we were in constant, direct contact. As we built a working relationship, I started asking questions about the mechanics of industrial distribution—the supply chain dynamics, manufacturer relationships, logistics, and inventory management. It was captivating.…
Fastenal’s May Outperforms. The Market?
Last month Fastenal reported sales of $751.5 million, putting them on track for around $9 billion (or slightly more at their growth rate) at the end of the year. May’s corporate sales were up nearly 15%. Looking at it from customer market perspective: Heavy manufacturing customers up by 18.7% Non-residential construction sales increased by 16% Other manufacturing sales climbed by…
Who Has Margin Responsibility in Your Company?
While national chains reported strong growth in Q1, and independents performed comparably based upon our 2026 Q1 Pulse of Industrial Supply report, aided by increased pricing tied to tariffs, commodity price increases that supported manufacture price increases, and industrial end-user performance, the challenge for distributors is that their operating costs continue to rise … and they don’t have the luxury…
TUG Connects: More Than an Infor Conference
June 3, 2026 by David Gordon Leave a Comment Infor is one of the most prominent ERP systems serving the Industrial supply market. Last month their users’ group, TUG, which is independently run, held their annual event. If your company operates on the Infor platform, this is where your IT and sales operations group (as well as others depending upon the agenda) go to…
Sales Incentives Drive 2026 Goal Achievement
We’re almost 50% of the way through the year. Are you almost 50% towards your 2026 sales and profitability goals? If not, now is the time for a quick review. While there may be customer-specific issues, one of the areas that requires a tough self-reflection is asking “is our salesforce performing the way we want them to?” Everyone hems and…
The 2026 Industrial M&A Landscape
The M&A market continues to be strong in the industrial supply sector on both the manufacturer and distributor fronts. And while at times you may not experience it, there seemingly are always conversations. While on the distributor side the decision drivers relate to generational change (and lack of succession) and need to invest on the part of sellers, for buyers…
Data Centers and the Industrial Supply Channel
Data centers are set to drive $650-$900 billion in 2026 CAPEX, making them one of the strongest growth engines in nonresidential construction and distribution. The opportunity spans the full ecosystem—from upstream IT components to midstream REIT and hyperscale infrastructure to downstream construction support—creating multiple ways for distributors to win. The biggest advantage is service execution: distributors that can source, kit,…
The Construction Industry is Obsessed with Digital Tools
eCommerce. AI. Direct connectivity between customers and distributors. Access to manufacturer portals. The construction and industrial distribution channels are no longer only about product knowledge, logistics, access to credit (for customers) and personal relationships. You need to not only be able to use technology but sometimes you feel like you need to be a technology maven. Lizzy Higgins from Newborn…
