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Baird Research: Distributors Expect Growth in 2026

William Attardi on November 30, 2025

In the exclusive tED magazine/Baird research for the 2025’s third-quarter, NAED distributors point to indications of “healthy mid-single digit” growth for next year. 18 distributor companies representing more than $7 billion in annual sales responded to the third quarter survey, which showed revenue growth in the third quarter and a rise in pricing trends. Respondents say they expect to see a 5.4% growth rate in electrical next year, along with a 4.5% growth rate in Datacomm. Those forecasts are generally in line with the broader distribution industry, which anticipates a 4.7% growth rate next year. Baird Research: Distributors Expect Growth In 2026

NAED Attends “Unleashing Alaska”

William Attardi on November 7, 2025

The event titled “Unleashing Alaska,” touched on recent Trump Administration efforts to unleash vast oil, gas, and mineral extraction in the state, and forward-looking efforts to craft durable policy by codifying permitting reform through efforts like the SPEED Act, which NAED supports. According to Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), today’s permitting bottlenecks have been estimated to delay $1.5 trillion in projects that are awaiting final approval.  Further, these delays are responsible for a 30% increase in construction costs for developments and $140 billion in lost annual revenue. These efforts, combined with broad-based permitting reform, have the potential to have significant impacts on America’s capacity to extract more oil, natural gas, and minerals in the future. NAED Attends “Unleashing Alaska” – electrifiED

NAED Backs NEMA Tariff Incentive Proposal

William Attardi on September 9, 2025

Electrical equipment and grid components are the backbone of America’s energy, manufacturing, grid, and AI dominance priorities. To power growing demand for electricity, industrial capacity, and data centers, more of this infrastructure must be produced here at home. NEMA’s tariff incentive framework introduces a three-pronged approach to targeted, time-limited tariff incentives that support the Trump Administration’s industrial policy and energy objectives:

  1. Capital Investment in U.S. Manufacturing Incentive: A tariff offset equal to any capital investments made to build or expand a domestic manufacturing facility, available for up to three years after the facility is operational.
  2. Grid Infrastructure Incentive: A tariff offset for goods or raw materials used to build or operate our power infrastructure essential to global competitiveness, including but not limited to substations, on-site generation, distribution equipment, and data centers.
  3. Domestic Manufacturing Incentive: A tariff offset for manufactured goods that meet federal domestic content requirements.

NAED applauds NEMA’s innovative approach to incentivizing domestic manufacturing and grid expansion. To read NEMA’s tariff incentive proposal, click here.  NAED Backs NEMA Incentive Proposal – tEDmag

Powering the Future: Insights on the Growing Electrification Market

William Attardi on August 14, 2025

As electricity demand continues to grow, the electrical distribution industry is uniquely positioned to help lead the transformation of the energy landscape with the services, materials, and solutions needed to support its customers and drive progress. To help members navigate this shift, NAED’s Education & Research Foundation, in partnership with Ducker Carlisle, presents the research study: Electrification Drivers, Disruptors, and Scaling Your Business. This study delivers valuable insight into:

  • What’s driving electrification—and what may disrupt it
  • The most promising project areas for distributors
  • How to strategically scale and prepare your team

NAED Electrification Research

NAED Statement on House Ways & Means Committee Reconciliation Bill

William Attardi on May 13, 2025

 Wes Smith, President and CEO of the National Association of Electrical Distributors, provided the following statement: The businesses we represent—located in every state and Congressional district—have seen firsthand how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has fueled growth across the electrical distribution industry, from small enterprises to large distributors. By lowering marginal tax rates, enhancing expensing provisions, increasing the estate tax threshold, and establishing the 20% small business deduction under Section 199A, the TCJA has been a powerful catalyst for economic progress. We applaud the pro-business, pro-growth tax provisions, including the Section 199A deduction, enhancements to the 179 expensing, modifications to the Estate Tax, and the temporary restoration of Bonus Depreciation.  NAED Statement on House Ways & Means Committee Reconciliation Bill – tEDmag

The Genesis of the U.S. Space Force – On December 20, 2019, President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020, officially creating the United States Space Force, a new and independent branch of the U.S. military. The establishment of the Space Force marked a historic shift in how the U.S. views and manages its military operations in space, reflecting the growing importance of space as both a domain of strategic competition and national security. The Space Force is tasked with ensuring the U.S. maintains its superiority in space, focusing on both the defense of space assets and the development of offensive capabilities. Its mission includes:

  1. Space Operations: Overseeing space-based systems, such as satellites, that provide essential services to the U.S. military, including communication, reconnaissance, and missile defense.
  2. Space Security: Protecting U.S. space infrastructure from threats, including anti-satellite weapons, cyberattacks, and other potential forms of disruption by adversarial nations.
  3. Space Research and Development: Developing and deploying cutting-edge space technologies, including space-based defense systems, that ensure the U.S. maintains an edge in space exploration and military operations.
  4. Supporting National Defense: Integrating space capabilities into broader national defense strategies, ensuring that U.S. forces can operate effectively in space as part of a multi-domain approach to warfare.

The Space Force is designed to streamline and strengthen the U.S. military’s space operations, which were previously under the purview of the U.S. Air Force. By separating space operations into a distinct branch, the government hoped to increase focus on space as a critical area of national defense and enhance the U.S. military’s ability to respond to emerging threats. Source: Day in History