Emerging technology is becoming more specific, more capable and more fluent in how wholesale distribution operates. Here, NAW's Dan Schuberth offers his perspective on how the advantage will go to companies that pair it with the accumulated judgment of their people.
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NAW Webinar: Change that Sticks – How Distribution Leaders Are Transforming to Win
Thursday October 1, 2026 @ 3:30 PM ET | Virtual
Industry News
The home improvement giant is piloting 20-minute drone delivery near Charlotte, joining a relatively short list of companies that have explored aerial fulfillment for time-sensitive products, parts and supplies.
The new enterprise growth platform connects ERP, CRM, marketing, quoting and eCommerce data to give distributors and manufacturers a unified view of customers, opportunities and risks.
The new hire takes over top leadership for the electrical, plumbing and lighting supplies distributor, which operates 17 branches and six showrooms across four states.
The electrical distribution giant said its new worldwide Data & AI platform now brings predictive models to operations representing 95% of company revenue, with applications spanning inventory, sales and customer experience.
Amazon expanded its Seller Assistant with persistent memory, always-on workflows and integrations with outside AI tools, giving marketplace sellers more ways to automate pricing, inventory and listing tasks amid a broader wave of investments across its commerce and delivery operations.
Wisconsin-based EMCO will net two Northeast distribution and packaging facilities, more than 80 employees and a portfolio of over 3,000 SKUs.
The deal adds three established JanSan private-label brands to ORS Nasco’s expanding master-distribution platform while providing the clearest example yet of Essendant selling assets as it prepares for a potential shutdown.
Odyssey Investment Partners has taken a majority stake in packaged gas distribution platform Falcon Gases, which simultaneously acquired Southern California-based Encore Gas & Supply as its first acquisition.
A Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta survey found that most companies receiving tariff refunds expect to retain at least some of the money as cash, though more than half also plan to direct a portion toward R&D or capital investments. We detail the findings here.
The deal combines R&B Wholesale’s western U.S. appliance distribution footprint with Grand Appliance’s Midwest retail and distribution network, about 17 months after Platinum Equity invested in R&B.
The deal adds Syracuse Thermal’s HVAC, plumbing and hydronic heating capabilities in Central New York to Cummins-Wagner’s expanding regional operations.
The new hire joins Meritus to lead enterprise AI initiatives spanning use-case development, governance, security and training as the industrial gases and welding supplies distributor continues to expand through acquisitions.
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