What are Industrial Supplies?

The industrial supplies wholesaling sector distributes a range of general-use products and systems for manufacturing, warehousing and repair purposes.
Such products include equipment, machinery, supplies, materials, tools, components, parts and other goods that can be used in a variety of fields and segments.

Since industrial supply distributors offer technical solutions which are widely used in maintenance, repair, operations and production processes, the industry is sometimes referred to as the MRO or MROP supply industry.

The companies that operate in this sector supply all types of factories and manufacturers with everything they need to successfully run their day-to-day businesses, in terms of operation.
The products they offer range from the simplest items like light bulbs, gloves and basic hand tools to industrial-level heavy-duty equipment.

Manufacturing in the United States

The U.S. manufacturing sector is a valuable and vital part of the country’s overall economy.
It employs millions of people, with a high share of employees without a college degree.
Large industries in this sector include petroleum and coal, steel, motor vehicles, construction, aerospace and defense, agricultural machinery, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, computer and electronics, food, beverage and tobacco, consumer goods, lumber and mining.

A vibrant and growing manufacturing industry is a fundamental component for every strong, healthy and thriving economy, even in the 21st century.
The creation of new jobs, its massive contribution to commerce, trade and export (which is vital to U.S. global competitiveness), its attraction of significant foreign investment and being a source of technological innovation are only part of the reasons why this sector remains crucial to the country’s economy, society and national security.

Additionally, the American industry fuels other key parts of the economy, such as suppliers of industrial machinery, equipment and goods, transportation and logistics services, advertising companies and others – so its footprint is much larger than what the formal statistics show.

Past vs. Present

Most U.S. industrial supply wholesale companies have traditionally marketed their goods through a number of channels, which offer high-touch relationships with their customers: direct sales representatives, independent dealers, phone orders, print catalogs and many of them operated physical stores.

The digital age has led many established players in this competitive market to make significant investments in online retail channels and a large number of them operate ecommerce websites that enable business and industrial customers to improve, modernize and streamline their procurement processes.

Additionally, the emergence of industrial supply shopping sites is resulting in more pricing transparency, which is critical in helping customers to make more informed choices.

What Do Industrial Supply Websites Offer?

Since MRO companies serve such an extremely diverse customer base, they need to maintain a very large catalog, which often includes hundreds of thousands of products.
Merchants fulfill the business needs of industrial customers with products that are needed to support the production process of manufactured goods for B2C and B2B markets.

These solutions help them improve the manufacturing environment, drive greater productivity, profitability and growth, keep ongoing operations and maintenance running efficiently and reduce overall costs.

Such products include:

• Abrasives
• Adhesives, Sealants and Tapes
• Clamping, Workholding & Positioning
• Cleaning, Janitorial and Facility Maintenance
• Cutting Tools
• Electrical
• Electronics, Appliances and Batteries
• Fasteners
• Fleet and Vehicle Maintenance
• Furniture, Hospitality and Food Service
• Generators
• HVAC and Refrigeration
• Hand Tools
• Hardware
• Hose, Tube, Fittings & Valves
• Hydraulics & Pneumatics
• Lab & Scientific Supplies
• Lifting & Rigging
• Lighting
• Lubricants, Coolants, Chemicals & Fluids
• Machining
• Marking & Labeling
• Material Handling
• Measuring & Inspecting
• Motors & Power Transmission
• Outdoor Equipment
• Paint Equipment and Supplies
• Plumbing & Filtration
• Power Tools
• Power Transmission
• Pumps
• Raw Materials
• Saw Blades
• Safety and Protection Products
• Security Solutions
• Storage & Shelving
• Test Instruments
• Welding & Soldering

Target Audience

Providers of industrial goods serve a diverse audience, which includes:

• Manufacturing Facilities
• Plants
• Factories
• Local, State and Federal Government
• Contractors
• Workshops
• DIY & Hobbyist Consumers

Paying for Industrial Supplies with PayPal

Even though PayPal is one of the most popular payment methods on the internet, many industrial distribution ecommerce websites have not adopted it yet.
However, a fair number of players in this market do accept PayPal and hopefully, their number will increase with time.