A healthy commercial construction market and some activity in the industrial business will help propel the electrical market in 2006, according to an exclusive Electrical Wholesaling survey of electrical distributors, electrical manufacturers, independent manufacturers’ reps and association executives. While most respondents gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to the overall business climate in 2006, they were concerned about further price increases in steel and copper, the state of new product introductions in the electrical market and the evergreen problem of poor communication between electrical manufacturers and their business partners.

Some sanity may return to copper and steel pricing. Many respondents are concerned that any increases in the cost of copper and steel could once again mask real industry growth. While few industry executives expect steel and copper pricing to continue on another wild ride through 2006, they wouldn’t predict any substantial price declines. Veterans who have watched the copper market for a lifetime said they stopped trying to predict copper prices years ago.

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