The Wholesaler

Erb Co. has served its customers’ needs and exceeded their expectations by placing an emphasis on the values entrenched in the company’s roots. Celebrating its 120th anniversary, the company has evolved into a leading wholesaler in the Western New York area. Pictured above are its leaders standing in front of blueprints of the original building: Gary Bosley, vp of purchasing; Allen Erb, owner and CEO; Tim Wallmeyer, vp of sales and Peter Murray, CFO.

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Erb Co. Celebrates 120 Years of Service

Family and employee loyalty has led to customer satisfaction for more than a century for this plumbing, PVF, and HVAC wholesale supplier.

February 3, 2020

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For more than a century Erb Co. has served its community of customers by bringing its best foot forward, every day. This year, the wholesaler of plumbing, heating, PVF, and air conditioning equipment and supplies celebrates 120 years in business while maintaining the very values its founders opened the doors with in 1900.

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The Power of Partnerships

Buying Groups help members succeed through partnerships and providing tools for growth.

February 3, 2020

Ruth Mitchell

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Being part of a larger collective provides strength in numbers, as well as partnerships for growth and success.

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PVF Around the US

PVF owners give a snapshot of the primary issues they will deal with this year: business forecasting, skilled labor crisis, infrastructure spending and tariffs.

February 3, 2020

Ruth Mitchell

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The Wholesaler reached out to wholesale distributors from coast to coast to tell us what was happening in their areas and what to expect down the road. Here is what each had to report.

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2020 to See U.S. PVF Spending Increase

The overall U.S. plant spending forecast is $336.4 billion, a 1.6 percent increase from spending in 2019.

February 3, 2020

Brian Ford

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Bolstered by continued growth in the economy, overall U.S. pipe, valves and fittings (PVF) spending across 12 industries is expected to increase to $13.6 billion in 2020, up by nearly $400 million from 2019, notes Industrial Info Resource’s PVF Market Assessment.

Beschloss Perspective

Are There Winners/Losers in a Trade War?

The United States and China are both feeling the pinch of trade tariffs.

February 3, 2020

Morris Beschloss

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From decades past, going back to the 1980s, the United States has seen its manufacturing sector deteriorate by 48,000 factories.

PVF Market Overview

Signs Point to 2021 Construction Downturn

Positive signs for 2020 include the economy and interest rates.

February 3, 2020

Stephen Letko

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A market downturn in the construction industry is coming; however, it’s not likely until after 2020. Construction industry members and observers know a decline is inevitable with market growth continuing too long to last.

Business Management

Taking the Pulse of Your Customers

Make an effort to understand your customers’ needs and build operational best practices to fulfill those needs.

February 3, 2020

Rich & Jen Schmitt

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Being busy in a successful operation is quite different from being busy due to days of screw-ups and fire drills. There still seem to be some wholesalers who are surprised and feel the need to celebrate when they can ship a standard stock order — complete, without errors and delivered as promised.

Showroom Excellence

Evolution and Extinction

I believe that the engagement of plumbers can only help your showroom business — if it is done correctly.

February 3, 2020

Jeff MacDowell

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None of us is an island. We — and our organizations — have a much better chance of reaching our performance potential when we surround ourselves with carefully selected people and partners.

Plumbing & Showrooms

The Best of BDNY

A look at today’s boutique hotel designs offer a glimpse into future residential trends.

February 3, 2020

Linda Jennings

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The Jennings & Co. team was excited to be on-site for the 9th annual BDNY fair, a two-day marathon of tours and networking offering a source of endless inspiration.

Inventory Management

Are We Excuse Makers or Problem Solvers?

If we want our people to perform at a high level, we must show others how to remove obstacles.

February 3, 2020

Jason Bader

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If we want our people to perform at a high level, we must show others how to remove obstacles. We must give our people the latitude to make operational decisions. We must make the goal, not the path, the most important principle in our success.

Elkay ADA Dual-Depth Stainless Steel Farmhouse Sink

December 13, 2019

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A raised work shelf at the front of the sink acts as a convenient storage solution for kitchen tools and allows for tasks to be completed while seated.