Established in 1976, Porter Pipe, a family-owned and operated wholesale distributor based in Addison, IL, serves commercial and industrial mechanical, plumbing and manufacturing markets throughout the Chicagoland, Northwest Indiana and Indianapolis, Rockford, Southern Wisconsin and Eastern Iowa markets.

A.O. Smith trained 80,000 contractors last year with most watching online, on-demand digital content.

Demographers describe the baby boomer generation as ‘’a pig in a python,” or a massive bulge in an otherwise slender age distribution, gradually sliding down the age distribution as boomers get older. 

Spoiler alert: In this column, I will be sharing my perceptions of the content and what I see as the greatest lessons for distribution leaders.

Smart design never goes out of style. In our industry, “smart” design encompasses good looks and durability as well as innovative products that offer solutions and keep customers engaged and interested. Accessibility is a key component in any design as changing demographics promote a growing interest in products that meet universal design standards. 

Two key ingredients separate market leaders from their increasingly commoditized counterparts. You may succeed but will never reach your full potential if you’re missing either of these. And if you’re able to meld the two together, you can multiply your success infinitely.

During the 2007-2012 financial crisis, the Federal Reserve bought U.S. Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities to uplift the economy. With the economy growing steadily and the Federal Reserve riding an all-time high reserve, one might think the opposite would be the case.

Tight labor markets for skilled tradesmen remain a current and long-term constraint on construction projects in all sectors of the PVF industry. 

As we come to the middle of the busy season for many wholesalers, our take is that 2019 is shaping up to be a pretty good year across the country.