More retailers are returning to the pre-pandemic just-in-time inventory management system as supply chains stabilize, they work through excess inventory and they have better forecasting tools that give them greater visibility into production and demand. Such technology at Walmart, for example, means "we're able to better predict lead times, we're able to better execute review cycles, and as we do that better, we're able to hit target inventory levels," says David Guggina, executive vice president of supply chain.

Lawson Products, a subsidiary of Distribution Solutions Group, is acquiring Emergent Safety Supply, an Illinois-based distributor of safety and JanSan products. Lawson plans to integrate ESS and its roughly $13 million in annual sales into its operations to boost its safety product offering. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but DSG funded the acquisition with cash from operations.

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors is acquiring distribution news and market research publication Modern Distribution Management. NAW said the deal would boost data-driven intelligence for NAW members and MDM subscribers. NAW President and CEO Eric Hoplin said the acquisition is "a declaration of NAW's unwavering commitment to distributor success."

Although generative AI solutions can help with demand forecasting, inventory management, warehouse automation, customer service, quality control and route optimization, there are also operational risks that distributors can be exposed to, writes Fred Mendelsohn, a partner at Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella PC. The risks include inaccuracies, biased or prejudicial conclusions, possible infringement of intellectual property and data and system security, Mendelsohn writes.

Warehouse managers need to review a number of factors when evaluating their warehouse safety status including whether aisles and open areas are clear and unobstructed, racks are intact and guardrails are in place for fall protection, according to a blog by ProLogistix. Warehouses should also have easy-to-access and readable safety manuals, team members dedicated to conducting safety audits and a policy that makes it easy to report potential risks.

There's been a "meteoric rise" in Class 2b zero-tailpipe-emission cargo vans in the US with 11,835 of a total 14,400 hitting the road during the first half of 2023, per Calstart. Experts attribute the rise to higher production volumes, lower cost compared to other zero-emission trucks and the ease of return-to-base overnight charging.

For better content marketing success, business-to-business companies should be active on one or two social platforms, track what their competitors are doing and use a multimedia approach that may involve polls and other forms of content. Featuring employees in marketing content and testing different posting times can also lead to better results.

The S&P flash Composite PMI Output Index rose to 52.3 in January from 50.9 in December as manufacturing and services experienced a pickup in growth. At the same time, inflation dropped to its lowest level in three-and-a-half years. However, ongoing supply chain disruptions and tight labor markets still have the potential to put upward pressure on prices in the future.

Investors are starting to temper expectations for interest-rate cuts in 2024 after dovish comments from the Federal Reserve and stronger-than-expected economic data. Rate-cut expectations boosted stocks and bonds at the end of 2023, but while the S&P 500 has closed at a record high this month, Treasurys have pared gains. "Current economic conditions are far from those that have historically precipitated rate cuts," says John Lynch, chief investment officer at Comerica Wealth Management.

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