Sonepar, a distributor of electrical products, is acquiring Robertson Electric Wholesale, an Ontario electrical distributor with 19 branches across Canada and more than 400 employees. The two entities will continue to operate independently until the deal receives regulatory approval in the coming months.

AFC Industries, an Ohio-based distributor of fasteners and industrial supplies, is expanding in Europe through its TFC business unit, which is acquiring Forward Industrial Products, a UK distributor of C-class components. AFC's TFC business unit provides vendor-managed inventory solutions and technical engineering products in Europe, supplying engineering products and C Class parts on the continent for more than half a century.

The vacancy rate for US industrial properties reached 6.1% in the second quarter, the highest in nine years, according to data from real estate firm Cushman and Wakefield. Rent growth slowed to 3.7% year over year, with the Northeast and South leading and absorption rates doubled, reflecting "healthy market fundamentals."

Building products distributor Cameron Ashley opened its newest distribution center in Visalia, Calif., to stock drywall, insulation, roofing and other products. "Our newest location is strategically located in the Central Valley, meaning we can service customers from the bottom of the Grapevine south to the Central Coast and all the way back North to the Modesto area," said Jason Catching, distribution center manager. Catching said the location would allow same-day or next-day deliveries to more than half the state.

Supply chain leaders seeking transformation identify five major goals such as incorporating an "end-to-end" digital approach and focusing more on consumer value than cost, but reality can interfere with steady advancement, according to a report from Kearney and the World Economic Fund. Companies have made progress on these goals, becoming more flexible and resilient, yet are often constrained by "the scale and complexity of the necessary changes, along with opportunity costs, in the form of time, energy and resources," says the report.

Generative AI has been implemented more rapidly by businesses with a revenue growth of 20% or more over the past three years, according to a study from Epicor and Nucleus Research, which said 63% of these high-growth businesses are already using it. The most frequent use of generative AI involved chatbots, with 72% of respondents saying they improve the ability to serve customers across a variety of sectors.

Social proof can give business-to-business marketers the edge to win the trust of decision-makers, which can be demonstrated by strategies such as using influencers, expert testimonials and amplifying positive user generated content on social, writes Dialpad's Jessica True. The key to generating social proof is providing an excellent customer experience and using social listening to identify brand advocates, True advises.

With June's unemployment rate rising to 4.1%, the case for the Federal Reserve to trim interest rates in September may be gaining some momentum. Another significant indicator could be average hourly earnings, which were up 3.9% in June on a year-over-year basis, the smallest increase since 2021.

Birds only sing when there are no predators around, which is why bird songs make us subconsciously feel safe and content, something executive coach Henna Pryor writes should inspire leaders to send a strong message of safety to their teams by encouraging curiosity, normalizing mistakes and asking for feedback. "When employees feel heard and see their ideas put into action, it significantly boosts their sense of belonging and commitment to the team," Pryor writes.

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