Industrial Market Archives

Channel Strategies / Growth Strategies / Industrial Market / Industry Outlook / Marketing / More Insights / Sales Channel

Industrial Opportunities and Investments

David Gordon Posted On July 14, 2020

In talking with manufacturers, reps and distributors there is concern about the longer-term commercial construction market given a dearth of opportunities for Q4 and beyond, however, the industrial market may represent an opportunity. According to Susan Brooke Sutherland in her […]

Distributors / Industrial Market / Industry Outlook / Manufacturers / More Insights / Reps

3rd COVID-19 Electrical Distribution Market Sentiment Survey

David Gordon Posted On May 3, 2020

COVID-19 3rd Electrical Market Sentiment Survey

As we approach 60 days since the COVID-19 national emergency was declared, electrical distributors and manufacturers have had varied experiences. Some states closed construction, roiling the electrical industry in these markets. Others have not and distributors report “business as usual” […]

Contractors / Customer Segments / Growth Strategies / Industrial Market / Industry Outlook / Manufacturers / More Insights / Sales Channel

Accelerating Decline & Electrical Market Sentiment Survey #2

David Gordon Posted On April 12, 2020

COVID19 Electrical Market Sentiment Survey

What a difference a week makes! You may recall that late last month, based upon economic data through March 20th, DISC forecasted that the electrical industry would be down over 12% at the end of the year due to COVID-19. […]

Contractors / Distributors / Industrial Market / Industry Outlook / Manufacturers / More Insights

Coronavirus Sales BC vs PC

David Gordon Posted On April 1, 2020

We’re in an environment that could be called BC vs PC – Before Coronavirus and Post Coronavirus. The challenge is that PC, which could be defined as Q3 and Q4 don’t look pretty. Everyone, at least manufacturers, are asking “what […]

Customer Segments / Distributors / eCommerce / Industrial Market / Industry Consolidation / Industry Outlook / More Insights / Pricing / Productivity / Profitability

Rexel Up Globally but Down in US

David Gordon Posted On February 18, 2020

Being global can have its ups and down. As a company you become susceptible to currency issues as well as differing economic challenges. It appears that Rexel is benefiting in areas of the globe but suffering here in North America […]

Distributors / Industrial Market / Industry Outlook / More Insights

Grainger Q4 Growth Rate Slows

David Gordon Posted On February 11, 2020

Grainger usually provides a good barometer of the industrial and commercial MRO markets and the “healthy” of large companies, so let’s take a quick look at their Q4 and outlook for 2020. Grainger earnings call and slides Grainger introduced a […]

Contractors / Customer Segments / Distributors / Industrial Market / Industry Consolidation / Industry Outlook / More Insights

WESCO Reports on 2019

David Gordon Posted On February 7, 2020

February is the time for Q4 earnings and outlooks, so, with that let’s look first at WESCO. WESCO From their earnings call: Regarding Anixter, which WESCO cannot share much about, the highlighted a key reason for the acquisition when it […]

Customer Segments / Growth Strategies / Industrial Market / Industry Outlook / Marketing / More Insights / Sales Channel

Selling Services Requires a Plan & Marketing

David Gordon Posted On January 30, 2020

Much is talked about how distributors needing to sell services to differentiate themselves. They need to create / provide solutions and will need to generate revenue from these services. While some of the discussed services are unbundling, what is currently […]

Contractors / Customer Segments / Distributors / Industrial Market / Industry Outlook / More Insights / Profitability

WESCO Q3 Outperforms Many, Provides Greater Transparency

David Gordon Posted On November 1, 2019

WESCO was the final national distributor to report Q3 earnings this week. Overall they performed well and, surprisingly, the tone of this quarterly called seemed to be more “open” and a little more transparent. From their call and presentation: “Record […]

Contractors / Customer Segments / Distributors / Industrial Market / Industry Consolidation / Industry Outlook / More Insights

Graybar & Anixter Q3 – Two ends of the spectrum

David Gordon Posted On November 1, 2019

Anixter and Graybar reported their Q3 results this week and it appears that, while the market is slowing, the construction market continues to outperform the industrial business. Graybar outperforms the publicly traded national companies. Graybar Graybar is always a “short” […]