It appears the initial tariff volleys have ended and we’re in for trench warfare for the next 60-90 days while deals get negotiated. The Eastern front will remain volatile given neither party will whisper “uncle” given that China is launching asymmetrical warfare as it broadens the issue from goods to services (which was to be expected.) Given that the word “decoupling” is … [Read more...] about Competing, and Winning, in a Tariff Induced World
Industry Insights
Fastenal Sales Segmentation Insights – Opinion
It is unusual for a large B2B publicly traded distributor to share details at the level Fastenal has recently provided during their Investor Day, their quarterly results, and annual report. In this column we will cover Fastenal's recent releases on Sales, Customer Segmentation, and their Focus 40 program. We follow them closely on Industrial Supply Trends as they are one of … [Read more...] about Fastenal Sales Segmentation Insights – Opinion
Fastenal Q1 Earnings – Tariffs take Center Stage
Fastenal’s reported first quarter 2025 earnings with revenues above slightly above expectations, growing 3.4% year-over-year to $1.96 billion, and meeting earnings per share expectations. In addition, Fastenal experienced increases from large customer signings, growth in the number of customer sites spending $10K or more per month and growth in the average monthly sales per … [Read more...] about Fastenal Q1 Earnings – Tariffs take Center Stage
Q1 Pulse of Industrial Supply Survey Results are In
Industrial Supply Trends is pleased to introduce a new service to the industrial supply channel … our Pulse of Industrial Supply report. Launched last month, the Pulse of Industrial Supply, sponsored by William Blair, is a quarterly report. Each quarter we’ll survey distributors, manufacturers, and manufacturer representatives to gather insights into the past quarter, … [Read more...] about Q1 Pulse of Industrial Supply Survey Results are In
Building on the skills of your Inside Sales Staff
The role and responsibilities of the Inside Sales team are evolving and changing faster than any role in the Industrial Channel. The distributor inside sales team usually has the most direct contact and interaction with industrial end customers. Our friend Frank Hurtte | LinkedIn from River Heights Consulting is one of the leading Industrial and Electrical Channel voices on … [Read more...] about Building on the skills of your Inside Sales Staff
