Federal Trade Commission officials are meeting with Amazon representatives next week in a "last-rites" meeting, which often proceeds a lawsuit or settlement filing, according to a source. Amazon's business practices have been under FTC scrutiny over how it treats outside sellers, the bundling practices of its Prime subscription service and other possible anticompetitive practices, sources said.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Yellow trucking company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, officially closed its operations and secured a loan to help with asset sales, including thousands of trucks and dozens of freight terminals. Yellow was among the nation's largest less-than-truckload carriers with 30,000 workers, but struggled with debts from mergers, a $700 million federal COVID-19 relief loan and union concessions.

Private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice is purchasing Veritiv for $2.3 billion and will take it private as the packaging industry faces slowing demand, consolidations and an increased focus on recyclable packaging. Veritiv's board of directors unanimously approved the deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter.

Rising inflation is the most pressing concern for supply chain leaders globally, followed by geopolitical changes, trade policies and customer regulations and a shortage of skilled workers, according to Alcott Global research. Sixty-four percent cited a lack of skill sets among candidates as the most significant hiring challenge, while 58% cited a shortage in the mastery of data analytics, optimization and automation.

Industry officials say Dallas is a growing location for autonomous truck testing and development due to Texas' proactive stance, favorable weather and key freight corridors. Aurora, Kodiak Robotics and Gatik are among companies testing the AV technology ahead of going fully driverless.

FedEx has filed a building permit to develop a 1.3-million-square-foot sorting facility at its World Hub in Memphis, Tenn. The $220 million project, which will be in addition to another sorting facility that has already been planned, is part of the World Hub's ongoing modernization.

Before making purchases, 38% of business-to-business buyers are analyzing potential returns on investment, 31% are conducting more research than before and 24% are using social media in their quest for information or vendors, DemandGen reports. Prior experience with suppliers increased to 40% this year from 2022's 25% rate -- indicating that buyers are remaining with companies they trust.

Nearly 90% of marketers have experimented with or used AI, with the top uses being content summaries, ideation, personalization, research and quicker content production, per a report from The Conference Board and Ragan Communications. In addition, just over 40% say AI will boost creativity and work quality, while 30% say it will have a detrimental effect.

The Association for Supply Chain Management is issuing a new credential for mid-level professionals involved with supply chain transformation. The Certified in Transformation for Supply Chain credential requires passing a 150-question exam.

Attorneys urge private-sector employers to revisit employee handbooks and work rules after a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board earlier in August. Policies to review and potentially revise include restrictions on social media use, on recording devices and on efforts to promote civility within the company.

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