ASA recently conducted a survey of its members to gauge the current condition of recruitment in the PHCP/PVF industry. Talent attraction has been a consistent area of concern in the industry for several years which precipitated the launch of Project Talent, an ASA initiative to increase awareness of the industry among job seekers and provide recruitment tools and resources for ASA members.

A market study conducted in 2025 showed that a third of the industry’s workforce is over the age of 55 and 10 percent is 65 or older. It also showed there has been an increase in women joining the industry, and a slight uptick in younger workers being hired, but not enough to fill the gap created by ongoing retirements.

In this recent survey, results show a continued concern with the aging workforce and additional areas of concern, while providing more insight into the specific roles ASA members are trying to fill.
 
Who Completed the Survey?

80 percent of the survey responses came from distributors with manufacturers and rep firms equally representing the remaining 20 percent, with a generally equal mix of small, medium, and large firms. Additionally, responses came from a good mix of companies who sell PVF and PHCP supplies, or both. Finally, responding firms included those serving customers locally, regionally, and nationally.
  

Current Hiring Needs

According to the responses, inside sales, outside sales, and warehouse/operations roles make up most of the current open positions, followed by counter sales and drivers.
  

Image courtesy of ASA. 

Based on survey response, more than half said their hiring needs are somewhat urgent, with around 20 percent stating their needs are very urgent.
 
Hiring Challenges Faced by ASA Members

When asked about the biggest hiring challenges ASA members encounter, the number of qualified candidates was listed by nearly 70 percent of respondents. This was followed by an aging workforce, wage pressure and a lack of industry awareness.
  

Image courtesy of ASA. 

Product knowledge led the responses to the skill gaps seen in most applicants. ASA members also mention the lack of soft skills, sales skills and technical skills as challenges in finding qualified candidates.

Current Recruitment Status

Two-thirds of ASA members believe their current recruitment efforts are somewhat effective and believe their best candidates come from a mix of various tactics with employee referrals, internal promotions, Indeed, LinkedIn, and four-year and community colleges leading the responses.
  

Image courtesy of ASA. 

Ongoing Concerns

While some ASA members feel like there has been slight improvement in their ability to attract talent, more than half said the hiring environment has not changed or has become slightly to noticeably more difficult.

On the topic of retirements and succession planning, less than 20 percent had no concerns. Conversely, more than 80 percent have worries ranging from slightly to very concerned.

When asked which workforce trends will impact their business, ASA members responded that retirements continue to be the top trend they believe will impact their business. This was followed by increased wage pressure and difficulty in attracting younger workers.
  

Image courtesy of ASA. 

Additional Thoughts From Members and Available ASA Resources

The survey allowed for additional comments from respondents. Several addressed the need for member support such as “provide resources for small companies that don’t have dedicated HR or recruiters,” or “hold recruitment seminars that would benefit the recruiting staff.”

Others included “sharing best practices,” and holding “webinar sessions for HR point people informing them of all the tools and resources.”

The good news is, via ASA’s Project Talent many of these resources are available for members in the Recruiter Toolbox, available on ASA.net. Prewritten job description templates, more than 10 recorded webinars on key recruitment topics, employer brand best practices, an internship program guide, and more are available within the Toolbox.

To learn more about ASA’s Project Talent, please visit the program’s page on ASA.net and the Recruiter Toolbox. Also be sure to check out supplyindustrycareers.com, a website targeted to job seekers, and follow the program’s Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram accounts.