ISA Member and Industrial Leader Grainger released their Q2 Results on August 1st, which provided insight into their pricing actions and continued above market growth in their Endless Assortment business unit. At this years, ISA Fall Summit Gowri Natarajan - Director Procurement & Supplier Management at Grainger will be speaking at the event. Our Channel Marketing Group … [Read more...] about IST Analysis – Grainger Q2 2025 Earnings Release
Research Reports
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
Durable Goods & CAPEX Issues + Tarriff and Policy Volatility = Uncertainty – IST
As an analyst for the past 20 years, I have relied on key economic indicators as foundational to prepare forecasts for leadership to make informed business decisions. Two of those key foundational indicators were Durable Goods Purchases and Business Capital Investment, but those indicators have had much change the past 5 years. The once bellwether and predictable indicator … [Read more...] about Durable Goods & CAPEX Issues + Tarriff and Policy Volatility = Uncertainty – IST
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
Part 2 – Category Management is a big opportunity for Industrial Channel Leaders
Yesterday, I was on an 8:00 am Monday morning zoom calls with Industrial Supply Association (ISA) member Precision where Mark Jackmore and I were reviewing the content we are presenting on our webcast this week. Now, Monday morning 8AM zoom calls can be interesting, as the weekly coffee intake is just starting for everyone on the call, so I was interested to see where the … [Read more...] about Part 2 – Category Management is a big opportunity for Industrial Channel Leaders
Haggard and Stocking – Built by the customer for the customer
Our latest member spotlight series, I had the chance to connect with Haggard & Stocking Industrial Supplies & Services, an Industrial Distribution leader that provides engineered solutions in Tooling, Abrasives, Safety, Material Handling, Fasteners, Vending, and more. I was intrigued by Haggard & Stocking as I was doing the research, as they appear to be a good … [Read more...] about Haggard and Stocking – Built by the customer for the customer
AI Update: How do you keep your Industrial teams in the loop
The news is full of how rapidly AI is evolving, with a spate of recent articles predicting mass layoffs and massive disruptions. Advances are certainly breathtaking – when OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, it added a million users in 5 days; in April 2025, it achieved this in one hour; and reportedly one-third of companies are using AI agents to automate and improve … [Read more...] about AI Update: How do you keep your Industrial teams in the loop
ISA Economic Forecasts unveil key data on two webcasts
One of the hardest things to keep on top of in the Industrial Channel is economic forecasts as a channel leader that are specific to your business. You can quick check the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), look at the price of Steel, Copper, and Oil....and try and stay up with the latest news. The challenge is there is very little specific to the Industrial Channel forecast … [Read more...] about ISA Economic Forecasts unveil key data on two webcasts
Q2 2025 Pulse of Industrial Supply Survey is Now Open
2025 Q1 for Industrial Supply might have set a record for news impacting the channel that rivals the amount of change and uncertainty that was happening during COVID. The political winds from Washington, DC are also, to use a term have been...turbulent Tariffs on again, delayed, and semi-implemented having been affecting planning and causing uncertainty On, then off, then on, … [Read more...] about Q2 2025 Pulse of Industrial Supply Survey is Now Open
Category Management is a big word and a big opportunity for Industrial Channel Leaders
Recently, I was introduced to an Industrial Supply Association (ISA) member Precision that intrigued and piqued my curiosity. Their firm works closely on Category Management teams on programs and issues, and that got me thinking about that crucial side of the business in detail. As a former Category Management leader for a few billion-dollar distributors that got my … [Read more...] about Category Management is a big word and a big opportunity for Industrial Channel Leaders
