The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors' Legal Policy Center is actively challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles and has filed an amicus brief with the District of Columbia's US Court of Appeals. NAW argues that the transition to electric trucks is costly, has operational limitations and could disrupt the movement of goods, affecting wholesaler-distributors operating on thin margins. "The exorbitant costs of acquiring and operating electric trucks, combined with their reduced payload capacities and longer charging times, will ripple through the entire supply chain," says Brian Wild, NAW's chief government affairs officer.

The home renovation market is set for a resurgence as lower interest rates and increased home equity encourage homeowners to invest in remodeling projects like kitchens and bathrooms, driven by more accessible borrowing options. Builders expect more business activity in the fourth quarter due to anticipated economic growth and declining interest rates, according to the Houzz Renovation Barometer.

Ingram Micro returned to the public market with an initial public offering that valued the IT distribution giant at $5.82 billion. Platinum Equity will retain control via its 90% stake in the company. Ingram Micro plans to use the proceeds of the IPO to repay debt.

Investing in pricing leadership is crucial for distributors as the position is responsible for aligning people, processes and technology to drive positive change, writes Scott Sinning, former vice president of pricing strategy at Graybar. However, many in these roles are new to pricing or the industry and often lacking formal training. Providing the necessary support and training can help transition them from tactical to strategic roles, ultimately enhancing profit margins.

Capacity issues and increasing rates in the shipping industry share characteristics of the pandemic period due to factors including heavy demand from US customers and resumption of normal inventory stocking cycles amid geopolitical concerns and labor disruptions. Adversity in the Middle East led to shippers having to change their routes, leading to a cascade of effects including higher costs and slower delivery times.

Only 2.4% of people who viewed TikTok videos from business-to-business brands engaged with them and the engagement rate drops to 0.2% for Instagram posts, Dash Hudson found.The report advises B2B marketers to focus on community building and educational content to improve their social media presences.

As you're building your business plan for 2025, executive coach Dave Coffaro encourages you to consider a different set of questions than those you may have used previously as a way to explore new areas of growth and success. Coffaro's nine questions center around customer expectations, external forces that may change those expectations and identifying risks that may be within your control.

The NAW Company Roundtables are an exclusive community of thought leaders from Billion Dollar and Large Company distribution enterprises who congregate to network with non-competing peers in multiple lines of trade on key issues. Learn more about the many Roundtable event opportunities we offer, and how your leaders can get involved. Learn more.