TOLEDO, Ohio — The Bostwick-Braun Company's strategic decision to make its industrial services and products arm the company's exclusive business focus motivated the sale, announced last week, of its wholesale hardware operations, company officials said Tuesday.
On March 19, Bostwick-Braun, headquartered in Toledo, announced that House-Hasson Hardware of Knoxville, Tennessee, had made a formal purchase offer for its hardware division, including its related inventory and warehouses. This transaction follows the company's decision to concentrate 100% of its focus on its industrial distribution markets.
"Selling our hardware division enables us to focus all our energies on Bostwick-Braun Industrial," said CEO Pete Richichi. "We serve thousands of industrial customers in four states and sell nationally through our website. This transaction will deepen our industrial customer relationships and expand our product offerings."
Primarily serving manufacturers, construction companies, and metalworking shops, Bostwick-Braun Industrial is a family of companies providing goods and services to industrial customers. These companies and key product offerings include:
- Columbus Fasteners Corp.: Fasteners, anchors, strut, other construction and industrial supplies
- Wayne Fasteners Inc.: Fasteners, power tools, metalworking tools, abrasives and band saw blades
- EBN Industrial Supply: General construction and industrial supplies, including a wide variety of fasteners and metalworking tools
- JMC Sales & Engineering: Metalworking tools, tooling accessories, saw blades, customized blades, and an authorized Lennox Welding Center
- MSI: Power tools and accessories, ladders, and other general industrial supplies
Collectively, Bostwick-Braun Industrial companies distribute 125,000 stock-keeping units from 13 warehouses in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. The company's sales staff provides expert service and support to its customers and is augmented by its website, bbindustrialsupply.com.
Bostwick-Braun's history dates to 1855. Until 12 years ago, the company principally supplied independent hardware stores. Its business started to change when, through acquisitions, Bostwick-Braun entered the industrial services field.
"Bostwick-Braun has a remarkable, and in many ways, unequaled history," Richichi said. "A business doesn't survive and grow over nearly 170 years without evolving. We will continue to provide customers with an extensive line of quality products by employee-owners who are committed to great customer service."
Bostwick-Braun is an 100% employee-owned company with 240 employee-owners.
"All of us at Bostwick-Braun have a personal stake in doing the best for every one of our customers," Richichi said. "We're excited about our new focus and moving forward exclusively with industrial distribution."
