Natalie Forster: From the Editor

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As I am writing this column, thousands of people from the Florida coast up to the Carolinas are still stranded without power, drinking water or a safe way to access basic resources due to the catastrophic flooding brought on by Hurricane Helene. Many of these mountain towns destroyed by Helene are areas that already lacked resources and access. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a buzzword across industries. The global AI in Warehouse Management Market is projected to reach approximately USD 70 billion by 2033, up from USD 2.6 billion in 2023. Many companies are using AI for tasks like answering calls, generating marketing material, and managing inventory. AI will impact business operations, hiring, budgeting, and consumer behavior.

BNP Media’s Plumbing & Mechanical Media Group has received an APEX 2024 award for publication excellence for its 2023 Water Conservation, Quality & Safety eBook.

Research indicates that in the last two decades, the average human attention span has decreased from 12 seconds to 8.25 seconds, with Gen Z's being less than 8 seconds.

The global warehouse robotics market is expected to reach a value of $12.99 billion by 2030. Warehouse robotic systems automate tasks like picking, sorting, transporting, and packing, offering faster and more accurate operations.

I've been away on maternity leave for two months, and I'd like to thank Nicole Krawcke and Dan Ashenden for stepping in as guest columnists. I'm grateful for the support and gifts I received from industry friends. I'm now back and ready to tackle the challenges of being a working mother!

I'm Nicole Krawcke, Chief Editor of Plumbing & Mechanical and PM Engineer. I often help edit Supply House Times with Natalie Forster. I've been writing on plumbing and HVAC contractors for nearly a decade. This month, I stress the importance of the supplier-contractor relationship.

Throughout 2024, the construction industry is anticipating slowdowns in several sectors, and distributors are preparing for a good year, but not one that mirrors the record numbers of 2022 and 2023.

I’m extremely excited for you to check out our two new regular columnists — Dave Yates and Alicia Branham. 

One great conversation I got to have while at NETWORK during the "in between" moments was with NIBCO’s newly-promoted President and COO Ashley Martin and Dawn Bloch who is now the company’s chief people officer.