Overview of building products distribution industry

The building products distribution industry represents a large and fragmented market, with 7,000 distributors in North America and 13,000 in Europe. The industry has been experiencing steady growth, with a compound annual growth rate of 7% in the past five years. However, there is a significant opportunity for technology adoption and improvement, as the industry is still behind in terms of digitization and automation compared to the logistics industry. Key areas for technological advancement include digital interaction with customers, methodical pricing through AI and machine learning, automation of inventory management and warehouse operations, and route optimization for delivery trucks.