City Electric Supply
City Electric Supply is a third-generation family-owned electrical wholesale distributor operating 677+ branches across 32 US states. It sells 250,000+ electrical products and specialized services to residential, commercial, industrial, and government customers through trade accounts, online ordering, and branch pickup.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersDallas, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What City Electric Supply does
City Electric Supply (CES) is a third-generation, family-owned electrical wholesale distributor founded in 1983 in Tampa, Florida and now headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The company operates an extensive distribution network of 677+ physical branches across 32 US states, supported by more than 1,250 delivery vehicles and approximately 2,500–3,400 employees. CES sells a catalog of over 250,000 electrical products to residential contractors, commercial businesses, industrial facilities, government entities, manufacturers, and leisure-sector customers. The company maintains a hybrid distribution model that combines physical branch locations — each with local inventory and pricing autonomy — with an e-commerce platform offering delivery, trade account management, and online branch pickup.
CES's product portfolio spans power distribution, wire and cable, lighting, conduit and strut, automation and control, EV charging stations, generators, tools and testers, surge suppression, and data communications. The company augments its catalog with differentiated services including Industrial Automation Solutions (IAS), a data-driven industrial digitalization service built in partnership with Siemens Digital Industries, and the CES One-Line Service for panelboards and switchboards, where CES staff are trained by Siemens to deliver engineered assemblies from diagram to completion. Other specialized services include Wire Services (custom cuts, paralleling, $0 reel charge), CES Exports, Government Services Administration, Corporate & National Solutions, and Marine Solutions.
CES makes money primarily through wholesale and retail transactions on electrical supplies, augmented by trade account credit terms and special pricing programs available at 650+ locations. Trade account holders receive credit terms (Net 16th of month), special pricing, online ordering, and free on-site delivery, while retail customers receive free delivery on orders over $40 and a 10% first-order promotion. The company has grown organically since founding — reaching 50 branches in 1996, 100 in 2000, 200 in 2005, 300 in 2007, 350 in 2008, 400 in 2015, and 450 in 2018 — reflecting a deliberate multi-decade physical expansion strategy rather than acquisition-driven scaling. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the company is privately held with no institutional or venture capital involvement.
City Electric Supply firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- City Electric Supply
- Legal name
- City Electric Supply Company
- Website
- https://cityelectricsupply.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- City Electric Supply is a third-generation family-owned electrical wholesale distributor operating 677+ branches across 32 US states. It sells 250,000+ electrical products and specialized services to residential, commercial, industrial, and government customers through trade accounts, online ordering, and branch pickup.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
City Electric Supply industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electrical Wholesale Distribution
- SIC
- Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Wholesale-Electronic Parts & Equipment, Nec (5065)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electrical Supplies Retail (Wiring, Switches, Breakers, Conduit) (CRAIADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Charging Infrastructure Components (connectors, cables, dispensers, payment/controls) (IMAGAHAH), Grid Interconnection, Power Quality & Electrical Infrastructure Service (Transformers, Switchgear) (TLAKAMAM)
Keywords
Where City Electric Supply is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
City Electric Supply business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Electrical Supplies Wholesale: Sale of electrical supplies including wire, cable, lighting, power distribution, tools, generators, EV charging stations, and related equipment to trade accounts and retail customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Standard retail pricing with trade account benefits |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
City Electric Supply product offering
Product offeringCore offering
City Electric Supply distributes electrical supplies, equipment, and specialized services—including power distribution, wire and cable, lighting, EV charging stations, generators, automation and control, tools, and surge protection—through 677-701 physical branches across 32 U.S. states and an integrated e-commerce platform. Trade account holders receive credit terms, special pricing, free local delivery, and online ordering with branch pickup or jobsite delivery. Specialized services include Industrial Automation Solutions (IAS) and CES One-Line Service, both delivered with Siemens partnership and training.
Product overview
City Electric Supply (CES) is a family-owned electrical wholesale distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of electrical supplies, equipment, and services. The company operates over 700 branches across 32 states with more than 2,500 employees. Their product portfolio spans 250,000+ products across categories including power distribution, wire & cable, lighting, conduit/ducts/strut, automation & control, EV charging stations, generators, tools/testers, surge suppression, and data communications. CES complements its product offerings with specialized services including Industrial Automation Solutions (IAS) for data-driven industrial digitalization in partnership with Siemens, and CES One-Line Service for panelboards and switchboards. Additional services include wire services (custom cuts, paralleling), Branch Pickup for convenient local fulfillment, exports, government services administration, corporate/national solutions, and marine solutions. The company serves residential, commercial, industrial, government, manufacturing, and leisure markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CES Cares: Social impact division of City Electric Supply, created in 2016 to unify charitable and volunteer efforts. Has raised more than $5 million in charitable donations.
Products and services
- Industrial Automation Solutions (IAS) Data-driven industrial digitalization service connecting real-world automation and controls, enabling customers to support and supply power through data-driven digitalization. Offered in partnership with Siemens Digital Industries. Targeted at industrial and commercial buyers seeking automation and control system support.
- CES One-Line Service Panelboard and switchboard assembly and engineering service built right and built fast. Staff trained by Siemens, providing a one-stop shop from diagram to completion in days. Targeted at electrical contractors and industrial/commercial buyers.
- Wire Services Custom cuts, paralleling, full color range, and $0 reel charge for wire, cord, and cable products. Targeted at electrical contractors and trade customers needing customized wire/cable preparation.
- Branch Pickup Service allowing customers to view branch inventory at their specialized trade account pricing online, place orders online (including after hours), and pick up at their local CES branch. Targeted at trade accounts and retail customers seeking local convenience.
- CES Exports International export services for City Electric Supply's electrical supplies, enabling cross-border shipment of products to customers outside the U.S.
- Government Services Administration Dedicated government procurement and contracting services supporting federal, state, and local government electrical supply needs, including GSA scheduling and compliance-based procurement.
- Corporate & National Solutions National account and corporate procurement solutions providing multi-site customers with centralized electrical supply procurement, consistent pricing, and coordinated fulfillment across the CES branch network.
- Marine Solutions Electrical supplies and solutions tailored for marine applications, providing products and expertise for vessels, shipyards, and waterfront facilities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 677 physical branch locations for local service
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use City Electric Supply
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
City Electric Supply technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
City Electric Supply partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SiemenscoreSiemens Digital Industries partnership for Industrial Automation Solutions (IAS) connecting real-world automation and controls through data-driven industrial digitalization. Also partnered for CES One-Line Service where staff are trained by Siemens for panelboards and switchboards.
- Make-A-WishminorCES Cares charitable initiative partnered with Make-A-Wish. Company and branches raise funds and host events to grant wishes for children with critical illnesses. Raised over $500,000 for Make-A-Wish.
- American Red CrossminorCES Cares disaster relief partnership. Donated $500,000 to support American Red Cross disaster response efforts.
- Children's Medical CenterminorCES Cares charitable partnership supporting pediatric healthcare.
- Dallas Children's Advocacy CenterminorCES Cares partnership supporting back-to-school drives and children who have experienced abuse. Distributed 12,000 backpacks stuffed with school supplies.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights6 records
City Electric Supply competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Amazon Business: Online B2B marketplace offering electrical supplies, MRO items, and bulk procurement. Emerging threat to traditional branch-based distributors like CES, particularly on long-tail SKUs and small-order customers, though lacking local service and credit terms.
Direct peers
- Border States Electric: Employee-owned electrical distributor serving utility, contractor, and industrial customers across the US. Overlapping product categories and similar reliance on trade-account credit terms and branch network.
- Summit Electric Supply: Employee-owned electrical distributor with branches across the US Southwest, South, and overseas. Similar product portfolio and customer base to CES, including industrial and contractor segments.
- Werner Electric Supply: Regional Midwest US electrical distributor offering wire, lighting, automation, and power distribution. Comparable customer base of industrial and commercial contractors with similar trade-account model.
- Rexel USA: One of the largest electrical distributors in North America with a multi-branch network selling wire, lighting, power distribution, and automation. Closely comparable product breadth, trade-account program, and contractor focus.
- Crescent Electric Supply Company: Mid-size US electrical distributor with branch network across multiple states. Comparable product mix (wire, lighting, power distribution, automation) and trade-account model targeting contractors and industrials.
- Sonepar USA: Global electrical distribution leader operating across the US through brands like Cooper Electric and Capital Light. Directly comparable wholesale electrical supply distribution model serving contractors and industrial customers with similar branch-based and trade-account GTM.
- Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED): Cooperative electrical wholesaler with a large US branch network. Directly competes with CES on electrical supplies for contractors and industrial customers across similar geographies.
- Graybar Electric Company: Employee-owned US electrical and comm-datacom distributor with hundreds of branches. Comparable in product portfolio (wire/cable, lighting, power distribution, automation) and customer mix of contractors, industrials, and government.
Broad incumbents
- Eaton (Electrical Distributor-facing business): Global power management manufacturer whose electrical distribution products flow through distributors like CES. Comparable only as a channel partner/upstream supplier, not a same-model competitor, but its brand presence shapes CES's product portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
City Electric Supply social profiles
Digital presenceCity Electric Supply financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
City Electric Supply leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
City Electric Supply funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
City Electric Supply M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about City Electric Supply
What does City Electric Supply do?
City Electric Supply distributes electrical supplies, equipment, and specialized services—including power distribution, wire and cable, lighting, EV charging stations, generators, automation and control, tools, and surge protection—through 677-701 physical branches across 32 U.S. states and an integrated e-commerce platform. Trade account holders receive credit terms, special pricing, free local delivery, and online ordering with branch pickup or jobsite delivery. Specialized services include Industrial Automation Solutions (IAS) and CES One-Line Service, both delivered with Siemens partnership and training.
Is City Electric Supply a public or private company?
City Electric Supply is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was City Electric Supply founded?
City Electric Supply was founded in 1983. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is City Electric Supply based?
City Electric Supply is headquartered in Dallas, United States, in the North America region.
How does City Electric Supply make money?
One revenue line is on record: electrical Supplies Wholesale.
Who are City Electric Supply's main competitors?
Amazon Business is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Border States Electric, Summit Electric Supply, Werner Electric Supply, Rexel USA, Crescent Electric Supply Company, Sonepar USA, Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED) and Graybar Electric Company. Eaton (Electrical Distributor-facing business) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does City Electric Supply have an API?
No public API is recorded for City Electric Supply.
What industry is City Electric Supply in?
City Electric Supply's product category is Electrical Wholesale Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAIADAE, Electrical Supplies Retail (Wiring, Switches, Breakers, Conduit), with a secondary code of IMAGAHAH, Charging Infrastructure Components (connectors, cables, dispensers, payment/controls). Its SIC code is 5070.