SHIFT 2026 delivered three days of candid conversations, practical insights and powerful leadership moments. Here, Mike Hockett shares what stood out most upon departing Denver.
Posts By Mike Hockett
Newly-formed ICS supplies speed drives, belt and chain drives, motors, shaft couplings, u-joints and specialty chemicals in Western Michigan.
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Japan-based NSK and NTN announced plans to pursue a business integration through a joint holding company, a move that would create one of the world’s largest bearing and power transmission suppliers with combined annual revenue approaching $12 billion.
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Map My Customers’ JT Rimbey joins the MDM Amplify podcast to discuss the evolving role of field sales in distribution — exploring territory management, account segmentation, CRM adoption and why relationship-driven outside sales remains a critical competitive advantage despite growing digital buying trends and advances in AI-powered sales technology.
Frontloading on petroleum products ahead of price shocks tied to the Iran war skewed the industry's overall figures, but here, view product vertical-specific figures for monthly and year-over-year sales, inventories and inventory/sales ratios pulled from the Census Bureau's latest wholesale trade report.
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It was the company's 10th straight month of double-digit daily sales grwoth year-over-year and its best month since August 2022 in the height of post-COVID market recovery. We give a full breakdown of Fastenal's April sales metrics here and the context around them.
AI is reshaping B2B commerce faster than most distributors are prepared for. In this sponsored episode of the MDM Amplify Podcast, Tom McFadyen of McFadyen Digital breaks down AEO and AI-driven search, how to prioritize high-impact use cases and why agentic commerce could redefine how distributors compete in the years ahead.
The move positions the company as a full-service supply chain provider — raising the bar for delivery speed, integration and competition across distribution. Get the details here and our analysis of what it means for distributors.
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The company saw record 1Q sales and backlog while margins and EBITDA improved, leading to a raised full-year outlook.
Pricing has taken center stage in distribution. Zilliant’s Jim Vaughn joins the MDM Amplify Podcast to discuss how AI, volatility and smarter segmentation are reshaping pricing strategy — and why understanding customer value is more critical than ever.
The deal is set to expand Nexans' U.S. footprint and low-voltage cable capabilities while leveraging Republic’s distributor network to build a broader North American growth platform.
The company’s January-March results indicated demand momentum. Meanwhile, Applied raised its annual outlook.
The deal nets Watsco 25 Sunbelt locations and $230 million in added revenue.
Two new lawsuits filed in April expand antitrust claims against major HVAC OEMs, alleging a multi-year price-fixing scheme that overcharged contractors and distributors — building on a similar class action first filed in March.
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