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Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Chris DellaCamera Chris DellaCamera New York, United States Last Updated: November 2024 NAICS 42383

Revenue

$320.9bn

2024

$320.9bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

420k

Businesses

28,264

Wages

$XX.Xbn

Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry analysis

Industrial machinery and equipment wholesalers sell various products to various downstream markets. For machinery and equipment wholesalers, revenue is closely tied to macroeconomic conditions. Over the past five years, revenue has faced notable volatility but is estimated to have posted overall growth due to the boom in investment spending by companies following the pandemic. Industry revenue is estimated to rise at a CAGR of 0.4% to $321.0 billion through the end of 2024, with growth of 2.9% forecast for the current year.

Trends and Insights

  • High interest rates and economic concerns have contributed to a slowdown in equipment spending. This trend reflects broader economic caution and impacts sectors reliant on capital expenditure.
  • Many industries depend on industrial machinery and equipment, ensuring stability in most product segments, even during market downturns. This reliance helps maintain consistent operations across various sectors.
  • Proximity to key markets is crucial. The Great Lakes, Southeast, and Southwest regions enable wholesalers to cut delivery times and boost customer service. This strategic positioning enhances efficiency and competitive advantage.
  • Maintaining an extensive operation is key to avoiding direct-to-manufacturer sales. Fast customer service gives wholesalers a unique advantage and justifies slightly higher prices. This approach helps sustain the traditional distribution model against direct sales competition.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $320.9bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Revenue volatility has shaken wholesalers

  • The industry's connection to commodity markets and crude oil production leaves it vulnerable to significant shifts in revenue as prices rise or fall and production capacities adjust accordingly.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Investment in machinery picks back up

  • Strong corporate profit allows downstream markets to spend more on new machinery and rising demand from residential construction will encourage investment in industrial machinery and equipment.

Biggest companies in the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
9,244.6
499.2
5.4
Applied Industrial Technologies Inc.
2,521.3
161.4
6.4
MRC Global Inc.
1,985.1
228.3
11.5

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including General-purpose machinery and equipment, Other industrial machinery and equipment and Oil well, refinery and pipeline machinery and equipment. General-purpose machinery and equipment is the largest segment of the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US.

Trends and Insights

General-purpose machinery is versatile and widely needed

  • General-purpose machinery includes machinery and equipment for industrial manufacturing markets, like diesel engines, controlling, recording and indicating instruments, pumps, compressors, construction equipment and other general-purpose machinery.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industrial machinery and equipment wholesalers primarily distribute specialized machinery, equipment and related parts used in manufacturing, extraction and warehousing industries. Wholesalers refrain from selling products to the public but distribute new and used products to various sectors and service receipts from repairs and labor performed on customer equipment.

What's included in this industry?

General-purpose industrial machinery and equipmentOther industrial machinery and equipmentOil-well machinery and equipmentMaterial handling machinery and equipmentMetalworking machinery and equipmentPerforming service and labor on equipment and machineryFood processing machinery and equipmentHydraulic and pneumatic equipment and machinery

Companies

W.W. Grainger, Inc.Applied Industrial Technologies Inc.MRC Global Inc.

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

OFFSHORINGMAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OPERATIONS (MRO)CAPACITY UTILIZATION

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 42383 - Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

High interest rates and economic concerns have contributed to a slowdown in equipment spending. This trend reflects broader economic caution and impacts sectors reliant on ca...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Many industries depend on industrial machinery and equipment, ensuring stability in most product segments, even during market downturns. This reliance helps maintain consiste...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Proximity to key markets is crucial. The Great Lakes, Southeast, and Southwest regions enable wholesalers to cut delivery times and boost customer service. This strategic pos...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Maintaining an extensive operation is key to avoiding direct-to-manufacturer sales. Fast customer service gives wholesalers a unique advantage and justifies slightly higher p...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

No company controls more than 5.0% of the market. High fragmentation is a result of low barriers to entry constantly allowing new entrants.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Applied Industrial Technologies Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of MRC Global Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for W.W. Grainger, Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Applied Industrial Technologies Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for MRC Global Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Machinery wholesaling is closely linked to crude oil production. Low oil output decreases sales and increases costs. Volatility in oil production and prices over the past fiv...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Industrial machinery wholesalers face low profit margins, much like wholesalers in other sectors. This limits acquisition activity. Periods of high crude oil production do bo...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in United States is $320.9bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in 2024?

There are 28,264 businesses in the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in United States, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in United States has been growing at a CAGR of 0.4 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US market in United States?

The biggest companies operating in the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling market in United States are W.W. Grainger, Inc., Applied Industrial Technologies Inc. and MRC Global Inc.

What does the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US in United States include?

General-purpose industrial machinery and equipment and Other industrial machinery and equipment are part of the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US in United States?

The company holding the most market share in United States is W.W. Grainger, Inc..

How competitive is the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US industry in United States.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Construction & Mining Equipment Wholesaling in the US
  • Farm, Lawn & Garden Equipment Wholesaling in the US
  • Aircraft, Marine & Railroad Transportation Equipment Wholesaling in the US

Complementors

  • Industrial Supplies Wholesaling in the US
  • Industrial Equipment Rental & Leasing in the US

International industries

  • Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in Canada
  • Mining and Industrial Machinery Wholesaling in Australia
  • Industrial and Mining Machinery Wholesaling in New Zealand
  • Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK
  • Safety Equipment & Supplies Wholesaling in the UK

View all industries in United States

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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