What Shepherd Electric Supply does

Shepherd Electric Supply is a privately held B2B electrical equipment distributor founded in 1892 and headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The company purchases electrical products from a broad set of manufacturers and resells them primarily to electrical contractors, electricians, and government entities, with secondary demand from industrial facilities and other commercial buyers. It operates six physical branch locations spanning Maryland (Baltimore, Laurel, Frederick), Virginia (Sterling, Richmond), and Washington D.C., and complements branch and counter sales with an online catalog/ordering platform that supports account login, order tracking, and electronic invoicing. Distribution is the core revenue model, monetized as a transactional take-rate spread between manufacturer purchase price and customer resale price, with account-based pricing and volume discounts; revenue detail is not publicly disclosed.

The product portfolio spans wire, cord and cable; conduit and raceways; conduit fittings, outlet boxes and accessories; distribution equipment and enclosures; industrial controls; wiring devices and wall plates; fuses, batteries, signaling and tools; lighting; builder products; and line construction material, carried alongside over 100 vendor brand lines including Eaton/Cutler Hammer, GE Distribution (ABB Industrial Solutions), Siemens, Lithonia, Thomas & Betts, and Burndy. The technology platform comprises a B2B e-commerce storefront, Billtrust electronic invoice presentment and payment, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) programs, a copper futures pricing tracker, a delivery tracking tool, and value-add services such as custom engraving and energy solutions; Shepherd also fields dedicated contractor, lighting, government, and energy solutions teams, and pursues GSA contract opportunities.

The go-to-market is enterprise field sales plus account-based e-commerce, segmented primarily by use case (electrical contractors) with a secondary government vertical. The company's careers page is hosted on Graybar's Workday portal, suggesting an operational affiliation with Graybar, a major U.S. electrical distributor, though ownership structure is not publicly disclosed. Shepherd has received a 2025 Baltimore Sun Top Workplace award. The current operating footprint is regional (Mid-Atlantic United States), with no international presence, no disclosed funding rounds, no acquisitions, and no public M&A history identified in the input data.

Name

Shepherd Electric Supply

Legal name

Shepherd Electric Supply

Website

https://shepherdelec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Shepherd Electric Supply is a private Baltimore-based B2B electrical equipment distributor founded in 1892, serving electrical contractors, electricians, industrial buyers, and government entities across the Mid-Atlantic through six branch locations in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. and an online catalog.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electrical Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Electrical supplies distribution
• Wholesale electrical equipment
• B2B electrical distribution
• Contractor supply services
• Industrial electrical products

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electrical supplies distribution: Distributor of electrical supplies purchasing products from manufacturers and reselling to contractors, electricians, and industrial customers through multiple branch locations and e-commerce channels

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shepherd Electric Supply is a regional wholesale distributor of electrical supplies serving the Mid-Atlantic United States. The company purchases electrical products from manufacturers (Eaton, GE/ABB, Siemens, Lithonia, Thomas & Betts, Burndy) and resells them to electrical contractors, builders, industrial facilities, and government entities through six physical branch locations in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C., an e-commerce storefront, and account-based sales with next-day delivery.

Product overview

Shepherd Electric Supply operates as a regional electrical distribution company offering a comprehensive B2B e-commerce platform alongside physical product catalog. The company provides next-day delivery of electrical supplies from Baltimore to Washington D.C. and beyond, serving contractors, builders, and industrial customers. The product portfolio includes core electrical categories: Wire/Cords/Cables, Conduit/Raceways, Distribution Equipment/Enclosures, Controls, Lighting, and specialized solutions for contractors, government projects, and energy management. The online platform integrates Billtrust for invoice management, copper pricing tracking, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) services, and custom services like engraving. Featured brand partners include GE Distribution (ABB Industrial Solutions), Eaton/Cutler Hammer, Siemens, Ferraz Shawmut, Thomas & Betts, and Lithonia Lighting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wire, Cords & Cables Electrical wiring products including building wire & cable, portable cords & cables, bare & weatherproof wire, service drop cable, high-voltage power cable, voice/data/video wire & cable, for electrical contractors and construction projects.
• Conduit & Raceways Conduit systems including IMC, heavy wall conduit, EMT, flexible conduit, liquid tight conduit, PVC conduit, cable tray, ENT conduit, and wire/plug strips for commercial and residential wiring installations.
• Conduit Fittings, Bodies, Outlet Boxes & Accessories Fittings and boxes including elbows-couplings-nipples, rigid conduit fittings, EMT fittings, BX/non-metallic cable fittings, condulets/unilets, cast boxes, outlet boxes, and channel/strut fittings.
• Distribution Equipment & Enclosures Power distribution products including safety switches, circuit breakers, load centers, panelboards, switchboards, meter sockets, enclosures, wireway, trough, and transformers.
• Controls Industrial controls including motor controls, relays, push buttons, pilot lights, selector switches, temperature switches, time switches, limit switches, proximity sensors, level switches, machine safety switches, and programmable logic controllers.
• Wiring Devices, Wall Plates, & Data/Telecom Equipment Wiring devices and connectivity equipment including standard wiring devices, wall plates, low voltage wiring devices, and voice/data/video equipment.
• Fuses, Batteries, Signaling, Connecting, Fastening & Tools Electrical components including fuses, flashlights, batteries, signaling & security equipment, connecting materials, fastening hardware, tools, fans, and generators.
• Lighting Lighting products including lamps, fixtures, ballasts, and lighting controls, dimmers, sensors & systems.
• Builders Products Residential and commercial building products including combination fans/lights/heaters, chimes, transformers, heaters, hand dryers, air conditioners, water heaters, and coolers.
• Line Construction Material Outdoor electrical construction materials including service masts, house brackets, insulators, ground rods, grounding systems, and pole line & distribution hardware.
• Billtrust Invoice Gateway Online invoice management portal for B2B customers to view and pay invoices electronically via Billtrust integration.
• Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) Vendor-managed inventory solution to help customers maintain optimal stock levels of electrical supplies.
• Copper Pricing / Futures Pricing Real-time copper futures pricing information for customers to track commodity costs on electrical materials.
• Engraving Services Custom engraving services for electrical products and components.
• Contractor Solutions Specialized solutions, account support, and procurement assistance for electrical contractors.
• Lighting Solutions Comprehensive lighting solutions and consultation services for commercial and industrial projects.
• Energy Solutions Energy efficiency and management solutions for commercial and residential applications.
• Government Solutions Specialized electrical supply solutions and procurement support for federal, state, and local government projects, including GSA contract support.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eaton (Cutler Hammer)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor distribution partner for Eaton electrical products including Cutler Hammer and Eaton Wiring Devices. Featured vendor brand on Shepherd's platform.
• GE Distribution (ABB Industrial Solutions)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKey distribution partner for GE Distribution products now under ABB Industrial Solutions. Major product line with extensive inventory.
• SiemenscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured brand partner for Siemens electrical distribution and control products.
• Lithonia LightingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured vendor partner for Lithonia lighting products including indoor, outdoor, and commercial lighting solutions.
• Thomas & BettscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured brand for Thomas & Betts electrical products and accessories.
• BurndycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured vendor for Burndy electrical connectors and installation products.
• NAED (National Association of Electrical Distributors)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with NAED for codebooks and industry resources. Member/partner distributor in the electrical distribution network.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kendall Electric: Employee-owned electrical distributor with strong Midwest branch network. Comparable contractor and industrial customer base, broad supplier line card (Eaton, GE, Siemens), and similar emphasis on next-day delivery and counter sales.
• Border States Electric: Employee-owned regional electrical distributor serving the Upper Midwest and South-Central US. Closely comparable to Shepherd in branch count, contractor/government customer mix, and supplier-brand portfolio.
• City Electric Supply: Franchise-style electrical distributor with hundreds of branches across North America. Comparable product mix (wire, conduit, lighting, controls) and contractor focus, though typically smaller individual branches than Shepherd.

Broad incumbents

• Graybar: The largest employee-owned electrical, communications, and data networking distributor in North America. Direct comparability with Shepherd as a B2B electrical supplies wholesaler serving contractors and government, and potential parent/affiliate given Shepherd's careers page linkage.
• Rexel: Global electrical distribution major with deep US presence (Rexel USA). Directly comparable as a multi-branch B2B distributor of electrical supplies serving contractors, industrials, and government buyers.
• Sonepar: World's largest B2B electrical distributor, operating multiple US regional banners. Comparable through shared product breadth, contractor and government end-markets, and similar branch-based distribution model.

Regional players

• Frank W. Winne & Son: Long-standing Mid-Atlantic/Northeast regional electrical distributor. Highly comparable geography and customer overlap with Shepherd in the DC–Mid-Atlantic corridor, with similar emphasis on contractor service.
• Werner Electric: Midwest regional electrical distributor serving Wisconsin and surrounding states. Comparable in scale, customer segments (contractors, industrial, government), and value-added service offerings such as VMI and lighting/energy solutions.
• Independent Electric Supply (IES): Texas-based electrical and lighting distributor under IES Holdings. Comparable mid-sized regional distributor model with contractor and commercial project focus.
• Wholesale Electric Supply (Houston): Texas-headquartered regional electrical distributor with multi-state reach. Comparable B2B distribution model serving contractors and industrials, with branch network and value-added services analogous to Shepherd's.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shepherdelec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shepherd-electric-supply

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Shepherd Electric Supply