Import costs moved higher for the third consecutive month in March, rising 0.4%, according to Labor Department data. Year-over-year import prices increased 0.4%, the first annual increase in more than a year. Energy import prices jumped 4.7% behind a 6% increase in petroleum prices, while core import prices excluding food and energy were flat month-to-month and fell 0.4% from a year earlier.

United Hardware shareholders resoundingly voted in favor of the company's proposed merger with Do it Best, one of the final steps in a tie-up that will see United Hardware stores retain their autonomy within a co-operative framework. "This partnership represents our deep-seated belief in the co-op model and our dedication to drive member growth in an increasingly competitive market," said Do it Best CEO and President Dan Starr.

Waterworks and industrial supplies distributor Core & Main is acquiring the assets of Kentucky-based Geothermal Supply, a distributor and fabricator of high-density polyethylene pipes and other products for geothermal, water and sewer applications. The deal allows Core & Main to incorporate HDPE products into its fusible product offerings, says CEO Steve LeClair.

Supply chain professionals are seeing an increase in salary with average compensation of $121,150 per year in 2024, according to a report from Peerless Research Group and Logistics Management. Supply chain and logistics professionals in the manufacturing sector earn the highest average pay at $123,450 annually, followed by the other sectors of 3PLs, distributors and consulting firms.

For maximum efficiency, supply chain technology needs to be scalable, writes Robbie LaRocca, senior sales engineer at Advantive. Visibility and agility are both important aspects of managing supply chains, and LaRocca recommends solutions that "will fit the organization's goals down the line."

Pan Communications' Ashley Wallace Jones explains how business-to-business marketers can enhance their content marketing by tackling the 3Rs -- repackaging, repurposing and reoptimizing. "Thinking about content in a one-to-many way helps extend the life cycle and return on brand-to-demand content," Wallace Jones writes, adding, "It also helps re-enforce consistent brand messaging across platforms and streamlines the creation-to-publish timeline."

A study by Gartner shows nearly half of managers are at risk of failure because they lack skills such as self-awareness, empathy and effective communication, which can result in underperforming teams, write Gartner researchers Swagatam Basu, Atrijit Das, Vitorio Bretas and Jonah Shepp. Companies should provide training to managers before putting them on the job and consider having them mentored by already successful managers, says Lia Bosch, the founder of the consulting firm Thrive People Strategies.

Hotter-than-expected inflation data in the US has made markets less clear on when central banks will begin to cut rates. As it stands, trading suggests Switzerland, Sweden and the European Central Bank could cut rates in June and Canada in July. The UK, New Zealand and the US are not expected to cut rates before August.

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Join us on May 22 at 1 pm ET for the next webinar in our "How-to with NAW" series. Each episode is a micro-revolution for your distribution business, delivering practical takeaways and actionable steps you can implement immediately.