Industry Insights
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Amazon Opens Less-Than-Truckload Network to All Shippers, Expanding Push into Freight Market
As Amazon continues opening its logistics infrastructure to outside businesses, distributors and manufacturers are gaining access to one of the largest transportation networks in North America.
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UNFI Expands AI Across Distribution Network as Productivity Gains Accelerate
Distribution center productivity increased more than 7% during the quarter, the company reported.
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Uline Receives One-Year Extension for Major Distribution Center Project
Uline said economic conditions contributed to the company’s decision and noted that it had extended leases at facilities in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
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Wholesale Sales Outpace Inventory Growth as Distributors Rebuild Stock
The report suggests wholesalers are becoming increasingly confident in replenishing inventories after several years marked by supply chain disruptions, excess inventory corrections, and economic uncertainty.
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ArcBest, ABF Freight to Increase LTL Rates 5.9%
For distributors, that means transportation costs are likely to remain under pressure even if freight demand softens during the second half of the year.
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UPS Invests $50 Million in Automotive, Industrial Logistics Network and Expands Mexico Air Freight Service
For distributors and manufacturers, transportation providers are increasingly differentiating themselves through cross-border expertise, shipment visibility, and speed rather than price alone.
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Distribution Center Expansion Wave Tops 1.6 Million Square Feet as Distributors Push Inventory Closer to Customers
The expansion activity reflects growing pressure on distributors to improve fill rates, increase inventory availability and shorten delivery windows.
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FedEx Completes Freight Spin-Off, Creating Standalone LTL Carrier
FedEx Freight is a major transportation provider for industrial, construction, manufacturing, and wholesale distribution customers that rely on less-than-truckload shipping for replenishment orders and regional deliveries
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Packer Fastener Opens Indianapolis Distribution Center to Support Midwest Growth
Packer Fastener said the Indianapolis-area distribution center will provide local inventory and customer support for procurement teams, project managers and construction crews throughout the Midwest.
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Congress Still Has No AI Law, Leaving Distributors to Navigate Growing Patchwork of State Regulations
The pace of legislative activity continues to accelerate. By March, lawmakers in 45 states had introduced more than 1,500 AI-related bills, exceeding the total number introduced during all of 2024.
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The Hidden Cost of Inefficient Quoting in Distribution
Today, the hidden cost of inefficient quoting is no longer limited to administrative overhead. It affects how distributors compete, how customers perceive them, and how effectively they can scale growth over time.
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Tariff Refunds Spark New Pricing Fight Across Distribution Channels
For distributors, the next phase of the tariff story may have less to do with government filings and more to do with commercial negotiations
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Wholesale Inventories Rise 0.5% in April as Distributors Take Measured Approach to Restocking
The data indicates distributors are continuing to rebuild inventory levels but remain cautious about committing to larger stock positions despite signs of strengthening demand elsewhere in the economy.
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TestEquity Reshapes Executive Team to Expand Digital, Supply Chain Operations
CEO Barry Litwin said the new executives were brought in to strengthen the company’s commercial operations, supplier partnerships, and digital commerce capabilities.
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Medline Expands Warehouse Automation at Colorado Distribution Center
The Aurora installation is Medline’s 24th AutoStore deployment nationwide and adds to a fleet of more than 2,100 robots operating across the company’s global distribution network.
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U.S. Manufacturing Output Climbs to Four-Year High as Supply Chain Costs Surge
Manufacturers reported the longest supplier delivery delays since August 2022 as shipping disruptions and inventory stockpiling strained supply chains.
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Grainger Embeds AI Across Warehouse Operations, Customer Service and Ecommerce
CEO D.G. Macpherson said Grainger’s AI deployments now fall into two primary categories: internal productivity and customer-facing digital capabilities.
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Van Meter Expands Minnesota Distribution Center with Robotics Automation
The project also includes deployment of warehouse automation technology from Hai Robotics as part of a multiyear investment designed to increase fulfillment capacity and operational efficiency.
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How Distributors Lose Profit Opportunity Before an Order Is Even Placed
The real risk and opportunity live upstream: in how quotes are profiled, built, priced, and delivered.
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A Noted Author Launches Practical Operations Guide for Distribution Professionals
Each chapter closes with a Monday Move, a single concrete action the reader can take the following week. Quinn said the structure was deliberate.