Industrial distributors see rising costs, falling demand
The rising cost of raw materials is putting the pinch on industrial distributors at a time when demand is flat or declining. In a survey of 30-plus industrial distributors published July 18 by Longbow Research, 39% of respondents said fewer orders came in from June through July, while an additional 39% said demand was unchanged for the period. Almost 50% of all survey respondents said prices has gone up more than 10%, and none of the respondents reported decreases in pricing, the report found. IndustryWeek (07/18)