And, as distributors consolidate, the customer has fewer people from whom to purchase. That's the big picture. Thus LMC is getting more big names on its dance card. Now, more people seem to be noticing those Stetsons, especially when the boxes in their black numbers come riding into town. Our members have always tended to cater to the professional contractor, so their customer base isn't a threat.
Supply is where they're a factor, with their huge volume.
We need to re-level the playing field. United we stand. In turn, for us to leverage our own purchasing power, we look to buy from as few suppliers as possible. While those new members are welcome additions to LMC's buying family, the number of smaller independents may be shriveling. As the big companies like Carolina Holdings and BMC West continue to look to grow, they tend to buy existing retailers.