What Walters Wholesale Electric does

Walters Wholesale Electric Co. is a Southern California electrical supplies distributor operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S. Electrical Services, Inc. since 2012. Founded in 1953 by Lester H. Walter and headquartered in Brea, CA, the company serves professional electricians, contractors, and trade buyers from 28+ branch locations spanning Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, San Diego, and Imperial counties, supplemented by three Desert Electric Supply locations in the Coachella Valley and High Desert. The business runs eight specialized divisions — Industrial Automation, Lighting & Controls, Residential-Commercial Lighting, Roadway & Street Lighting, Low Voltage, Energy Management, Sophisticated Lighting & Controls Resource Center, and Underground & Utility — covering wire, conduit, lighting, power distribution, controls, datacom, enclosures, tools, wiring devices, safety, and HVAC electrical categories.

The company's operating backbone is a 250,000+ square foot Central Distribution Center in Brea stocking over $40 million in materials, achieving reported 99% fill rates and 99% on-time deliveries via a proprietary fleet of 16 to 53-foot delivery trucks and a VTEX-based e-commerce storefront. Value-added services include Ready-to-Install (RTI) prefab, custom wire cutting and spooling, electrical pipe bending, tool repair, tool rental, will-call lockers, job cages, EV charging solutions, and integrated digital tooling for contractor account management.

Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of electrical supplies to Trade Account holders (professional contractors, industrial buyers, utilities) and direct to walk-in and e-commerce buyers. Pricing is customer-specific, supported by credit lines managed through BillTrust, with tax-exempt handling for qualifying business accounts. No public revenue figure is disclosed; the company is privately held under the USESI corporate parent with no venture or public equity funding evidenced. Customer concentration is broadly distributed across a fragmented trade base rather than anchored on a small number of large enterprise accounts.

Name

Walters Wholesale Electric

Legal name

Walters Wholesale Electric Co.

Website

https://walterswholesale.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Walters Wholesale Electric is a Southern California wholesale distributor of electrical supplies, tools, and lighting serving professional contractors across 28-plus branches and a 250,000 sq ft central distribution center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electrical Supplies Distribution

NAICS

Electrical Apparatus and Equipment, Wiring Supplies, and Related Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42361)

SIC

Wholesale-Electrical Apparatus & Equipment, Wiring Supplies (5063)

akta.pro primary industry

Electrical Supplies Retail (Wiring, Switches, Breakers, Conduit) (CRAIADAE)

Keywords

• Electrical supplies distribution
• Wholesale electrical equipment
• Industrial automation solutions
• Lighting and controls
• Power distribution products

Headquarters

HQ city

Brea

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices34 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Electrical Supplies Distribution: Walters Wholesale Electric generates revenue through the wholesale distribution of electrical supplies, tools, and equipment to professional electricians, contractors, and businesses. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales at branch locations and via e-commerce, with repeat business driven by Trade Account relationships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Walters Wholesale Electric is a wholesale distributor of electrical supplies, tools, and equipment serving Southern California. The company distributes core electrical products across 14+ categories including wire, conduit and fittings, industrial controls, datacom, enclosures, lighting, power distribution, tools, wiring supplies/devices, and safety equipment. It operates 35+ branch locations plus a 250,000+ sq ft central distribution center in Brea, CA, with delivery truck service, will-call pickup, and an e-commerce platform.

Product overview

Walters Wholesale Electric is a wholesale electrical supplies distributor serving Southern California with over 25 branch locations and a central distribution center in Brea, CA. The company operates as a multi-category electrical supplies platform offering an extensive portfolio of core electrical products including wire (bare copper, building wire, portable cords), conduit and fittings, industrial controls and automation, datacom, electrical enclosures, lighting, power distribution equipment, tools, wiring supplies, wiring devices, and safety products. Beyond product distribution, the company provides specialized divisions for industrial automation, lighting and controls, roadway lighting, residential-commercial lighting, low voltage, energy management, and underground/utility services. The company also offers value-added services including RTI (Ready to Install) solutions, electrical pipe bending, tool repair, tool rental, wire solutions, delivery notifications, job cages, EV charging solutions, digital solutions, and will call lockers. As part of U.S. Electrical Services Inc., Walters has access to nearly 250,000 sq ft of distribution space with over $40 million in materials on-hand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wire Products Complete line of wire products including bare copper wire, copper building wire (THHN, THW, XHHW), portable cords, extension cords, and cord reels for residential and commercial electrical applications.
• Conduit and Fittings Electrical conduit and fittings including strut systems, raceway, and wiring ducts for cable management and protection.
• Industrial Controls and Automation Motor control equipment, control stations, panels, PLCs and HMI systems for industrial automation applications.
• Datacom Products Audio and video equipment, coax connectivity, and network components for communications infrastructure.
• Electrical Enclosures and Boxes Enclosures, cabinets, device boxes, and underground pull boxes for protecting and housing electrical components.
• Lighting Products Ballasts, starters, capacitors, lamps, bulbs, drivers, and lighting controls for various illumination applications.
• Power Distribution Equipment Breakers, fuses, transformers, and metering equipment for electrical power distribution and management.
• Tools Hand tools, electrical measuring and testing equipment, and tool sets for professional electrical work.
• Wiring Supplies Splicing and termination products, crimp and wire connectors, lugs and split bolts for electrical connections.
• Wiring Devices Combination devices, receptacles, and switches for electrical distribution points.
• Safety, Protection and Signaling Fire safety equipment, lockout/tagout devices, safety tapes, signs and labels for workplace safety compliance.
• HVAC Electrical Products Ducting, venting, electric heating, and exhaust/ventilation equipment for HVAC electrical systems.
• Hardware Anchors, nuts & washers, screws and bolts for electrical installation and construction applications.
• Industrial Automation Division Specialized division providing customized industrial automation solutions for MRO, OEM, systems integrators, and industrial contractors.
• Lighting & Controls Division Lighting control devices, dimming systems, and building management systems for commercial and residential applications.
• Roadway & Street Lighting Division Specialized solutions for roadway lighting projects addressing safety, visibility, and regulatory compliance.
• Residential-Commercial Lighting Division Lighting design assistance and products for residential and commercial projects through a dedicated lighting showroom.
• Low Voltage Division Solutions for security systems, fire alarms, fiber optics, and other low voltage applications.
• Energy Management Division Assistance with utility programs, logistics, and energy-focused lighting design for efficiency projects.
• Sophisticated Lighting & Controls Resource Center Expert lighting design specialists located at the Los Angeles branch providing advanced lighting solutions.
• Underground & Utility Division Specialized services for projects requiring interactions and compliance with utility providers like Southern California Edison and AT&T.
• RTI (Ready to Install) Solutions Job-ready materials including pipe bending, threading, cutting, and MC cable whips for improved project efficiency.
• Electrical Pipe Bending Custom pipe bends for construction and electrical applications using advanced technology for precise measurements.
• Tool Repair Complete tool restoration services at Brea, CA location; authorized Greenlee and Southwire repair center.
• Tool Rental Specialty tool rental including pipe benders, circuit tracers, pipe threaders, cable cutters, hydraulic crimpers, wet concrete saws, jackhammers, cable feeders, and coring drills.
• Wire Solutions Custom wire services including coils, parallel reels, stacked wire, multiple compartment reels, free-spinning reels, pulling heads, and true color wire for residential and commercial applications.
• Job Cages Secure mobile job cages for storing materials, tools, and equipment at project sites.
• EV Chargers EV charging solutions for hybrid and electric vehicles for residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
• Digital Solutions Business efficiency tools including website and mobile support, back-office support, digital tools, and third-party app integration.
• Will Call Lockers Secure pickup lockers allowing product retrieval outside business hours at the Brea, CA location.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% fill rates and 99% on-time deliveries (dropped off by 10am)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Independent Electric Supply (IES): Independent regional electrical distributor with branch network serving contractors. Comparable in operating model, scale, and product categories to Walters.
• Ewing Electrical Supply: Mid-size electrical distributor serving contractors and industrial customers with a similar branch-based model and product portfolio centered on wire, conduit, lighting, and controls.
• Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED): One of the largest electrical distributors in the US, with a similar multi-branch model serving electrical contractors. Comparable in product mix (wire, conduit, lighting, controls) and customer base, though at significantly larger national scale.
• Crescent Electric Supply: Mid-size US electrical distributor with branch-based model serving contractors, industrial, and commercial customers. Highly comparable in product categories, branch-based go-to-market, and target customer profile.
• State Electric Supply: Regional electrical distributor with multiple branch locations serving electrical contractors. Closely comparable in scale, product mix, and customer segmentation to Walters.
• Horizon Solutions: US electrical and lighting distributor operating branches serving commercial, industrial, and residential contractors. Directly comparable in business model and product breadth to Walters.

Broad incumbents

• Rexel USA: Global electrical distribution major with substantial US operations. Competes directly with Walters on wire, lighting, and industrial controls, but operates at vastly greater scale with broader geographic coverage and digital procurement platforms.
• Sonepar USA: World's largest independent electrical distributor with significant US presence through regional brands. Direct overlap with Walters on core product categories and contractor customer base, but operates nationally with deeper resources.
• Graybar: Large US electrical, communications, and data networking distributor. Overlaps with Walters on wire, conduit, lighting, and datacom product lines, but with broader geographic reach, larger corporate accounts, and national logistics infrastructure.

Others

• U.S. Electrical Services, Inc. Parent company of Walters since 2012; operates a national footprint of electrical distribution subsidiaries. Related as the corporate parent rather than a direct competitor, but its other subsidiaries are direct competitors of Walters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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• Xx.com/WWElectric

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries9 records

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 Walters Wholesale Electric