Fastener Top 50 - Not So Simple
There has been a fair amount of response to people's interest in a ranking of the top 50 fastener distributors. A list was referred to by Andy at ScrewCrew.com Mike McGuire sent me a private note pointing out some of the obstacles to coming up with a definitive Top 50 list. Here are some of the challenges.
Is a company like Fastenal a fastener distributor or an industrial supply house? Do you segregate specific industry sectors like electronic hardware distributors (which would include companies that are PEM or Captive distributors) since some of them do not deal in standard hardware? Where do construction supply houses fit? You know, the Powers or Simpson distributors. Some carry lost of other fasteners but for some their only fastener line might be their anchor line.
Still, there are a bunch of names that one would suppose would end up on the list. Several could be companies with multiple locations. I'm going to list a few here but I do not have sales dollars to back up the list. Maybe down the road I (or someone with better data) can substantiate this or another list. But, for now, let's get this started.
Fastenal
Supply Technologies
Anixter
Wurth
Endries
Copper State
General Fasteners
Barnes ?
D.B. Roberts ?
Bossard
C'mon folks, help me out.
Is a company like Fastenal a fastener distributor or an industrial supply house? Do you segregate specific industry sectors like electronic hardware distributors (which would include companies that are PEM or Captive distributors) since some of them do not deal in standard hardware? Where do construction supply houses fit? You know, the Powers or Simpson distributors. Some carry lost of other fasteners but for some their only fastener line might be their anchor line.
Still, there are a bunch of names that one would suppose would end up on the list. Several could be companies with multiple locations. I'm going to list a few here but I do not have sales dollars to back up the list. Maybe down the road I (or someone with better data) can substantiate this or another list. But, for now, let's get this started.
Fastenal
Supply Technologies
Anixter
Wurth
Endries
Copper State
General Fasteners
Barnes ?
D.B. Roberts ?
Bossard
C'mon folks, help me out.
ABC Logistics, All-Pro.
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Forgive me Jeff but where are they out of? How many branches?
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All-Pro is in Arlington, TX and is about a dozen locations.
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Ah, yes. Those are good questions. You've bitten off quite a hunk of bread.
Maybe you can lay down the "rules". Suggestions (if this is what you're going for):
sell primarily to end users
X% of sales in fasteners (none of us sells ONLY fasteners, right?)
hmmm.
and now that I think about it, they might have to be publicly owned so you can be sure of getting accurate numbers. That's going to be restrictive.
Boy, you're gonna have fun! Mwa ha ha.
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No sir, it won't be easy. Gonna need some help compiling this one.
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A few additions come to mind:
Hillman
Midwest
Whitesell
PrimeSource
Brighton Best
Hodell Natco
Grainger (stretching the definition, but they are the most direct competitor to Fastenal)
Wuerth USA
Chun Yu USA/Western States (The Home Depot business alone is big)
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I decided to leave out Brighton because I think of them as more of a supplier to other distributors. Kind of like any of the importers (Heads, Stelfast, XL, Porteous). Technically, they are distributors but not to the end users (for the most part). I left Bossard in the other day because they sell both (to my knowledge).
Another company that still should be up there is Flexalloy although they are not as large as they used to be.
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Well if you are going to publish a list...I'll take the free self promotion for my company. Dexm is a fastener distributor in south east Wisconsin specializing in vmi for both military/aerospace and commercial accounts. We also have manufacturing on site that can provide stampings, wire forms, tooling, welding etc. We are ISO certified and AS compliant. If you would like more information about Dexm check out our website or contact Mr. Denis Donohoe 262-523-4670 ext. 3005
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Thanks for logging in to this site. As you know, this site is not just for people to give a shout out about their companies. That being said, I appreciate that you are looking to promote your company and...for that alone, I'm happy to let you self-promote here -- at least this one time. Do you think you are in the top 50? I do not know your company but maybe you do belong up there. Also, I hope you will continue to check in on this site and participate in other ways other than mentioning your company. Anyways, good luck in 2010. Hope your business is thriving and growing!
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-House of Threads
-LeJuene Bolt
-Haydon/St. Louis Screw&Bolt
-Sotheastern Bolt
-Birmingham Fastener
-Lawson
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Is it a surprise that a contributor that calls himself A325T would represent on behalf of the structural bolt companies? I think not. Thanks for the input. Need more folks, keep it coming.
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Its definitely a challenge. You run into the problem of how do you break down the numbers. I know in the old lists, companies listed their entire company sales even though most of the top guys were VERY diverse. With many of the companies its going to be very difficult to come up with a number for just fastener sales. You almost have to come up with a list of rules or parameters to define what the numbers represent.
With Wurth for example, they have about 5 divisions and while they are all fasteners...they are very different types of businesses. Some of them sell directly to contractors (wood, automotive, etc), some of them to corporatations, etc. With Anixter, they have two fastener divisions, one for industrial, one for aerospace...do they both count?
Its by NO means an easy task...its not one I'd want to take on, thats for sure!
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I would think that the 'usual' 'top 50' list as published in other circles,(Big 50 ala I.D. Mag),would be for the most part the antithesis of a "Top 50 Fastener Distributor".
Leave out the Anixter-Fastenal-Bossard-Wurth, Grainger,Gexpro,etc...
These are 'Big 50' and in my opinion, not every of the Big 50 is really a top fastener distributor; they may be the 'biggest', but let's face it, I would bet that the large portion of revenue is not "fastener" related.
What about Porteous, Brighton Best, Atlantic Fasteners, Star Stainless, Century Fasteners? In no particular order, and to name only a very few. There are many smaller ones.
(Yes, even Fastener Importers acting as 'Master' Fastener Distributors should qualify.)
Primary focus could be distribution of fasteners,(through a channel or 'direct')- 75% min of revenue/fasteners - tangible evidence of internal innovation that benefits a market and or the company itself, verifiable high service levels,high performance levels, and finally peer and customer raves.
Keep it simple and mostly quantifiable.
The 'Big 50' are just BIG.
They may or may not be well managed, successful, innovative, or respected - but they are always going to be BIG, and they will always be involved in BIG business dealings with BIG multi-nationals and BIG hopes of World Domination - or at least détente with their BIGGEST competitor.
Enter always 'stage right': Anixter, Wurth, Bossard,Gexpro(GE), Fastenal.
Bossard could be the exception of these 5 in that they support both distribution (through Metrics only) via a 'distributor channel' while supporting the largest Metric Fastener Distributor with exports directly. But their focus is squarely on the OEM.
'Best Fastener Distributor' should be a Distributor of Fasteners at face value: Bolts, Screws, Nuts, Washers, Pins, Clips - but focus on Fasteners - they 'buy and sell and do it well!"
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I guess I don't see how leaving out the most successful ones accomplishes anything. For the most part, the smaller companies are smaller for a reason. The more successful, better run companies are the ones that end up growing the most.
I understand the antithesis of your point...I think if its possible, try to get a number from the company that represents their fastener distribution totals. Those that have a mix of other products will come down to a reasonable number by doing this.
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Would Fabory fall into a top 50 fastener distributor?
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Hey TS,
Did you know what you were getting into? Yikes.
Maybe you should start a wiki and let people go to town.
Andy
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I'm trying to determine where I can find good sales data.
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Anixter
being a global distributor and Billions in sales....
All-State Fasteners
General Fasteners
Mid-State Bolt ( MI )
JO King
Active Screw ( AZ / IL )
Supply Tech formerly ILS
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Those are all good ones and I woul guess each would fall into the top 50. Still, if someone really wants to take a shot at this they need to know sales data. If a company is public, then that info is available. If not, I'm not sure.
But "Been Around", I will use your suggestions to start my next post.
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In 2011 64% of Fastenal's sales came from fasteners. They finished at just under $3 Billion in 2011 Sales.
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