GITNUXREPORT 2026

Wholesale Building Materials Industry Statistics

The wholesale building materials industry is growing globally, driven by strong demand and expanding markets.

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Researcher specializing in consumer behavior and market trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

U.S. wholesale building materials employment totaled 512,000 workers in 2023.

Statistic 2

Average hourly wage for wholesale building materials workers $28.45 in 2023.

Statistic 3

Total payroll expenses $18.7 billion for U.S. industry in 2023.

Statistic 4

65% of workforce in sales and distribution roles in 2023.

Statistic 5

Labor productivity per worker $1.02 million revenue in 2023 U.S.

Statistic 6

Turnover rate in industry averaged 22.4% in 2023.

Statistic 7

42,000 new jobs added in U.S. wholesale building materials 2022-2023.

Statistic 8

Women represent 28% of the workforce, up from 24% in 2019.

Statistic 9

Average establishment employs 45 workers in U.S. 2023.

Statistic 10

Driver and logistics staff 35% of total employment.

Statistic 11

Warehouse workers 22% of industry employment 2023.

Statistic 12

Sales representatives average salary $72,500 annually.

Statistic 13

Managers earn $115,000 median in 2023.

Statistic 14

Entry-level wages $18.50/hour for material handlers.

Statistic 15

Union membership 12.3% in wholesale trade sector.

Statistic 16

Training hours per employee averaged 48 annually.

Statistic 17

Remote work adoption 15% for administrative roles.

Statistic 18

Injury rate 3.2 per 100 workers in warehousing.

Statistic 19

Diversity: 32% Hispanic workers in industry.

Statistic 20

Aging workforce: 25% over 55 years old.

Statistic 21

Apprenticeships: 8,500 participants in building trades wholesale.

Statistic 22

Overtime hours averaged 4.2 per week for drivers.

Statistic 23

Gig economy workers 5% of logistics staff.

Statistic 24

STEM roles 18% growth in procurement.

Statistic 25

U.S. Southeast holds 28% of industry employment.

Statistic 26

California has 62,000 workers, largest state share.

Statistic 27

Texas employment 55,400 in wholesale building materials.

Statistic 28

Florida 48,200 employees, 9.4% of national total.

Statistic 29

The U.S. wholesale building materials industry generated $512.4 billion in revenue in 2023, marking a 4.2% increase from 2022.

Statistic 30

Global wholesale building materials market was valued at $1.2 trillion in 2022 and is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2030 at a CAGR of 5.3%.

Statistic 31

North American wholesale building materials sector grew by 6.1% in 2023 due to residential construction boom.

Statistic 32

European wholesale building materials market size stood at €450 billion in 2023 with 3.8% YoY growth.

Statistic 33

Asia-Pacific region dominated with 45% share of global wholesale building materials market in 2023 valued at $540 billion.

Statistic 34

U.S. wholesale trade of lumber and building materials reached $285 billion in shipments in 2022 per Economic Census.

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Canadian wholesale building materials industry revenue hit CAD 120 billion in 2023, up 5.7%.

Statistic 36

Australian wholesale building materials market expanded to AUD 65 billion in FY2023 with 4.9% growth.

Statistic 37

UK wholesale building materials sector valued at £38 billion in 2023, growing 3.2% amid housing shortage.

Statistic 38

China's wholesale building materials market surpassed ¥4.5 trillion in 2023, CAGR 6.8% from 2018-2023.

Statistic 39

Mexico's wholesale building materials industry grew 7.2% to MXN 1.2 trillion in 2023 driven by infrastructure.

Statistic 40

Brazil wholesale market for building materials reached BRL 250 billion in 2023, up 5.1%.

Statistic 41

India's wholesale building materials sector valued at INR 12 lakh crore in FY2023, 9.4% growth.

Statistic 42

South Africa building materials wholesale market at ZAR 180 billion in 2023, 4.3% increase.

Statistic 43

Middle East wholesale building materials market hit $150 billion in 2023, CAGR 5.9%.

Statistic 44

The industry's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2018-2023 was 4.7% globally.

Statistic 45

U.S. market projected to grow at 5.2% CAGR to $650 billion by 2028.

Statistic 46

Post-pandemic recovery boosted global market by 8.3% in 2021-2022 period.

Statistic 47

Wholesale building materials e-commerce segment grew 15.2% in 2023 to $45 billion globally.

Statistic 48

Inflation-adjusted growth in U.S. wholesale building materials was 2.9% in 2023.

Statistic 49

Latin America wholesale market size $320 billion in 2023, 6.1% YoY.

Statistic 50

Africa excluding South Africa at $90 billion, growing 7.8% CAGR.

Statistic 51

Russia's market contracted -2.1% to RUB 2.8 trillion in 2023 due to sanctions.

Statistic 52

Japan's wholesale building materials steady at ¥25 trillion, 1.8% growth.

Statistic 53

Southeast Asia market $280 billion, 6.5% CAGR to 2030.

Statistic 54

U.S. wholesale inventories rose 12.4% to $85 billion in 2023.

Statistic 55

Global trade volume in building materials wholesale hit 2.5 billion tons in 2023.

Statistic 56

Digital wholesale platforms captured 12% market share in 2023.

Statistic 57

Resilient supply chains contributed to 3.5% growth stabilization in 2023.

Statistic 58

Projected global CAGR 5.1% from 2024-2030 reaching $2.1 trillion.

Statistic 59

New York metro area 32,000 workers.

Statistic 60

Midwest U.S. 22% market share, $112 billion revenue.

Statistic 61

Pacific Northwest lumber wholesale hub with 15% national share.

Statistic 62

Gulf Coast region 18% of roofing materials distribution.

Statistic 63

Ontario, Canada, 35% of national wholesale employment.

Statistic 64

Bavaria, Germany, key for European drywall wholesale.

Statistic 65

Guangdong province China 40% of national building materials wholesale.

Statistic 66

New South Wales Australia 28% market concentration.

Statistic 67

London UK 22% of England wholesale trade volume.

Statistic 68

São Paulo Brazil 45% national share in materials wholesale.

Statistic 69

Maharashtra India 32% of wholesale hubs for cement.

Statistic 70

Gauteng South Africa 60% of construction materials wholesale.

Statistic 71

Dubai UAE 55% Middle East wholesale trade center.

Statistic 72

Mexico City 38% national building materials distribution.

Statistic 73

British Columbia Canada lumber export 70% national.

Statistic 74

Texas Gulf ports handle 25% U.S. imports.

Statistic 75

Florida ports 18% inbound steel products.

Statistic 76

Northeast U.S. 16% employment concentration.

Statistic 77

Midwest manufacturing belt 30% hardware wholesale.

Statistic 78

California 12% national revenue share $61 billion.

Statistic 79

Southeast Asia Vietnam emerging 15% growth hub.

Statistic 80

EU Germany 25% continental market share.

Statistic 81

Latin America Chile copper-based materials 20%.

Statistic 82

Africa Nigeria 12% West Africa wholesale volume.

Statistic 83

Japan Tokyo 40% domestic distribution center.

Statistic 84

Russia Moscow region 35% materials trade.

Statistic 85

India Tamil Nadu 18% southern wholesale share.

Statistic 86

Builders FirstSource reported $17.1 billion revenue in 2023 for wholesale building materials.

Statistic 87

ABC Supply Co. achieved $18.5 billion in sales in 2023 from building materials distribution.

Statistic 88

Beacon Roofing Supply generated $9.2 billion revenue in FY2023.

Statistic 89

US LBM Holdings LLC sales reached $8.7 billion in 2023.

Statistic 90

BluSky Restoration Contractors wholesale revenue $2.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 91

Top 5 wholesalers accounted for 22% of U.S. industry revenue in 2023 totaling $112 billion.

Statistic 92

Average revenue per U.S. wholesaler establishment was $14.2 million in 2022.

Statistic 93

Gross margin for wholesale building materials averaged 18.4% in 2023.

Statistic 94

U.S. industry profit margin stood at 4.7% generating $24 billion in 2023.

Statistic 95

Cost of goods sold represented 75.3% of revenue for the industry in 2023.

Statistic 96

Online wholesale sales contributed 8.2% to total revenue or $42 billion in 2023.

Statistic 97

Lumber wholesale segment revenue $145 billion, 28% of total U.S. in 2023.

Statistic 98

Roofing materials wholesale sales $92 billion in U.S. 2023.

Statistic 99

Windows and doors wholesale revenue $68 billion globally in 2023.

Statistic 100

Drywall and gypsum wholesale $55 billion U.S. revenue 2023.

Statistic 101

Paint wholesale segment $38 billion sales in North America 2023.

Statistic 102

Hardware wholesale revenue grew 7.1% to $45 billion in 2023.

Statistic 103

Electrical supplies wholesale $72 billion U.S. 2023.

Statistic 104

Plumbing materials wholesale sales $61 billion in 2023.

Statistic 105

HVAC wholesale revenue $89 billion globally 2023.

Statistic 106

Insulation materials wholesale $34 billion U.S. revenue.

Statistic 107

Siding wholesale $28 billion sales 2023.

Statistic 108

Flooring materials wholesale revenue $52 billion North America.

Statistic 109

Cement and concrete wholesale $110 billion U.S. 2023.

Statistic 110

Steel building products wholesale $95 billion globally.

Statistic 111

Industry EBITDA margin averaged 7.2% in 2023.

Statistic 112

Return on assets for top wholesalers 9.8% in 2023.

Statistic 113

Cash flow from operations $35 billion industry-wide U.S. 2023.

Statistic 114

Export revenue from U.S. wholesale building materials $22 billion in 2023.

Statistic 115

Import dependency 35% for non-lumber materials costing $180 billion.

Statistic 116

U.S. digital adoption in wholesale 68% of firms using ERP systems in 2023.

Statistic 117

Sustainable materials wholesale grew 14.2% to $78 billion globally in 2023.

Statistic 118

Supply chain disruptions affected 42% of wholesalers in 2023.

Statistic 119

Recycled content products 25% market penetration in 2023.

Statistic 120

AI-driven inventory management adopted by 35% of large wholesalers.

Statistic 121

Carbon-neutral supply chains targeted by 28% firms by 2030.

Statistic 122

E-commerce platforms handled 22% of B2B transactions in 2023.

Statistic 123

Low-carbon cement wholesale demand up 19% YoY.

Statistic 124

Blockchain for traceability used by 12% of lumber suppliers.

Statistic 125

Net-zero commitments by top 10 wholesalers covering 40% revenue.

Statistic 126

Modular construction materials wholesale surged 16.8%.

Statistic 127

3D printing materials segment grew 28% to $5 billion.

Statistic 128

Green certifications boosted sales 11.3% for certified products.

Statistic 129

Autonomous delivery vehicles piloted by 8% firms.

Statistic 130

Circular economy practices reduced waste 15% industry-wide.

Statistic 131

IoT sensors in warehouses 55% adoption rate.

Statistic 132

Bio-based insulation materials 32% growth.

Statistic 133

ESG reporting mandatory for 65% public wholesalers.

Statistic 134

Renewable energy powered 22% of distribution centers.

Statistic 135

Predictive analytics cut stockouts by 27%.

Statistic 136

Mass timber wholesale demand up 41% since 2020.

Statistic 137

Electric fleet vehicles 18% of deliveries in 2023.

Statistic 138

Water-efficient materials sales increased 9.7%.

Statistic 139

Robotics in picking 29% productivity gain.

Statistic 140

Cross-border e-commerce wholesale up 24%.

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Soaring to a $1.2 trillion global market, the wholesale building materials industry is not just laying the foundation for construction projects but also building a staggering economic edifice of its own.

Key Takeaways

The U.S. wholesale building materials industry generated $512.4 billion in revenue in 2023, marking a 4.2% increase from 2022.
Global wholesale building materials market was valued at $1.2 trillion in 2022 and is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2030 at a CAGR of 5.3%.
North American wholesale building materials sector grew by 6.1% in 2023 due to residential construction boom.
Builders FirstSource reported $17.1 billion revenue in 2023 for wholesale building materials.
ABC Supply Co. achieved $18.5 billion in sales in 2023 from building materials distribution.
Beacon Roofing Supply generated $9.2 billion revenue in FY2023.
U.S. wholesale building materials employment totaled 512,000 workers in 2023.
Average hourly wage for wholesale building materials workers $28.45 in 2023.
Total payroll expenses $18.7 billion for U.S. industry in 2023.
New York metro area 32,000 workers.
Midwest U.S. 22% market share, $112 billion revenue.
Pacific Northwest lumber wholesale hub with 15% national share.
U.S. digital adoption in wholesale 68% of firms using ERP systems in 2023.
Sustainable materials wholesale grew 14.2% to $78 billion globally in 2023.
Supply chain disruptions affected 42% of wholesalers in 2023.

The wholesale building materials industry is growing globally, driven by strong demand and expanding markets.

Employment and Workforce

U.S. wholesale building materials employment totaled 512,000 workers in 2023.
Average hourly wage for wholesale building materials workers $28.45 in 2023.
Total payroll expenses $18.7 billion for U.S. industry in 2023.
65% of workforce in sales and distribution roles in 2023.
Labor productivity per worker $1.02 million revenue in 2023 U.S.
Turnover rate in industry averaged 22.4% in 2023.
42,000 new jobs added in U.S. wholesale building materials 2022-2023.
Women represent 28% of the workforce, up from 24% in 2019.
Average establishment employs 45 workers in U.S. 2023.
Driver and logistics staff 35% of total employment.
Warehouse workers 22% of industry employment 2023.
Sales representatives average salary $72,500 annually.
Managers earn $115,000 median in 2023.
Entry-level wages $18.50/hour for material handlers.
Union membership 12.3% in wholesale trade sector.
Training hours per employee averaged 48 annually.
Remote work adoption 15% for administrative roles.
Injury rate 3.2 per 100 workers in warehousing.
Diversity: 32% Hispanic workers in industry.
Aging workforce: 25% over 55 years old.
Apprenticeships: 8,500 participants in building trades wholesale.
Overtime hours averaged 4.2 per week for drivers.
Gig economy workers 5% of logistics staff.
STEM roles 18% growth in procurement.
U.S. Southeast holds 28% of industry employment.
California has 62,000 workers, largest state share.
Texas employment 55,400 in wholesale building materials.
Florida 48,200 employees, 9.4% of national total.

Employment and Workforce Interpretation

While the industry confidently boasts of each worker generating over a million dollars in revenue, it's also frantically trying to patch its own leaks, celebrating 42,000 new hires even as a 22% turnover rate suggests many are exiting through the same revolving door they entered.

Market Size and Growth

The U.S. wholesale building materials industry generated $512.4 billion in revenue in 2023, marking a 4.2% increase from 2022.
Global wholesale building materials market was valued at $1.2 trillion in 2022 and is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2030 at a CAGR of 5.3%.
North American wholesale building materials sector grew by 6.1% in 2023 due to residential construction boom.
European wholesale building materials market size stood at €450 billion in 2023 with 3.8% YoY growth.
Asia-Pacific region dominated with 45% share of global wholesale building materials market in 2023 valued at $540 billion.
U.S. wholesale trade of lumber and building materials reached $285 billion in shipments in 2022 per Economic Census.
Canadian wholesale building materials industry revenue hit CAD 120 billion in 2023, up 5.7%.
Australian wholesale building materials market expanded to AUD 65 billion in FY2023 with 4.9% growth.
UK wholesale building materials sector valued at £38 billion in 2023, growing 3.2% amid housing shortage.
China's wholesale building materials market surpassed ¥4.5 trillion in 2023, CAGR 6.8% from 2018-2023.
Mexico's wholesale building materials industry grew 7.2% to MXN 1.2 trillion in 2023 driven by infrastructure.
Brazil wholesale market for building materials reached BRL 250 billion in 2023, up 5.1%.
India's wholesale building materials sector valued at INR 12 lakh crore in FY2023, 9.4% growth.
South Africa building materials wholesale market at ZAR 180 billion in 2023, 4.3% increase.
Middle East wholesale building materials market hit $150 billion in 2023, CAGR 5.9%.
The industry's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2018-2023 was 4.7% globally.
U.S. market projected to grow at 5.2% CAGR to $650 billion by 2028.
Post-pandemic recovery boosted global market by 8.3% in 2021-2022 period.
Wholesale building materials e-commerce segment grew 15.2% in 2023 to $45 billion globally.
Inflation-adjusted growth in U.S. wholesale building materials was 2.9% in 2023.
Latin America wholesale market size $320 billion in 2023, 6.1% YoY.
Africa excluding South Africa at $90 billion, growing 7.8% CAGR.
Russia's market contracted -2.1% to RUB 2.8 trillion in 2023 due to sanctions.
Japan's wholesale building materials steady at ¥25 trillion, 1.8% growth.
Southeast Asia market $280 billion, 6.5% CAGR to 2030.
U.S. wholesale inventories rose 12.4% to $85 billion in 2023.
Global trade volume in building materials wholesale hit 2.5 billion tons in 2023.
Digital wholesale platforms captured 12% market share in 2023.
Resilient supply chains contributed to 3.5% growth stabilization in 2023.
Projected global CAGR 5.1% from 2024-2030 reaching $2.1 trillion.

Market Size and Growth Interpretation

The world is clearly still under construction, with every continent pouring billions into building supplies, proving that even in a digital age, our foundational need for bricks, lumber, and everything in between grows with a stubborn and global momentum.

Regional and Geographic

New York metro area 32,000 workers.
Midwest U.S. 22% market share, $112 billion revenue.
Pacific Northwest lumber wholesale hub with 15% national share.
Gulf Coast region 18% of roofing materials distribution.
Ontario, Canada, 35% of national wholesale employment.
Bavaria, Germany, key for European drywall wholesale.
Guangdong province China 40% of national building materials wholesale.
New South Wales Australia 28% market concentration.
London UK 22% of England wholesale trade volume.
São Paulo Brazil 45% national share in materials wholesale.
Maharashtra India 32% of wholesale hubs for cement.
Gauteng South Africa 60% of construction materials wholesale.
Dubai UAE 55% Middle East wholesale trade center.
Mexico City 38% national building materials distribution.
British Columbia Canada lumber export 70% national.
Texas Gulf ports handle 25% U.S. imports.
Florida ports 18% inbound steel products.
Northeast U.S. 16% employment concentration.
Midwest manufacturing belt 30% hardware wholesale.
California 12% national revenue share $61 billion.
Southeast Asia Vietnam emerging 15% growth hub.
EU Germany 25% continental market share.
Latin America Chile copper-based materials 20%.
Africa Nigeria 12% West Africa wholesale volume.
Japan Tokyo 40% domestic distribution center.
Russia Moscow region 35% materials trade.
India Tamil Nadu 18% southern wholesale share.

Regional and Geographic Interpretation

The world's appetite for construction has clearly appointed its usual suspects—from New York's teeming ranks of builders to Guangdong's dominant wholesale halls, from the lumber-laden Pacific Northwest to Dubai's desert mart—proving that while we may build locally, the materials trade is a globe-trotting titan of concentrated hubs and staggering shares.

Revenue and Financials

Builders FirstSource reported $17.1 billion revenue in 2023 for wholesale building materials.
ABC Supply Co. achieved $18.5 billion in sales in 2023 from building materials distribution.
Beacon Roofing Supply generated $9.2 billion revenue in FY2023.
US LBM Holdings LLC sales reached $8.7 billion in 2023.
BluSky Restoration Contractors wholesale revenue $2.1 billion in 2023.
Top 5 wholesalers accounted for 22% of U.S. industry revenue in 2023 totaling $112 billion.
Average revenue per U.S. wholesaler establishment was $14.2 million in 2022.
Gross margin for wholesale building materials averaged 18.4% in 2023.
U.S. industry profit margin stood at 4.7% generating $24 billion in 2023.
Cost of goods sold represented 75.3% of revenue for the industry in 2023.
Online wholesale sales contributed 8.2% to total revenue or $42 billion in 2023.
Lumber wholesale segment revenue $145 billion, 28% of total U.S. in 2023.
Roofing materials wholesale sales $92 billion in U.S. 2023.
Windows and doors wholesale revenue $68 billion globally in 2023.
Drywall and gypsum wholesale $55 billion U.S. revenue 2023.
Paint wholesale segment $38 billion sales in North America 2023.
Hardware wholesale revenue grew 7.1% to $45 billion in 2023.
Electrical supplies wholesale $72 billion U.S. 2023.
Plumbing materials wholesale sales $61 billion in 2023.
HVAC wholesale revenue $89 billion globally 2023.
Insulation materials wholesale $34 billion U.S. revenue.
Siding wholesale $28 billion sales 2023.
Flooring materials wholesale revenue $52 billion North America.
Cement and concrete wholesale $110 billion U.S. 2023.
Steel building products wholesale $95 billion globally.
Industry EBITDA margin averaged 7.2% in 2023.
Return on assets for top wholesalers 9.8% in 2023.
Cash flow from operations $35 billion industry-wide U.S. 2023.
Export revenue from U.S. wholesale building materials $22 billion in 2023.
Import dependency 35% for non-lumber materials costing $180 billion.

Revenue and Financials Interpretation

Despite these giants’ colossal revenues, the wholesale building materials industry remains a fiercely competitive and fragmented landscape, where even the top five players combined only capture a sliver of the total market, proving that the real foundation of this business is not in the headline billions but in the millions of transactions meticulously managed to survive on notoriously thin margins.

Trends and Sustainability

U.S. digital adoption in wholesale 68% of firms using ERP systems in 2023.
Sustainable materials wholesale grew 14.2% to $78 billion globally in 2023.
Supply chain disruptions affected 42% of wholesalers in 2023.
Recycled content products 25% market penetration in 2023.
AI-driven inventory management adopted by 35% of large wholesalers.
Carbon-neutral supply chains targeted by 28% firms by 2030.
E-commerce platforms handled 22% of B2B transactions in 2023.
Low-carbon cement wholesale demand up 19% YoY.
Blockchain for traceability used by 12% of lumber suppliers.
Net-zero commitments by top 10 wholesalers covering 40% revenue.
Modular construction materials wholesale surged 16.8%.
3D printing materials segment grew 28% to $5 billion.
Green certifications boosted sales 11.3% for certified products.
Autonomous delivery vehicles piloted by 8% firms.
Circular economy practices reduced waste 15% industry-wide.
IoT sensors in warehouses 55% adoption rate.
Bio-based insulation materials 32% growth.
ESG reporting mandatory for 65% public wholesalers.
Renewable energy powered 22% of distribution centers.
Predictive analytics cut stockouts by 27%.
Mass timber wholesale demand up 41% since 2020.
Electric fleet vehicles 18% of deliveries in 2023.
Water-efficient materials sales increased 9.7%.
Robotics in picking 29% productivity gain.
Cross-border e-commerce wholesale up 24%.

Trends and Sustainability Interpretation

The wholesale building materials industry finds itself caught between a digital revolution and a green evolution, where ERP systems and IoT sensors are as crucial as carbon-neutral targets and mass timber demand, all while navigating supply chain disruptions that stubbornly persist like a guest who refuses to leave.

Sources & References

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