S. Freedman & Sons

What S. Freedman & Sons does

S. Freedman & Sons is a Hanover, Maryland-based industrial distribution company founded in 1907 that historically supplied cleaning chemicals, floor machines and accessories, dispensers, janitorial supplies, and eco-friendly products to commercial customers. The firm has been integrated into and operates under Imperial Dade, a national distributor of janitorial, foodservice, and industrial products, extending S. Freedman & Sons' regional footprint onto a multi-state next-day delivery platform.

Under the Imperial Dade platform, the business now offers an expanded product assortment spanning janitorial and sanitation categories (cleaning chemicals, paper products, cleaning tools, waste containment, odor control, floor care, skin and personal care) and foodservice categories (disposable take-out containers and servingware, foodservice bags, foodservice packaging supplies). The combined offering is sold through direct sales coverage supported by expert sales consultants, product specialists, and service technicians.

The revenue model is classic industrial distribution: products are procured from third-party manufacturers and resold at margin to commercial buyers, with value added through logistics (next-day delivery via a national distribution network), account-based e-commerce ordering through imperialdade.com, and recurring service engagement via asset management and training programs. The firm is privately held, has 101-250 employees, and operates as a for-profit entity with no public ownership indicators.

Name

S. Freedman & Sons

Website

https://sfreedman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

S. Freedman & Sons, founded in 1907 and based in Hanover, Maryland, distributes janitorial supplies, cleaning chemicals, and floor care equipment, and now operates as part of Imperial Dade's national janitorial, foodservice, and industrial products distribution platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Janitorial and Foodservice Supply Distribution

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Facility Maintenance (MRO) Cleaning Supplies Distribution (CRAOAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Paper, Tissue, Wipers & Dispensers Distribution (CRAOAGAC)

Keywords

• Janitorial supply distribution
• Cleaning chemical products
• Foodservice packaging supplies
• Commercial sanitation supplies
• Floor care equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

S. Freedman & Sons is a commercial distribution company that supplies cleaning chemicals, floor machines and accessories, dispensers, janitorial supplies, eco-friendly products, foodservice packaging, paper products, cleaning tools, waste containment solutions, odor control and air care products, floor care items, and skin and personal care items. The company complements its catalog with next-day delivery, a national distribution network, asset management, training programs, and sales and technical support staff.

Product overview

Imperial Dade (formerly S. Freedman & Sons) is a national distributor offering an unparalleled assortment of janitorial, foodservice, and industrial products. The company provides a unified platform of product categories including Disposable Take-Out Containers & Servingware, Cleaning Chemicals, Paper Products, Cleaning Tools, Foodservice Bags, Waste Containment & Disposal, Foodservice Packaging Supplies, Odor Control & Air Care, Floor Care, and Skin & Personal Care Products. They complement their product offerings with service capabilities including next-day delivery, national distribution network, asset management, and training programs. Their team includes expert sales consultants, product specialists, and service technicians.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Disposable Take-Out Containers & Servingware Disposable containers and servingware for take-out and food service operations, sold to commercial foodservice buyers.
• Cleaning Chemicals Chemical cleaning products for janitorial and sanitation purposes, supplied to commercial customers.
• Paper Products Paper products used for commercial cleaning, sanitation, and restroom needs.
• Cleaning Tools Tools and equipment for cleaning and maintenance tasks, supplied to commercial cleaning operations.
• Foodservice Bags Bags for foodservice packaging and delivery applications, supplied to commercial foodservice buyers.
• Waste Containment & Disposal Containers and systems for waste management and disposal in commercial facilities.
• Foodservice Packaging Supplies General packaging supplies for foodservice operations, supplied to commercial buyers.
• Odor Control & Air Care Products designed to control odors and maintain air quality in commercial environments.
• Floor Care Products and tools for floor cleaning and maintenance in commercial facilities.
• Skin & Personal Care Products Personal care products supplied for commercial and industrial use.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• HP Products: Janitorial and foodservice supplies distributor in the U.S. Midwest with a comparable assortment of cleaning chemicals, paper, tools, and packaging products sold to commercial accounts.
• AFFLINK: Distributor network and marketing group for JanSan, foodservice, and packaging products serving commercial end-users through member distributors — comparable business model and product categories to S. Freedman & Sons.
• Waxie Sanitary Supply: Long-standing U.S. JanSan distributor offering cleaning chemicals, paper products, equipment, and related supplies to commercial accounts — closely mirrors S. Freedman & Sons' product mix and customer base.
• Imperial Dade: National JanSan and foodservice packaging distributor with overlapping product catalog and customer base; the provided data suggests S. Freedman & Sons is operationally aligned with (and may have been acquired by) Imperial Dade, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• North American Paper: Regional JanSan and foodservice distributor supplying paper, cleaning chemicals, liners, and related products to commercial customers — a closely comparable regional peer in product mix and customer profile.
• Brady Industries: PE-backed regional and national JanSan distributor serving commercial customers with cleaning chemicals, paper, and related supplies — a direct operating model comparable to S. Freedman & Sons.
• Envoy Solutions: Distributor of janitorial supplies, foodservice packaging, and related products serving commercial customers across the U.S., formed through the roll-up of multiple regional JanSan distributors — directly comparable in product mix and go-to-market model.

Broad incumbents

• Ecolab: Global leader in cleaning and sanitization chemicals and services for commercial and industrial customers; a broad incumbent in the cleaning-chemicals space that overlaps with a meaningful portion of S. Freedman & Sons' product set, though Ecolab is a manufacturer-first business rather than a distributor.
• Bunzl USA: Division of Bunzl plc, one of the largest global distribution platforms for janitorial, foodservice, and industrial supplies; a broad incumbent with overlapping categories and customer types though far larger and more diversified than S. Freedman & Sons.
• Veritiv: North American distributor of facility solutions, packaging, and print products with a meaningful janitorial/sanitation portfolio; comparable in serving commercial cleaning customers but operates at significantly greater scale and breadth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about S. Freedman & Sons