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Posts By Mike Hockett
Ludwig Meister Co-CEO Max Meister joins the Podcast to explain why innovation fails without execution — and why AI won’t fix bad data. We also preview his SHIFT main stage session on benchmarking digital, data, sales and culture maturity.
It’s the second-largest purchase price we’ve ever seen in the market behind Home Depot’s $18 billion SRS deal and caps a remarkable 12-month span of aggressive growth for QXO.
Analysts from Jefferies cited increased branch foot traffic at a handful of major industrial distributors that correlates with demand optimism voiced in 1Q26 earnings calls.
It follows a pilot of SIMPL’s technology at a Georgia HD distribution center.
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This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
Pricing continued to play a major — albeit decelerated role — in quarterly sales gains, while the company noted share gains and broad-based demand as driving factors.
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It was the third straight flat month as a plunge in commercial aircraft orders was negated by healthy gains in computers and electronics, machinery, primary metals and fabricated metal products.
It was a strong monthly acceleration as a handful of durable goods categories saw mid-single digit sales improvement. Meanwhile, the industry's overall sales growth outpaced inventories. Get a full breakdown of the latest government data here, which includes a look at how each product sector's sales and inventories fared month-over-month, year-over-year and year-to-date.
BBB is set to buy Lumber Liquidators parent F9 brands for $150 million, following news of a separate $150 million deal a week earlier for The Container Store and related brands. Get the key details here and context on what to watch from these developments.
Our March issue is packed with articles that complete our deep dives on distributors Singer Industrial and Ludwig Meister; advice from our 2026 Women in Distribution class; an inside analysis of Grainger Show; our monthly MDM Forecast and M&A Roundup; a Cutting Tools Market Profile; and more.
Importers may eventually reclaim even liquidated IEEPA tariff payments as CBP rolls out a phased refund system covering most entries first. The update comes as the Trump administration launches new and revised duties, raising both recovery opportunities and cost risks for distributors. Get the key details here.
In this sponsored MDM Amplify podcast episode, Canals Co-Founder and CTO Erez Arnon joins to unpack what MDM’s latest AI research reveals about customer service as one of distribution’s highest-impact use cases. Just as importantly, Arnon shares practical guidance on how to vet AI vendors in a crowded, hype-filled market, including key red flags and must-have proof points.
Ludwig Meister shows how disciplined sequencing — not flashy tech — drives real innovation. Authored by former longtime MDM CEO and Editor Tom Gale, this case study details how the German distributor built a data-driven, AI-enabled operation by prioritizing internal processes, clean data and execution before transforming sales and customer experience.
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Gross margin topped expectations with an uptick, while pricing continues to comprise nearly all of year-over-year sales growth.
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Marking one of the largest transactions in the history of wholesale distribution, it's set to push Sysco’s annual revenue to near $100 billion and diversify its offering with a strong push into the cash-and-carry segment. Get the details and context here.
