Prices at the producer level declined 0.2% in May from the previous month, according to Labor Department data. The monthly decline in the producer price index was the largest in seven months, with year-over-year inflation falling to 2.2% after jumping to 2.3% last month. Declining fuel costs were a major contributor to the positive data. Meanwhile, a core measure that excludes the food and energy categories was unchanged from the prior month.

Modern Distribution Management unveiled its 2024 Top Distributors List on Thursday. The comprehensive directory provides information on the 200 largest industrial, electrical, building material and construction products distributors in North America based on 2023 revenues, sorted by 20 product verticals. Check out the report and/or the accompanying webinar!

Distributors face challenges from a slowing economy, supply chain disruptions and an evolving marketplace. To thrive, distributors should adopt omnichannel sales strategies, including digital marketplaces and self-service options, that enhance efficiency and customer experience, writes Kelly Squizzero, senior product manager at Acumatica. Squizzero argues distributors should develop a customer-centric approach and use data management and predictive analytics to enable data-driven decisions and boost understanding of customer behavior and market trends.

Autonomous transportation technologies, including self-driving trucks and drones, are making the transportation of goods more efficient and sustainable, but full automation remains out of reach due to regulatory uncertainty and ongoing safety testing. Technological innovations and sustainability goals are also key trends affecting the development of autonomous transportation.

Supply chain leaders may be tempted to focus on long-term constraints, but a strategy that prioritizes more imminent risks will ultimately be more effective, according to recommendations from Gartner based on recent research. The area of design is another that is essential as a thoughtful approach can mitigate short-term and long-term constraints, while connecting with external partners such as solution providers can be helpful, says the report.

According to research from Forrester, business-to-business organizations perform better when they hire first-line sales managers from outside the company rather than promoting internal candidates. "Assuming rep skills translate into management success often fails spectacularly," says Mat Hill of Illumio, a company that hires more than 90% of managers from external sources.

Requiring that employees return to the office may make life easier for bosses, but a new study from Leesman found that engagement and collaboration improve in a hybrid environment, where workers are only in the office three days at most. Allison English, deputy CEO of Leesman, says quality of interactions matter, not quantity, noting that, "In fact, we see that the greater the number of in-person days, the less the worker is generally satisfied with work-life balance, impacting engagement and their connection to the organization."

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