Due to the ongoing world crisis, Wall Street investors can only bow their shaking heads as they watch the markets plummet at rates never before seen at the Dow Jones.

Despite this discouraging scenario, wholesale and distribution industry is still optimistic that things will eventually pick up if manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers collaborate.

It is expected that the growth rate in manufacturing and production will decrease by 0.5 percent by the end of 2008. Compared to the growth rate from last year of 1.7 percent, year 2009 expects growth rate of only about 0.2 percent.

The industry with a brighter outlook this year is in IT where equipment and software products are expected to have a growth rate of 0.8 percent by end of 2008 and about 2.3 percent in 2009.

As for the wholesalers and distributors, the devastating effects of the economic crisis have truly made a huge impact on production. Experts who are looking at how the stock market performs are seeing a dark cloud on the wholesale industry.

To get through this challenging feat, the wholesalers and distributors should build relationships with each other and collaborate, instead of competing for the market.

Each one should push forward additional values for the products and services they offer. Each should work together in keeping each other’s head above water during these times.

Since this could be an opportunity for everyone to learn something about the market and how to drive their businesses despite the crisis, there should be a pot of gold for everyone to share at the end of the journey.

These wholesalers and distributors should only learn to manage their inventories much carefully nowadays, and they should offer something valuable that the buyers will appreciate.

A little will go a long way with everyone in the industry doing what they can to keep the industry moving.