Like every other sector of the industry, the plumbing-heating supply business has been wracked with change over the past couple of decades. Tension and misunderstanding between wholesalers and contractors is probably at an all-time high as a result.
As editorial director of this magazine and editor of Supply House Times, I see the flak fly in both directions. Here I'd like to take advantage of this unique position and respond to the questions and brickbats I frequently hear around the industry. My intent is neither to defend nor castigate wholesalers, but to analyze what's become of their business and how it impacts contractors.