AI Archives

Lean Six Sigma was Early in Distribution. AI Makes it Real (Part 1 of 4)

What if AI doesn’t replace Lean Six Sigma, but finally makes it scalable? The first in this four-part series from NAW Chief Innovation Officer Bart Tessel introduces LSS AI: a disciplined operating model to help distributors move beyond AI hype, close learning loops and build organizations that learn faster than volatility.

June 8, 2026

Census: AI Adoption Accelerating Across U.S. Businesses, but Use Cases Remain Narrow

New Census Bureau data analysis suggests wholesale trade continues to report AI usage below the national average, indicating a more gradual pace of adoption. Meanwhile, the broader findings reflect MDM & NAW's industry AI research.

May 27, 2026

Market Analysis

The Hidden Majority: Your AI Is Writing Emails. Your Competitor’s is Finding Margin

We kick off our new "The Hidden Majority" article series with one that focuses on the small- to mid-sized results from the latest Baird-MDM survey combined with our AI research from earlier this year. This piece explores why pricing and margin optimization remain the industry’s biggest untapped AI opportunity — especially for sub-$100M distributors.

May 24, 2026

Colorado Sun Highlights AI Adoption in Distribution, SHIFT Conference

Featured coverage from The Colorado Sun focused on how distributors are approaching artificial intelligence with practical, operations-driven strategies based on conversations at NAW's SHIFT Conference.

May 18, 2026

Building Materials/Construction

From Order-Takers to Demand Generators: Building Materials’ Next Shift

Distribution always had rich data on new construction — but almost nothing on the market that's already standing. The replacement and renovation market has been a data desert for decades. That's starting to change with AI.

April 22, 2026

The Data Problem Killing Your AI Investment

Most distributors aren’t failing at AI — they’re failing at data. This piece unpacks why 95% of GenAI efforts deliver no ROI, how agentic AI is changing workflows, and why a unified data foundation is becoming the real competitive edge.

March 31, 2026

Legal & Regulatory Issues

Trump Administration Proposes Federal AI Standard

The administration is pushing for a single federal AI standard to replace a growing patchwork of state rules. If enacted, the framework could simplify compliance for distributors and accelerate AI adoption across the sector — with broad implications for software vendors and digital strategy. Here's what to know.

March 23, 2026

Digital Commerce

Unified Commerce and Agentic AI: A New Blueprint for Profitable Growth

Unified commerce platforms paired with agentic AI are helping distributors eliminate “phantom margin loss,” optimize fulfillment and unlock real-time decision-making — shifting operations from reactive workflows to autonomous, profit-driven systems that boost growth, efficiency and customer experience at scale. This piece explores the work being done here and the factors at play that determine success rates.

March 20, 2026

Study: 86% of Execs Say They Require AI Use at Work — Less than Half of Managers Agree

Executives say AI is becoming mandatory at work, but that message isn’t fully reaching employees. A new survey highlights a growing perception gap between leadership expectations and how workers actually view and use AI.

March 13, 2026

Technology Provider News

Pepper Inks $50M Funding to Provide Independent Food Distributors with AI Tools

Pepper said the Series C funding will expand its AI-powered platform for independent food distributors, accelerating product innovation, ERP integrations and go-to-market efforts across ordering, sales, receivables and embedded payments workflows.

February 25, 2026

Expert Perspective

Tech Platform Strategy, AI Adoption and CRM that Actually Works

AI is reshaping distributor CRM — but only when backed by the right platform strategy. In this episode of the MDM Amplify Podcast, LeadSmart's Kevin Brown breaks down smart AI adoption, data integration and how distributors can turn customer intelligence into measurable growth. We also touch on his 30 years of perspective in the industrial supply channel and share takeaways from NAW's 2026 Executive Summit.

February 16, 2026

NAW Testifies on AI, Workplace Safety Before Congress

Eric Hoplin, NAW CEO, testified to the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections on how the distribution industry is deploying AI.

February 12, 2026

AI that Makes Sales More Human

AI can make room for the human connection that actually wins business. Read how artificial intelligence in distribution can reengineer highly manual processes into ones that are faster, more accurate, and yes, more human.

February 11, 2026

Quarterly MDM-Baird Distribution Survey

Research: Most Distributors Expect to Increase Tech Investment in 2026

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January 23, 2026

Packer Fastener Develops AI-Powered Quoting Tool via External Innovation Lab

Packer said the project represents a key step in the company's broader AI roadmap, which aims to expand automation and digital tools across the company.

November 12, 2025

Here’s How Agentic AI Could Transform Procurement and Supplier Onboarding

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November 7, 2025

How SRS Distribution and InstaLILY are Rewiring Growth with AI

AI adoption in distribution isn’t just a technology story — it’s a leadership story and one that centers on partnerships. SRS Distribution’s collaboration with InstaLILY demonstrates the power of approaching AI not as a transactional vendor purchase, but as a strategic partnership designed to rewire how an organization grows. Learn all about it here.

October 15, 2025

From Silicon Valley to Supply Chains: Why 2 Stanford MBAs Brought AI Research into Distribution

Two Stanford MBAs took a two-year deep dive into researching AI use in wholesale distribution — conducting 200+ executive interviews with industry leaders. Their takeaway: distributors are not only ready for AI, they’re eager for it. Here’s why they’re making this industry their career focus.

October 9, 2025

5 Signs Your Distribution Business is Ready for AI

AI in distribution isn’t about having perfect data — it’s about knowing where to start. Here, discover five benchmarks that may signal your business is more AI-ready than you think.