The 2023 AD Gypsum Supply Spring Meeting in San Antonio took place from April 17 to 19, supporting growth and relationship development for divisional members and suppliers.

The three-day event kicked off with the Emerging Leaders session, where 40+ future leaders of member companies gathered together for networking and education opportunities. The Member Best Practice Groups brought non-competing member companies together to discuss business opportunities, make well-informed decisions through advice from peers and gain a competitive market advantage from business operations.

During the joint Member and Supplier Business Meeting, Dan Maroni, President of the Building Materials Business Unit, delivered a financial recap of 2022 and a 2023 forecast as the business session concluded with a positive divisional update discussion.

In 2022 alone, 15 new member branch locations opened, which highlighted the resilience of the independents. Member purchases from AD suppliers tracked up 43 percent over the previous year. Results from a recent quarterly industry update survey determined that 57 percent of members’ overall residential business levels are forecasted to increase in 2023 and 47 percent of commercial business is forecasted to increase.

“We made great strides forward together last year, and the spring meeting is an opportune time to keep up momentum and work toward new areas of growth and business connections,” Maroni said. “The passion and ambition of our members and supplier partners shine through every time our division meets, ready to succeed and win together.”

Two guest speakers joined the Member and Supplier Business Meeting to present industry insights and share information helpful to the AD community. Adam Baumgarten, who leads Building Materials research efforts at Zelman & Associates, provided a comprehensive forecast of building product spending, 2022 results and a 2023 industry forecast. Larry Williams, Executive Director of the Steel Framing Industry Association, also shared steel sector industry dynamics with member and supplier attendees.

The meeting also provided face-to-face sessions for members to sit down with current and prospective suppliers to discuss common business challenges, share insights on the current state of the industry and pursue new partnerships.

“We are grateful for the momentum we have with AD membership and look forward on building on our trajectory, no matter what the market has in store for us,” said Brian Panuccio, Chief Commercial Officer at ClarkDietrich Building Systems. “I am confident that together, we’ll win.”

David Hadfield, Vice President of the Gypsum Supply Division, shared his thoughts on the value that members receive during the meeting.

“Our division has so many chances to connect during just a few days together,” Hadfield said. “With best practice groups, one-on-one sessions and receptions, the Spring Meeting helps to set up our community with new business opportunities for a productive remainder of the year.”