For manufacturers, getting your message through the channel, let alone to end-users, can be a challenge. Most are conditioned (could be trained, sometimes it’s historical repetition) to promote features and benefits. And it is always the latest products (which is interesting given that, while they track NPI … the percentage of business driven by new product introductions … … [Read more...] about Manufacturers … “Why You?”
Manufacturers
Part 3 – All good things in distribution start when a pick ticket prints in the warehouse
I have written two recent columns reminding Industrial Channel leaders to not forget about the business fundamentals of the channel, which hit a nerve with many readers. These columns focused on that even with all the changes over the past two decades - instant access to data, end customers who want self-service digital tools and full-service support, and many other changes- AI … [Read more...] about Part 3 – All good things in distribution start when a pick ticket prints in the warehouse
Why the ISA Executive Network Matters More Than Ever
For the past few months, the ISA leadership team and the ISA Educational Council have been working behind the scenes on this project. It has been fun to be part of the project led by Brendan Breen, his entire ISA team, and all the great educational committee and board leaders (leaders who are working every day in the channel) who are committed to this program. So, getting … [Read more...] about Why the ISA Executive Network Matters More Than Ever
Part 2 – All good things in distribution start when a pick ticket prints in the warehouse
I wrote a recent column reminding Industrial Channel leaders about not forgetting about the business fundamentals of the channel that hit a nerve with many readers. The column focused on that even with all the changes over the past two decades - smart phones, instant access to data, end customers who want self-service digital tools and full-service support, and many other … [Read more...] about Part 2 – All good things in distribution start when a pick ticket prints in the warehouse
Fall is the season to get your Channel business ready for 2026
This week, I was on calls with various Industrial Channel and Industrial Supply Association (ISA) leaders discussing the upcoming ISA Fall Summit in Memphis, TN, in early November. We were discussing the tracks, the speakers and presenters, and the takeaways for participants. In looking at the speakers and presenters, I was struck by the fact that 20 of the speakers across … [Read more...] about Fall is the season to get your Channel business ready for 2026
All good things in distribution start when a pick ticket prints in the warehouse
On my first week on the job as a distributor 25 years ago, that quote that Dick Schmid told me at Crescent Electric Supply stuck with me. From 2000 to 2025 a lot has changed in the distribution channel - smart phones, instant access to data, end customers who want self-service tools and full-service support, and many other changes (with AI being another … [Read more...] about All good things in distribution start when a pick ticket prints in the warehouse
ISA Member Earnings – Stanley Black & Decker Q2 2025
At Industrial Supply Trends, we pay attention to the earnings and announcements from ISA members. Stanley Black and Decker announced their Q2 Earnings and shared insight on Tariff impacts, and the Stanley Black and Decker strategy to navigate those tariffs. Stanley Black and Decker is a partner for many ISA members and a key supporter of ISA. At this years, ISA Fall Summit … [Read more...] about ISA Member Earnings – Stanley Black & Decker Q2 2025
ISA Member Spotlight – L-Boxx Manufacturing Solutions
We had a chance to interview L-Boxx a new ISA member with modular and customizable storage solutions for an ISA spotlight. Q. Tell us about your company. What markets do you serve, and how do you differentiate yourself from the competition? At L-BOXX we do more than just build toolboxes. We are a pure B2B company, working closely with OEMs and trading companies to … [Read more...] about ISA Member Spotlight – L-Boxx Manufacturing Solutions
ISA Member Spotlight – Cali Air Tools
I had a chance to start a series on large ISA members and wanted to broaden it to a wide range of manufacturers and new members of ISA. I appreciate the feedback that Nicole Foster from Cali Air Tools provided. 1.Tell us about your company. What markets do you serve, and how do you differentiate yourself from the competition? In 2002 we decided that there was a market … [Read more...] about ISA Member Spotlight – Cali Air Tools
Part 3 – Manufacturers and Distributors need to do better than a C+ on their report cards
Last week I was on a fun webcast where Mark Jackmore CEO of Precision, and I were diving into real-world examples of how manufacturers and distributors could use data more effectively to report progress and take meaningful action together to improve their business. We covered a lot of ground on the webcast, shared best practice examples, and tactical information on how you … [Read more...] about Part 3 – Manufacturers and Distributors need to do better than a C+ on their report cards
