Featured Archives

How to Turn Analytics into an Organizational Muscle

The fifth and final section of this series focuses on implementation excellence — covering how to present prescriptive output for maximum adoption; align messaging across all channels; and create a culture of analytics-driven decision-making. It wraps with a conclusion that ties the whole series together.

July 8, 2025

Tariffs

New Reports Detail Tariffs’ Major Impact on SMBs in Wholesale Trade

Alongside MDM and NAW's own research into how tariffs are impacting distributors, a pair of new reports share fresh statistics on wholesale trade's outsized brunt of the economic burden from them.

July 7, 2025

MDM Blog

MDM’s 2025 Second Half Industry Events Preview

See the 50+ events on MDM's radar across July-December.

July 3, 2025

Featured Blog

Now Available: MDM’s LINC Systems Case Study Report

This deep dive traces the strategic components of LINC Systems' service-first model and growth trajectory, as well as the key inflection points that created the fasteners distributor's formula for success.

July 1, 2025

Data & Analytics

The Human Algorithm: Why Great Analytics Fail Without Great People

The fourth installment of this five-part series addresses the critical human factors in analytics success, including overcoming skepticism, identifying high-judgment individuals, addressing self-imposed data access constraints and avoiding common pitfalls.

July 1, 2025

Mergers & Acquisitions

June M&A Roundup: Deal Volume Increases Across Multiple Sectors

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June 30, 2025

Building Materials/Construction

The Home Depot Enters into Agreement to Acquire GMS

GMS has agreed to be acquired by The Home Depot’s subsidiary SRS Distribution for $110 per share, topping a rival bid and valuing the deal at $5.5 billion.

June 30, 2025

Industrial PVF

DNOW to Buy MRC Global in PVF Blockbuster

Valued at $1.5 billion, the deal is set to result in a PVF and industrial supplies distributor with a combined revenue of around $5.4 billion and more than 350 locations worldwide.

June 27, 2025

Strategy

Inside LINC Systems’ Culture & Change Management Recipe

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June 25, 2025

Data & Analytics

The Analytics Prescriptive Engine: From Static Reports to Strategic Recommendations

The third of this five-part series details the technical architecture of a prescriptive analytics system, including parameterized rules engines, repeatable processes, cross-referencing capabilities and the role of AI as an accelerator.

June 23, 2025

Building Materials/Construction

Home Depot Makes Move for GMS After QXO’s $5B Offer

Home Depot and QXO are both pursuing a potential acquisition of GMS, following QXO’s $5 billion bid, according to the Wall Street Journal.

June 20, 2025

Strategy

Futures Thinking: Why a Strategy Wind Tunnel is Vital

In the fourth of a four-part series previewing new MDM research to be unveiled in a June 25 webcast, we explore how to apply scenario planning to stress-test your distribution strategy and build resilience for the future.

June 19, 2025

Building Materials/Construction

QXO Makes $5B Offer to Buy GMS

Just 50 days after closing on its $11 billion purchase of Beacon, QXO is back in pursuit mode.

June 18, 2025

Strategy

LINC Systems’ Transformation Levers: Sales, Digital & Data Analytics

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June 18, 2025

Strategy

Beyond Products: The Rise of Value-Added Services

Many distributors have untapped opportunities to market and sell services that larger companies like Amazon and even OEM sellers largely do not provide. This second piece in a two-part series from Redwood Advisors examines why value-add services are critical to your organization and which ones might be the right fit for your team.

June 17, 2025

Data & Analytics

The Analytics Attribution Breakthrough: Building on Bedrock

The second of this five-part series uses a case study to explain the foundational concepts of data attribution, ontology and lineage that make scalable analytics possible for distributors.

June 16, 2025

Economic Trends

MDM Forecast: June 2025 Update

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June 13, 2025

Strategy

Four Futures Every Distributor Should Be Prepared For

In the third of this four-part series previewing new MDM research to be unveiled in a June 25 webcast, we explore how distributors navigate disruption and plan for an uncertain future by previewing four distinct scenarios for wholesale distribution in 2035, developed through a structured foresight methodology.

June 12, 2025

Strategy

Inside LINC Systems’ Growth Platform Strategy

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June 11, 2025

Data & Analytics

Distribution’s Analytics Imperative: Becoming the Disruptor in a Disruptive Market

This piece kicks off a five-part series providing guidance on turning uncertainty into decisive action, with data analytics as the underlying compass. This section introduces the concept of modeling "doing nothing vs. doing something" and helps assess whether the investment in purpose-built analytics is justified by their scale and complexity.