Managing your inventory is the key to drive top-line sales and gross margin performance in 2025 – In a recent discussion with Brent Johnstone from ACTvantage we talked about how industrial distributors can increase gross margin without hurting top-line sales in 2025. When we both started into distribution, the prevailing thought for distributors and manufacturers in the B2B … [Read more...] about Inventory Positions could be the top growth driver for industrial distribution in 2025
Market Insights
Is Your Team Curious? Are You Investing in “Ventures?”
Recently I was talking with a client about strategic planning as they are beginning their journey to define their path forward to 2030. They’ve set a goal, identified values, have a vision of their purpose, and currently have a strong business. The executive management team is being brought together to share insights and build the “framework” of the plan. After that, others … [Read more...] about Is Your Team Curious? Are You Investing in “Ventures?”
Prokeep Helps Capture the Text and Turn it Into Dollars
As distributors seek cost-effective ways to improve customer experience, improve productivity and have a cost-effective sales tool, while doing all of these digitally, Industrial Trends is pleased to welcome our newest partner, Prokeep. Prokeep offers a unique solution to distributors, which can also cost-effectively and easily be used by manufacturer representatives, which … [Read more...] about Prokeep Helps Capture the Text and Turn it Into Dollars
Do you value your Industrial Manufacturing reps?
There’s long been been “scuttle butt” conversation in the industry regarding some manufacturers cutting rep commissions. Their premise is that they need to do this due to their price increases. While some of the conversations are what manufacturers are thinking (so, “water cooler conversation”), some at times have reduced commissions which has dismayed many and demotivated the … [Read more...] about Do you value your Industrial Manufacturing reps?
The world of industrial customer segmentation in 2025
This past month, I have been going through old boxes of work material and coming across some foundational material on customer segmentation and pricing that I used as a distributor. I found in the archives my personal pricing Encyclopedia Britannia (the Complex) and the Texas A&M Industrial Distribution Customer Stratification Model (the Simple) and it made me think … [Read more...] about The world of industrial customer segmentation in 2025
Structuring Acquisitions in the Industrial Channel
Acquisitions continue to transform the Industrial Distribtuion industry. PE (private equity) are expanding their portfolio companies and others are seeking to enter the market. National distributors are expanding into new territories and also acquiring smaller companies as "fill-ins" or, in some cases, are diversifying their businesses and building new divisions. Regionals, and … [Read more...] about Structuring Acquisitions in the Industrial Channel
AI for Customers … and the Industrial Channel
Manufacturers and distributors have lately been having many conversations about “technology”. But not in the conventional sense of the tools / software, more as it relates to functionality / capability for the future. They are asking "Does their IT department (which could be their ERP / software provider) have a tech roadmap that includes AI?" And sales and marketing management … [Read more...] about AI for Customers … and the Industrial Channel
Increasing Warehouse Output While Managing Costs
With business in 2025 looking like “slow growth” looking forward, leading industrial distributors are focused on improving the operational / warehouse aspects of their business. While national chains, over the years, quickly moved to a CDC or RDC model, larger independents have also adopted this approach. This achieves a dual mandate of “improved” inventory management and … [Read more...] about Increasing Warehouse Output While Managing Costs
Where is the channel headed in 2025 and beyond? Thoughts from MDM SHIFT
I was fortunate to once again be able to attend and present at the NAW/MDM SHIFT conference, and it is interesting to see how the construction and industrial channel continues to evolve. Modern Distribution Management (MDM) has been hosting this annual event for Distribution Leaders called SHIFT (originally MDM Sales GPS) for the last decade. Some of the best and … [Read more...] about Where is the channel headed in 2025 and beyond? Thoughts from MDM SHIFT
Inventory Planning Approaches for Industrial in 2025
As we enter the final 2 months of 2024, I am having many conversations with Industrial distributors and manufacturers about their into stock inventory positions. Industrial Channel growth rates have slowed from double digits % from April 2021 to April 2023 days and now are slightly down to at best flat (2023 vs 2024). Inflation and price increases have continued to climb … [Read more...] about Inventory Planning Approaches for Industrial in 2025
