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| Top NAW SmartBrief Stories of 2025 |
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Today, we continue to take a look back at the top stories from NAW SmartBrief. Tariffs continued to dominate the conversation in the second half of the year, but as President Donald Trump's trade policies became clearer, distributors and wholesalers focused on mitigating the impacts and mergers and acquisitions started to accelerate. The second half of the year was also marked by the rise of artificial intelligence and several major policy wins, including the tax bill signed into law in July. Uncertainty persisted, however, as the labor market slowed and distributors proceeded cautiously.
Here are the top stories from the second half of the year. Have a wonderful New Year!
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MDM has unveiled its 2025 Top Distributors list, highlighting key players across various sectors. Downloadable PDF with rankings, revenue data, company insights and more information is available here. Members of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors feature heavily in the listings, including topping the industrial, building materials and electrical lists.
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| (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) |
Imperial Dade and BradyPLUS have announced plans to merge, positioning the new entity as one of the largest North American distributors of janitorial, sanitation, foodservice and packaging products with more than $10 billion in annual revenue and more than 13,500 employees. The deal is pending regulatory approval, and both companies will continue to operate independently until the expected closing in the coming months. The deal will combine the companies' distribution networks, significantly expanding their geographic presence across North America with more than 125 facilities.
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President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law on Friday, delivering sweeping tax cuts and economic measures that Republicans say will boost US growth. The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors celebrated the bill's passage, calling it "a major victory" for businesses and workers. "This bill delivers real, lasting relief -- lower taxes, pro-growth policies, and critical protections for family-owned companies," said NAW President and CEO Eric Hoplin.
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| (Bloomberg/Getty Images) |
QXO founder Brad Jacobs outlined a plan to reach $50 billion in revenue during a recent talk at the Economics Club of New York. Jacobs said that QXO aims to achieve this through acquisitions adding $30 billion to $40 billion in annual revenue following its $11 billion acquisition of Beacon. Additional revenue gains are expected through organic growth and improvements in pricing, volume and market share. coming via organic growth. Jacobs discussed the role of technology in enhancing efficiency in areas such as procurement and logistics, business operations and highlighted the importance of streamlined organizational structures.
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The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors has launched NAW Nucleus, an AI-powered tool tailored for the distribution sector. NAW Nucleus is trained on decades of industry-specific research and insights, providing actionable solutions to business challenges and tools to save time on plans and presentations. NAW Nucleas is offered as a complimentary benefit to NAW members.
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MDM's most-read free articles of 2025 highlighted the growing urgency of tariff management, AI adoption and changing customer expectations. Industry experts offered actionable advice on navigating tariff pressures, transforming sales with AI, revisiting rebate strategies and other topics crucial to distributors' long-term success.
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MDM Premium experienced notable growth this year, with an increase in the number and diversity of content offered to subscribers. Featured articles showcased a range of topics important to wholesale distribution, including the impact of tariffs on distributor margins, strategies for digital transformation and notable mergers and acquisitions. MDM plans to further enhance its premium portfolio in 2026 with more case studies, exclusive research reports and expert analysis tailored to the evolving needs of wholesale distribution professionals.
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Modern Distribution Management has released its top podcasts of 2025, featuring in-depth discussions with distribution executives and industry consultants. Popular episodes include analyses of QXO's acquisition of Beacon, Parts Town's growth and Rexel's strategies in mergers and acquisitions and talent management. The MDM Amplify channel debuted this year, and the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors launched the "Distributors Deliver" podcast series.
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| SmartBrief will not publish Jan. 1 |
SmartBrief will not publish Thursday, Jan. 1 in observance of New Year's Day.
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| The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) is one of America’s leading trade associations, representing the $8 trillion wholesale distribution industry. Our industry employs more than 6 million workers throughout the United States, accounting for approximately 1/3 of the U.S. GDP. 250,000 wholesale distribution companies operate across North America, including all 50 states. Learn more. |
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| Take advantage of every opportunity and if you don't give up, hopefully you find a way -- that message I've taken around the world. |
Jane Goodall, primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist 1934-2025 This was one of the top quotes among readers from notable figures who passed in 2025. |
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