US business output increased in October, with the manufacturing sector experiencing growth for the first time in five months and services activity increasing, according to the S&P Global Composite Purchasing Managers Index. Manufacturing PMI hit 50, its highest reading since April, fueled by a rise in new orders for the first time in six months. Services PMI reached a three-month high of 50.9, and service providers reported the smallest price margin increases since 2020.

Ace Hardware moved its corporate headquarters to the former McDonald's Corporate Campus in Oak Brook, Ill. The new headquarters will accommodate more than 1,100 locally-based workers who serve store owners and shareholders. Built in the 1970s, the 80-acre campus features open workstations, conference rooms, cafes, fitness and conference centers, a dining center and collaboration spaces.

Additional warehouses were built amid the coronavirus pandemic, but companies now face labor shortages, with many turning to automated technology to boost productivity and retain workers. Kevin Beasley, CIO at software firm VAI, argues automation can provide a sustainable path forward for warehousing leaders to drive efficiency and promote retention. Challenges do exist, however, including system integration and scalability.

Warehouse robotics builder AutoStore has unveiled the R5 Pro Robot for large-scale ecommerce operations, saying the technology helps increase productivity, allows continuous operations and optimizes space usage and cost. The robot "improves both our market position and the value proposition for customers managing very large systems and high-throughput operations, typically characterized by extended operating hours and a substantial robot count," says Chief Product Officer Carlos Fernandez.

KargoBot CEO Junqing Wei anticipates a "revolution" is coming for cargo mobility and autonomous trucking in the next decade. Logistics are already changing and Wei sees a combination of human intelligence and technology driving autonomous fleets.

Construction has begun on a 108-acre logistics project for Canada's Prince Rupert Port Authority. The $548 million Ridley Island Export Logistics Project will expand capacity and add fully electrified rail-to-container transloading capabilities.

Some 71% of business-to-business tech buyers feel let down by the quality of gated content, per Informa Tech, which is why B2B marketers must avoid five content mistakes that erode trust, Renae Gregoire writes. Publishing generic, stale, low-value content with recycled insights and an obvious sales pitch is the fastest way to lose trust and loyalty, Gregoire warns.

AI is being used by 88% of marketing executives, 53% say their top campaigns in the past year have used AI and 85% are prioritizing first-party data capture, per Twilio Segment research. Most marketers say AI would be more useful if they had better data, while 38% say they lack adequate employee training and 28% are concerned about data privacy.

Great customer service begins with the top-level leaders, writes Andrew Kahl, CEO of BackBox. Leaders should be visible in customer engagements in person and online, clarify the customer-service mission and show employees how to deliver top customer service, Kahl writes.

October is turning out to be one of the busiest months in years for mergers and acquisitions, with more than $139 billion in deals announced for publicly traded firms. That is about three times the amount seen in October 2022 and the highest single-month total since June 2019.

NAW's Billion Dollar Executive Roundtable event November 8-9 in Dallas offers an opportunity to join other wholesaler-distributor executives in discussions about topics that matter to you and your company. Attendees will hear from leaders in the industry and expand their networking circles. Learn more about this invitation-only event here.

Get ready to supercharge your organization at the Innovators Summit in Austin, TX, from November 14 to 16! Join us to connect with tech innovators, explore emerging trends, and harness cutting-edge technologies that will propel your organization to new heights of growth and transformation.

Experience three days of excellent networking opportunities, cutting-edge content, and educational programming for leaders in the wholesale-distribution industry at NAW's Exective Summit Jan. 30 - Feb. 1. Hear from world-class speakers and explore issues critical to the industry. Be prepared for what's next and learn new strategies to get there first. View agenda and registration information here.