The US core personal consumption expenditures price index, an inflation gauge closely watched by the Federal Reserve, rose 0.3% month over month in February, aligning with economists' predictions and marking a slight decrease from January's 0.4% rise. The index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, increased 2.8% year over year, maintaining its rate from January. Amid signs of a resilient economy and persistent inflation, the Fed is continuing to evaluate its interest-rate policy and potential cuts this year.

The Labor Department finalized a rule allowing employers and employees to authorize representatives, including non-employees, to accompany OSHA officials in workplace inspections. The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors and other trade groups oppose the rule, arguing it could lead to safety concerns, infringe on property rights and disrupt safety inspections. "This rule does nothing to improve workplace safety, instead it allows third-party individuals access to warehouses during OSHA inspections for potentially their own personal benefit," said NAW Chief Government Affairs Officer Brian Wild.

Wisconsin-based building products distributor ABC Supply has expanded its Canadian footprint with the acquisition of All Canadian Building Products in British Columbia. All Canadian distributes residential and commercial roofing products, and its staff and management will remain in place during the transition. The deal marks ABC's eighth acquisition in the Canadian province.

The East Coast stands to be most impacted by supply chain disruptions surrounding the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, per The Washington Post, cutting off access to the nation's ninth-largest port in Baltimore and temporarily closing it. Industries set to feel the pinch by the closure include the auto, manufacturing and coal industries, and the port is the nation's busiest for automobile and light truck imports.

The Red Sea crisis is just one example of supply chain difficulties that manufacturers are facing and will continue to struggle with. Matt Heerey, president of the manufacturing division at ECI Solutions, explores the challenges and the necessity of warehouse visibility to minimize disruptions with the use of enterprise resource planning solutions.

Improve your company's ecommerce advertising response with these custom marketing strategies. Send special offers to returning customers, target discount seekers with sale promotions, give customers the ability to send a gift with a message, offer other relevant products to customers who make a purchase, and use "predictive" software to find customers likely to purchase within a specific time.

Finance leaders are troubled by the potential risks of expanded use of generative AI, with more than two-thirds reporting at least moderate concern about privacy, ethical or accuracy risks, according to a recent AICPA & CIMA survey. Despite these concerns, over a quarter of respondents reported that their organizations are experimenting with such AI tools, and 6% have already implemented them in business applications.

Research shows the benefits are clear: Companies that invest in their employees' professional development experience increased employee retention, improved performance and enhanced innovation. Join a select group of high-caliber professionals for an exclusive program designed to accelerate your career in wholesale distribution. This intensive, 5-day certificate program, led by seven expert faculty members from The Ohio State University, will equip students with the strategic skills and knowledge to navigate industry challenges, drive growth and lead with confidence. The Spring Session is April 29 - May 3, 2024. Learn More.

The difference between leading and lagging distribution companies often rests on the performance of their sales teams. Join Doug Wyatt (SPARXiQ) and industry sales leaders Joe Velleman (Mid-City Supply) and Jeff Weiss (Livingston & Haven) in this panel discussion as they provide insights to help you bridge this gap through strategic upskilling. Register here.

The NAW Company Roundtables are an exclusive community of thought leaders from Billion Dollar and Large Company distribution enterprises who congregate to network with non-competing peers in multiple lines of trade on key issues. Learn more about the many Roundtable event opportunities we offer, and how your leaders can get involved. Learn more.