This article, based on interviews with distributors and manufacturers and the 2012 MDM Reader Survey, outlines and analyzes key trends and issues affecting how distributors will do business in 2013.

The year 2012 was marked by uncertainty. It’s a word we heard over and over again as we approached the presidential election in November. But despite that uncertainty, we saw movement in several areas this year. Mergers and acquisition activity picked up significantly in wholesale distribution, and technology was a key driver of many of the top trends going into 2013.

Here are 12 trends affecting distribution in 2013: …