This week - I wanted to share some thoughts from some friends and associates who are attending HARDI 2025 in Atlanta. The event concludes today on Tuesday December 10th, and we will write a more in-depth report on HARDI 2024 next week for our readers. HARDI has been hosting their big annual conference for the channel for decades. This year over 1,900+ key channel leaders … [Read more...] about Where is the channel headed? Thoughts from HARDI 2024
Ferguson Annual Report Analysis … HVACR and Plumbing Dual Trade focus continues
A few weeks back my colleague David Gordon wrote a column on Ferguson's Q4 numbers. Ferguson added to that release with additional information that was contained in their full annual report. I wanted to see what the Ferguson Annual report had to share to our recent analysis in HVACRtrends, and the distributor series on Ferguson that I wrote for MDM. Did anything major … [Read more...] about Ferguson Annual Report Analysis … HVACR and Plumbing Dual Trade focus continues
Market updates from William Blair, HARDI and HVACR Trends
As I was working on writing a column for the thanksgiving break a couple of items caught my eye that I thought would be fun to share this week. Finding good data sources and programs for the HVACR Channel can sometimes be like a scavenger hunt, so this week I thought I would share some tidbits that could save you some search time. The 1st update is from William Blair … [Read more...] about Market updates from William Blair, HARDI and HVACR Trends
Watsco growth highlighted in MDM Series
Watsco's Growth over the past 20+ years has been driven by a core buy and build philosophy and an investment in digital customer self service tools and services. I eagerly anticipated writing the Case Study series on Watsco for Modern Distribution Management, as I consider its strategic approach unique in the North American B2B distribution. Watsco operates as a … [Read more...] about Watsco growth highlighted in MDM Series
Managing inventory is the key to driving sales and gross margin
Managing your inventory is the key to driving both top-line sales and gross margin performance in 2025 – I had a discussion last week with my colleague Brent Johnstone from ACTvantage about ways distributors can increase gross margin without hurting top-line sales. When we first both got into distribution, the prevailing thought of most distributors and manufacturers in the … [Read more...] about Managing inventory is the key to driving sales and gross margin
Mingledorffs Update – Caffeine and Coils and Industry outreach
Earlier this year, I started a series on Mingledorff's and their teams efforts to deploy information to their customers in unique ways. I started this series because I follow a Mingledorff's podcast called Caffeine and Coils hosted by Jenny Brown and Deanna Lassiter. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/caffeine-and-coils/id1701491521 This podcast was started at the end … [Read more...] about Mingledorffs Update – Caffeine and Coils and Industry outreach
What HVACR end customer trends are crucial for 2025?
In 2015 when I was on the HD Supply Power Solutions team, I started some research with the goal of getting feedback to make better pricing decisions with direct surveys for our associates. We were roughly a $2 billion dollar business trying to improve our GM% and profits. Over the past ten years that survey has grown in size and scope to include end customers, distributor … [Read more...] about What HVACR end customer trends are crucial for 2025?
Auer Steel, investing for customer and the next generation’s success
As I was going through my story idea notebook on what to write for this week's column, I saw a LinkedIn notification on a posting from Jon Hirsch. I started following Jon's work as Director of Business Development for Auer Steel & Heating Supply Company (HVACR distributor with locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and North Dakota) about a year ago. What jumped … [Read more...] about Auer Steel, investing for customer and the next generation’s success
Is your proven experienced associate led pricing model approaching a cliff?
If your winning pricing model is still being led by just your experienced sales team, it is probably time to make changes for the future. I had the opportunity to sit in on the excellent HARDI Pricing certification session that kicked off recently with my friends and colleagues leading the session from ACTvantage: Senthil Gunasekaran and Pradip Krishnadevarajan. Senthil and … [Read more...] about Is your proven experienced associate led pricing model approaching a cliff?
What does the IMARK/AD Merger for electrical mean for the HVAC Channel?
AD & IMARK Electrical Make the Merger Official: how does the new AD IESD impact the channel and is there any impact to HVACR Distributors? The news release that made it official called this a merger of equals to create AD Independent Electrical Supply Division (IESD) that represents 700+ independent electrical distributors with annual sales of over $43 Billion. Immediately … [Read more...] about What does the IMARK/AD Merger for electrical mean for the HVAC Channel?
