To say BlackHawk Industrial has been busy lately would be an understatement.
A little over a month after announcing a pair of acquisitions in Florida and Mexico, the metalworking and MRO parts distributor announced Wednesday that it has acquired Reliance Supply — a distributor of industrial fasteners with a single location in Jacksonville, FL.
It marks BlackHawk's seventh acquisition since February 2020.
BlackHawk said the Reliance addition builds the strategic category of industrial fasteners to the company's product assortment, enabling it to service a broader range of customers while increasing the breadth of product offerings.
"This expansion into the Florida market will allow us to reach more customer production facilities, expand products and services that end-users value, and invest in new effective sales channels," said John Mark, BlackHawk president and CEO. "These elements are essential for our strategy to build the only distributor that is truly Big Enough to Serve and Small Enough to Care.”
"The combined businesses offer unlimited potential and superior customer service," echoed Rob Carryl, who will serve as both the commercial leader of the Reliance branch and lead the growth of the industrial fasteners category for all of BlackHawk.
Reliance's website states that over 85 percent of the company's orders are placed electronically.
Besides fasteners, Reliance also offers products in the categories of MRO, HVAC, foodservice supplies, power tools, electrical & lighting, janitorial, material handling, welding, safety & security, marking, office supplies, plumbing and chemicals, lubricants & paints.
This past June 16, BlackHawk announced the acquisition of ArgoDe Valle (formerly Argo-Fusco) — a metalworking-focused industrial distributor operating out of locations in Tijuana and Sonora, Mexico — in a move that marked BlackHawk's first entry into Mexico, and the acquisition of Southern Tool and Machine, which has Florida locations in Pompano Beach and Largo.
During 2020, BlackHawk acquired Irwin, PA-based full-line metal tooling supplies distributor D&L Supply (announced in October); acquired O’Fallon, MO-based J&S Tool — a distributor, manufacturer and reconditioner of cutting tools (announced in February); and acquired Costa Mesa, CA-based metalworking, MROP and packaging supplies distributor Machine Tool Supply from DistributionNOW (announced in February).
BlackHawk Industrial was No. 26 on Industrial Distribution's 2020 Big 50 List.
