<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Webb Analytics]]></title><description><![CDATA[Webb Analytics enables construction supply companies to spot the trends, threats, and opportunities that can help their businesses soar.]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:30:28 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.webb-analytics.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Weyerhaeuser, James Hardie, and Andersen CEO Say They’re Focused on Finding Opportunities Amid the Gloom]]></title><description><![CDATA[Andersen Windows CEO Chris Galvin, second from right, gestures Oct. 13 during an executive panel at CBUSA's Summit in Colorado Springs, CO. Joining him were (far left) Devin Stockfish of Weyerheauser and (second from left) Aaron Erter of James Hardie. CBUSA's Bill Smithers (far right) led the discussion. (Craig Webb photo) By Craig Webb The heads of three major product manufacturers said Oct. 13 they recognize times are tough, but they stressed even more how they are working to keep their...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/weyerhaeuser-james-hardie-and-andersen-ceo-say-they-re-focused-on-finding-opportunities-amid-the-g</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6acfc296f5987ab09562a708</guid><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:09:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_3be14f3bb0904425a48c427faf370c56~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Tepid Times Ahead for Home Building and Remodeling, Two Economists Forecast]]></title><description><![CDATA[Mark Boud of Real Estate Economics speaks at the CBUSA Summit on Oct. 12 Separate presentations Oct. 12-13 by a pair of housing economists covered different ground but reached the same conclusion: Building and remodeling prospects are weak at best. "It's not going to be very exciting over the next couple of years," Mark Boud, founder of Real Estate Economics, told members of CBUSA at its annual meeting Oct. 12. You should be thinking of a scenario in which the volume of sales for remodeling...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/tepid-times-ahead-for-home-construction-and-remodeling-two-economists-forecast</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ace8e26563851b15edf7467</guid><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 20:34:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_93e066f3c3ff4d8c9b26f74c84b23b29~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[CBUSA Members’ Combined Spend Will Hit $1B in 2026; Buying Group Adds 5 Markets This Year, Eyes 9 in 2027]]></title><description><![CDATA[Slide shown Oct. 12 during CBUSA's Summit By Craig Webb The 989 custom builders that buy materials through CBUSA are starting homes at a collective 16,000 annual rate and generating more than $14 billion in combined revenue—totals that rank them fourth among the nation’s largest home builders, CBUSA said Oct. 12. President Brian Pavlick also said at the buying group’s summit that the 43 markets where CBUSA now operates has grown by three since Jan. 1 and will grow by three more before the end...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/cbusa-members-combined-spend-will-hit-1b-in-2026-buying-group-adds-5-markets-this-year-eyes-9-in</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ace49dc3885875dd25e9f1a</guid><pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:18:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_18c389fce4ed41aa9c58e28f6aab594b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Try These New Tools from the ProDealer Summit to Spot and Fix Profit Leaks]]></title><description><![CDATA[Courtesy MANS Lumber &#38; Home From simple math calculations to sophisticated AI reports, the ProDealer Industry Summit gave LBM executives an armful of tools and tips they could use to generate higher profit margins at a time when sales prospects are tepid at best. Kristin Andrews, Director of Business Process Optimization at Michigan's MANS Lumber &#38; Home, sounded this theme when she offered up an interactive "Price the Fiction" tool to help dealers quantify how many dollars and hours they may...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/try-these-new-tools-from-the-pro-dealer-summit-to-spot-and-fix-profit-leaks</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac574474f0ef59df1e1c5f7</guid><pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:48:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_16f35666b8e9400a958b1f62f5a15632~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[LBM People in the News, October 2026]]></title><description><![CDATA[DEALER ABC Supply -- Larry Sullivan -- CIO Builders FirstSource -- Jason Owens -- Account Manager Builders FirstSource -- Spencer Boggs -- OSR East Islip Lumber -- Marc Gattuso -- Sales Manager Hancock Lumber -- James Gigliotti -- Purchasing Manager Heister House Millworks -- Mike Shaner -- OSR HPM Building Supply -- Andrew Tyner -- Regional Manager -- Oahu, HI Interior Logic Group -- Jeff Trapp -- Co-COO Nation's Best Holdings -- Tyler Yates -- VP of Operational Excellence DEALER Outdoor...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/lbm-people-in-the-news-october-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac00b45bfee4e7d2cf990c7</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2026 21:52:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_1c5ec79d80184f2e86ea5e271f43660a~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[M&#38;A Dealmakers Crawl Into the 4th Quarter]]></title><description><![CDATA[LBM facilities acquired (blue pins), newly opened (green) or closed (red) YTD 2026. Source: Webb Analytics How quiet is LBM's M&#38;A market? There hasn't been a noteworthy acquisition announced since Sept. 1, when Builders FirstSource said it purchased the 11-unit, Florida-based Gleckler &#38; Sons Building Supplies. That addition means we now have seen 826 locations change hands so far this, according to Webb Analytics' database. That's far behind the 1,825 locations acquired in all of 2025 and...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/m-a-dealmakers-crawl-into-the-4th-quarter</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac271467babcebbad15ba6c</guid><pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:29:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_5c17da5d706c4d30a05f555a88764eb0~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_752,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Opinion: Materials Cost Volatility Makes It Vital You Write Contracts With Transparent, Mutually Protective Language on Price Changes]]></title><description><![CDATA[By John S. Koda, Esq. John S. Koda, Brick Business Law Now more than ever, building and construction industry professionals must focus on how economic and geopolitical factors raise project-related costs and reduce margins. No matter whether you are a dealer, builder, sub, or vendor, the wise move is to take preemptive, precautionary legal action to mitigate those effects. The dilemma faced by a client of mine might sound familiar. In the time required for him to develop his final bid on...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/opinion-materials-cost-volatility-makes-it-vital-you-write-contracts-with-transparent-mutually-pro</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6abc33298540df4e4555999f</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 21:58:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_926c894e08bb43a9b18525b9ff6a1566~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Do it Best to Upgrade, Expand EasyCare Brand Line, Retire Best Look]]></title><description><![CDATA[Do it Best's planned EasyCare paint line and how it compares with other brands. Source: Do it Best image with Webb Analytics additions By Craig Webb Do it Best Group plans to launch in Spring 2028 an expanded and upgraded line of EasyCare paints that will cover more price categories and give the co-op's members alternatives to products like Benjamin Moore, Behr, and Glidden. The move embraces True Value's legacy product in favor of Do it Best's Best Look brand, which will be retired. It also...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/do-it-best-to-upgrade-expand-easycare-brand-line-retire-best-look</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aba8b4ff3c2882f246c55b0</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2026 16:17:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_c2c8fcc62879402d94f358e3358fab16~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Here's the Missing Link Between AI Adoption and ROI]]></title><description><![CDATA[By John Marshall Most businesses do not have an AI problem; They have a work-design problem. After buying licenses and experimenting with various AI programs, someone has written a better email, summarized a meeting, analyzed a spreadsheet or built a report faster. That’s useful, but it’s not transformative. To get real business results, you need to redesign the workflow. By workflow, I mean the path a piece of work follows from start to finish—who touches it, what information is needed, what...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/here-s-the-missing-link-between-ai-adoption-and-roi</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ab3d26fc93c586840b18cc2</guid><pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:27:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_8b35d68be2664c528a4c8ae1646e8143~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_644,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[LBM People in the News, September 2026]]></title><description><![CDATA[DEALER 84 Lumber -- Brooke Appler -- EWP Hub Manager 84 Lumber -- Dustin Hauenstein -- CFO 84 Lumber -- Tedra Schadt -- Co Manager -- Dayton, OH ABC Supply -- Ian Blackmar -- Branch Manager -- Avon, MA ABC Supply -- Mike Jost -- CEO -- Starting 1/1/27 ABC Supply -- Brett Simon -- Inside Sales Representative Builders FirstSource -- Paul Jeffries -- Area Line of Business Manager Builders FirstSource -- TJ Kirkpatrick -- Area Manager Builders FirstSource -- Vonn Lindersmith -- Market Manager --...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/lbm-people-in-the-news-september-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa93cf2922a68fd57d51853</guid><pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:33:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_67f2ef4f8950454889bc2895860988c3~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_626,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[WMA: Keep Watch on FL Door Code Change, Local Drives to Shift Packaging Cleanup Costs]]></title><description><![CDATA[The World Millwork Alliance (WMA) alerted its members this week to a pair of unrelated regulations in various states that ultimately could have wide impact. The first involves a disturbing change to Florida's building code that affects doors, while the other concerns a new push against initiatives in several states to make producers pay for the cleanup of single-use materials. Florida Doors Historically, Florida's residential building code said that side-hinged exterior doors didn't have to...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/wma-keep-watch-on-fl-door-code-change-local-drives-to-shift-packaging-cleanup-costs</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aaa78c5ae76983300739a43</guid><pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:13:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_2ec0cc03dd7846ecb53efb0375a14e2c~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_736,h_358,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[LBM Consolidation Watch: Number of 3Q Deals Keeps Pace, But Locations Acquired Are Way Down ]]></title><description><![CDATA[LBM facilities acquired (blue dots), newly opened (green) or closed (red) YTD 2026. Source: Webb Analytics By Craig Webb The LBM M&#38;A market heads toward the final three months of 2026 following a 3rd Quarter that featured close to the usual number of transactions but for far fewer facilities. The first three months of 2026 saw 27 deals for 262 facilities, according to Webb Analytics' database. The action peaked in the 2nd Quarter, in which 33 transactions captured 511 facilities. Then came a...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/consolidation-watch-number-of-3q-deals-keeps-pace-but-locations-acquired-are-way-down</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa9f0ea2dc1ddd4aee02bdd</guid><pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2026 02:01:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_f45a67c56dbf466491442c6a50c4fd07~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_766,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Do it Best Urges Mills to Base 2027 Lumber Contracts on Prices from Random Lengths' Rival, PricePulse ]]></title><description><![CDATA[(Editor's Note: This story was updated Sept. 23 with a statement from Fastmarkets) By Craig Webb Do it Best's VP for Lumber &#38; Building Materials announced Sept 15 that his co-op will ask all its mill partners to price lumber and panel contracts in 2027 using Forest Economic Advisors' PricePulse rather than with Random Lengths, the service published by RISI's Fastmarkets. Russ Kathrein justified his broadside against the traditional pricing guide as a move to modern times, but the change also...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/do-it-best-urges-mills-to-base-2027-contracts-on-prices-from-random-lengths-rival-pricepulse</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa87f56abcfc8d624a41d85</guid><pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 19:22:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_3c8718d56b3a4a359b3e50e69bd0aa57~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_726,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[New Census Data Shows How LBM Sectors' Performance Varied in 2024 vs. 2023]]></title><description><![CDATA[By Craig Webb Fresh, albeit two-year-old federal data illustrates the differences among construction supply dealer sectors in 2024, with hardware and paint stores inching higher from 2023 while home centers, building material dealers, and garden stores all slipped a bit. The numbers above are part of the Census Bureau's Annual Integrated Economic Survey, a relatively new report that combines over a half dozen annual business surveys into a single document. The 2024 version, released in early...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/new-census-data-shows-how-lbm-sectors-performance-varied-in-2024-vs-2023</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a9f457adf4adcfdc6dc044e</guid><pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2026 23:51:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_f76a06c986d141d189e2c733c31c3f40~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How We Stopped Leaving AI to Volunteers]]></title><description><![CDATA[By John Marshall A year ago, Artificial Intelligence at our company was whatever individual people decided to do on their own. Some people at our 120-employee, $30 million manufacturing operation had ChatGPT accounts. A few had Claude. What training existed was whatever I did in passing: Showing somebody a technique between meetings, working through a problem with whoever asked. Nothing was written down, and I could not have told you who was using what or for which tasks. We wanted more from...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/how-we-stopped-leaving-ai-to-volunteers</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a9f2145b373966c3b5e8e7b</guid><pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:49:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_8b35d68be2664c528a4c8ae1646e8143~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_644,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Price-Fixing Case Against Ace, Epicor, Expands to Include 7 of Hardware's Biggest Companies]]></title><description><![CDATA[By Craig Webb A class action complaint alleging price- and market-fixing by Ace Hardware Corp., its units, and Epicor was expanded Sept. 2 to include seven of the nation's biggest hardware chains. The Amended Complaint now includes as defendants: W.E. Aubuchon Co., parent of Aubuchon Hardware and stores with other names; Bellmore Home Center, owner of Costello's Ace Hardware and Rommel's Ace Home Center; Bolster Hardware, owner of Potter's Ace Hardware and other stores; The Helpful Hardware...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/price-fixing-case-against-ace-epicor-expands-to-include-7-of-hardware-s-biggest-companies</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a9af3b15936f8fee6c29488</guid><pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 16:41:55 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_994cccb644604d3f803297de44f5d100~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_764,h_420,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Hardie-Boise, Trex-SBP Deals Create Tectonic Shifts for Siding and Decking Dealers, Distributors]]></title><description><![CDATA[By Craig Webb The impact varies, but lumberyards, exterior specialists, and two-step distributors across the country are dealing with a pair of moves that have changed who handles and gets to sell some of the construction world's most popular products. On Aug. 3, James Hardie Building Products designated Boise Cascade's Building Materials Distribution (BMD) division as the sole nationwide distributor of the Hardie portfolio. BMD already was selling Hardie siding and trim, and now it gets to...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/hardie-boise-trex-sbp-deals-create-tectonic-shifts-for-siding-and-decking-dealers-distributors</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a73cc2e83bd56b51ff24c54</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:46:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_3e8713b2a939442cbb8b209283a9cf54~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Spotty Sales, Tariffs, Suspect Stats and Other Takeaways from LBM's Q2 Earnings]]></title><description><![CDATA[Company Segment Sales Change YoY Income Change YoY Adjusted EBITDA/After Charges YoY Builders FirstSource -8.8% -100.2% -34.9% Boise Cascade Distribution +5% -10% -7% Boise Cascade Wood Products +3% +84% +40% UFP Industries Construction -4.5% -28.8% -20.7% UFP Industries Retail +3.9% -10% -0.1% Sherwin-Williams Paint Stores Group +5.1% +4.5% Trex +8% -18% -8.2% JELD-WEN -0.7% -41.3% +8.5% SiteOne Landscape +5% +8% +5% Floor &#38; Decor +3% +51.7% 1.2% Owens Corning Roofing 1% 34% Owens Corning...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/spotty-sales-tariffs-suspect-stats-and-other-takeaways-from-lbm-s-q2-earnings</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a735ef3cc18b115026dc554</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 20:03:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_6868234c5e3e49bdb24828076d9fed4b~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Nearly 1,000 LBM Yards Have Been Bought, Opened, or Closed So Far in 2026]]></title><description><![CDATA[Data as of Aug. 5, 2026. Source: Webb Analytics By Craig Webb All the talk about a challenging economy and high lending rates hasn't slowed the past few years' hot pace for construction supply-related acquisitions and greenfields. And while QXO remains the biggest force, the number of buyers and types of deals extend far beyond what Brad Jacobs is doing. Through Aug. 5, Webb Analytics' Deals Database has recorded 70 purchases by 52 buyers for 788 construction supply locations, plus 135...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/nearly-1-000-lbm-yards-have-been-bought-opened-or-closed-so-far-in-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7348a15d7bc426a54a3b72</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 14:56:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_b1b49470cdd24c478d072f1e9b706079~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_469,h_331,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ace Seeks Dismissal of Price-Fixing Lawsuit, Arbitration Over Plaintiff's Original Complaint]]></title><description><![CDATA[By Craig Webb Attorneys for Ace Hardware Corp., its units, and Epicor have urged a U.S. District Judge to dismiss a proposed class-action lawsuit that claims Ace fixes prices and limits store expansions. Separately, they said disputes concerning the two purchases at Ace stores that underlie the lawsuit are supposed to be settled via arbitration, not in court. The Aug. 3 fillings represent the first major actions in the case since the complaint was filed on May 7. That filing argues Ace...]]></description><link>https://www.webb-analytics.com/post/ace-seeks-dismissal-of-price-fixing-lawsuit-arbitration-over-plaintiff-s-original-complaint</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7225ba2df0f1eeb2f3765f</guid><pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:46:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/710f7c_994cccb644604d3f803297de44f5d100~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_764,h_420,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Craig Webb</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>