Plumbing - Articles - Page 6 | Supply House Times

10 influential PHCP-PVF Women of 2026

Meet Stephanie Vega, Director of Sustainable Solutions, Strategic Sales at Ferguson

March 8, 2026

Stephanie Vega is one of Supply House Times’ 10 influential women who are leading the PHCP-PVF industry to great success in 2026.

How Viega is reshaping the executive table in PHCP manufacturing

A different kind of bench strength.

Natalie Forster

March 5, 2026

That broader context makes what’s happening at Viega noteworthy, not because the company set out to “make a statement,” but because its executive leadership bench reflects something manufacturing often says it values but doesn’t always operationalize: building leadership based on capability, development and long-term performance, and ensuring strong talent isn’t overlooked.

Managing commissions – as the distribution landscape evolves, what are reps doing to track?

As distribution networks grow more complex, commission management requires clearer data, stronger communication and tighter alignment.

Matt Guidish

March 4, 2026

For commission-side reps, what once seemed like a simple process – reps sell product to distributor, manufacturer ships product to distributor, rep gets commission on invoiced product via sales reporting – has, these days, become quite the labyrinth of accounting processes and procedures. The main confusion driver in this labyrinth is often DC-to-branch, branch-to-branch, or DC-to-contractor transfers that flow across state lines or rep territory boundaries.

Construction employment jumps by 33,000 jobs in January 2026

January employment data highlight specialty trade hiring even as construction material prices trend upward.

Natalie Forster

March 2, 2026

The latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the construction sector added 33,000 jobs in January, bringing total construction employment to more than 8.3 million workers nationwide. The gain represents one of the largest monthly increases since mid-2023 and was driven largely by hiring among nonresidential specialty trade contractors.

PHCP-PVF price increases: February-March 2026

Valves, water heaters, pumps, fixtures and HVAC equipment see adjustments ranging from low single digits to 10%.

Natalie Forster

February 27, 2026

The upward pricing trend that carried into the new year is continuing through February and into March, with a steady stream of plumbing, hydronic, HVAC and PVF manufacturers announcing increases. While many adjustments are landing in the low- to mid-single-digit range, several manufacturers are implementing category-specific or “various” increases, with select product lines moving higher.

Customer Relationship Management System Graphic

ASA News

A practical way to scale CRM readiness in distribution

February 27, 2026

Customer Relationship Management systems are often sold as a technology decision. In reality, CRM success or failure has far more to do with people, processes, and organizational readiness than with software features.

Retail warehouse worker in a safety vest and hard hat, scans inventory using a barcode scanner. A virtual infographics is displayed on the boxes.

ASA News

ASA University’s Year in Review: Most used courses, MDM milestones

February 26, 2026

ASA members stayed busy in 2025, taking full advantage of ASA University’s tools and training to boost employee performance and drive profitability across their businesses. This year also marked a return to some familiar training trends, with members gravitating back toward foundational product knowledge.

USA Tariffs Tape inf front of containers (Montage)

Construction industry warns of ongoing cost pressures following Supreme Court Trump tariff ruling

Natalie Forster

February 25, 2026

In a statement following President Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address, ABC President and CEO Michael Bellaman emphasized that while the construction industry remains resilient, affordability pressures and policy uncertainty are weighing on contractors across market segments.

Supreme Court strikes down Trump emergency tariffs

6-3 ruling limits executive trade authority, but PHCP-PVF distributors still face layered tariff exposure and refund uncertainty.

Natalie Forster

February 24, 2026

The ruling invalidates the administration’s across-the-board emergency tariffs, including the baseline 10% global duties that had applied to a wide range of imported goods, including those heavily relied on by the PHCP-PVF supply chain, such as imported components, castings, steel, aluminum, electronics and finished equipment.

Carr Company acquires North Carolina-based Ludwig, Smith & Walker

February 23, 2026

LSW and Carr Company already share several manufacturers and customers, creating immediate operational synergies. Many builders and contractors served by Carr Company operate across both Florida and the Carolinas, supporting a more integrated regional approach.