Industrial Equipment Wholesalers Industry Profile

Companies in this industry distribute machinery and equipment used in manufacturing, oil and gas exploration and production, and warehousing. Major companies include Fastenal, Grainger, HD Supply, and Motion Industries (all based in the US); as well as ERIKS (Netherlands); Ferguson plc (UK); and Würth Group (Germany).

Industrial machinery wholesalers seek markets with a strong manufacturing base and countries experiencing high growth in manufacturing. In terms of GDP, the wealthiest countries are the US, China, Germany, Japan, and India, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The US industrial equipment wholesalers industry consists of about 30,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of nearly $240 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The entry of online retailers, primarily Amazon Business, into the industrial equipment wholesale space has disrupted the business models of traditional players and intensified competition. Online B2B retailers often offer price comparison tools that allow customers to select from several different suppliers, forcing some established industrial equipment wholesalers to reduce their prices which has negatively affected profitability.

In response to the shifting competitive environment, traditional industrial equipment wholesalers with brick-and-mortar locations have shuttered some operations and shifted resources toward online offerings. Companies are also differentiating themselves from the likes of Amazon Business by becoming more ingrained in their customers' supply chains, touting the expertise of service professionals, and offering on-site inventory management tools.

Competitive Advantages:

Price Transparency -- Allowing customers to compare prices ...