AmerisourceBergen will acquire the Alliance Healthcare wholesale pharmacy business from Walgreens Boots Alliance in a deal valued at $6.5 billion. The deal will expand AmerisourceBergen's presence in Europe.

Indian River Consulting Group's Pandemic Revenue Index of 13 distributors increased by 21.3% the week of Dec. 28-Jan. 1 after a large increase leading up to Christmas. "Having these holidays on Friday, as opposed to 2019 when they fell on Wednesday, likely drove the gains reported," Mike Emerson writes.

Amazon will acquire 11 used jets from WestJet Airlines and Delta Air Lines as it works to speed order delivery. The Boeing 767-300 jets will be converted from passenger to cargo planes over the next two years, bringing Amazon's total fleet to over 85 leased and owned planes.

The logistics industry continued to expand in December, according to the Logistics Managers Index, although the month's LMI of 66.7 represented a four-point drop from November. "[Business] is still growing -- just at slightly reduced rates," said Zac Rogers, an LMI researcher and assistant professor of supply chain management at Colorado State University.

A longstanding online shopping trend, accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, could transform transportation. The changes are comparable to the 19th century railroad boom, according to Rich Thompson, head of the global supply chain and logistics solutions team for commercial real estate company JLL, who notes that "alternative logistics providers are trying to create a private delivery network across the country -- because that's what we need."

Enhance business-to-business content by communicating a central message early in the copy and by addressing topics of interest to target prospects, Joel Goobich writes. Incorporate relevant, high-quality visuals and compelling calls-to-action, Goobich recommends.

In 2021, be a better leader by initiating communication with your team, being less dominant in meetings, using one-on-ones for coaching instead of chit-chat and being clear about your team's role in organizational strategy, writes Art Petty. "Go where they are, meet them in their environment and adapt your communication style to their needs," he writes.

In this capstone webinar for the NAW Series: How Technology Will Transform Wholesale Distribution, Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein will summarize what they learned from the research conducted with distributors, suppliers and customers. They'll provide a roadmap forward: a specific set of recommendations on the strategic actions that the distribution industry -- and individual companies -- should take to fend off competitors, outflank the disruptors and prepare to take market share and improve profitability. Register for this free Jan. 21 webinar at 2 p.m. Eastern. Sponsored by Unilog and PROS.

After constant virtual conference calls in 2020, "Zoom fatigue" is real. That's why we've designed a highly interactive virtual event that will capture your attention from start to finish. Every moment of the NAW 2021 Digital Summit will be aimed at helping you lead through a time of transition. Hear from some of distribution's leading CEOs, network with your peers and discuss critical issues, get the 2021-22 economic forecast and learn what the Biden agenda will mean for distribution, plus much more. Special 5- and 10-pack registrations are available so bring your team!

Are you well-informed about different best practices and knowledge in our industry? If not, NAW's Top 10 E-book List can help get you up-to-speed quickly so you and your business can stay competitive in these challenging times.