Valves and actuator end users are operating with tighter budgets and deadlines than ever before, which means increasing challenges in the distribution channels.

The last time a panel of distributors spoke before the Valves Manufacturers Association board (in 2005), the worldwide recession had not yet hit. However, the next few years were rough ones, and the need for tighter purse strings has since created a new set of challenges for distribution channels, according to a panel of experts from leading distributors who spoke at VMA