Articles by Natalie Forster

In plumbing, wholesalers are reporting price hikes of 15–35% across copper, steel, and PVC since the tariff chatter began. Distributors caught between rising supplier invoices and contractors reluctant to absorb increases face an unenviable choice: raise prices and risk losing volume, or protect customer relationships and watch margins evaporate.

The Stuarts Draft plant is capable of producing 3,085 different SKUs and has a 40-million-pound capacity when fully staffed.

The 2025 standards are a reminder that regulation is never static. But wholesalers who position themselves as both compliance experts and trusted advisors can turn these challenges into an opportunity to strengthen contractor relationships—and protect their margins in the process.

Across the country, water quality challenges vary dramatically, shaped by everything from geology to infrastructure to climate. For distributors, ignoring these regional nuances can mean stocking the wrong products, giving contractors poor advice, and ultimately missing out on trust and sales. On the flip side, understanding local water conditions gives forward-thinking wholesalers a distinct competitive edge.

While on-site support during installation isn't standard across all jobs, it's a growing part of how wholesalers like Minnesota-based DSG and Wisconsin-based First Supply serve their customers—especially when complications arise.

According to the American Institute of Architects, non-residential construction spending is projected to grow by 2.2% in 2025 and 2.6% in 2026. The industrial sector is expected to outperform other non-residential projects, with resilience and modest growth in areas like data centers, public infrastructure, and water treatment.

Today’s marketplace is flooded with content. Traditional marketing of product and price isn’t enough—supply houses must craft narratives to stand out and be memorable. You do more than stock and sell products, and it’s time to share that with the world.

Briggs Inc. of Omaha, founded in 1906, has prioritized plumbers from inception. Initially a Briggs Pump, it later removed “pump' as it expanded to supply plumbing fixtures and products. Bought in 1921 by a local family who operated it until 2020, when two employees took over, it remains locally owned and operated.

There are now eight companies under the Bradford White Umbrella – four of which have been added within the past year and a half. With a company history dating back to 1881, Bradford White has built a strong reputation of providing quality, American-made heating products.

While no one is sure yet how Iran will respond, concerns are rising that will directly impact the PHCP-PVF supply chain, specifically markets related to oil and gas. Retaliation could target U.S. forces or allies in the Middle East, especially near the Strait of Hormuz, which would threaten global oil flow.