Modern Distribution Management (MDM) Shift event was held last week (May 13-15th in Englewood, Colorado). The event has continued to evolve over the past 9 years, and it was once again attended by who's who of distribution leaders. Many leading distributors also presented at MDM Shift ranging from large public companies - Ferguson & Motion Industries to family-held … [Read more...] about Opinion: MDM-NAW Shift highlighted Data Analytics as a key discipline for 2025
Industry Insights
Seal-Tite Celebrates 125th Anniversary
Seal-Tite is celebrating a milestone that few companies achieve ... it's 125th anniversary. Consider, the company opened its doors in 1900 and has survived the Great Recession, multiple World Wars, survived the test of time and saw Y2K while also seeing the advent of computers and the transition from when business was dominated by phone and mail, through the transition to the … [Read more...] about Seal-Tite Celebrates 125th Anniversary
Powering Sales Focus and Productivity with Proactive Communication Tools
The results of our survey and research our team at Channel Marketing Group did in concert with Prokeep on the channel are in and show some clear gaps and opportunities for the channel In the HVACR channel world, where speed often wins the deal, distributors are under increasing pressure to serve more customers, faster—without adding headcount. Traditional sales models, … [Read more...] about Powering Sales Focus and Productivity with Proactive Communication Tools
Why is B2B Distribution like making Orange Juice?
This week I have been preparing for two excellent conferences that I am speaking at in the next 2-3 weeks (Enable Catalyze and MDM SHIFT) and talking with channel leaders on calls… It’s an uncertain time in the business that has many leaders somewhat paralyzed or in a wait and see attitude on what to do for the balance of 2025. How to Make Orange Juice In this uncertain time … [Read more...] about Why is B2B Distribution like making Orange Juice?
HVACR April Earning Results – Watsco and Lennox
We take a deep dive on the latest earning results from Lenox and WATSCO in this column. HVAC manufacturer Lennox (light commercial equipment) and Watsco (distributor), and industrial manufacturer ABB, reported quarterly earning this week. Tariff discussions dominated the commentary both from the companies being proactive as well as questions from stakeholder … [Read more...] about HVACR April Earning Results – Watsco and Lennox
Johnstone Supply Orion Group – Making Training and Programs a Differentiator
We have been featuring leading HVACR distributors in a Spotlight series over the past few months, and I sat down to do an update on the Johnstone Supply Orion Group (JSOG) story. I've been a fan of what JSOG is doing as an organization with their strategic vision and the focus they have on helping their end customers grow and thrive. JSOG's goal is to continue "Our Journey … [Read more...] about Johnstone Supply Orion Group – Making Training and Programs a Differentiator
Channel Marketing Group Partners with NAW/MDM SHIFT
Channel Marketing Group is pleased to partner with NAW and MDM on the upcoming MDM Shift conference, scheduled for May 13-15, 2025. I’ve known Tom Gale and MDM since I was at IMARK. MDM has been the preeminent publication sharing best practices and ideas across industries for many years. Since 2017, when they got into the conference business, they have received rave reviews … [Read more...] about Channel Marketing Group Partners with NAW/MDM SHIFT
Mingledorffs Leadership – Caffeine and Coils Update
Last year, I started a series on Mingledorff's after following their content after meeting their team in person at one of their Atlanta locations. I started the series because I follow the Mingledorff's podcast - 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 … [Read more...] about Mingledorffs Leadership – Caffeine and Coils Update
Why HVAC Distributors Must Prioritize Digital Maturity
The HVAC distribution industry is evolving. Preliminary findings from our recent contractor survey where we asked contractors about their eCommerce usage (reserve your company by clicking here) revealed that they are online, to varying degrees, and are researching products, gathering spec sheets, and buying online (but maybe not from you!) This is driven by shifting … [Read more...] about Why HVAC Distributors Must Prioritize Digital Maturity
Where is the channel headed in 2025 and beyond? Thoughts on MDM/NAW Shift conference in May 2025
I am fortunate to once again be able to attend and present at the NAW/MDM SHIFT conference, and this year it will be interesting to see how the construction and industrial channels 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. At Shift they … [Read more...] about Where is the channel headed in 2025 and beyond? Thoughts on MDM/NAW Shift conference in May 2025
