Top 10 most-read articles from 2025
A look back on Supply House Times' most popular features from 2025.
Happy New Year! January is a great time to forecast and plan for the future. Supply House Times also likes to look back at the previous year and see what articles readers enjoyed and engaged with the most. The following list includes the top 10 most-read articles from 2025 based on website traffic at Supplyht.com. If you missed any of these throughout the year, take a few minutes to read what all of the bustle was about.
10. Labor remains highest operating cost in modern warehouses
According to a report from BOSTONtec, labor is the highest operating cost in a warehouse, taking up 50 to 70% of a company’s warehousing budget. Because of this, the report noted that it’s essential to find the right technology to maintain high productivity levels and keep labor management cost-effective. The report found that companies that deploy modern warehouse management systems (WMS) that provide real-time information on inventories are 25 percent more productive. Warehouses have also reported a 10-20% improvement in space optimization and a 15-30% decrease in safety stock after transitioning to an automated system from a paper-based one.
9. Campus shutdown at Oakland University exposes hidden risks of aging hot-water infrastructure
Oakland University was forced into an unprecedented, near-total campus shutdown after a failure in its high-temperature hot-water (HTHW) system triggered emergency underground repairs, disrupting classes, housing and campus operations for more than a week. According to university officials, the underground heating loop which supplies heat and domestic hot water to large portions of campus, developed a significant leak that was initially losing roughly 6,000 gallons of water per day.
8. The final mile: 2024 ASA-Supply House Times distributor roundtable
American Supply Association (ASA) members — 850 in total — gathered in Chicago from November 13th to 15th for the PHCP-PVF supply chain’s largest annual event, ASA NETWORK2024. The program was stacked with valuable speakers, panel discussions, roundtables and networking opportunities. For the 15th year in a row, Supply House Times hosted its exclusive distributor roundtable to gather a “state of distribution” as one year closes and supply houses prepare for the next. This year’s conversation was heavy on AI, data and technology integration, along with the implications of a never-ending stream of mergers and acquisitions.
7. Making waves: 2025 Manufacturers Rep of the Year, Mega Western Sales
Celebrating 55 years in 2025, Mega Western Sales is a leading full-service manufacturer’s representative for plumbing, HVAC and building materials with four locations covering California, Nevada, Hawaii and Arizona. The company’s 137 employees became owners in 2020 when leadership made the decision to transition to an ESOP – a call that insiders and outside partners alike agree makes the business stand out.
6. 2025 Plumbing Industry Outlook
Extreme weather events like Hurricanes Helene and Milton heightened the need for repairs, retrofits and disaster-proof installations. These events also highlighted gaps in preparedness, prompting contractors to expand emergency response capabilities as well as revisited the issue of resilient, adaptable infrastructure across the country. Labor shortages persisted, challenging contractors to find skilled workers. Many firms invested in upskilling current staff, apprenticeships, and initiatives like reverse mentoring to bridge generational knowledge gaps.
5. 2025 predictions: Twelve trends supply houses should know
Growth in 2024: The overall M&A deal flow in the U.S. and globally is expected to continue at a stable and steady pace throughout 2024. There's an anticipation of moderate growth in global deal volume, especially with early-stage deal activity showing positive trends.
4. Inside the Winsupply family of showrooms
In the PHCP-PVF distribution world, Winsupply is known for dominating numerous markets, making many acquisitions, and topping the annual Premier 150 Distributors list each year. The business also has an arm that doesn’t top news headlines quite as often – its family of decorative plumbing showrooms. The Winsupply family of companies has more than 170 showrooms across the U.S. with representation in nearly all 50 states. Although the company is often looped in with other PHCP-PVF distribution national, corporate business, according to Melissa Rasico, national showroom manager and almost 25-year Winsupply employee, the company culture and operations couldn’t be farther from a corporate model.
3. Meet the 2025 Supply House of the Year: Thos. Somerville Co.
n an industry where scale and speed can overshadow character, Thos. Somerville Co. stands out not just by what it delivers — but how it delivers it. What began in 1861 as a modest brass foundry has grown into a Mid-Atlantic plumbing, heating, and HVAC supply powerhouse. But Somerville’s real strength lies in a culture grounded in craftsmanship, relational trust, and service — principles forged in the foundry that are still alive today. When Thomas Somerville first opened shop in Washington, D.C., in 1861, the business was defined by meticulous workmanship, reliability and innovation. More than 160 years later, those founding virtues remain embedded in the business DNA.
2. 2025 Next Gen ALL-STARS: Top 20 Under 40 PHCP-PVF Professionals
The future of the PHCP-PVF industry is being shaped by a new generation of leaders whose talent, commitment, and vision are already making a significant impact. Each year, Supply House Times' "Next Gen All Stars: Top 20 Under 40" list recognizes those rising professionals across the PHCP-PVF supply chain who are driving progress, strengthening relationships and advancing the companies that shape our industry.
1. 2025 Premier 150 Distributors
Sales numbers continue to level off as the market adjusts to its new normal following several highly inflated years. PHCP-PVF wholesaler-distributor comments were a bit all over the map when it comes to their satisfaction with 2024 fiscal year-end sales, but the consensus is that 2025 will remain unpredictable due to tariffs.
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