Plumbing

PHCP-PVF Price Increases: June 2026

bellolih@bnpmedia.com (Hannah Belloli-Oster) — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Manufacturers announced another round of PHCP-PVF price increases in June, with adjustments affecting insulation, valves, fittings, pumps, water heating products, and specialty plumbing components. See which suppliers raised prices and when the changes take effect.

Your Best Sales Rep Just Retired. Now What?

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:32:44 -0400

The PHCP-PVF supply chain is facing a generational shift in its sales workforce. Retirements are outpacing new hires, and the institutional knowledge that veteran sellers carry is not the kind that fits neatly into an onboarding document.

Registration Open for AIM/R 54th Annual Conference

Mon, 25 May 2026 10:18:11 -0400

The AIM/R 54th Annual Conference takes place at The Meritage Resort & Spa. The theme is The Perfect Blend. Just like a fine wine, success for the manufacturers’ rep is about the perfect blend — of experience and innovation, relationships and technology, tradition, and transformation.

Commercial Market Outlook: Retrofit Projects Lead the Way

baylesk@bnpmedia.com (Kristen R Bayles) — Mon, 25 May 2026 09:55:49 -0400

As commercial building owners continue to navigate economic uncertainty, labor shortages and changing customer demands, retrofit and renovation work is becoming a key opportunity across the plumbing market. In this article, learn where the commercial market is headed and how manufacturers, wholesalers, and contractors can adapt.

PPI Backs USMCA Renewal Ahead of 2026 Joint Review Deadline

Fri, 22 May 2026 14:59:00 -0400

Public comments submitted to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) by PPI emphasized that USMCA continues to deliver meaningful benefits for all American manufacturers and workers by supporting stable supply chains, providing investment certainty for companies operating across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and long term industrial growth.

Your Sales Team Isn’t Posting and It’s Costing You Millions

Fri, 22 May 2026 12:19:06 -0400

This isn't something to brush off or circle back to when things “slow down.” It’s not a marketing problem sitting neatly in someone else’s department.

Moving Forward Together: Voices from ELEVATE 2026

Tue, 19 May 2026 16:05:34 -0400

Several attendees highlighted specific takeaways that stayed with them long after the event ended. Elainea Wiley of The Distribution Point reflected on one speaker’s reminder that it is not your manager’s job to manage your career.

PHCP-PVF Price Increases May 2026

bellolih@bnpmedia.com (Hannah Belloli-Oster) — Fri, 15 May 2026 14:43:35 -0400

Plumbing and PVF manufacturers announced another round of price adjustments in May, with most increases falling in the low- to mid-single-digit range, while select product categories, including press fittings, grooved products, valves, PVC fittings, and specialty piping systems, saw larger increases.

Heat Pump Water Heater Brings Efficiency and Cost Savings to California Apartment Complex

Wed, 13 May 2026 14:30:29 -0400

Unlike traditional high efficiency models, the Voltex 120V HPWH is designed to plug into a standard electrical outlet–eliminating the need for adaptors or restructuring.

Built to Scale, Designed to Stay Local: Lessons From Winsupply at 70

forstern@bnpmedia.com (Natalie Forster) — Mon, 11 May 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Seventy years in, Winsupply occupies a unique position in the PHCP-PVF distribution landscape. It is, by every measurable standard, a national player. Yet, it operates in a way that looks fundamentally different from the centralized models that have come to define much of the industry’s consolidation era.

Premier 150: The Top PHCP-PVF Distributors of 2026

forstern@bnpmedia.com (Natalie Forster) — Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Combined revenue across this year’s Premier 150 once again underscores the immense scale of the channel, with distributors collectively generating hundreds of billions in annual sales.

Why Good Businesses Sell for Less Than They Should

Wed, 06 May 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Understanding how buyers view a business can help explain why valuations sometimes fall short of expectations.

Why Day-To-Day Firefighting Douses Distributors’ Profit

Mon, 04 May 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Ask a distributor to describe their day-to-day, and there’s an excellent chance that they’ll use the term “fighting fires.” It makes sense that this term has become so popular – the work sounds urgent and important, even heroic.

Are people your greatest strength?

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

With a company’s website and social media accounts being the first places candidates often look to learn about opportunities, it’s surprising how many in our industry offer little or no information about what it’s like to be an employee at the company.

How distributors are winning with business intelligence

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Strong business intelligence (BI) data has become a competitive necessity for distributors operating in increasingly complex and fast-moving markets.

ASA Advocacy update: Farm bill progress, workforce legislation, tariffs, and 2026 election developments

srossi@asa.net (Steve Rossi) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

The House Agriculture Committee reported the long-awaited Farm Bill, which incorporates provisions of the Healthy H2O Act — legislation ASA has championed that enables rural residents, particularly those relying on wells, to test their water and apply for grants to fund corrective measures, including third-party-certified end-point filtration devices.

AI Is Moving Faster Than Your Security Policies

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

AI is evolving faster than the policies, security systems, and safeguards designed to manage it. The smartest companies won’t ignore AI, they also won’t hand over the keys to their business until the technology proves it can be trusted with them.

When Rebates Help, and When They Hurt: The Hidden Tradeoffs for Distributors

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

The mechanics of rebates are not simple: Each manufacturer has its own playbook. Rules, tiers, exclusions, and volume triggers differ. On top of that, distributors add their own complexity.

The hidden gaps in your sales cycle

brian.gardner@salesprocess360.com (Brian Gardner) — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400

Someone must own sales excellence. Someone must act as CEO for CRM. That person should be a respected sales leader with the autonomy to make critical decisions for the company. Their role goes beyond platform selection and configuration. They are responsible for driving adoption, setting standards, training, coaching and continuous improvement.

Design partnerships in kitchen and bath: Kohler, Shea McGee and Martha Stewart

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

Homeowners are walking into showrooms with inspiration boards, saved posts, and a clear point of view, and they look to plumbing pros and product experts to help translate that vision into products that perform. That’s where partnerships with trusted design voices can make a difference — they create a relatable style story, simplify decision-making, and give the trade a conﬁdent place to start the conversation.

The State of AI in Distribution

forstern@bnpmedia.com (Natalie Forster) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

According to recent research from McKinsey & Company, AI adoption has surged over the past two years, with a growing share of organizations reporting measurable impact on revenue, cost reduction and customer engagement.

Preparing for the Silver Tsunami: A high‑level exit strategy guide for business owners

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Roughly 12 million U.S. businesses are owned by Baby Boomers, and with about 10,000 Americans reaching retirement age every day, the pace of ownership transitions is accelerating quickly.

F.W. Webb opens new Somerdale, New Jersey self-service wholesale store

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Located at 900 Kennedy Boulevard, the 44,000-square-foot facility will serve plumbing, heating, HVAC/R, and other professionals seeking a convenient source for systems, tools, equipment, parts, and accessories.

Famous Supply honors Jay Blaushild’s passion for training with the opening of its 25,000-square-foot J-TEC facility

forstern@bnpmedia.com (Natalie Forster) — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Long before the ribbon was cut on a 25,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art training facility in Maple Heights, Ohio, the foundation for the Jay Blaushild Training & Education Center (J-TEC) was already firmly in place.

PHCP-PVF price increases April 2026

forstern@bnpmedia.com (Natalie Forster) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The latest round of adjustments, effective from mid-March through mid-April, reflects that same trend, with manufacturers implementing measured increases across venting systems, brass and PVF components, thermoplastics, HVAC parts, controls and copper fittings.

Fabricated steel imports expose gaps in tariff policy

forstern@bnpmedia.com (Natalie Forster) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In the United States, the current steel tariff structure is rooted in Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which imposes duties of up to 25% on imported steel, with some increases reaching 50% in recent policy adjustments. These tariffs were designed to safeguard domestic manufacturing and national security interests, but they primarily target raw steel and certain derivative categories, leaving gaps that global suppliers have learned to navigate.

F.W. Webb launches mobile app to help trade professionals order faster

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

During beta testing, F.W. Webb customers praised the app’s ease of use and time-saving features. They highlighted the ability to switch locations and view product availability by store as standout features. Customers also appreciated the option to register for training events at their nearest F.W. Webb store right in the app.

AD names 2026 LLC Board of Directors following owner/member vote

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Following the most recent vote, Bill Condron, CEO of The Granite Group Wholesalers, LLC, was elected to the Board for the first time. Karla Neupert Hockley, Chair & CEO of Consolidated Supply Co., and George Vorwick, President and CEO of United Electric Supply Company, Inc., were re-elected to additional terms.

AI adoption in distribution starts with action, not perfect data

forstern@bnpmedia.com (Natalie Forster) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Artificial intelligence has quickly moved from buzzword to boardroom priority across PHCP-PVF distribution, but for many companies, adoption still feels stalled before it even begins. According to Brooks Hamilton, principal at AI Strategy Advisors, that hesitation often comes down to a long-standing misconception: that AI requires perfectly clean data before companies can get started.

February 2026 MDM cohort kicks off at full capacity; May classes now open

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The February 2026 ASA Master of Distribution Management cohort is officially underway, with a class of 13 students kicking off, ready to embark on their leadership growth pathway.