Industrial Distribution

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The 2026 Industrial Distribution Big 50 Countdown: 50-31

Part 1 of our annual Big 50 countdown begins with the first 20 companies on this year's list.

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Cummins-Wagner Acquires Upstate New York Company

Syracuse Thermal provides heating, plumbing and steam products across central New York.

September 21, 2026

World Electric branch, Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Sonepar Subsidiary Expands in Florida

World Electric is adding three branches and a new distribution hub in the state.

September 18, 2026

Stellar Industrial Supply headquarters, Tacoma, Wash.

Private Equity Firm to Acquire Stake in Stellar Industrial Supply

Stellar officials said the deal would provide “long-term capital and operational resources.”

September 17, 2026

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American Piping Products Acquired by Private Equity Firm

The company says it is one of the country’s largest suppliers of steel pipe, tubing and fittings.

September 17, 2026

Office Depot store, Wilmington, N.C., May 2026.

Office Depot Parent Restores Retailer’s Name to Company, B2B Distributor

The business, acquired earlier this year, is “going back to basics,” its CEO said.

September 16, 2026

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Metalworking Machinery Orders Up Over 55% in July

September 16, 2026

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Product Data Is Now a Supply Chain Problem

September 16, 2026

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Crane Company to Acquire Trillium’s U.S. Pumps Business in $240M Deal

September 15, 2026

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HVAC Distribution Giant to Acquire the Granite Group

September 14, 2026

Wilmington, N.C.

Macomb Group Adds North Carolina Branch

September 14, 2026

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SureWerx Acquires American Safety Clothing

September 11, 2026

Air Hydro Power branch, Jeffersonville, Ind.

Air Hydro Power Names New Top Executive

September 11, 2026

Aerial view of Mississauga, Ontario.

Ceratizit Moves Its Canadian Headquarters

September 11, 2026

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The Law Protects Alleged Gray Market Distributor

September 11, 2026

Franklin Electric headquarters, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Franklin Electric Acquires Minnesota Pump Manufacturer in $350M Deal

September 10, 2026

Core & Main branch, Santa Ana, Calif.

Core & Main Sales, Earnings Climb but Margin Slips

September 9, 2026

Genuine Parts Company CEO to Lead Motion as a Standalone Company

September 9, 2026

The Today in Manufacturing Podcast from Manufacturing.net

The Today in Manufacturing Podcast from Manufacturing.net

Each week, our editors discuss the five biggest stories in manufacturing and their implications for the industry.

September 17, 2026

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Sept 17, 2026.

Trump Shattered Canada’s Old U.S. Relationship; Carney Is Building a New One in Europe

For Canada, it means undoing reliance developed over nearly 40 years.

September 22, 2026

Austan Goolsbee, left, then-Council of Economic Advisers Chairman under President Barack Obama, testifies on Capitol Hill, Feb. 28, 2013.

Federal Reserve Official Says Fighting Inflation Likely to Be 'Painful'

Faced with an ongoing series of persistent supply shocks, he said, the Fed now has little choice.

September 21, 2026

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OTC Industrial Technologies Acquires Global Energy Solutions

GES provides rotating equipment sales and service from locations in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

September 21, 2026

People visit the booth for Chinese AI-computing chip start up Dongfang Suanxin during the World AI Conference in Shanghai, July 17, 2026.

The U.S. and China Are Competing for AI Dominance But Have Shared Concerns Over Safety

The AI rivals have found an unexpected common ground.

September 21, 2026

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How Smarter Crimping Supports Hose Assembly Reliability and the Bottom Line

For hose distributors and shops, a crimp is one of the most important elements of reliable assembly.

September 21, 2026

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Kevin Warsh attends an observance ceremony on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Sept. 11, 2026, at the Pentagon in Washington.

Federal Reserve Rate Hike Reflects New World of Sticky Inflation and Faster Growth

The economy is growing despite being hit with repeated shocks — and may even be accelerating.

September 21, 2026

Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, attends the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025.

Will AI Models Achieve the Ability to Improve Autonomously?

Leading labs say the scenario is near.

September 21, 2026

Tim286

Ford's $1B U.S. Investment; New Flying Car Factory; Cyborg Cockroach Paramedics | Today in Manufacturing Ep. 286

Also on the podcast, why young engineers don't trust AI, scientists turn dairy waste into fuel and students to transform 1976 Ford F-350.

September 21, 2026

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Industrial Scientific Redefines Connected Worker Safety with the Launch of Tectra

The integrates personal gas monitors, docking, low-power connectivity and an option for indoor location awareness.

September 21, 2026

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Wolter Acquires Wisconsin Equipment Company

The deal is the material handling distributor’s third this year.

September 18, 2026

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington, Sept. 16, 2026.

Why the Federal Reserve Is Lifting Rates Now, and What It Means

Fed officials are no longer counting on the Iran war being a temporary shock.

September 18, 2026

Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, speaks during a game of bridge following the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting May 5, 2019, in Omaha, Neb.

Warren Buffett Steps Down as Berkshire Hathaway Chairman

He held the position for 56 years.

September 18, 2026

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney delivers a speech at the European Parliament, Strasbourg, France, Sept 17, 2026.

Carney Embraces EU Associate Membership Proposal

Canada's relationship with the U.S. hung over his speech to the European Parliament.

September 18, 2026

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Cutting Tool Shipments Set New Record in July

Orders for the year to date were up by more than 20%.

September 17, 2026