Winsupply has acquired R.A. Novia & Associates, a Cheshire, Conn.-based HVAC distributor with a focus on green technology products. The acquisition complements Winsupply's existing footprint in the region. R.A. Novia will operate under the name Winsupply Cheshire CT Co., with former owner Dick Novia continuing to lead the team of nine employees.

US manufacturing activity contracted for a seventh consecutive month in September, with the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing PMI rising from 48.7 to 49.1. The new orders index decreased from 51.4 to 48.9, and production rose from 47.8 to 51. Meanwhile, the separate S&P Global US manufacturing PMI dropped from 53 to 52, with forward-looking demand indicators providing some optimism for the future.

The US lost 32,000 jobs in the private sector on a seasonally adjusted basis in September, according to a report from ADP. In addition, the August figured was revised to show a loss of 3,000 jobs, down from a previously reported gain of 54,000.

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AI-based decision making, energy considerations and regionalization are helping to reshape thinking about supply chains, according to a Prologis, Inc. report. Fifty-eight percent of business leaders anticipate more regionalized supply chains by the end of the decade. "Organizations must prepare for a post-globalization era where proximity and control outweigh traditional cost advantages," according to Prologis.

Proton has introduced Proton PIM, a product information management system that leverages AI to enhance product data quality. The system uses AI agents to automatically gather and enrich data from various sources, addressing the common issue of poor product data in distribution. Proton PIM can function as a stand-alone system or integrate with existing PIMs.

B2B marketers are struggling to ensure their content is discoverable by AI platforms, with only 11% having optimized most of their brand's content for AI, according to a 10Fold Communications survey. Generative engine optimization has become a top priority, surpassing traditional search engine optimization, and 37% of marketers are investing in AI search visibility and AI-optimized content tools.

Getting "cozy" as a leader -- clinging to comfort and familiar routines -- can breed complacency and hinder innovation, leaving companies vulnerable to changing markets and industries, says Sanjay Khosla, a CEO and senior fellow and adjunct professor at the Kellogg School, who recommends challenging yourself and your teams to leave your comfort zones. "When you set ambitious goals and give teams the freedom to fly, amazing things happen. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things just by working together differently!"

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