Ace Hardware International
Ace Hardware International is the international business development division of Ace Hardware Corporation, licensing the Ace Hardware brand and private label products to independent retail franchisees operating over 580 stores across approximately 60 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1924
- HeadquartersOak Brook, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ace Hardware International does
Ace Hardware International is the international business development division of Ace Hardware Corporation, a privately held hardware cooperative founded in 1924 and headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, with a regional office in Panama City supporting Latin American operations. The organization licenses the Ace Hardware brand and a market-localized business model to independent retail partners across approximately 60 countries, enabling them to operate Ace-branded hardware and home improvement stores. As of 2025, the international footprint includes over 580 franchisee-operated stores, contributing to the cooperative's total of more than 5,800 stores worldwide.
The company monetizes through two primary streams: franchise licensing (royalties on the right to operate under the Ace brand) and the wholesale distribution of proprietary private label products that are exclusive to Ace licensees within their territories. Franchisees gain access to a worldwide distribution network spanning thousands of hardware and home improvement products, supported by a bank of operational practices and ongoing partner services. The underlying technology infrastructure is described as supporting franchise operations, inventory management, and international logistics, without disclosed AI/ML components, APIs, or proprietary software products. Marketing and partner recruitment run through a corporate website, LinkedIn presence, a Workday-hosted careers portal, a Microsoft Forms vendor recruitment portal, and direct business development outreach.
Customer segmentation is concentrated on international retail partners (franchisees) who pay for brand rights and private label access; named partners include operators in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iraq, Canada, and across Latin America, with affiliated retailers (Mitre 10, Sodimac) in Australia/New Zealand and Chile/Peru. Pricing is individually negotiated rather than publicly disclosed, and revenue is not publicly reported. The company is GDPR-compliant and registered as a trademark holder of the Ace Hardware International logo and wordmarks.
Ace Hardware International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ace Hardware International
- Legal name
- Ace Hardware Corporation
- Website
- https://acehardwareintl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1924
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Ace Hardware International is the international business development division of Ace Hardware Corporation, licensing the Ace Hardware brand and private label products to independent retail franchisees operating over 580 stores across approximately 60 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ace Hardware International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Home Improvement Franchise / Hardware Retail Licensing
- NAICS
- Hardware Manufacturing (3325)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Hardware (5072)
- akta.pro primary industry
- OEM & Device-Embedded App Stores (BPAMADAD)
Keywords
Where Ace Hardware International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oak Brook
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ace Hardware International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Franchise Licensing: Ace Hardware generates revenue by licensing its brand and business model to international retail partners. Franchisees pay for the right to operate Ace Hardware branded stores, gaining access to the Ace brand, private label products, and distribution network. The company also derives revenue from product distribution to franchise locations.
- Private Label Product Distribution: Ace provides an ample range of private label products that are exclusive for Ace branded licensees in their territories. These proprietary product lines represent a key revenue stream through wholesale distribution to franchise partners.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Ace Hardware International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ace Hardware International is the international business development division of Ace Hardware Corporation, licensing the Ace Hardware brand and franchise model to retail partners across approximately 65 countries. It provides franchisees with a globally recognized brand identity, a market localization business model, exclusive private label products, and access to a worldwide distribution network delivering thousands of hardware and home improvement products. The company supports over 5,800 stores globally, making it the largest home improvement franchise company in the world.
Product overview
Ace Hardware International operates as a franchise licensing and business development organization rather than a traditional product company. The company's core offering is its retail store franchise program, which provides international retail partners with access to the Ace Hardware brand (ranked among the top 100 most recognized brands globally), a proven business model with market localization capabilities, an exclusive range of private label products, a worldwide distribution network accessing thousands of hardware and home improvement products, and ongoing support from a bank of world-class operational practices. The franchise model enables independent retailers to operate under the Ace brand while maintaining local market relevance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ace Hardware Retail Store Franchise International franchise opportunity for retail hardware stores under the Ace brand, providing partners with a globally recognized brand identity, market-localized business model, exclusive private label products, and access to a worldwide distribution network of thousands of hardware and home improvement products.
- Private Label Product Distribution
Companies that use Ace Hardware International
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Ace Hardware International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ace Hardware International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ace Hardware Indonesia (PT Ace Hardware Indonesia)coreAce Hardware Indonesia operates Ace Hardware branded retail stores in Indonesia, serving as the licensed franchise partner for the Ace Hardware brand in that market.
- Ace Hardware MalaysiacoreAce Hardware Malaysia operates Ace Hardware branded retail stores in Malaysia as the licensed franchise partner for the market.
- Ace Hardware PhilippinescoreAce Hardware Philippines operates Ace Hardware branded retail stores in the Philippines as the licensed franchise partner.
- Mitre 10 AustraliaminorMitre 10 operates as an Ace Hardware affiliated retailer in Australia, representing the brand partnership in that market.
- Mitre 10 New ZealandminorMitre 10 New Zealand operates as an Ace Hardware affiliated retailer in New Zealand.
- Ace Hardware KuwaitcoreAce Hardware Kuwait operates Ace Hardware branded stores in Kuwait as the licensed franchise partner.
- Ace Hardware UAEcoreAce Hardware UAE operates Ace Hardware branded stores in the United Arab Emirates as the licensed franchise partner.
- Ace IsraelcoreAce Israel operates Ace Hardware branded stores in Israel as the licensed franchise partner.
- Ace IraqcoreAce Iraq operates Ace Hardware branded stores in Iraq as the licensed franchise partner.
- Ace Puerto RicocoreAce Puerto Rico operates Ace Hardware branded stores in Puerto Rico as the licensed franchise partner.
- SodimacminorSodimac operates as an Ace Hardware affiliated retailer in Chile and Peru markets.
- SACOcoreSACO operates Ace Hardware branded stores in Saudi Arabia as the licensed franchise partner.
- Ace Hardware KoreacoreAce Hardware Korea operates Ace Hardware branded stores in South Korea as the licensed franchise partner.
- Ace Hardware CanadacoreAce Hardware Canada operates as the licensed franchise partner for Ace Hardware brand in Canada.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Ace Hardware International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Homebase: Homebase is a UK-based home improvement and garden retailer. It is a regional peer competing in the same product categories Ace's international franchisees serve, particularly in Europe.
- Menards: Menards is a large U.S. privately-held home improvement chain primarily operating in the Midwest. While U.S.-focused and not franchised, it is a relevant scale peer in the same hardware/home improvement retail category.
- Leroy Merlin: Leroy Merlin, part of ADEO, is a major international home improvement retailer with strong presence in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. It is a regional peer whose global expansion strategy directly overlaps Ace's franchise territories.
- Kingfisher: Kingfisher (B&Q, Castorama, Screwfix) is a major European home improvement retailer. It is a regional peer competing with Ace franchisees across European and adjacent markets for category share.
- Bunnings Warehouse: Bunnings is the dominant home improvement retailer in Australia and New Zealand, where it operates as an affiliated Ace Hardware retailer (Mitre 10 partnership). It is a regional peer defining competitive dynamics in those markets.
Direct peers
- Do it Best: Do it Best is a hardware/home improvement cooperative that supports thousands of independent member-retailers with private label products, distribution, and brand support — directly comparable to Ace's cooperative/franchise model and private label distribution.
- True Value Company: True Value is a U.S.-based hardware cooperative/franchisor with a comparable model of licensing the True Value brand to independent hardware retailers domestically and internationally, making it the closest analog to Ace Hardware International's franchise licensing business.
Broad incumbents
- Lowe's: Lowe's is the #2 U.S. home improvement big-box retailer with growing international exposure (Canada, Mexico). It is a broad incumbent competitor that competes for the same end-customer wallet share as Ace franchisees.
- Home Depot: Home Depot is the largest U.S. home improvement big-box retailer and a broader incumbent expanding internationally (Mexico, Canada). While it competes in the same end category rather than the franchise model, it shapes the competitive set Ace franchisees operate in.
Emerging players
- Mr. DIY: Mr. DIY is a fast-growing Asian home improvement and variety retailer expanding across Southeast Asia. It is an emerging player competing in similar categories as Ace's franchisees in Asia Pacific markets like Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ace Hardware International social profiles
Digital presenceAce Hardware International compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Ace Hardware International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ace Hardware International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Ace Hardware International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ace Hardware International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ace Hardware International
What does Ace Hardware International do?
Ace Hardware International is the international business development division of Ace Hardware Corporation, licensing the Ace Hardware brand and franchise model to retail partners across approximately 65 countries. It provides franchisees with a globally recognized brand identity, a market localization business model, exclusive private label products, and access to a worldwide distribution network delivering thousands of hardware and home improvement products. The company supports over 5,800 stores globally, making it the largest home improvement franchise company in the world.
Is Ace Hardware International a public or private company?
Ace Hardware International is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Ace Hardware International founded?
Ace Hardware International was founded in 1924. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Ace Hardware International based?
Ace Hardware International is headquartered in Oak Brook, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ace Hardware International make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Franchise Licensing is the primary driver. The others are private Label Product Distribution.
Who are Ace Hardware International's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Homebase, Menards, Leroy Merlin, Kingfisher and Bunnings Warehouse. Direct peers are Do it Best and True Value Company. Broad incumbents are Lowe's and Home Depot. Mr. DIY is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ace Hardware International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ace Hardware International.
What industry is Ace Hardware International in?
Ace Hardware International's product category is Home Improvement Franchise / Hardware Retail Licensing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMADAD, OEM & Device-Embedded App Stores. Its NAICS code is 3325 and its SIC code is 5072.