Wholesale Electricity Supply

What Wholesale Electricity Supply does

Wholesale Electric Supply Company of Houston, Inc. (WES) is a family-owned independent electrical products distributor headquartered in Houston, Texas, founded in 1949 and operating under McKellop family ownership since 2012. The company distributes cables, enclosures, switchgear, transformers, breakers, panel boards, lighting, and related electrical supplies to the petrochemical, commercial construction, industrial manufacturing, marine, drilling, OEM, utility, and government sectors, with a particular concentration along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Its core proprietary asset is CMMS (Construction Material Management System), an internet-based platform created in 1979 that links engineering, purchasing, construction, accounting, and vendors to manage procurement, warehousing, delivery, and reporting for capital projects worldwide, with deployments on more than 350 projects to date. Supporting offerings include a Cable Management System (1986), a Job Control System (JCS), the in-house Hoffman Certified Modification Center, and OSI, a cloud-based on-site inventory ERP. CMMS was first commercialized in 1979 on an Eastman Kodak project in Kingsport, Tennessee, and the firm was the first North American electrical distributor to achieve ISO certification (1992).

WES operates 12 domestic branches across Texas and Louisiana plus 5 international offices in Canada (Kitimat, BC), Australia (Karratha, WA), Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand, with a global Export Services department supporting projects in Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The company is the largest Eaton stocking distributor along the Gulf Coast and the largest Okonite distributor in the United States, and it has held the ExxonMobil MRO Blanket since 2002. Customer logos include ExxonMobil, Bechtel, KBR, Fluor, Cheniere LNG, Angola LNG, Motiva, Marathon Petroleum, Hitachi Energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Defense, and the Department of State.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: product distribution at markup from manufacturer partners (Eaton, Okonite, ABB, nVent Hoffman, Southwire, Encore Wire, Service Wire, General Cable); professional services including project management, modification shop fabrication, and switchgear coordination; managed services including CMMS material management, integrated supply, vendor-managed inventory, and OSI cloud-based on-site supply; and transaction-based counter sales and e-commerce through shop.wes-hou.com. Go-to-market is sales-led with enterprise field sales, a dedicated strategic accounts team serving as a single point of contact for multi-site MRO customers, counter sales at each branch, and an online storefront. Pricing is quote-based with 30-day net payment terms. WES holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (since 1992), WBENC women-owned certification since 1999 (recertified through 2026), ISNetworld and DISA compliance credentials, and was the recipient of the 1994 Green Light Ally Award, the 2019 Bechtel Supply Chain Award, the 2022 Hitachi Energy Industrial Distributor of the Year, and the 2022 Marathon Petroleum Diverse Supplier of the Year.

Name

Wholesale Electricity Supply

Legal name

Wholesale Electric Supply Company of Houston, Inc.

Website

https://wes-hou.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Wholesale Electric Supply Company of Houston, Inc. is a family-owned independent electrical products distributor serving petrochemical, commercial, industrial, government, and utility sectors across 12 U.S. Gulf Coast branches and 5 international offices, anchored by its proprietary CMMS material management platform deployed on 350+ projects worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electrical Products Distribution

NAICS

Electrical Apparatus and Equipment, Wiring Supplies, and Related Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42361), Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42384)

SIC

Wholesale-Electrical Apparatus & Equipment, Wiring Supplies (5063), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Wholesale / Cash-and-Carry Distribution Centers (TLALAEAB)

Keywords

• Electrical products distribution
• Industrial MRO supply
• Construction material management
• Vendor managed inventory
• Electrical project management

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Distribution: Distribution of electrical products including cables, enclosures, switchgear, transformers, breakers, panel boards and other electrical supplies. Revenue generated through markup on products sourced from manufacturer partners.
2. Professional Services - Project Management: Total project management services including product sourcing, delivery, warehousing, equipment modification and fabrication, systems start-up, and material management designed to increase project efficiency, minimize waste, and reduce overall material cost.
3. CMMS Services: Standalone business unit providing material management services for capital projects worldwide. Internet-based material management system linking engineering, purchasing, construction, and accounting functions.
4. Modification Shop Services: Custom enclosure modifications, panel fabrication, and assembly services through Hoffman Certified Mod Center with automated precision drilling, milling, and tapping capabilities.
5. Integrated Supply / Strategic Accounts: MRO supply services with single point of contact for customers with multiple locations. Inventory management, vendor-managed inventory, and consignment solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wholesale Electric Supply is an independent electrical products distributor that distributes cables, enclosures, switchgear, transformers, breakers, panel boards and related electrical supplies to industrial, commercial, petrochemical, government, marine, OEM and utility customers. The company provides turnkey project management services for capital projects worldwide through its proprietary CMMS (Construction Material Management System) platform, supported by custom enclosure modification, cable management, integrated MRO supply, export services, and inventory management solutions.

Product overview

Wholesale Electric Supply is an electrical products distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for industrial and commercial markets. The core product is the CMMS (Construction Material Management System), an internet-based platform that manages procurement, warehousing, delivery and reporting for construction projects. Supporting this platform are specialized service modules including the Modification Shop for custom enclosure fabrications, Cable Management for wire/cable optimization, OSI (Onsite Supply Inventory) cloud-based ERP, Switchgear Services for power distribution equipment, Lighting & Energy Management, Project Management, Integrated Supply, Export Services, Inventory Management, Supply Chain Management, MRO services, Technical Support Training, and Strategic Accounts Team services. The company distributes electrical products across multiple industries including petrochemical, commercial, industrial, marine, OEM, utilities, drilling, and government sectors. The CMMS system, created in 1979, serves as the foundational technology platform enabling the company's material management and supply chain services worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CMMS (Construction Material Management System): An internet-based material management system that links engineering, purchasing, construction, accounting, vendors and other critical functions to manage procurement, warehousing, delivery and reporting of material for construction projects worldwide. Since 1979, CMMS has been the electrical industry benchmark for material management services implemented on more than 350 projects.
• McKellop Charitable Foundation

Products and services

• CMMS (Construction Material Management System) Internet-based material management service that links engineering, purchasing, construction, accounting, vendors and other critical functions to manage procurement, warehousing, delivery and reporting of material for capital construction projects worldwide. Designed to reduce total installed project cost and has been implemented on more than 350 projects totaling billions of dollars in capital expenditures.
• Modification Shop (Mod Center) Hoffman Certified Modification Center providing custom enclosure modifications including precise holes, cutouts, and fabrications. Reduces lead time with modified enclosures delivered in 1-3 days. Handles enclosures up to 93 inches by 86 inches and panels up to 92 inches by 94 inches.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350+ projects implemented with CMMS worldwide
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Eaton CorporationcoreTechnology or IntegrationPower management company providing energy-efficient solutions. WES is the largest Eaton stocking distributor along the Gulf Coast. WES achieved record-breaking sales with Hitachi Energy and Eaton in 2022.
• Okonite CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationWire and cable manufacturer founded in 1878, one of the original insulators of electrical wire and cable in the US. WES is the largest Okonite distributor in the United States.
• ABBmajorTechnology or IntegrationIndustrial solutions provider connecting equipment, software and services to protect, control and optimize assets within electrical infrastructures. Provides end-to-end product and service solutions.
• nVent HoffmanmajorTechnology or IntegrationProvider of more than 12,000 standard products and tailored solutions. WES is a Hoffman Certified Modification Center for custom enclosure modifications.
• Encore Wire & CablemajorTechnology or IntegrationOne-stop sourcing for residential, commercial and industrial wire needs. Backed by a select family of loyal distributors.
• Service Wire Company Inc.majorTechnology or IntegrationIndependently owned since 1968, committed to producing finest quality product made in USA with quick and reliable service.
• Southwire CompanymajorTechnology or IntegrationNorth America's leading manufacturer of wire and cable used in distribution and transmission of electricity.
• General CablemajorTechnology or IntegrationIndustry leader and innovator for 170 years, one of the largest wire and cable manufacturers in the world.
• DISA (Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association)minorOthersThird-Party Administrator for workplace screening including drug and alcohol testing, background screening, and qualification filing.
• ISN (Independent Safety Network)minorOthersISNetworld membership for collecting, reviewing and storing health, safety and procurement information for qualification processes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves20 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Graybar: Large, employee-owned US electrical, communications, and data networking distributor with 200+ North American locations. Competes with WES across industrial, utility, and commercial projects and is a meaningful counterparty on large Gulf Coast industrial accounts.
• Wesco: Public, Fortune 500 electrical, communications, and utility distribution company with global operations. Competes with WES for large multi-site MRO and industrial accounts, with materially greater scale, capital access, and cross-sell capabilities.
• Rexel: Global electrical distributor (Rexel USA) serving industrial, commercial, and residential customers with a multi-billion-dollar branch network. Direct competitor to WES in electrical apparatus and MRO distribution, but at substantially larger scale and with broader geographic coverage.
• Sonepar: World's largest independent (family-controlled) electrical distributor operating across 40+ countries with thousands of branches. Highly comparable as an independent, family-influenced wholesaler; out-scales WES substantially in both geography and revenue.

Direct peers

• City Electric Supply: Family-owned independent electrical distributor with hundreds of branches across the US and internationally. Closely mirrors WES's independent, relationship-driven model and competes head-to-head for commercial and light-industrial electrical supply business.
• Mayer Electric Supply: Family-owned independent electrical distributor with branches across the Southeast and Texas. Directly comparable to WES in ownership profile, branch-driven model, and focus on industrial and commercial electrical supply.
• Rumsey Electric: Long-standing, family-influenced independent electrical distributor on the US East Coast serving industrial, utility, and commercial customers. Comparable in heritage (founded in the late 1800s), independent ownership, and breadth of electrical products and services.
• Border States Electric: Employee-owned regional electrical distributor serving utility, industrial, and commercial customers across the central and southern US. Comparable to WES in mix of distribution plus value-added supply chain services and customer concentration in energy and infrastructure.
• McNaughton-McKay: Independent regional electrical distributor headquartered in the Midwest/Southeast US with strong industrial and utility exposure. Closely comparable in scale, independent ownership structure, and emphasis on value-added services beyond pure product distribution.
• Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED): One of the largest US electrical distributors, owned by GMS, with extensive Gulf Coast branch coverage. Directly overlaps WES in industrial, commercial, and contractor electrical distribution in the same regional markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WholesaleElecCo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WholesaleElectricCo
• Facebookfacebook.com/WholesaleElectricCo.ofHoustonInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wholesale-electric

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Wholesale Electricity Supply