News
All the latest reporting and analysis from Distribution Strategy Group.
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TIPCO Technologies Adds MTS Threaded Products, Expands Gulf Coast Distribution Business
The combination gives TIPCO a broader product offering for refinery, petrochemical and other industrial customers by adding fasteners to its existing hose and gasket capabilities in the region.
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Distribution Solutions Group Expands MRO with American Fasteners Acquisition
The deal gives DSG a larger customer base in one of its core MRO markets while extending Lawson Products’ geographic reach.
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Shell Expands U.S. Fuel Distribution Network with Tri Star Energy Deal
The deal is a significant expansion of Shell’s directly controlled U.S. distribution and retail operations. Shell already has about 12,000 branded fuel and convenience locations across 49 states, but most are owned and operated by wholesalers and dealers
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Myers Industries Sells Myers Tire Supply to Private Equity Firm for $30 Million
Myers Tire Supply distributes tools, equipment and supplies to the tire, wheel and under-vehicle service industry. Its customers include tire dealers, automotive service centers, commercial fleets, retreaders and other transportation-related businesses across North America.
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Lowe’s Foundation Launches Coalition With 1 Million Skilled Trades Worker Goal
Lowe’s recently committed $250 million to expand that work, with a goal of helping train and develop 250,000 tradespeople by 2035.
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White Cap Expands in Central Texas with Ace Contractors Supply Acquisition
The deal adds to White Cap’s broader North American distribution network, which includes about 575 branches and more than 12,000 employees serving approximately 200,000 customers.
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Ferguson Closes $1.6 Billion FloWorks Deal, Expands Industrial Distribution Reach
The deal gives Ferguson a larger position in specialized industrial flow-control markets. FloWorks distributes technical valves and flow-control products and provides related services, adding capabilities in valves, automation, rotating equipment and fluid handling to Ferguson’s existing portfolio.
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The Two-Quarter Window: Why European Distribution Leaders Have to Move on AI Now
The next two quarters provide enough time to do something tangible: Choose a bottleneck, establish ownership, put a use case into production, and measure the result.
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AI Moves into the Distributor Order Desk as New Tools Target Manual Work
The common thread is significant for distributors. Rather than asking employees to use a separate AI assistant, the technology is increasingly being built into the systems where orders are received, customers are managed and transactions are processed.
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Toolbx Launches AI Order Entry for Building Supply Distributors
Dealers can train the system to recognize their products, customers and internal shorthand, and the matching rules adjust as the system processes additional material lists.