Featured Blog Archives

MDM’s 1Q26 MarketPulse Report is Here, Showing Market-Specific Revenue Performance, Pricing & Expectations

MDM’s 1Q26 MarketPulse Report consists of the quarterly results, analysis and commentary from the latest Baird-MDM Industrial Distribution Survey — conducted early April — that explored revenue performance, pricing and business expectations for the current quarter and rest-of-year. It includes a wealth of market-specific data and commentary from survey respondents.

April 24, 2026

Building Materials/Construction

From Order-Takers to Demand Generators: Building Materials’ Next Shift

Distribution always had rich data on new construction — but almost nothing on the market that's already standing. The replacement and renovation market has been a data desert for decades. That's starting to change with AI.

April 22, 2026

Data & Analytics

Distribution Market Analytics 101: What Building the Foundation Looks Like

Most distributors track internal performance — but lack a clear view of market opportunity. As the first in a three-part series, this article outlines how market analytics reframes growth by defining markets, estimating share and identifying where opportunity is underdeveloped.

April 21, 2026

Operations

ETIM, Supplier Sanity and the Distribution Data Tax

AI, standards like ETIM and evolving PIM workflows are rapidly lowering the long-standing “product data tax” in distribution. Here’s how manufacturers and distributors are accelerating item onboarding, improving data quality and reshaping the economics of getting products to market.

April 20, 2026

Building Materials/Construction

QXO Set to Land TopBuild in $17B Deal to Reshape Building Materials Distribution

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.

April 19, 2026

Association/Buying Group News

MDM Wins 2 Business Journalism Awards for Case Study, Market Analysis

MDM won two Bronze Azbee Awards for its in-depth case study on LINC Systems and a market analysis on the PPE segment.

April 17, 2026

Featured Blog

Digital, Data and CX: How Stellar Industrial Turns Technology into Competitive Advantage

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April 15, 2026

Economic Trends

MDM Forecast: April Update

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April 14, 2026

Market Analysis

Fastenal Points to Market Improvement as its Outperformance Continues

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April 13, 2026

Branding for Distributors

MDM Podcast: Why Every Distributor Has a Story Worth Telling

Most distributors let their reputation do the talking. But what happens when buyers are searching online before they ever pick up the phone? The latest MDM Podcast, featuring SHIFT speaker and IPS Packaging Marketing Manager Kevin Keigley, explores how brand storytelling is becoming a competitive edge.

April 10, 2026

Economic Trends

Durables Power Healthy February U.S. Wholesale Sales Growth

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.

April 9, 2026

MDM Blog

MDM’s March Premium Monthly Issue Now Available

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.

April 8, 2026

Legal & Regulatory Issues

CBP Updates Tariff Refund Process as White House Expands Metals, Pharma Tariffs

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.

April 7, 2026

Technology

AI’s Customer Service Impacts, and How to Choose the Right Tech Partner

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.

April 3, 2026

Pricing

Winning the Race: Why Manual Cost Updates are Costing Distributors Millions

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April 2, 2026

MDM Blog

MDM’s Ludwig Meister Case Study Report Now Available

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.

April 2, 2026

Mergers & Acquisitions

March M&A Roundup: Major Deals Aplenty

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April 1, 2026

The Data Problem Killing Your AI Investment

Most distributors aren’t failing at AI — they’re failing at data. This piece unpacks why 95% of GenAI efforts deliver no ROI, how agentic AI is changing workflows, and why a unified data foundation is becoming the real competitive edge.