I.D. One joins A-D & supplyFORCE.com

By Staff -- Industrial Distribution, 5/1/2000

King of Prussia, Pa. & Lockport, N.Y.- The adage that there's strength in numbers rang true with I.D. One's announcement it would join Affiliated Distributors and supplyFORCE.comSM and form a $16 billion industrial powerhouse.

"It just made good economic sense, ''Wes Delnea, I.D. One's chairman of the board said shortly after the joint venture was made public April 7. "By joining forces it gives us one large group.''

That one large group brings complementary products and services together. Bearings and power transmission products are now part of the trio's product and service mix.

And, that one large group will be larger sales-wise, than W.W. Grainger, Inc.

Two billion dollars in network sales from I.D. One's industrial cooperative are expected to bolster the combined sales force of Affiliated Distributors and supplyFORCE.com.

The partnership will result in "more opportunities, more inventory, more locations and more salespeople'' to meet the needs of local and national customers, Delnea said.

Each of the three has unique qualities. B2B e-commerce company supplyFORCE.com-launched in November 1999 by parent Affiliated Distributors-offers a fully integrated, end-to-end supply chain management solution for industrial and construction supplies. Affiliated Distributors is the largest buying and marketing group of independent distributors in North America, with collective sales approaching $14 million.

The two are based in King of Prussia, Pa. I.D. One, on its Website, stresses "the advantage of local service backed by a national organization.''

Bill Weisberg, president and CEO of supplyFORCE.com, recognized the value of this partnership. "I.D. One is a leading player in the industrial distribution space. Their addition to our vast fulfillment network is critical in expanding the products and services we offer our customers, who are looking for an e-commerce supply solution providing timely fulfillment and technical support for purchasing industrial and construction supplies," he said in a prepared statement.

Don Ruggles, a member of Affiliated Distributors' board of directors, referred to A-D and I.D. One as being top-notch. Ruggles said supplyFORCE.com's electronic abilities makes the two distributor cooperatives more service-oriented because supplyFORCE.com's "e-commerce solution is truly unique in the market.''

Talks between the three business groups about forming a cooperative began last October, according to Delnea.