Distributors and wholesalers are adapting to fast-paced changes in global supply chains and economic uncertainty. The past year was a pivotal one as the industry focused on technological advancements, such as integrating AI into workflows and using data analytics to improve decision-making. The industry is also shifting from chasing broad volume growth to focusing on strategic execution, with leaders sharpening strategies and adapting to sector dynamics as growth became less predictable.

A recent incident in Massachusetts saw thieves successfully steal a truckload of lobster worth $400,000 from a cold-storage facility by exploiting vulnerabilities in the logistics chain. The sophisticated heist involved phishing and impersonation, with a perpetrator posing as a legitimate carrier to pick up the shipment, which was destined for Costco warehouses. The lobster has not been recovered, and the FBI is investigating the incident, which underscores the rising threat of cargo theft, particularly in the food and beverage sector.

Inline Electric & Lighting has acquired Customer Service Electric Supply, a Knoxville, Tenn.-based distributor with locations in Sevierville and Kingsport. The acquisition aims to expand Inline Electric's presence in East Tennessee, leveraging CSES's local expertise and strong customer relationships.

Traditional supply chain metrics are being broadened for 2026 to capture the increasing complexity of global operations, according to a KPMG year-end report. New measurement areas include on-time transfer rates across different transportation modes, scenario testing through digital twins and sustainable procurement rates. The expansion aims to encompass factors such as resilience, ESG compliance, technology integration and multimodal orchestration, aligning supply chain performance with evolving stakeholder expectations.

Industrial merger-and-acquisition activity remained largely flat in 2025, with overall deal volume and value still trailing pre-2022 levels, says MiddleGround Capital partner Christen Paras. While some high-growth sectors like power, data centers and defense saw strong competition and premium valuations, most industrial segments experienced only modest improvement after a quiet start to the year. Manufacturing deals picked up in the latter half of 2025, and industrial services M&A was the most active area. Looking ahead, there is cautious optimism for increased M&A activity in 2026, fueled by lower interest rates, ample private equity capital and strong corporate cash reserves, although much of the market is still awaiting a significant wave of deals.

Davang Shah of LinkedIn discusses five major B2B advertising trends for 2026, emphasizing the shift from reach to authority to gain trust, the importance of precision to eliminate ad waste and the concept of "buyability" driven by younger buyers. Shah also notes the integration of AI with human creativity and the need for credibility in AI-driven brand discovery.

The Trump administration is investigating the diversity initiatives of major US companies under the False Claims Act, a law traditionally used against contractors who defraud the government. The Department of Justice argues that considering diversity in hiring while holding federal contracts constitutes a form of fraud. Companies such as Google and Verizon have received requests for information, and the investigations could result in significant financial penalties if the government prevails in court.

The Chicago Business Barometer rose to 43.5 in December, surpassing economists' expectations of 40 but remaining below the 50 mark that indicates growth. The index has been in contraction territory for 25 months. Order backlogs, new orders and production increased, while employment, inventories and prices paid declined.

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