The massive supply chain expo and conference showcased the latest and greatest in warehouse tech, with much of it aimed at augmenting labor woes.
Latest In Perspective
Mike Hockett leads off our February Premium Monthly issue with his take on why the AI learning curve won't be nearly as steep as that of office computers or the Internet.
While application possibilities understandably drive AI discussions, the ethics component has been overlooked. This piece dives deep into the guardrails distributors will want to keep in mind as they navigate their AI journey.
However, the year-over-year sales declines improved throughout the year and were down only 4.7% in the fourth quarter.
The ISA24 conference is rapidly approaching on April 15-17 in Charlotte, NC. As a primer, we chatted with CEO Brendan Breen on what to expect from the agenda, what he's hearing from ISA members and what gives him hope about the industry.
Following his three-part article series, we had John Gunderson on the podcast for a deeper dive into Fastenal’s move from a company dependent on a nationwide branch network to one that emphasizes embedded customer service.
NAW’s 2024 Executive Summit was its most well-attended such event in years, and its content delivered in spades. This episode features interviews with attendees on their top takeaways, initiatives & more.
In the past 2 years, Singer Industrial divested a business unit, rebranded, made over a dozen acquisitions and added plenty of greenfields. CEO Craig Osborne tells us how his company has handled it all.
Last year's M&A news volume blew away that of 2022 & 2021. Will its pace hold up in 2024? Brown Gibbons Lang & Company's (BGL) Kevin Sargent joins to discuss what's driving distribution M&A and why it's outpacing the manufacturing sector.
The final part of this series explores commentary from a panel of executives on what they'd do differently with a career restart and advice for younger talent.
Leadership has been a critical differentiator for how well a distribution firm has performed over the past three years of disruption. Leadership consultant, coach and author Alain Hunkins discusses the transition from old- to new-school leadership, employee-customer experience, and how to build an energized work culture.
We continue our year-end retrospective series by showcasing our most popular feature podcast episodes of 2023, which shared plenty of valuable industry perspective.
NetPlus Alliance's Jennifer Murphy joins to discuss how the role of buying groups has evolved in recent years and why distribution's fragmentation continues to serve the channel well, among other topics.
Time for a check-up on the state of the industry as 2023 ends. Mike Marks and Tom Gale review the shifts – seismic and otherwise – that have shaped the competitive landscape across the dimensions of sales channels, digital, data analytics and culture.
Ken Sweder, CEO of the now-combined JanSan, foodservice and packaging supplies distributor, stops by to discuss the strategy behind the merger, the path ahead and the outlook for the company's product markets.
In just 12 years, Kodiak Building Partners has gone from inception to No. 11 on our Top Building Materials Distributors List. CEO Steve Swinney details how enabling local empowerment has keyed that growth.
James Dorn summarizes Dorn Group’s latest survey results that hold some surprising insights for distributors on the pricing front.
The B2B marketplace’s worldwide director, Todd Heimes, joins us to discuss how Amazon Business is constantly innovating to cater to today’s B2B buyer, and why it sees immense opportunity ahead.
NAW’s Bart Tessel and Applico’s Alex Moazed share thoughts on distribution innovation and technology today as critical differentiators, and where they're headed.
James Dorn and Tom Gale outline ways to leverage manufacturer incentives, create strategic tiered suppliers at a product category level and capture every available dollar before year-end.