Category: Department

In the building materials industry, sales performance can’t be measured in a vacuum A rep covering rural Alberta won’t produce the same volume as one selling to developers in Miami.

Every distributor has them—those job types that come up again and again Whether it’s drywall and steel framing for mid-rise apartments, fire-rated assemblies for healthcare, or rebar and concrete for parking structures, repeat jobs are the backbone of construction materials distribution.
So why reinvent the wheel every time?
Smart ERP templates built around common job types transform quoting, fulfillment, and billing from a manual exercise into a streamlined, replicable workflow.

Not all sales channels are created equal—and in construction materials distribution, knowing which ones actually drive profitable growth is the difference between scaling strategically and bleeding margin Whether you’re selling direct to contractors, through dealer networks, online portals, or project-based bids, each channel carries different costs, margins, and fulfillment requirements.
ERP systems with built-in profitability reporting allow distributors to move beyond top-line sales and understand channel-level performance in detail.

For building materials distributors, speed and accuracy in quoting can determine whether a bid wins or loses And yet, many teams still rely on disconnected workflows between takeoff software and ERP systems.

In the building materials supply chain, freight costs are rarely fixed Whether you’re shipping dimensional lumber, bundled rebar, or poly sheeting, the freight class affects everything—from landed cost to quoting accuracy.

Commercial glass installation is precision work Whether it’s curtain walls, storefront systems, punched windows, or interior glazing, the jobsite demands efficiency, safety, and accuracy.

In the race to meet deadlines, especially in tenant improvements, healthcare retrofits, or school renovations, pre-finished drywall systems have become a key tool in delivering speed without compromising quality These factory-laminated or pre-coated panels eliminate mudding, sanding, priming, and painting—all major time sinks in conventional drywall workflows.
For procurement managers, general contractors, and commercial interior specialists, pre-finished drywall offers predictability, reduced labor, and a cleaner jobsite, which can shave days or even weeks off a build.
Why the Industry is Shifting Toward Pre-Finished Drywall
Traditional drywall finishing is messy, multi-phase, and heavily weather-dependent.

Open-plan offices prioritize collaboration and flexibility—but when paint color isn’t specified correctly, they also introduce a silent productivity killer: glare Between expansive glazing, whiteboards, polished floors, and overhead LEDs, surfaces that reflect too much light cause eye strain, fatigue, and diminished screen visibility.

As hybrid work reshapes commercial office design, acoustics have emerged as a defining factor in productivity and employee satisfaction From open-plan benching areas to enclosed video conferencing rooms, poor sound control undermines focus, privacy, and communication—especially in hybrid environments where half the team may be on Zoom while the other half works just a few feet away.
To meet this challenge, acoustic panels are no longer optional—they’re an essential building material for hybrid-ready office spaces.

When it comes to passive fire protection, few details are as scrutinized—or as often misapplied—as the treatment of penetrations in floor-ceiling assemblies Electrical conduits, sprinkler pipes, HVAC ductwork, and communication cabling all pose serious risks when improperly sealed.