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Once again, Industrial Distribution is proud to present our list of the Top 100 industrial distributors in North America. Each June, we publish this special report, which ranks the industry's largest players by sales volume.

Last year was a great year for many of the companies listed in the following pages. The majority of firms posted healthy sales gains, the bulk of which came from market penetration, as consolidation has slowed in the last couple of years. Looking ahead, however, most firms are predicting modest growth in 2001 due to the slowing industrial economy.

'This year is quite cruel; a very, very weak year,' says Pete Cross, president of Cross Co., a fluid power distributor based in Greensboro, N.C., and No. 59 on this year's list.

Robert McPherson, president of British Columbia-based BC Bearing Group, No. 58, agrees. '2001 is pretty iffy,' he says. 'We're doing well in Canada, but the U.S. is down.'

The most negative reports come from those serving sectors like auto, steel and heavy equipment manufacturing. 'The jury's still out on heavy industry. I don't see anything turning them around,' says Lee Mulkey, CEO of Purchased Parts Group, No. 61.

Companies serving construction and related markets are faring much better, as are those in particular geographic areas, like Duncan Equipment Co., no. 78, of Oklahoma City. CEO David Ragland says his firm's energy-related and aerospace business in the South/Southwest is doing well, and he expects 10 percent growth this year.

'We're actually doing pretty good right now,' Ragland says. 'It's a different economy here than Detroit.'

Indeed, it's not all gloom and doom — many of the executives we interviewed expect the economy to pick up toward the end of the year. Others, predicting a solid 2001, say it's very much a matter of ignoring the 'media hype.'

'If [an] organization listens to the news spin, it lives it,' says Jerry Nichter, president of No. 73, Orr Safety Equipment. 'We don't. We're thriving.'

Regardless of each company's stance, the road ahead is sure to be a bit rockier this year. In April, the manufacturing sector declined for the ninth consecutive month, and first-quarter earnings reports for many of our publicly traded companies revealed ongoing concern over economic conditions.

As for the list itself, there are some changes this year. Nine companies were dropped — seven of them due to acquisition. Cameron & Barkley, Van Leeuwen Pipe & Tube, Texas Mill Supply, Tristate Electrical & Electronics Supply and Vallen Corp. — all Top 50 companies last year — were purchased by other companies in the top half of our list.

Likewise, Curtis Industries and Iowa Industrial Products, which appeared in the bottom half last year, were acquired. Curtis was bought by Barnes Group, Inc., which merged the company with its Bowman Distribution unit to form Barnes Distribution, checking in this year at No. 32. Newcomer Bossard US out of Hampton, N.H., purchased IIP. Branch Electric Supply and Tenaquip Ltd. chose not to participate this year.

There are 12 newcomers to the 2001 list: Hagemeyer North America, No. 9; C&H Distributors, No. 35; Bossard US, No. 52; United Electric Supply Co., No. 62; FCX Performance, No. 65; Ewie Co., No. 77; Tencarva Machinery, No. 83; Arbill Glove & Safety, No. 87; Deacon Industrial, No. 92; Mittler Supply, No. 93; Livingston & Haven, No. 96; and Abatix Corp., No. 100. In addition, Power/mation division, inc., No. 71, re-appears this year after not participating in last year's report.

There was also some shifting in the list due to acquisitions and new arrivals. Wilson Industries moved up seven spots to No. 13, due mainly to the purchase of Texas Mill Supply last year. Its purchase of Van Leeuwen in January is sure to help the firm make strides on the 2002 list. Wilmar Industries advanced from No. 38 to No. 18, due mainly to its merger with Barnett Inc., a Jacksonville, Fla.-based distributor. Newcomers Hagemeyer and C&H also caused some shifting in the ranks.

Information on publicly traded companies is gleaned from annual reports, earnings statements and interviews with top executives. For the privately held firms — which make up the majority of the list — we rely on self-reported data. Figures represent North American industrial sales for the 2000 calendar year, except where noted. Figures for Canadian firms are reported in U.S. dollars.

The 2001 Top 100 was compiled by Associate Editors Richard Trombly and Al Tuttle, Jr.; Web Manager Ken Brack; Contributing Editor Bridget McCrea; and Managing Editor Victoria Fraza.