Question-and-Answer Session
Operator
Thank you. At this time, I would like to open up the call for questions and answers. (Operator Instructions). Our first question is from Liam Burke. Go ahead, please.
Liam Burke – Ferris, Baker Watts
Good morning, Daniel. Good morning, Frank.
Daniel Jones
Hey Liam.
Liam Burke – Ferris, Baker Watts
I know this tough in terms of end markets. I mean, it's no secret that the both the residential and commercial are beginning to surpass, and are creating other issues as such in the spread.
But if I segmented commercial, are there any pockets doing any better or any worse, vis-à-vis last year?
Daniel Jones
There are few a pockets Liam where we're seeing some positive numbers. They are more of the specialty cables that we manufacture, rather than just a broad sense of the term building wire.
We've been able to maneuver through and use our flexibility to our strength to write those orders and it's more specifically driven on the commercial side by hospitals and schools and government buildings, and schools would cover everything from elementary preschool type campus all the way up to major colleges that seem to be expanding pretty much nationwide.
Liam Burke – Ferris, Baker Watts
If you looked at the commercial unit volumes, they were down. They weren't down certainly with the amount of residential was. But usually, the wire goes into the tail-end of the building project. So the business would've held up as the commercial business was softening. Are we seeing any of that here or has that run its course?
Daniel Jones
Well, it's hard to predict. I think you can do enough research to support either conclusion. But one of that we're seeing in the field and having been on the road as late as yesterday with customers, there is some cautious optimism there.
But again, there is jobs that are going on. We saw the real cut back in inventory at the distributive level to maybe unprecedented top levels for us. And then as that started to turn a little bit to the positive side. They started to bring wire and similar products back in.
So, it's tough to say exactly where it's headed. But there are some positive signs out there. Most of the larger distributors that held on to some inventory have seen some gains. The guys that ran themselves completely out of inventory for fear of the volatility of across of building wire going forward, and they are unable to try to predict crossing patterns going forward. Those guys are trying to play a little bit of a catch up game, I believe, at this point.
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