The electrical industry has been through another tough year, and the decline in business is reflected by the sales figures reported by the companies listed in the Top 200. Overall, companies in this listing reported a sales decline of 3.6 percent. That actually doesn't sound too awful when you think of how bad business has been lately.
As mentioned in Times & Trends (page 3), this year, the editors of Electrical Wholesaling decided to list the 200 largest electrical distributors instead of the 250 largest to present a more accurate analysis of the largest companies in the industry. (See page 3 for more background.)
This year, too, we've added capsule summaries for the top 75 distributors on the list. Beginning on page 23, the summaries offer insight to company strategies, markets served and future plans. We hope you'll find them informative.
Consolidation
Even in an era when acquisitions have slowed considerably, several of the industry's largest firms still managed to make news with some big deals. Several companies that for years were ranked among the largest distributors were acquired over the past year, including Warren Electric, Kennedy Electrical Supply Corp., Missouri Valley Electric Co., Eoff Electric and Fromm Electric of Piscataway.
When tracking consolidation of the industry, it's always interesting to watch for changes in market share of the electrical industry's four full-line national chains — Graybar Electric, WESCO Electric, Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED), and GE Supply. With combined 2002 sales of $12.1 billion in 2002 and industry sales for 2002 estimated at $72.1 billion, their combined market share actually dropped to 16.9 percent in 2002, from 18-plus percent in 2001. If you consider Rexel a full-line national chain and include its $2.1 billion, the market share of those five companies would be 19.7 percent.
Although substantial, this market share pales in comparison to that of the largest distributors in some other distribution-based industries. For instance, in the pharmaceutical and electronics businesses, the three or four largest distributors control the lion's share of the business.
In his presentation, “Electrical Industry Consolidation: Past, Present and Future,” at the NAED Annual last month, Neil Gillespie, principal, Channel Marketing Group, Pittsburgh, said the ten largest full-line electrical distributors have not acquired as many companies in the past two years. In the late 1990s these companies were adding to their combined market share through acquisitions by 2 percent annually. However, in the past two years, that percentage has dropped.
While Gillespie expects acquisitions to pick up when the economy improves, he does not expect to see pricing at the five- to seven-times EBITA common in the late 1990s until acquisition candidates can show several years of growth. “Buyers want to see at least three years of consistent growth before they would be willing to pay five or six times EBITA,” he says. “A lot of people are insulted by the offers they are getting right now.”
Tops in locations added
In his seminar at the NAED Annual, Gillespie also presented his analysis of the companies that had added the most locations in recent years. His findings were as follows: Sonepar (161), Rexel (145), CED (103), Graybar (53), WESCO (26), GE Supply (25), Hughes Supply (22), McNaughton-McKay (13) and Crescent (11).
Most of these new locations were the result of acquisitions. But at least one company was starting up new branches at a rapid rate. Although Graybar Electric does make targeted acquisitions to enter new markets where it doesn't have existing facilities, most of its 53 new locations were start-ups.
- GRAYBAR ELECTRIC CO.
St. Louis
2002 Sales: $3.97 billion
Down from 2001: -17 percent
Employees: 8,300
Sales Per Employee: $478,904
Electrical Supply Operations: 230 branch locations fed by 15 regional distribution centers.
Ownership: Employee owned.
What's New: The company, No. 401 on the Fortune 500, distributes 1.4 million products from more than 4,200 manufacturers. Of these items, 158,000 are in stock. Approximately 48 percent of the products it distributes are from its top 25 suppliers. Although Graybar has done over 20 percent of its annual sales with telecommunications companies over the past few years, as this market has softened a higher percentage of its sales are to electrical contractors.
In 2002, electrical contractors accounted for 41.5 percent of its sales. The other customer groups are as follows: commercial and industrial (22.4 percent); telecommunications companies (24.5 percent); utilities (4 percent); international (3.2 percent); and other (4.4 percent).
Graybar was recently awarded an exclusive, five-year contract worth millions in annual sales to provide electrical supplies to state and local governments, school districts, and other tax-funded agencies who are participants in the U. S. Communities program. The contract was awarded by Los Angeles County, Calif., and will be made available to public agencies nationwide through the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance, the nation's largest local government buying cooperative.
Web Site: www.graybar.com
- WESCO DISTRIBUTION
Pittsburgh, Pa.
2002 Sales: $3.3 billion
Down from 2001: -9 percent
Employees: 5,426
Sales Per Employee: $612,934
Electrical Supply Operations: 352 in 48 states. WESCO added seven locations in the last year.
Ownership: WESCO is a publicly held company trading on the New York Stock exchange under the ticker symbol WCC.
Behind the Numbers: “Weak industrial markets, a decline in industrial and facilities capital expenditures and a sharp drop in nonresidential construction projects have adversely affected most of WESCO's markets,” said Roy Haley, WESCO's chairman and chief executive officer, in the company's 2002 annual report.
Outlook: “In spite of this market weakness, we are confident that the long-term prospects for our industry are good and that recovery is inevitable,” said Haley.
Web Site: www.wescodist.com
- ANIXTER INC.
Skokie, Ill.
2002 Sales: $2.5 billion
Down from 2001: -18 percent
Employees: 5,000 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: The company has 187 locations in the following countries: United States (108), Canada (16), United Kingdom (11), continental Europe (24), Latin America (12), Asia (12) and Australia/New Zealand (4).
Main Markets: VDV
Ownership: Publicly owned.
Acquisition and Expansion: In September 2002, Anixter completed the purchase of the operations and assets of Pentacon Inc., Chatsworth, Calif., a leading distributor of fasteners and other small parts to original equipment manufacturers and provider of inventory management services.
What's New: Anixter promotes itself as the largest global distributor of data, voice, video and security network communication products. The company also provides more than 82,000 customers inventory management services including procurement, just-in-time delivery, quality assurance testing, advisory engineering services, component kit production, small component assembly and e-commerce and electronic data interchange to a broad spectrum of customers. While the company sources products from about 2,000 suppliers, approximately 35 percent of its dollar volume purchases in 2002 were from the five largest suppliers. Because of the train wreck in the telecommunications market, Anixter has seen its sales slide almost $1 billion in the past two years from $3.5 billion in 2000 to $2.5 billion in 2002. The company has 65,000 items in an online catalog.
Web Site: www.anixter.com
- GE SUPPLY
Shelton, Conn.
2002 Sales: $2.47 billion
Up from 2001: +7 percent
Employees: 2,300 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: 150 locations in Mexico, South America, Ireland, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and China.
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, residential VDV, utility
Ownership: GE Co., Fairfield, Conn.
Expansion: The company recently opened a new 54,000-square-foot distribution hub and branch in metropolitan Philadelphia. With 8,000 SKUs, this location will serve electrical contractors, industrial and commercial customers, OEMs and utilities throughout the metro Philadelphia, southeastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware, Baltimore and southern New Jersey markets. GE Supply will employ approximately 40 people at this new facility, which will also serve as its mid-Atlantic region headquarters.
Web site: www.gesupply.com
- CONSOLIDATED ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTORS (CED)
Westlake Village, Calif.
Employees: 5,350 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: 550 (est.) in 44 states
Main Markets: residential, commercial, industrial, automation
Ownership: Family owned.
Company Snapshot: Founded in 1957 by the Colburn family as The Electrical Corporation of San Francisco, CED has built its nationwide distribution presence with several dozen acquisitions over the last 40 years. Its profit centers operate autonomously.
Web Site: www.cedcareers.com is aimed at recruiting new employees. Some CED regions have their own site, but there is no corporate site in the traditional sense.
- REXEL INC.
Dallas
2002 Sales: $2.1 billion
Up from 2001: +5 percent
Employees: 4,900
Sales Per Employee: $428,571
Electrical Supply Operations: 317 locations in 28 states
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, residential, datacom
Ownership: Paris-based Rexel.
Company Snapshot: The North American subsidiary of Rexel S.A., the world's largest electrical distributor with operations in 32 countries, built its foothold in the United States with the acquisitions of many well-known independent distributors. The company has locations throughout the United States but is particularly strong in the Southeast, mid-Atlantic states, California, Ohio and the Rocky Mountain region. North America accounts for 39 percent of the company's overall sales.
Web Site: www.rexelusa.com
- SONEPAR USA
Berwyn, Pa.
2002 Sales: $1.4 billion
Up from 2001: +17 percent
Employees: 3,132
Electrical Supply Operations: 191 in 16 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago
Sales Per Employee: $446,999
Main Markets: residential, commercial, industrial
Ownership: Family held. Sonepar USA is privately owned and is the North American operations of one of the largest distributors in the world.
Acquisition and Expansion: The company is known for a conservative growth strategy and has pockets of strength in metropolitan areas along the Eastern Seaboard, and in Chicago, Minneapolis and Oregon. Over the past two years, Sonepar has been the most active of the major acquirers, purchasing Fromm Electric of Piscataway, Piscataway, N.J.; Levitan-Robbins, Woodside, N.Y.; Eoff Electric, Salem, Ore.; Warren Electric del Caribe; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Lakeshore Lighting, Green Bay, Wis.
What's New: Despite the recession, the company was active in some major construction projects, including Soldier Field in Chicago; and the Pentagon, the Patent and Trade headquarters, and the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Web Site: www.sonepar-us.com
- W.W. GRAINGER INC.
Lake Forest, Ill.
2002 Sales: $882 million (electrical, lighting and motors sales)
Down from 2001: -4.5 percent
Employees: 2,895 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: 395 locations in United States and Puerto Rico.
Ownership: Publicly owned.
What's New: Approximately 19 percent of the company's 2002 sales of $4.64 billion are in electrical products: motors (4 percent), lighting (8 percent) and general electrical products (7 percent). While the company is well known for its ubiquitous big red catalog — with 90,000 products in its 4,000 pages — the growth of its online sales is making even more news. Sales processed through www.grainger.com are expected to grow to more than $500 million this year. The company, which private labels some of its electrical products under the “Power First” and “LumaPro” (lighting) labels, recently opened a branch at Virginia's Langley Air Force base.
Web Site: www.grainger.com
- HAGEMEYER NORTH AMERICA
Atlanta
Employees: 3,600
Main Markets: construction, industrial, MRO, OEM, VDV
Ownership: Hagemeyer NV
Acquisition and Expansion: Last year, Cameron & Barkley (CamBar) and McJunkin Corp., two of Hagemeyer's wholly-owned subsidiaries, said Cameron & Barkley would buy McJunkin's interest in McJunkin-CamBar Corp. (McBar). McBar is a 50-50 joint venture company owned by Cameron & Barkley and McJunkin that supplies a full range of MRO products and services to industrial customers primarily in the Ohio River Valley and Gulf Coast regions with sites in Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Texas, and West Virginia.
Company Snapshot: As part of its strategy to become a leading player in the MRO/integrated supply arena, Hagemeyer NV, an $8 billion Dutch industrial conglomerate with distribution operations in diverse industries throughout Europe, acquired Cameron and Barkley Co., Vallen Safety Supply Co., and Tristate Electrical and Electronics Supply Co. over the past few years. CamBar is one of the best-known players in the North American integrated supply arena. In other news at the company, long-time CamBar executive Jim Warren recently announced his retirement.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web Site: www.hagemeyerna.com
- HUGHES SUPPLY INC.
Orlando, Fla.
2002 Sales: $623,753,075
Up from 2001: +8 percent
Employees: 1,456 in electrical operations; 7,160 employees company-wide.
Sales Per Employee: $428,402
Electrical Supply Operations: 102 locations in 16 states
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, residential, infrastructure
Ownership: Publicly owned.
Acquisition: The company made a major addition to its strong focus in the utility market with the acquisition of Utiliserve Holdings Inc., a national utility player.
What's New: Along with the Utiliserve acquisition, the big news at Hughes was the appointment of Thomas Morgan, the first Hughes CEO from outside the Hughes family. Morgan was recruited two years ago to serve as company president and COO. In the company's 75-year history, Hughes Supply has had only three other CEOs: Russell Hughes, Harry Hughes, and in 1974, David Hughes, who will remain as chairman of the board.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web Site: www.hughessupply.com
- CRESCENT ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO.
East Dubuque, Ill.
2002 Sales: $605 million, flat from 2001
Employees: 1,860 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: 124 locations in 25 states
Main Markets: industrial, commercial, residential, datacom, utility
Ownership: Privately owned.
Acquisition and Expansion: The company made three major acquisitions in the past year: Kennedy Electric Supply Corp., Jamaica, N.Y.; Missouri Valley Electric Co., Kansas City, Mo.; and Northwest Controls, Defiance, Ohio.
Company Snapshot: Founded in 1999 by Titus Schmid, Crescent Electric is in the hunt for more acquisitions. Former T&B executive Tom Latanision is now the company's chairman of the board.
Web Site: www.cesco.com
- SCOTT ELECTRIC
Greensburg, Pa.
2002 Sales: confidential
Employees: 992
Electrical Supply Operations: 14 in Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia
Products: full-line electrical distributor; specialty distributor of generators
Web site: www.scottelectricco.com
- MCNAUGHTON-MCKAY ELECTRIC CO.
Madison Heights, Mich.
2002 Sales: $460 million
Up from 2001: +2 percent
Employees: 900
Sales Per Employee: $511,111
Electrical Supply Operations: 24 locations in five states.
Main Markets: industrial, commercial
Ownership: Family owned.
Acquisition: In early 2002, the company announced the purchase of most of the assets and operations of the Supply Division of The Kiemle-Hankins (K-H) Co., Toledo, Ohio.
Company Snapshot: The 93-year-old automation distributor has for years been the largest distributor of Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation products. The company carries 300 product lines and serves over 10,000 customers in the United States.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web Site: www.mc-mc.com
- COMMUNICATIONS SUPPLY CORP.
Carol Stream, Ill.
2002 Sales: $350 million
Down from 2001: -20 percent
Employees: 550
Sales Per Employee: $636,364
Electrical Supply Operations: 30 locations in 24 states
Main Market: VDV
Ownership: Investment banking group and senior leadership.
Expansion: The company grew rapidly in the late 1990s through a series of acquisitions.
Company Snapshot: After being purchased by a management team led by CEO Steve Riordan, a former EESCO executive, and UBS Capital Partners LLC, New York, in 1996, the company acquired several VDV specialists on the way toward its goal of becoming a national distributor of VDV equipment that could ship products anywhere in the United States within 24 hours. CSC's core customers, data installers, contractors and end-users of networking cabling products, are still struggling with the major decline in the telecommunications market and general economic uncertainty.
Web Site: www.gocsc.com
- STUART C. IRBY CO.
Jackson, Miss.
2002 Sales: $314,637,000
Down from 2001: -2 percent
Employees: 729
Sales Per Employee: $431,601
Electrical Supply Operations: 39 locations in nine states
Main Markets: commercial, utility, industrial, residential
Ownership: Family owned.
What's New: Along with servicing the largest end-user segments, Stuart Irby has always been a major player in the utility market in the Southeast. The company supplies 418 electric utilities, which in turn service 12 million electric meters — 10 percent of all electric meters in the United States. Irby's $50 million inventory has over $45,000 SKUs. Company president Stuart Irby is a major supporter of IDEA and spoke at this year's NAED Annual, urging more electrical distributors and electrical manufacturers to utilize IDW's Industry Data Warehouse and IDX2 network.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web Site: www.irby.com
- BORDER STATES ELECTRICAL SUPPLY
Fargo, N.D.
2002 Sales: $310,214,000
Down from 2001: -2 percent
Employees: 592
Sales Per Employee: $524,010
Electrical Supply Operations: 23 branches in 10 states
Main Markets: utility, industrial, datacom, construction, industrial supply
Ownership: ESOP.
What's New: The big news at the 50-year-old, employee-owned company over the last year was its move into the industrial supply market and the retirement of CEO Paul Madson, a 33-year company veteran. Under his leadership, Border States Electric grew to 23 branch locations in 10 states and Mexico. Brad Thrall succeeded Madson as president. Another major personnel move was the promotion of Tammy Miller to executive vice president. The 12-year veteran with Border States was most recently senior vice president of finance. She is also a member of the NAED board of directors and serves as chairman of the NAED finance committee.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web Site: www.border-states.com
- PLATT ELECTRIC SUPPLY INC.
Beaverton, Ore.
2002 Sales: $289 million
Down from 2001: -3 percent
Employees: 725
Sales Per Employee: $398,621
Electrical Supply Operations: 70 locations in six states.
Main Markets: residential, commercial, industrial, datacom, utility
Ownership: Family owned.
Expansion: Opened several new branches.
Company Snapshot: In 1953, Isadore and Morrie Platt quit their jobs at Gilbert Brothers to help start Oregon's newest electrical supply company. As the first orders rolled in across their orange-crate desks, bales of wire, panels, conduits and other supplies rolled out to customers in an old Ford truck. From these humble beginnings, the company evolved into one of the largest distributors in the United States. The company is known throughout the industry for its commitment to employee training through its Platt University and for its innovative marketing programs.
Web Site: www.platt.com
- KIRBY RISK ELECTRICAL SUPPLY
Lafayette, Ind.
Employees: 744 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: 35 locations in three states: Indiana, Illinois and Ohio.
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, automation, datacom, residential, motor repair
Ownership: Family owned.
Company Snapshot: The company, which is also active in the motor-repair market, has quietly grown in its Midwestern market with a mix of start-ups and acquisitions. Its electrical supply distribution unit handles more than 20,000 products from 500 manufacturers.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web Site: www.kirbyrisk.com
- MAYER ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO. INC.
Birmingham, Ala.
2002 Sales: $254,319,800
Down from 2001: -13 percent
Employees: 568
Sales Per Employee: $447,746
Electrical Supply Operations: 36 locations in four states.
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, contractor
Ownership: Family owned.
Expansion: Opened two new branches in 2002.
Company Snapshot: Owned by the Collat family since 1979, the company began as “The Electric Supply Co.” when it was founded by the late Ben S. Weil in Birmingham, Ala., in 1930. Today, Mayer Electric has 22,000 SKUs in its $56 million inventory. Charles Collat and his wife, Patsy, are very active in the industry and community and have funded the Ben S. Weil School of Industrial Distribution at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web Site: www.mayerelectric.com
- KENDALL ELECTRIC INC.
Battle Creek, Mich.
2002 Sales: $250 million
Up from 2001: +25 percent
Employees: 700
Sales Per Employee: $357,143
Electrical Supply Operations: 30 in Michigan and Indiana Main
Markets: industrial, OEM, contractor
Ownership: Kendall Electric is an employee-owned company.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.kendallelectric.com
- DEALERS ELECTRICAL SUPPLY
Waco, Texas
Employees: 750
Electrical Supply Operations: 51 branches in three states.
Main Markets: commercial, residential, industrial, utility, OEM, datacom
Ownership: Employee owned.
Company Snapshot: In addition to covering the traditional electrical supply markets, the 57-year-old privately held, employee-owned company supports OEM and MRO automation and operates retail lighting branches. Some of its large-project work includes nuclear energy plants, computer chip manufacturers, and generating stations.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web site: www.dealerselectrical.com
- INDEPENDENT ELECTRIC SUPPLY
San Carlos, Calif.
2002 Sales: $208 million, flat from 2001
Employees: 350
Sales Per Employee: $594,286
Electrical Supply Operations: 17 locations in California.
Main Market: commercial
Ownership: Privately owned.
Acquisition: Acquired Gaines Electric Supply in Southern California.
What's New: Independent Electric Supply is a contractor house with a capital “C,” and services five of the top ten U.S. electrical contractors. With its base in Silicon Valley still singing the blues, business has been tough over the past year, and the company has seen “several large projects, but nothing exceptional,” says Jack Phelan, president.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web Site: www.iesupply.com
- NORTH COAST ELECTRIC CO.
Bellevue, Wash.
2002 Sales: $201 million
Down from 2001: -11 percent
Employees: 438 employees
Sales Per Employee: $458,904
Electrical Supply Operations: 25 locations in five states
Main Markets: contractor, factory automation, industrial MRO, commercial, institutional
Ownership: Family owned.
Company Snapshot: The 90-year-old company, the biggest automation distributor in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, counts Boeing, Weyerhauser, Hewlett Packard and Textronix among its major customers. Owned by the Lemman family, the company has developed a broad array of e-business tools for its customers. North Coast stocks $25 million in inventory.
Buying/Market Group: A-D
Web Site: www.northcoastelectric.com
- STEINER ELECTRIC CO.
Elk Grove Village, Ill.
2002 Sales: $200,000,000+
Employees: 610 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: six locations in northern Illinois
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, utility, residential
Web Site: www.stnr.com
- HOUSTON WIRE & CABLE
Houston
2002 Sales: confidential
Employees: 300
Electrical Supply Operations: nine
Ownership: Owned by investment firm Code Hennessy & Simmons LLC.
What's New: Founded in 1975, Houston Wire and Cable Co. (HWC) has a $50 million inventory of over 12,000 wire and cable products. During the past year it introduced LifeGuard low-smoke, zero-halogen cable.
Web Site: www.houwire.com
- TURTLE & HUGHES INC.
Linden, N.J.
2002 Sales: $193 million
Up from 2001: +2 percent
Employees: 360
Sales Per Employee: $536,111
Electrical Supply Operations: eight in New Jersey, Connecticut and Texas
Main Markets: industrial, commercial
Ownership: Third-generation family owned.
Acquisition and Expansion: Turtle & Hughes acquired Franklin & Smith, West Paterson, N.J., early in 2002, closing Franklin & Smith's only location and consolidating the operation into its branch in Whippany, N.J. The distributor also opened a new branch in Jersey City, N.J.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.turtle.com
- CLS
Hartford, Conn.
2002 Sales: $162 million
Up from 2001: +2 percent
Employees: 310
Sales Per Employee: $522,581
Electrical Supply Operations: 20 in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Behind the Numbers: CLS shows a 2 percent increase in sales this year, but Bob Compagna, president/CEO, said it took five new stores to get this increase. In 2002, CLS acquired Seamans Supply, Manchester, N.H., (four locations) and opened a new branch in Weymouth, Mass.
Web Site: www.cls.com
- STATE ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO.
Huntington, W. Va.
Employees: 588
Electrical Supply Operations: 31 in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, institutional, residential, datacom, mining
Milestone: Founded by Arthur Weisburg, now chairman, State Electric Supply celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2002. The distributorship has grown from a one-man operation to 31 locations.
Behind the Numbers: Although State Electric Supply did not provide a sales number for 2002, Clarence Martin, CEO and CFO, did reveal that poor economic conditions had eroded the industrial segment of the company's market. He said the residential market was up.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.stateelectric.com
- WALTERS WHOLESALE ELECTRIC
Signal Hill, Calif.
2002 Sales: $146 million
Up from 2001: +4 percent
Employees: 390
Sales Per Employee: $374,359
Electrical Supply Operations: 17 locations throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties in California
Main Market: commercial
Ownership: Family owned.
Behind the Numbers: Walters Wholesale Electric's sales numbers have continued to rise despite the economy. Sales for 2000, 2001 and 2002 witnessed steady increases of roughly 4 percent over the prior year. Granted, it's not the 19 percent sales jump Walters saw in 1999, but steady incremental sales growth in today's economic climate is akin to the mountain-sized leaps of the late '90s.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.walterswholesale.com
- ELLIOTT ELECTRIC SUPPLY
Nacogdoches, Texas
2002 Sales: $141,077,282
Up from 2001: +4 percent
Employees: 475
Sales Per Employee: $297,005
Electrical Supply Operations: 52 in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas
Main Markets: commercial and residential electrical contractors
Ownership: Family owned.
Expansion: Over the past year, Elliott Electric opened four Texas branches in Livingston, Bryan, Killeen and Cedar Park, and the distributor opened a regional distribution center in Houston, bringing its current number of locations up to 52.
Bill Elliott, president of Elliott Electric Supply, had thought that number would be more. Elliott hammered out an agreement to acquire Warren Electric, Houston, last fall, but the deal was contingent on Elliott Electric being appointed a distributor for Rockwell Automation. The deal fell through when Rockwell would not give the line to Elliott Electric Supply.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.elliottelectric.com
- SUMMIT ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO. INC.
Albuquerque, N.M.
2002 Sales: $140,304,286
Up from 2001: +3 percent
Employees: 322
Sales Per Employee: $435,728
Electrical Supply Operations: 21
Main Markets: commercial, industrial MRO, government, OEM
Acquisitions: Summit Electric was busy with two acquisitions in 2002. The Southwest regional distributor acquired Ideal Electric Supply, Killeen, Texas, in September. Then, in December, Summit Electric acquired portions of Warren Electric Group, Houston, in a deal that included domestic operating assets of 12 Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast locations and one location in South America. The acquisitions more than doubled Summit's locations, now at 21.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.summit.com
- WHOLESALE ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO. OF HOUSTON, L.P.
Houston
2002 Sales: $140 million
Down from 2001: -14 percent
Employees: 290
Sales Per Employee: $482,759
Electrical Supply Operations: seven in the Texas Gulf Coast area and Louisiana
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, contractor, datacom, export
Behind the Numbers: Although Wholesale Electric Supply Co. of Houston was among the few electrical wholesalers that increased sales from 2000 to 2001 (17 percent), the distributor joins the ranks with a decrease in sales from 2001 to 2002. Marjorie Rutland, president and CEO, credits many factors for the erosion in sales, among them “world conditions, 9/11, Iraq war, stock market and the Enron bankruptcy.”
Expansion/Recognition: Still, the distributor opened a new branch in Texas City, Texas, in June 2002. It was also presented with Cooper-Crouse Hind's award for No. 1 Largest Independent Distributor, a title the distributor received seven of the last eight years.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.wholesaleelectric.com
- TENNESSEE VALLEY ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO. (TVESCO) INC.
Memphis, Tenn.
2002 Sales: $123 million
Down from 2001: -10 percent
Employees: 190
Sales Per Employee: $647,368
Electrical Supply Operations: 15
Main Markets: utility, commercial, industrial
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
- THE REYNOLDS CO.
Dallas
2002 Sales: $118 million
Up from 2001: 24 percent
Employees: 280
Sales Per Employee: $421,429
Electrical Supply Operations: 18
Main Markets: industrial, commercial, datacom
Ownership: Family owned.
Expansion/Acquisition: The Reynolds Co. has expanded rapidly the last few years through growth and acquisition. In 2001, Reynolds acquired two Texas locations from Cummins in Abilene and Odesa.
In 2002, the distributor acquired eight more branches in north Texas, this time from Warren Electric Group. Additionally, Reynolds was given the Allen-Bradley franchise for additional locations in the Gulf Coast region of Texas and Louisiana. As a result, Reynolds opened six new locations on the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana in March 2003.
Behind the Numbers: It's a fair guess that much of the 24 percent increase in sales was a result of the additional branches, but Walt Reynolds, president, points out that same-store sales were up 5 percent in 2002.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.reynco.com
- ONESOURCE DISTRIBUTORS
San Diego.
2002 Sales: $116 million
Up from 2001: +2 percent
Employees: 280
Sales Per Employee: $414,286
Electrical Supply Operations: 11
Main Markets: industrial, OEM
Acquisitions: With its 2002 acquisitions of Argo Electric Supply Co., Downey, Calif., and Pacific Parts & Controls Inc., Chino, Calif., OneSource Distributors appears to be on track with its plan to capture more territory. “OneSource's core strategy is really to continue to expand throughout southern California in our primary markets, which are industrial MRO, OEM and industrial contracting,” said Bob Zamarripa, president of OneSource at the time of the acquisitions. “Our primary goal is to continue to expand throughout southern California and look at companies that match up with those core markets that we serve.” The Argo acquisitions followed on the heels of OneSource acquiring Orange Coast Electric Supply Inc. (OCES), Irvine, Calif.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.1sourcedist.com
- DOMINION ELECTRIC SUPPLY
Arlington, Va.
Employees: 245 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: Approximately seven in the Washington, D.C., area
Main Markets: commercial, residential, government
Web Site: www.dominionelectric.com
- REED CITY
Reed City, Mich.
2002 Sales: $110 million
Up from 2001: +69 percent
Employees: 57
Sales Per Employee: $1,929,825
Electrical Supply Operations: five locations; one in Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.
Main Market: utility
Behind the Numbers: According to Michael Bigford, Reed City president, “industry outsourcing” was the biggest factor contributing to the company's huge increase in sales. Plus, two branches opened, one in Illinois and one in Pennsylvania, bringing the total to five.
Web Site: www.rcpls.com
- ELECTRICAL WHOLESALERS INC.
Hartford, Conn.
2002 Sales: confidential
Employees: 320
Electrical Supply Operations: 19 in Connecticut
Expansion: Although Electrical Wholesalers Inc. added two branches in 2001 and had hoped to add more in 2002, all was quiet last year on the expansion front.
- RUMSEY ELECTRIC CO.
Conshohocken, Pa.
2002 Sales: $105 million
Down from 2001: -16 percent
Employees: 280
Sales Per Employee: $375,000
Electrical Supply Operations: 10
Main Markets: commercial, contractor, industrial
Behind the Numbers: The decrease in sales was by design, not accident, according to Scott Cutler, Rumsey Electric CFO. Cutler said that Rumsey Electric has become more selective in the customers with which they do business.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.rumsey.com
- UNITED ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO. INC.
Wilmington, Del.
2002 Sales: $104,631,434
Up from 2001: +4 percent
Employees: 280
Sales Per Employee: $373,684
Electrical Supply Operations: 10 in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland
Main Markets: commercial, industrial
Acquisition: Tom Cloud, United Electric Supply CEO, says his company's increase in sales can be attributed to its acquisition of Mohawk Electric, Philadelphia, in September 2002. Cloud is this year's incoming NAED chairman.
Web Site: www.unitedelectric.com
- KRIZ-DAVIS CO.
Grand Island, Neb.
2002 Sales: $104,081,000
Up from 2001: +7 percent
Employees: 201
Sales Per Employee: $517,816
Electrical Supply Operations: 12 in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma and Texas
Main Markets: utility, commercial, industrial, residential
Behind the Numbers: Don Cornette, vice president, succinctly attributes Kriz-Davis' 7 percent increase in sales to market-share growth.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
- WASHINGTON CABLE SUPPLY
Lanham, Md.
Employees: 54 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: three
Main Markets: utility, telecom
Web Site: www.washcable.com
- CITY ELECTRIC SUPPLY
Orlando, Fla.
Employees: 546
Electrical Supply Operations: 87 Florida locations
Main Markets: residential, commercial, industrial
Expansion: This Florida distributor continues to quietly expand, more than doubling its electrical supply operation in the last five years.
Web Site: www.cityelectric.net
- REVERE ELECTRIC SUPPLY
Chicago
2002 Sales: confidential
Employees: 150
Electrical Supply Operations: six
Markets: industrial, government
Ownership: Third-generation family owned by the Eiseman family.
Acquisition: Revere Electric Supply acquired Holt Electric, Milwaukee, Wis.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.revereelectric.com
- STANDARD ELECTRIC CO.
Saginaw, Mich.
Employees: 230 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: 20 Michigan locations
Main Markets: commercial, residential, industrial
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.standardelectricco.com
- MADDUX SUPPLY CO.
Greensboro, N.C.
2002 Sales: $95,895,313
Down from 2001: -4 percent
Employees: 272
Sales Per Employee: $352,556
Electrical Supply Operations: 13 in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Georgia
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, residential, institutional
Behind the Numbers: Compared to 2001 sales, the main contributor to Maddux's decrease in sales was the down economy in the commercial building business and in the industrial arena, according to James Mathis, president and COO.
Expansion: Maddux upgraded its branch in Newport News, Va., from a satellite of its Chesapeake, Va., branch to a full stand-alone branch.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.madduxsupply.com
- ECK SUPPLY CO.
Richmond, Va.
2002 Sales: $95.1 million
Up from 2001: +3 percent
Employees: 220
Sales Per Employee: $432,273
Electrical Supply Operations: 14 in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia
Main Markets: commercial, industrial
Web Site: www.ecksupply.com
- MAURICE ELECTRICAL SUPPLY
Washington, D.C.
2002 Sales: $95 million, flat with 2001
Employees: 160
Sales Per Employee: $593,750
Electrical Supply Operations: two (Washington, D.C.; and Rockville, Md.)
Ownership: Family owned.
Main Market: commercial
What's new: Jack Justilian, chief operating officer, retired from Maurice Electrical Supply in April. He had been with the company since 1996, and was active in NAED and IMARK.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.mauriceelectric.com
- WINLECTRIC INC.
Dayton, Ohio
2002 Sales: $94,250,000
Up from 2001: +1 percent
Electrical Supply Operations: 47
Main Markets: commercial, residential, industrial
Ownership: Winlectric is a unique breed of electrical distributor. Each of Winlectric's 47 supply operations is an independent corporation with individual stockholders and its own unique board of directors.
Web Site: www.winholesale.com/Winlectric/index.htm
- VAN METER INDUSTRIAL INC.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2002 Sales: $94 million
Up from 2001: +2 percent
Employees: 215
Sales Per Employee: $437,209
Electrical Supply Operations: 13
Main Market: industrial
Behind the Numbers: Jim Schmitt, Van Meter president, credits the 2 percent sales growth to improved market share.
- WERNER ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO.
Neenah, Wis.
2002 Sales: $93.5 million
Up from 2001: +5 percent
Employees: 235
Sales Per Employee: $397,872
Electrical Supply Operations: eight throughout Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Main Markets: industrial, commercial, residential
Expansion: After a couple acquisition years, Cole Electric in 1999 and 50 percent of Northland Electric in 2001, 2002 was quiet.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.wernerelectric.com
- STONEWAY ELECTRIC SUPPLY
Spokane, Wash.
2002 Sales: $92 million
Up from 2001: +2 percent
Employees: 210
Sales Per Employee: $438,095
Electrical Supply Operations: 14 in Washington, Idaho and Oregon
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, residential
Ownership: Employee owned.
Behind the Numbers: Joe Ralph, president and COO, says market-share growth accounts for Stoneway's increase in sales.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.stoneway.com
- COLONIAL ELECTRIC SUPPLY
King of Prussia, Pa.
2002 Sales: $90 million
Up from 2001: 14 percent
Employees: 225
Sales Per Employee: $400,000
Electrical Supply Operations: 10
Main Markets: industrial, commercial, OEM, MRO
Ownership: Family owned.
Behind the Numbers: Stealing market share has long been the plan at Colonial Electric Supply. Colonial's business plan and motto is 10/10 — that is, 10 percent growth each year for 10 years. So far the plan has paid off. In 2002, the company saw sales grow 14 percent. In 2001, the company grew sales 13 percent. “Of course, the economy isn't growing,” said Peter Bellwoar, vice president, sales and marketing. “We're just taking market share.”
Acquisition: Colonial Electric completed its acquisition of Providence Electrical, Collegeville, Pa., in April 2003. The single-location acquisition brings the number of Colonial branches to 10.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.colonialelectric.com
- SPRINGFIELD ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO.
Springfield, Ill.
2002 Sales: $83,902,000
Down from 2001: -8 percent
Employees: 240
Sales Per Employee: $349,592
Electrical Supply Operations: 12 Illinois locations
Main Markets: contractor, industrial, commercial, institutional
Behind the Numbers: Lee Roulson, senior vice president and CFO, says declining demand, particularly in the industrial and institutional segments, contributed to the decrease in sales.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.springfieldelectric.com
- FRENCH GERLEMAN
Maryland Heights, Mo.
2002 Sales: $82,520,000
Down from 2001: -5 percent
Employees: 210
Sales Per Employee: $392,952
Electrical Supply Operations: five in Missouri, Kansas and Illinois
Ownership: Family owned.
Main Markets: industrial, construction, commercial, datacom
Behind the Numbers: Continued depressed industrial capital spending, the depressed datacom market and a general slowdown in construction the second half of 2002 contributed to French Gerleman's 5 percent decline in sales, according to William French, president.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.frenchgerlemen.com
- BENFIELD ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO. INC.
White Plains, N.Y.
2002 Sales: $80,349,685, flat with 2001
Employees: 175
Sales Per Employee: $459,141
Electrical Supply Operations: six
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, OEM, construction, international
Behind the Numbers: After six consecutive years of significant sales growth, Benfield Electric's sales were flat in 2001 and 2002. In the mid to late '90s, Benfield diversified by getting into the datacom market, by entering the lighting market with its acquisition of Speclite, Hicksville, N.Y., (now Benfield Lighting Inc.), and by moving into the five boroughs of New York City with its purchase of Central Electrical Supply Corp.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.benfieldelectric.com
- DAKOTA SUPPLY GROUP
Fargo, N.D.
2002 Sales: $79 million
Up from 2001: +5 percent
Employees: 200
Sales Per Employee: $395,000
Electrical Supply Operations: 9 estimated locations
Main Markets: contractor, industrial, utility
Notable: Ben Herr, company president, recently completed his term as NAED president.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
- HORIZON SOLUTIONS CORP.
Rochester, N.Y.
2002 Sales: $78,566,000
Down from 2001: -6 percent
Employees: 190 (est.)
Sales Per Employee: $413,505
Electrical Supply Operations: seven
Main Markets: industrial, commercial, contractor
Background: Horizon Solutions Corp. was formed May 1, 2000, through the merger of Holmes Distributors Portland, Maine; Oakes Electric of Holyoke, Maine; and RERO Distribution, Rochester, N.Y.
Behind the Numbers: The continued sluggish and inconsistent economy in the Northeast contributed to the 6 percent drop in sales, said Michael Herrmann, treasurer.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.hs-e.com
- ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT CO.
Raleigh, N.C.
2002 Sales: $77,985,000
Down from 2001: -16 percent
Employees: 242
Sales Per Employee: $322,252
Electrical Supply Operations: 11 in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia
Main Markets: industrial and OEM
Behind the Numbers: The poor economy has hit electrical distributors catering to the industrial market hard.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.eeco-net.com
- MADISON ELECTRIC CO.
Warren, Michigan
2002 Sales: confidential
Employees: 179
Electrical Supply Operations: 11 in Michigan
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, OEM, construction, automation
Ownership: Fourth-generation family business
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.madisonelectric.com
- A. E. PETSCHE CO. INC.
Arlington, Texas
2002 Sales: $77+ million
Employees: 110 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: seven stocking locations
Main Markets: military/aerospace
What's New: In September 2002, A. E. Petsche Co. announced an agreement with Sikorsky Aircraft and the opening of a new distribution center in Hartford, Conn. In March 2003, the wire specialist was awarded a multi-year supply agreement with Boeing Commercial Airplanes, making it the exclusive supplier of wire and cable to Boeing Commercial.
Web Site: www.aepetsche.com
- CRAWFORD ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO. (CESCO)
Dallas
2002 Sales: $75 million
Up from 2001: 36 percent
Employees: 90
Sales Per Employee: $833,333
Electrical Supply Operations: two
Main Markets: commercial, residential, industrial
Expansion/Behind the Numbers: Little more than a decade old, Crawford Electric Supply has had big growth. Craig Levering, CEO, purchased the company in 1990 when it had six employees and $2 million in annual sales. Today annual sales are $75 million with 90 employees. Sales for 2002 were up $20 million over 2001 sales. Levering credits CESCO's second branch, which opened January 2002 in Houston, with the big jump in sales.
- NOLAND CO.
Newport News, Va.
2002 Sales: $74.1 million
Down from 2001: -13 percent
Employees: 208 (est.)
Electrical Supply Operations: 16 in 11 states
Main Markets: residential, light commercial, industrial
Ownership: Noland Co. is a publicly held company trading on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol NOLD.
Behind the Numbers: Only a fraction (15 percent) of the Noland Co.'s total $489 billion in 2002 sales came from its electrical/industrial operations. Still, that fraction amounted to $74.1 million. With electrical sales down 13 percent from 2001, the decline was due to a combination of sluggish manufacturing activity and a shift away from integrated supply business. Noland downsized its electrical/industrial operations in 2002 by eliminating several unprofitable integrated supply accounts.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.noland.com
- UNITED UTILITY SUPPLY
Louisville, Ky.
2002 Sales: $74 million
Up from 2001: +1 percent
Employees: 46
Sales Per Employee: $1,608,696
Electrical Supply Operations: six in Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Alabama and Tennessee.
Main Market: electrical utilities
Ownership: United Utility Supply is a material supply organization owned by over 230 electric cooperatives in 17 states. Formed originally to repair distribution transformers, United is today recognized as one of the leading material supply cooperatives serving the rural electric market.
Web Site: www.uus.org
- MINARIK CORP.
Glendale, Calif.
Electrical Supply Operations: 19 (18 throughout the United States and one in Canada)
Main Markets: automation
Web Site: www.minarikcorp.com
- STANION WHOLESALE ELECTRIC CO.
Pratt, Kan.
2002 Sales: $70,300,000
Down from 2001: -15 percent
Employees: 234
Sales Per Employee: $300,427
Electrical Supply Operations: 18 (17 in Kansas and one in Missouri)
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, residential, utility, datacom
Ownership: Family owned.
Behind the Numbers: After five consecutive years of increased sales, Stanion was unable to maintain the growth in 2002, with a 15 percent decrease. The biggest contributing factor was a lack of large commercial and industrial jobs. The majority of other Top 200 distributors serving this region saw decreases in sales as well.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.stanion.com
- SHEPHERD ELECTRIC CO. INC.
Baltimore, Md.
2002 Sales: $70 million
Up from 2001: +12 percent
Employees: 140
Sales Per Employee: $500,000
Electrical Supply Operations: two
Markets: commercial, industrial
Behind the Numbers/Expansion: In a region where consolidation has been rampant, Shepherd Electric remains an independent distributor, growing sales 12 percent in 2002 after a 4 percent increase in 2001. In 2002, Shepherd Electric also opened a distribution center in Beltsville, Md.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
- POWER/MATION
St. Paul, Minn.
Electrical Supply Operations: 12
Main Market: automation
Web Site: www.powermation.com
- BILLOWS ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO.
Philadelphia
Employees: 210
Electrical Supply Operations: 10 in Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Markets: commercial, residential
Ownership: Family owned.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D
Web Site: www.billows.com
- RURAL ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO. (RESCO)
Madison, Wis.
2002 Sales: $67 million, flat with 2001
Employees: 49
Sales Per Employee: $1,367,347
Electrical Supply Operations: four, serving North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan
Main Market: utility
Web Site: www.resco1.com
- WESTERN EXTRALITE
Kansas City, Mo.
2002 Sales: $67 million
Down from 2001: -3 percent
Employees: 200
Sales Per Employee: $335,000
Electrical Supply Operations: 12 in Missouri and Kansas
Main Markets: commercial, industrial, residential, datacom
Ownership: Family owned.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.westernextralite.com
- NUNN ELECTRIC SUPPLY
Employees: 320 (est.)
Electrical Operations: 15 (est.)
Web Site: www.nunn-electric.com
- EDSON ELECTRIC SUPPLY INC.
Phoenix
2002 Sales: $65,283,000
Up from 2001: +13 percent
Employees: 140
Sales Per Employee: $466,307
Electrical Supply Operations: ten in Arizona
Ownership: Family owned.
Main Markets: contractor
Behind the Numbers/Expansion: After a 5 percent increase in sales in 2001, Edson Electric celebrated its 40th anniversary by growing sales 13 percent in 2002. The anniversary year also included the distributor opening a new branch in Tuscon, Ariz., adding a lighting supply division and the beginning of construction on a central distribution center.
Buying/Marketing Group: IMARK
Web Site: www.edsonelectric.com
- PEPCO PROFESSIONAL ELECTRIC PRODUCTS CO.
Eastlake, Ohio
2002 Sales: $65.1 million
Down from 2001: -11 percent
Employees: 115
Sales Per Employee: $566,087
Electrical Supply Operations: four Ohio locations
Main Markets: construction, industrial, utility
Ownership: Family owned.
Behind the Numbers: Sales were down again this year for PEPCO. The two-year slide follows two dynamic years. In 2000 the distributor had an increase of 14 percent, and 1999 saw an increase of 20 percent. Joseph Borkey, president of PEPCO, credits the economy, the data/telecom collapse and postponements in commercial construction projects with the decrease. As for its industrial accounts, many were at a standstill. As a result, the distributor took a hard look at its organization, reducing extraneous expense and inventory. This year, it is increasing its engineering staff, deepening its marketing investment and retooling its pricing structure.
Web Site: www.pepconet.com
- BECKER ELECTRIC SUPPLY
Dayton, Ohio
2002 Sales: $65 million
Down from 2001: -6 percent
Employees: 196
Sales Per Employee: $331,633
Electrical Supply Operations: seven in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana
Main Markets: commercial, industrial
Ownership: Family owned.
Expansion: Despite the weak economy and soft commercial construction, which contributed to Becker Electric's 6 percent dip in sales, the distributor is focusing on its future and opened its seventh branch, in Ashland, Ky.
Buying/Marketing Group: A-D