Distribution Industry News

Gale joins Stellar Industrial Supply board

Stellar Industrial Supply announced long-time industry veteran Tom Gale will join its board of directors.

November cutting tool orders drop 13.8% 

Shipments of cutting tools totaled $183.1 million in November 2024, a 13.8% decrease from October and 9.7% down from November 2023, according to the latest Cutting Tool Market Report compiled in a collaboration between AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI).

Sonic Group acquires Sonic Tools USA

Sonic Group, a provider of professional tools and equipment solutions based in the Netherlands, announced the acquisition of Auburn, Alabama-based Sonic Tools USA.

3M grows Q4 sales 0.1% YoY

3M reported Q4 sales of $6.0 billion, up 0.1% YoY. Its adjusted sales of $5.8 billion reflected organic growth up 2.1% YoY.

Hitachi acquires Illinois industrial motor-repair company

Hitachi Ltd. has completed the acquisition of Illinois-based Joliet Electric Motors LLC (Joliet), a sales and maintenance service business for large motors in North America.

Motion to buy Texas distributor

Motion Industries Inc., a distributor of maintenance, repair and operation replacement parts, and a premier provider of industrial technology solutions, has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the operating assets of M.B. McKee Co. Inc.

Creaform redefines online experience with a new website

Creaform, a business of AMETEK, Inc. and a worldwide provider of automated and portable 3D measurement solutions, announced the launch of its completely redesigned website.

Fastenal reports 3.7% net sales increase for Q4 YoY

Fastenal Co. reported its net sales increased 3.7%, in the fourth quarter of 2024 when compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. 

Fastenal, RFK Racing mark 15 years of NASCAR partnership

RFK Racing and primary partner Fastenal Co. will celebrate their 15th season of partnership in 2025.

All Foils celebrates 45th anniversary  

All Foils, a distributor and converter of light-gauge metal foils, announces its 45th anniversary, marking four-and-a-half decades of innovation, dedication to quality and exceptional customer service.

Platinum Tooling releases Hommel & Keller 'QUICK' tools catalog

Platinum Tooling, an importer and master distributor of live tools, angle heads, marking tools, Swiss tools and multi-spindle tools manufactured by various global suppliers, is the North American importer of the QUICK knurling and marking tools from Hommel & Keller. They have released the full tooling catalog.

Kennametal appoints president of infrastructure segment

Kennametal Inc. has promoted Faisal Hamadi from vice president of value creation systems to president of its infrastructure segment, effective January 20. He succeeds Franklin Cardenas.

Dematic hosts high schooler robotics team

Dematic hosted a demonstration and luncheon last month for a high school student-led robotics team. Dematic, a supply chain automation and solutions provider, held the event for the G3 Robotics Team at its global headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 10 in support of "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology" (FIRST), a robotics education nonprofit.

November metalworking machinery orders climb 16.8%

By Christopher Chidzik

Orders of manufacturing technology totaled $448.8 million in November, 16.8% higher than October, and 12.4% higher than November 2023, according to the latest U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report published by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology.

Stellar Industrial Supply names 2024 Supplier of the Year 

Stellar Industrial Supply has named Kimberly-Clark Professional as its Supplier of the Year (SOY) award winner for 2024. 

Wholesale trade employment remains flat in December

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 256,000 in December, and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.1%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

National Safety Apparel buys Warren Heim 

Blue Point Capital Partners and its portfolio company National Safety Apparel  (NSA) have acquired Warren Heim Corp., a Florida-based manufacturer of insulated bags designed to protect workers in the electrical utility market.

Tencarva Machinery acquires Detroit Pump

Tencarva Machinery Co. a Southeast distributor and service provider of flow control and process equipment solutions to industrial and municipal end-markets, has acquired Detroit Pump & Mfg. Co. 

MSC fiscal Q1 net sales decrease 2.7% YoY

MSC Industrial Supply Co. reported net sales of $928 million in its fiscal first quarter represents a decrease of 2.7% YoY.

BlackHawk Industrial appoints Great Lakes regional GM

BlackHawk Industrial, a market-leading distributor of metalworking and other mission-critical industrial products, has appointed Anthony DeSalvo as general manager of the Great Lakes region.

Service sector expands, wholesale trade makes the growth list

Economic activity in the services sector expanded for the sixth consecutive month in December, say the nation’s purchasing and supply executives in the latest Services ISM Report On Business. The Services PMI registered 54.1%, indicating expansion for the 52nd time in 55 months since recovery from the coronavirus pandemic-induced recession began in June 2020.

November durables orders dip 1.1%

New orders for manufactured durable goods in November, down three of the last four months, decreased $3.0 billion or 1.1% to $285.1 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced.

DataXstream releases OMS+ 4 for faster sales execution across SAP

DataXstream LLC has announced the fourth release of its award-winning OMS+ platform that significantly accelerates quote and order processing capabilities within SAP S/4 HANA On-Premise and SAP S/4 HANA Private Cloud environments.

December manufacturing contracts again

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in December for the ninth consecutive month and the 25th time in the last 26 months, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.

Centro acquires LECORP 

Centro Inc. has acquired LECORP, a provider of innovative system designs, equipment supply, and construction services for material handling, process solutions, and dust control.

MSC executive joins ISA board

The Industrial Supply Association (ISA) welcomed Sara Dulski to its board of directors as of January 1. She is head of business unit – metalworking at MSC Industrial Supply Co., where she leads a portfolio that includes metalworking production tools and innovative value-added services.

Applied Industrial Technologies completes acquisition of Hydradyne

Applied Industrial Technologies completed its acquisition of Hydradyne LLC on December 31.

November construction spending flat from October

Construction spending during November 2024 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,152.6 billion, virtually unchanged from (±1.0%) the revised October estimate of $2,152.3 billion. The November figure is 3.0% (±1.5%) above the November 2023 estimate of $2,090.7 billion.