Imperial Dade has announced the acquisition of R.D. McMillen, which offers janitorial solutions and services and has a history that stretches back to 1964. Terms of the deal for R.D. McMillen, which offers services in Illinois and beyond, were not disclosed.

Dale Hahs, president and CEO of Denver-based AIS Industrial & Construction Supply, shares insights into his family-operated distribution company on the latest MDM Podcast. Hahs, a 39-year veteran of the industrial and construction supply firm, details AIS's evolution, the challenges associated with a global economy, the importance of networking, talent recruitment strategies and the significance of product data.

Specialty distributor and insulation installer TopBuild is set to acquire Insulation Works, an insulation services provider in Arkansas, in a transaction expected to close this month. The deal is expected to enhance TopBuild's residential and commercial businesses and agricultural insulation expertise.

Distributors planning to incorporate AI into their operations should first consider several common pitfalls as they navigate the technical landscape, including the temptation to put the project aside altogether or give up without adequately training the model, writes Helen Pina, vice president of marketing for White Cup. Pina also cautions against finding a stand-alone solution that is hard to integrate or difficult for the sales team to use, jumping on the AI bandwagon without a clear objective and letting everyone use AI tools at their discretion.

Gartner recommends that companies stay on top of the latest supply chain technology, such as connected machines that can buy goods and services, advanced humanoid robots and numerous uses for AI. As technology develops, Gartner also advises that companies have robust cybersecurity protocols and maintain quality data with strict policies and processes.

Third-party vendor breaches of supply chains are on the rise - 68% last year, and Verizon Business recommends businesses be proactive about choosing vendors that aren't the weakest link. For instance, companies can monitor vendor reports of breaches to the SEC, indicating a vendor's security.

Salespeople should make their pitch unique to stand out from the competition instead of simply saying their product is the best, advises Colleen Francis of Engage Selling. "When you create that unique value and you can talk to unique stakeholders inside your organization, the competition can't touch you," Francis writes.

CEO confidence improved slightly in the second quarter, according to The Conference Board. Recession fears decreased significantly, with only 35% of CEOs anticipating a recession within the next 12-18 months, down from 72% in Q4 2023. Concerns about labor shortages persist, prompting many CEOs to anticipate higher costs to retain workers, and the majority of CEOs surveyed in April expected two or fewer rate cuts this year.

Results from a survey released by Microsoft and LinkedIn this week found that 75% of people in desk jobs are using AI to perform some tasks without the knowledge of the company. Those workers are tapping AI using their own means but say usage is being fueled by too much work and burnout.

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