Industrial distribution dealmaking activity posted another strong month in October 2024, with transaction volume increasing from September’s total of 26 acquisitions.

MDM reported on 30 transactions — either pending or completed— in October, involving at least one distributor within the building supply, industrial and commercial sectors. This marks an increase from September’s 26 transactions, although it falls short of August’s 36. It reflects another solid month of dealmaking by recent historical standards, comparable to October 2023, which had 33 distributor M&A items in our coverage.

October 2024 pushed MDM’s year-to-date count to 291 through 10 months for an average of 29.1 deals per month, meaning this past month was just ahead of the year’s average. That year-to-date activity is far ahead of the 24.2 monthly average through the first ten months of 2023.

Here’s how distributor deal activity has looked like since the start of 2023, according to MDM news coverage of such items per month:

October’s activity was highlighted by Chicago-based hardline wholesaler True Value’s agreement to sell its operations to industry peer Do it Best Corp. True Value initiated Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings to facilitate the sale, while continuing day-to-day operations that support 4,500 independently owned retailers. Do it Best comprises 4,300 member-owned stores across the U.S. and internationally. True Value anticipates that the sale will be completed by the end of 2024, and MDM is keeping an eye on that development.

Elsewhere, infrastructure supplies distributor Core & Main had an active October, as it announced two pending acquisitions of ARGCO Northeast LLC and Eastcom Associates Inc. on Oct. 9.

Find our rundown of October distributor M&A news below, mostly in chronological order.

MDM’s October 2024 Distributor M&A News Coverage

(click links to view news brief)

Building materials distributor US LBM acquired Florida-based Milton Truss, a manufacturer and distributor of structural building components.

Fluid power, automation and industrial supplies distributor Motion & Control Enterprise acquired three ParkerStore locations from Motion & Flow Control Products.

Pipe, valves and fittings distributor The Macomb Group acquired Huntersville, NC-based Leonhardt Pipe & Supply, Inc. — a distributor of fire protection products, fabrication and service.

Fluid solutions distributor TIPCO Technologies partnered with Elmhurst, IL-based industrial, hydraulic and pneumatic hose fittings distributor Alliance Hose & Rubber.

HVACR, plumbing and industrial PVF distribution Winsupply acquired commercial plumbing supplies distributor Epic Supply.

US LBM acquired construction fasteners, tools and supplies distributor Texas Tool Traders.

Distribution Solutions Group’s operating company TestEquity — a distributor test and measurement equipment, related industrial assembly supplies and tool kits — reached a deal to acquire Bedford, MA-based ConRes Test Equipment.

Rahway, NJ-based MRO, metalworking and other industrial supplies distributor A&M Industrial acquired Chicopee, MA-based The Mosher Company — an industrial distributor and manufacturer of finishing compounds.

Building materials distributor Builders FirstSource acquired Rhode Island-based Douglas Lumber — an independent lumber and building materials distributor.

Fluid power, automation and process control distributor Kundinger acquired Control Concepts Technology Enterprises (CCT).

Hardware wholesaler True Value agreed to sell all of its operations to Do it Best Corp., with True Value starting Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings to facilitate the sale.

Infrastructure supplies distributor Core & Main announced the pending acquisition of ARGCO Northeast LLC and Eastcom Associates Inc. — both announced Oct. 9.

Industrial, medical and specialty gases, welding and safety supplies distributor Meritus Gas Partners announced an acquisition in July, September and October in Oklahoma, Texas and California, respectively, adding to a busy year of expansion.

Fluid power, automation and process control distributor Kudinger acquired Schofield, WI-based Control Concepts Technology Enterprises.

Construction and industrial supplies distributor White Cap acquired ERSCO Construction Supply.

Alabama-based industrial supply distributor Tuner Supply acquired Oxford, AL-based safety, MRO and power transmissions distributor Alabama Industrial Distributors.

Environmental and safety solutions provider Federal Signal Corporation acquired Elmhurst, IL-based Standard Equipment Company.

White Cap acquired Anaheim, CA-based geosynthetics and erosion control distributor Triumph Geo-Synthetics.

Insulation and complementary building products supplier Installed Building Products, Inc. acquired New Hope, MN-based fiberglass, insulation, spray foam insulation and related insulation accessories distributor Wholesale Insulation Supply, Inc.

Zug, Switzerland-based fasteners distributor Bossard agreed to acquire Germany's Ferdinand Gross Group.

Canada-based building materials distributor Doman Building Materials (Doman) acquired Pageland, SC-based lumber and treated wood supplier CM Tucker Lumber Companies.

McKinney, TX-based landscape supply distributor Heritage Landscape Supply Group — owned by SRS Distribution — acquired Freshwater Farms, Inc. (FWF).

Construction and contract supplies distributor NEFCO acquired Corpus Christi, TX-based Sheinberg Tool Co.

Phoenix, AZ-based pipe, valves, fittings, engineered products and industrial supplies distributor Venturi Supply acquired Cohn & Gregory.

Industrial polymer supplier Trelleborg Group — through its Trelleborg Sealing Solutions business — has agreed to acquire U.S. company CRC Distribution.

Newton Square, PA-based packaging distributor SupplyOne acquired Bay Minette, AL-based corrugated boxes and displays supplier Gulf Packaging.

Madison Heights, MI-based industrial electronics and automation products distributor Galco Industrial Electronics acquired Sterling Heights, MI-based D.F. Burnham & Company.

What’d We Miss?

Of course, the list above doesn’t encompass every M&A deal announced during October for relevant distributors. There will always be deals that weren’t on our radar. If you don’t see one here you think should be included, please let us know at editor@mdm.com.

• Here's our 3Q24 M&A Report (Premium)
• Here’s our 2Q24 M&A Report (Premium)
• Here’s our 1Q24 M&A Report (Premium)
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• Here’s our September M&A Roundup
• Here’s our August M&A Roundup
• Here’s our July M&A Roundup