The Illinois actions are particularly significant because Lincolnshire is home to Essendant’s corporate headquarters and the Chicago area was one of six markets the company identified last year as the foundation of its redesigned national distribution network.

The latest cuts come in less than a year after Essendant announced a major overhaul of its distribution network and product strategy.

Ferguson also continued an aggressive acquisition push, completing five deals during the quarter that expanded its HVAC, waterworks, commercial and industrial operations.

The acquisition gives Portland Bolt another distribution point on the East Coast and expands its ability to produce and deliver custom products closer to customers in the Southeast.

The deal also underscores Sunoco’s strategy of combining a large fuel distribution network with transportation and storage infrastructure. The Dallas-based company operates about 14,000 miles of pipeline and more than 170 terminals.

The company also continued to reshape its branch network. Travis Perkins closed 11 smaller General Merchant branches and opened three during the first half, reducing its Merchanting network to 719 locations from 727 at the end of 2025.

The departure comes only 14 months after Builders FirstSource appointed Gayatri Narayan to the newly created position of president of technology and digital solutions in June 2025.

The battery system will capture excess electricity generated by the solar array for use at other times, allowing UNFI to better manage demand on the electrical grid and the power requirements of its growing electric truck fleet.

For distributors, slower hiring typically translates into softer demand for industrial supplies, construction products, maintenance, repair and operations products, and other categories tied to business investment and economic activity.

The Census report also suggests distributors entered the second half of 2026 with relatively lean inventories, providing flexibility should demand strengthen later in the year.