More than 90% of distributors report manufacturers of industrial supplies have increased prices, with most offering little assistance in mitigating price hikes, according to Industrial Distribution's second release of data from its 2024 Survey of Distributor Operations. Price increases continue squeezing distributors, but most prioritize quality and on-time delivery over price when evaluating suppliers. Among other key findings, distributors continue to add staff, primarily in sales and warehouse roles, and report continued retention and hiring challenges, particularly in sales roles.

ABC Supply Chairwoman Diane Hendricks topped Forbes' list of America's Richest Self-Made Women, with Uline President Elizabeth Uihlein cracking the top five. Both leaders of distribution giants and National Association of Wholesale-Distributor members based in Wisconsin, Hendricks and Uihlein have estimated net worths in the billions that outrank big-name celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian.

HVAC and plumbing supplies distributor First Supply is partnering with warehouse robotics firm Exotec to integrate the Skypod System into its warehouse in a move expected to increase storage capacity by up to 30%, improve productivity and optimize resources. "We're transforming our supply chain, focusing on optimizing inventory management through enhanced technology and refined procedures, exemplified by our new distribution center," says First Supply President and CEO Katie Poehling Seymour.

Descartes, a provider of supply chain software, said global ocean container shipments rebounded in the fiscal first quarter, which could lead to higher truck volumes. "Supply chains and logistics operations continue to be impacted by a myriad of factors, including military conflicts, disruptions to trade routes, government sanctions, and material changes to taxes and tariffs," said Ed Ryan, CEO of Descartes.

Procurement can become more sustainable by deploying strategies such as convincing C-suite executives and relying on accurate data, write Pierre-François Thaler from EcoVadis and Matias Pollmann-Larsen from Accenture. Other strategies include engaging suppliers in sustainability initiatives, using technology to boost transparency and ensuring supply chain professionals have appropriate training in sustainability, they write.

Moving supply chains closer to the US through strategies such as onshoring and nearshoring is one of three ways manufacturers are prioritizing efficiency amid concerns about cost, according to a Deloitte report. Industrial policy is also becoming more critical as investments in US-based production facilities grow, along with strategy differentiation intended to reduce risk, says the report.

Some 89% of business-to-business marketers are optimistic about achieving marketing goals in 2024 and 72% anticipate increasing acquisition marketing over the next 24 months, per a report from Stirista and Ascend2. In addition, social media, digital and email are viewed as the most successful channels for acquisition marketing by B2B marketers.

Investors were focused on the personal consumption expenditures price index Friday, which rose 2.7% from a year earlier in April, but figures around personal income and consumption attracted more attention. Incomes increased 0.3% from the previous month, down from 0.5% in March, while personal spending climbed 0.2%, below expectations. The impact of years of inflation appears to be catching up with consumers as they become more restrained.

Despite the hype surrounding generative AI, just 5% of global organizations have reached the point of having a mature AI initiative, according to a study by Genpact and HFS Research, leaving many companies sitting out developments on the sidelines. "This is a case of myopic vision," says Sreekanth Menon, Genpact's global leader of AI and machine learning, who blames the reluctance to invest on the misconception that AI is merely a productivity tool.

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