2014 Big 50 Industrial Distribution List

This list reviews the 2013/14 fiscal year sales results however, for many the sales figures were relatively flat. The economy and ongoing effects of bad weather earlier caused major setbacks for distributors who then had to withdraw or at least scale back on their optimistic numbers for the year.

Although for many, the outlooks were better mid-2014. Of these, those that commented on the economy being their primary concern was lower than it has been since 2008, with almost 66% saying their sales have increased as well as their profits.

If these distributors are to use this as an opportunity to grow, the industry is likely to see expansion in product lines, consolidation, increased e-commerce functionality and employment.

It is interesting to see that many large distributors are going beyond their traditional core and looking to acquire small and mid-size distributors that carry product lines that compliment their existing ones, as they look to become a ‘one-stop’ shop for their customers. This merger and acquisition trend is a lot different to those of years past, when a distributor may simply buy out a competitor. With valuations of distributors very high, it is no surprise that many are looking to sell, leading to the rapid rate in growth of M&A activity. In regards to the Big 50 distributors, we see that many of them are making acquisitions in order to take market share from smaller distributors.

Here we have the Big 50 Industrial Distribution List:

1. Wolseley – $21.6 billion

2. Wurth Group – $13.1 billion

3. W.W. Grainger – $9.4 billion

4. HD Supply – $8.5 billion

5. WESCO – $7.5 billion

6. Anixter – $6.2 billion

7. MRC Global – $5.2 billion

8. Airgas – $5.0 billion

9. Motion Industries – $4.5 billion

10. DistributionNow – $4.3 billion

11. Descours et Cabaud (Dillon Supply & BMB Metals) – $4.0 billion

12. Fastenal – $3.3 billion

13. Applied Industrial Technologies – $2.5 billion

14. MSC Industrial Supply – $2.46 billion

15. ERIKs nv – $2.3 billion

16. WinWholesale Inc. – $2.2 billion

17. Interline Brands Inc. – $1.6 billion

18. Edgen Group – $1.3 billion

19. DXP Enterprises, Inc. – $1.2 billion

20. Kaman Industrial Technologies Corporation – $1.1 billion

21. F.W. Webb Company – $850 million

22. Industrial Distribution Group, Inc. – $685 million

23. BDI – $659 million

24. The United Distribution Group – $610 million

25. Bossard – $607.7 million

26. EIS, Inc. – $563 million

27. Turtle & Hughes – $556 million

28. EWIE Group – $363 million

29. Blackhawk Industrial – $350 million

30. Wajax Industrial Components – $340 million

31. DGI Supply – $330 million

32. Gas and Supply – $325 million

33. AWC, Inc. – $320 million

34. Essex Brownell – $300 million

35. R.S. Hughes Company, Inc. – $278 million

36. Production Tool Supply – $276 million

37. Lawson Products, Inc. – $270 million

38. Van Meter Inc. – $235 million

39. Hydradyne LLC – $225 million

40. FCX Performance, Inc. – $217 million

41. Ohio Transmission Corporation – $206 million

42. Kimball Midwest – $190 million

43. Tencarva Machinery Company – $187 million

44. Valin Corporation – $183 million

45. Womack Machine Supply Co. – $172 million

46. Shively Bros. Inc. – $167 million

47. Perry Supply, Inc. $153 million

48. IBT Industrial Solutions – $146 million

49. JGB Enterprises Inc. – $124 million

50. Cummins-Wagner Co. Inc. – $100 million