Market News
The latest Market News stories from across the B2B eCommerce Association global network.
AGCO Plans Humanoid-Robot Pilot at Kansas Factory
AGCO will pilot Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoid robot at its Hesston, Kansas, factory from 2027, beginning with parts sorting, stacking and tote placement.
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Bunzl Acquires UK Care-Home Distributor Blueleaf Care
The acquisition adds a £58 million specialist care supplier serving more than 5,000 UK care homes to Bunzl’s distribution portfolio.
Rubix Acquires Hydraulics Specialists in France and Germany
The European MRO distributor has added Cophyma, Cophyma 38 and PTS Group to its network, expanding its technical service capabilities in two major industrial regions.
Likewise Becomes the UK’s Largest Flooring Distributor
The £14.9 million acquisition adds established brands, employees and a major distribution centre to Likewise’s network. Connecting those assets with its national operation and digital ordering platform is the next task.
Mastercard brings AI analytics to B2B supplier payments
The new platform uses accounts-payable data to identify suppliers most likely to accept commercial cards.
Rexel’s $1.4 Billion GCG Deal Pushes It Further Into Specialist Distribution
The proposed acquisition would add more than $1.1 billion in revenue while moving Rexel deeper into engineered wire, cable, connectivity and power solutions.
Hills Distribution adds national ecommerce reach with PEXUniverse
The addition of PEXUniverse gives the Northeast distribution group an established national online channel alongside its 40-location branch network.
Ingram Micro Wants to Become the Operating System for B2B Technology Distribution
Ingram Micro has placed Xvantage at the centre of its long-term growth strategy, signalling that digital platforms are becoming part of the operating model for global distribution rather than simply another customer channel.
Watsco to Acquire The Granite Group and Add 82 Northeast Locations
Watsco has agreed to acquire The Granite Group, adding 82 locations, roughly 11,000 customers and about $500 million in annual sales across the Northeastern United States.
ADI Global Begins Its Independent Technology Race
ADI Global Distribution is now independent after separating from Resideo, with plans to consolidate eight ERP systems into three while scaling its One ADI eCommerce programme.
What Independence Could Mean for Motion’s Digital Strategy
Genuine Parts Company has named the leadership team that will take Motion into life as an independent public company. The separation could give the industrial distributor greater control over its technology priorities. Independence also brings significant integration and platform decisions.
Optimas Launches Acquisition-Led Expansion Across Industrial Distribution
The UK-based distributor is targeting specialist businesses across Europe and Asia-Pacific, with digital integration likely to play an important role in turning acquisitions into customer value.
Grainger’s $210 Million Bet Takes Inventory Management Deeper Into Customer Operations
Grainger’s acquisition of Adroit Worldwide Media’s technology assets is not the beginning of embedded inventory management. It is a major investment in making an established distribution model more automated, data-rich and scalable.