AI can now turn quotes and orders around in minutes, but speed alone won’t create a competitive advantage. This article explains how distributors can convert newly freed capacity into proactive selling — directing reps toward the accounts, products and conversations most likely to generate growth.
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Industry News
The deal adds residential framing services, manufactured trusses, doors, millwork and other building materials serving homebuilder customers across several Florida markets.
MSC Industrial Supply named longtime finance executive Rob Kuhns as its permanent CFO, completing its latest C-suite transition as the distributor’s sales and profitability accelerate.
Winsupply returns as a 2026-2027 season partner after doing so in 2024 to its home state NFL team, with the deal including stadium branding, customer engagement opportunities and the company’s involvement in recent renovations at Paycor Stadium.
Daily sales growth again topped street expectations and the company's own signalled guidance as both major manufacturing end markets and all three geographies accelerated. Get our full breakdown of the company's August sales report.
Transportation equipment and primary metals led the broader July increase. See our breakdown of how orders changed MoM and YoY by product category.
Makita Industrial Tools began operations Sept. 1 following the completed transfer of Panasonic Electric Works’ power tools business, expanding Makita deeper into factory fastening equipment and industrial IoT solutions.
Indiana-based Pegasus adds industrial and electronic connection products and value-added assembly capabilities to Midland Industries, which has a new CEO as of August.
Three more distributors have been identified as alleged co-conspirators in the sprawling PVC pipe antitrust litigation, doubling the distributor list since MDM’s initial coverage. Meanwhile, settlements involving manufacturers and a pricing data provider have climbed above $415 million.
We're off Monday for Labor Day, and we hope you are too. Our Update newsletter will be back in action Tuesday morning.
NetPlus Alliance’s latest Industry Outlook showed continued momentum among its distributor members through the first half of 2026, with 84% now expecting full-year sales growth of at least 3%.
The deal adds rotating equipment sales, service and repair capabilities in Oklahoma and Arkansas as OTC continues building out its national service network.
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