Lawson Products reported $90.3 million in third-quarter total sales, a 25% increase from the second quarter and a 4.7% drop from the year-ago period. For the year to date, Lawson's sales are down but profit is up from the prior year.

BlueLinx Holdings' third-quarter sales increased by 28.3% from a year earlier, fueling a $55.1 million profit after losing $7 million a year ago. The gains were helped by "closely managing an improving housing market," President and CEO Mitch Lewis said.

MSC Industrial Supply has hired a team to focus on generating more growth from e-commerce operations, President and CEO Erik Gershwind says. The team will be led by Faisal Hussain, vice president of e-commerce.

Warehouse utilization rates bounced back to 85% in the third quarter, the same level as before the pandemic, according to a Prologis report. Rents are expected to increase by 2.5% this year.

Business-to-business marketers can leverage their website, search engine optimization and social media to drive brand awareness by delivering relevant content and experiences, writes Loyalty Builder's Adam Feiner. He explains how to maximize each channel, advising for social -- "Listening can keep you ahead of your competition, help you construct an effective influencer program and even build more impactful brand partnerships."

Link-building is an essential component of a business-to-business digital strategy and Matt Diggity explains how to develop an ethical strategy via guest posts, "link reclamation" and business directories relevant for your industry. "If you consistently publish high-quality, valuable content and establish yourself as a go-to expert in your industry, other writers and site owners will naturally start linking to you," Diggity writes.

The adage "Haste makes waste" is true in life and business, writes Art Petty, who recommends slowing down the problem-solving process until a clear picture, consensus and direction are reached. "While achieving clarity across and up and down the organization takes time, it's priceless in helping everyone move faster toward success," he writes.

NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence Fellow Mark Dancer says, "By adopting a new mindset, distributors have the opportunity to break free of the chains that bind them to meager margins and feeble brands. That mindset is about believing that they can do more than survive. Distributors can dominate! To do so, they must master the forces of change that enable disruption and offer game-changing customer experiences." Read his blog post.

Designed for C-suite executives, these virtual roundtables provide actionable strategies that will help put your COVID-19 recovery plan in place! Companies belonging to this community are from distribution firms between $100 million and up to a billion in annual sales. You'll engage in robust conversations with your peers and hear from industry experts on topics to help your business transition to the new normal -- all in the comfort of your own office/home! Register today.

What does it mean to be a "digital distributor" and how should you change your strategy due to the explosive growth of marketplaces like Amazon Business, Google Shopping, Walmart.com and many others? In an upcoming November NAW research report and webinar, Ian Heller will evaluate trends, discuss alternatives and help you understand how to respond to the disruption in the distribution industry. Join us on Nov. 17 for the free webinar and sign up to be notified when this free research report is ready to download.