Members of distributor buying/marketing group Affiliated Distributors, Wayne, PA, posted some healthy numbers in 2018, passing $41 billion in total revenues -- an 11% increase over 2017. Purchases from AD suppliers across the group's 12 divisions grew 13% over the year.
On a same store basis, by industry, electrical sales lagged a little behind some of the group's other vertical markets. Sales were up 12% among AD’s Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Piping (PHCP) distributor members; Industrial / Power Transmission sales were up 11%; Electrical sales were up 8%; and Building Materials was up 4%. By country, same store sales in the U.S. and Mexico grew 10% while in Canada sales were up 8%.
“2018 was an exceptional year,” said Bill Weisberg, AD’s chairman and CEO. “We broke sales, purchases and distribution records across all AD divisions."
"Our most notable strategic accomplishment in 2018 was AD’s transition to Member Ownership," Weisberg added. "Given that ownership was not mandatory, we are particularly gratified that over 500 members chose to become AD owners. Collectively, these members represent 95% of AD’s business and include every member of every Divisional Board.”