When a supplier makes a major change to its corporate structure, brand name, and/or go-to-market strategy, the implications for its distributor base can be significant. In most cases, these changes present both challenges and opportunities for the companies that are out on the front lines selling the manufacturer's products on a daily basis.

Yusen Logistics has expanded its airfreight forwarding network in Mexico, with the addition of a branch in Guadalajara.

Pfizer has decided that it does not need the legacy distribution sites that it got with the $15bn buyout of Hospira last year and so will close four facilities across the U.S., consolidating distribution into two Pfizer logistics centers next year. In the process it will whack 104 jobs.

Amazon.com can meet e-commerce shoppers' demand for both fast and free delivery. But what about its smaller rivals?

The "last mile" is a telecom term for delivering telephone, cable or internet services to the customer's location. With the most connections to make, it's the bottleneck of the system. It's also the most expensive and difficult to upgrade.