The company said the expansion is designed to provide more strategic support to local company presidents as they grow market share, scale their businesses and develop future leaders.
The findings come as distributors continue investing in warehouse modernization to improve productivity, offset labor shortages and meet growing customer expectations for faster and more accurate order fulfillment.
Southern Glazer’s said the restructuring reflects changing customer engagement preferences and increased use of digital commerce and data-driven selling.
The gap was the starting point for a DSG Tech Talk conversation between Ian Heller and Aaron Sheehan, vice president of strategy at OroCommerce. Sheehan said the failure to move from pilot to production usually traces to two technical barriers: data and connectivity.
AI introduces something distribution has never had before: learning on demand.
The acquisition reflects a broader strategy among regional distributors to expand into infrastructure-related markets through acquisitions.
More than 2,000 restaurant operators use the 86 Repairs platform to manage equipment repairs and maintenance, according to the company.
For distributors, the transaction reflects continued investment in warehouse automation as companies seek greater throughput, improved labor productivity, and more efficient fulfillment operations.
Industrial SalesLeads tracked 38 building materials and distribution projects in May and 212 projects during the first five months of 2026.
Facilities are increasingly focused on reducing plastic waste, using recycled-content packaging and conserving water and energy