The Conference Board's monthly measure of US consumer confidence rose to a 6-month high of 103.3 in August, fueled by a positive view of the economic outlook and the likelihood of interest rate cuts. However, the downbeat prospects for jobs and inflation have dampened consumer readiness to spend on major items such as cars and homes. "Consumers' assessments of the current labor situation, while still positive, continued to weaken, and assessments of the labor market going forward were more pessimistic," said Dana Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board.

Foodservice packaging and JanSan distributor Imperial Dade has acquired Reno, Nev.-based Inland Supply, which supplies customers in and around Nevada with janitorial and facility maintenance supplies and food service products. Imperial Dade CEO Jason Tillis says the company is "excited to partner" with Inland CEO T.J. Elliot and plans "to find ways to better serve our customers and vendor partners."

Hardware products and merchandising solutions provider Hillman Solutions has acquired Intex DIY, a cleaning textiles supplier, and has entered a partnership with Kontoor Brands to create work gloves next year under the Wrangler brand. "We will leverage the Hillman moat to sell and service this new product line with both new and existing customers. We look forward to expanding within this critical category as we seek ways to better serve our customers," said Hillman Chair, President and CEO Doug Cahill.

Distributors that have invested in advanced pricing software and cloud ERPs but continue to struggle to make gross margin improvements may have disconnected pricing teams and improper product and customer segmentation, writes Brent Johnstone, a partner at software and advisory firm ACTvantage. To achieve sustainable margin growth, it's crucial to integrate pricing teams with sales and inventory teams, share benchmarked insights and focus on product and customer segmentation.

Cargo theft increased by 49% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period the previous year, according to a report by Overhaul that identified southern California as the hotbed of activity with 45% of all thievery. "Criminals are not only more organized, but they're also tracking loads as they leave warehouses and distribution centers known to store valuable products, waiting to strike when vehicles are left vulnerable," said Barry Conlon, Overhaul's CEO and founder.

Finding the sweet spot between long-term brand building and short-term sales activation is one of the five key foundational elements for a successful, modern business-to-business marketing playbook, writes Momentum ITSMA CEO Alisha Lyndon. Others include integrating human moments into digital buying journeys and prioritizing relevance over personalization, Lyndon explains.

Companies should develop structured career pathways to aid in talent acquisition and retention by using data from applicant tracking systems to identify potential career progressions, implementing corporate mentorship programs and setting clear role-specific qualifications, writes Stephanie Sparks, the director of content marketing at Employ. Regularly revisiting and updating career pathways ensures they align with business objectives and employee aspirations, Sparks notes.

Fastenal, known for its innovative approach, is rolling out new AI tools to enhance customer service and operational efficiency. The company's chatbot, Blue, has been upgraded to provide more accurate answers and source information from in-house data, and a new AI-assisted sourcing tool will help staff identify and suggest alternative items for customers. CEO Dan Florness emphasized the importance of these tools in maintaining Fastenal's competitive edge.

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