MSC Industrial Supply and Fastenal have written off millions of dollars' worth of excess face masks and other personal protective equipment, while Grainger is "cleaning up whatever messiness we had in the supply chain categories," CEO D.G. Macpherson says. Demand for PPE is declining as more people get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

US business logistics costs in 2020 totaled $1.56 trillion, a 4% decrease from 2019, which can be traced to the reduction in manufacturing and commerce at the onset of the pandemic, according to the 32nd Annual Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals State of Logistics Report. The report's authors note that the industry adapted to the challenges and disruptions of last year and predict that multishoring, climate-related disasters and technological advances will disrupt the sector in the future.

This infographic from Growth Strategies 101 displays 10 business-to-business marketing statistics to help marketers improve lead generation and customer engagement. Among the insights, 77% of B2B buyers do their own research before they'll engage with a salesperson, 85% trust buyer reviews as much as recommendations from peers and 50% think online chat is the most convenient way to contact businesses.

It will be important for sales leaders to keep their teams motivated and organized as the "new normal" sets in, which will call for unprecedented flexibility regarding buyer interactions. Salespeople should plan and track actions on a weekly basis, using a well-organized calendar to ensure proper time is devoted to key activities, writes Erica Schultz.

Leadership is a series of context-specific skills for succeeding in one-on-one situations, with teams or in broader contexts, writes Susan Fowler. "Lacking awareness of the context you're leading and not having the skills to lead in it can be dangerous -- to you, those you lead and the organization," she writes.

Suppliers are increasingly selling direct, customer demographics are skewing younger and many distributors are struggling to keep up. Distributors are grappling with fundamental changes in the expectations of their supply chain partners. Suppliers continue to report frustration with their distributors' poor digital capabilities. Join NAW on June 29 at 2 p.m. for this free, live webinar with Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein of Distribution Strategy Group, who will recommend actions distributors should take to address this growing channel conflict. Register today.

How have distributors been innovating their business during the pandemic? Find that out and much more from 10 distributors who tell their stories and share ideas for both surviving and thriving in a drastically changed business environment. Author Mark Dancer shares up-to-the-minute ideas and insights from distributor leaders based on their experiences and lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic. Order this just-released e-chapter, "Distribution Leans In: Stories of Resiliency and Innovation During the COVID-19 Pandemic."