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Key Economic Charts to Watch in 2024--and Why You Should Ignore This One
One of the key themes in economics this past year has been how badly economists predicted how 2023 would turn out. That's in large part...

Craig Webb
Jan 18, 20244 min read


What's Next for Dealers? Seven Ideas from the Retail Industry's Big Show
By Craig Webb, President, Webb Analytics You may regard yourself as being in the construction and home improvement business, but if...

Craig Webb
Jan 18, 20245 min read


Early M&A, Lots of Planned Openings Point to Busy Time for LBM in 2024
While Webb Analytics completes work on its annual deals report--expect it to come out around Feb. 1--it also can report there already are...

Craig Webb
Jan 18, 20242 min read


LBM People in the News, January 2024
DEALERS DISTRIBUTORS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATIONS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS

Craig Webb
Jan 18, 20241 min read


The Year in People: 4* of LBM's Top Placement Firms Assess a Tight Market
* Editor's Note: Dan Robinette, senior recruiter at GRN (Global Recruiters Network) Hudson, added his own commentary when this story was...

Craig Webb
Dec 19, 20234 min read


LBM Dealers in the News, December 2023
DEALERS DISTRIBUTORS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATIONS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS

Craig Webb
Dec 18, 20231 min read


Potential Big Player in All Forms of Building Products Distribution Unveiled
Serial entrepreneur Brad Jacobs, who has built five multibillion-dollar companies largely in the trucking business, announced Dec. 11 the...

Craig Webb
Dec 11, 20232 min read


In These Hard-to-Predict Times, Stay Positively Nervous--and Close to Your Customers
We're heading into a 2024 that I believe will be good for most construction supply companies but will be troubling for some depending on...

Craig Webb
Nov 8, 20234 min read


ABC, Beacon, and SRS All Running Hard in Race to Dominate Roofing Supply
Editor's Note: The fourth paragraph of this story was changed on Nov. 15 to correct an error regarding how many roofing-oriented...

Craig Webb
Nov 7, 20232 min read


LBM People in the News, November 2023
DEALERS DISTRIBUTORS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATIONS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS

Craig Webb
Nov 7, 20231 min read


NAHB Now Predicts 5% SF Starts Gain in '24, 18% MF Drop, 1% R&R Growth
The slump in single-family housing starts since 2021 will turn the corner next year, the National Association of Home Builder's AVP for...

Craig Webb
Oct 13, 20232 min read


What Do Pros Want? Kodiak CEO, LBM Researchers Mix Bullish Outlook with Long-Term Concerns
Kodiak Building Partners' customers are "extremely bullish about 2024 and beyond," feel better about the supply chain, and frankly aren't...

Craig Webb
Oct 11, 20233 min read


US LBM's Manning Deal, Talk of Minority Stake Sale, Mark Fall Revival of Deals Activity
Welcome back to the buy side of the deals table, US LBM. After five years in which US LBM made 35 acquisitions for 262 facilities (and...

Craig Webb
Oct 11, 20232 min read


LBM Dealers in the News, October 2023
DEALERS +++ DISTRIBUTORS +++ MANUFACTURERS +++ ASSOCIATIONS & SERVICE PROVIDERS

Craig Webb
Oct 10, 20231 min read


BCMC Features New Ideas, Old Problems, and a Big Firm's Bid for a Competitive Advantage
Blake Schwieters, plant manager at Minnesota's J.L. Schwieters Building Supply & Construction, used the photo above on Sept. 20 to show...

Craig Webb
Oct 10, 20235 min read


This Expert Panel Worries: Has Florida Housing Lost its Edge?
Skyrocketing property insurance. Fast-rising home prices. Troublemaking local officials. Hotter summers. And labor shortages exacerbated...

Craig Webb
Oct 6, 20234 min read


7 Ideas You Can Use Now from LBM’s Future Leaders
A half dozen lumberyard executives notable for their lack of gray hair and wrinkles took over the stage Oct. 5 at the Pro Dealer Industry...

Craig Webb
Oct 6, 20234 min read


As They Expand National Promotions, Some Big Dealers Are Moving to Promote National Names
If Proctor & Gamble can do it, why not SRS Distribution and US LBM? Launched as a family of brands, these two construction supply giants...

Craig Webb
Sep 13, 20232 min read


LBM's Next Online Advance Starts with Retail; Better E-Commerce for Pros Still to Come
Launches and announcements of new e-commerce systems these past few weeks will enable notable advances for many construction supply...

Craig Webb
Sep 13, 20233 min read


LBM's Overall Dealmaking Keeps Pace with 2022 Despite Drop in Size of Lumberyard Deals
The start of September saw a small upturn in construction supply acquisitions and openings, but the rise wasn't enough to disrupt three...

Craig Webb
Sep 12, 20232 min read
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