The Johnson Electric Supply Company

What The Johnson Electric Supply Company does

The Johnson Electric Supply Company is a privately held wholesale distributor of electrical components and supplies headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, operating continuously since 1907. The company serves electrical contractors and industrial customers across the Midwest, distributing products across eleven categories: Automation, Conduit & Raceway, Distribution Equipment, Fittings & Boxes, Hardware, Heating & Cooling, Lighting & Lamps, Motor Control, Non-Inventory, Wire & Cable, and Wiring Devices. Its portfolio covers more than 100 manufacturer brands, including ABB, Eaton, GE, Honeywell, Hubbell, Leviton, and Lutron.

The company runs a B2B e-commerce platform built on Epicor ERP, featuring account login, a Bulk Order Pad that supports SKU and customer-part-number searches, wish-list and compare functions, and a request-quote workflow for complex orders. Underlying the storefront is a three-location physical footprint in the Cincinnati metro — primary distribution branches JEBA (45241) and JEHQ (45202) plus a secondary Blue Ash location — supporting branch pickup, local delivery, and a 24-hour emergency service reachable via 513-421-3700. Distribution runs through three parallel channels: the e-commerce storefront for self-service ordering, inside sales via phone and [email protected] for quotes and complex orders, and direct branch interaction for in-person service.

Johnson Electric's revenue model is hardware sales through its distribution channel, with quote-based pricing for non-standard orders. The go-to-market targets two primary segments — electrical contractors (primary) needing supplies for installation, maintenance, and construction, and industrial customers needing motor control, automation, and specialty electrical components. No public pricing, revenue, ownership, or leadership information is disclosed, and the privately held firm does not file public financials. Customer logos and end-customer identity are not disclosed in available materials.

Name

The Johnson Electric Supply Company

Legal name

The Johnson Electric Supply Company

Website

https://johnson-electric.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Johnson Electric Supply Company is a Cincinnati-based wholesale distributor of electrical components serving electrical contractors and industrial customers across the Midwest, operating two distribution branches plus a Blue Ash location with an Epicor-integrated e-commerce platform offering 100+ brands across 11 categories.

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 electrical components
• Electrical contractor supplies
• Commercial lighting products

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electrical supplies distribution: Distribution of electrical equipment and supplies including automation, conduit, distribution equipment, fittings, hardware, heating/cooling, lighting, motor control, wire/cable, and wiring devices. Revenue generated through product sales with quote-based pricing for complex orders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Johnson Electric Supply Company is a wholesale distributor of electrical equipment and supplies across 11 product categories sourced from over 100 manufacturers, serving electrical contractors and industrial customers through an e-commerce storefront, inside sales, and branch pickup at Cincinnati-area locations. Its offering spans automation, conduit & raceway, distribution equipment, fittings & boxes, hardware, heating & cooling, lighting & lamps, motor control, wire & cable, and wiring devices, with a bulk order pad for high-volume purchasing.

Product overview

Johnson Electric Supply Company is an electrical equipment and components distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio across 11 product categories: Automation, Conduit & Raceway, Distribution Equipment, Fittings & Boxes, Hardware, Heating & Cooling, Lighting & Lamps, Motor Control, Wire & Cable, and Wiring Devices. The company distributes products from over 100 manufacturers including ABB, Eaton, GE, Honeywell, Hubbell, Leviton, and Lutron. The e-commerce platform enables customers to browse thousands of SKUs, place bulk orders, manage accounts, and compare products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Automation Products Industrial automation equipment and components for manufacturing and process control applications, distributed to industrial buyers and electrical contractors.
• Conduit & Raceway Electrical conduit and raceway systems for protecting and routing electrical wiring, distributed to electrical contractors and industrial customers.
• Distribution Equipment Electrical distribution equipment including circuit breakers, panels, and switchgear for commercial and industrial installations.
• Fittings & Boxes Electrical fittings, junction boxes, and enclosures for wire routing and connections in commercial and industrial installations.
• Hardware General electrical hardware including fasteners, brackets, and mounting equipment for electrical installations.
• Heating & Cooling HVAC equipment and temperature control products for industrial and commercial applications.
• Lighting & Lamps Light fixtures, lamps, and lighting controls for commercial, industrial, and residential applications.
• Motor Control Motor control equipment including starters, drives, and controllers for electric motors used in industrial and commercial applications.
• Wire & Cable Electrical wire and cable products for power transmission and communication applications across commercial, industrial, and residential uses.
• Wiring Devices Wiring devices including outlets, switches, and connectors for electrical installations in commercial, industrial, and residential settings.
• Bulk Order Pad Online bulk ordering system allowing customers to search by SKU# or Customer Part Number to efficiently place high-volume orders across the catalog.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Graybar Electric Company: Employee-owned Fortune 500 distributor of electrical, communications, and data networking products with a national branch network. Overlaps with Johnson on core electrical contractor and industrial accounts across the same brand portfolio.
• Sonepar USA: U.S. arm of the world's largest B2B electrical distributor, operating multiple regional brands with deep contractor and industrial coverage. Closely comparable in product categories and customer segments, but with far greater scale and geographic reach than Johnson.
• W.W. Grainger: Broad-line industrial MRO distributor with a sizable electrical category and a mature e-commerce platform. Overlaps with Johnson on electrical contractor and industrial customers but competes across many additional product categories.
• Rexel USA: One of the largest electrical product distributors in the U.S., serving contractors and industrial customers with the same major brands (Eaton, Hubbell, Leviton). Directly comparable in product mix and customer base, but operates at national scale versus Johnson's local Cincinnati focus.

Regional players

• Madison Electric Company: Midwest-focused independent electrical distributor with similar contractor customer base and full-line product offering. Closely analogous in scale and business model to Johnson, but operating in a different metropolitan area.
• Kirby Risk Electrical Supply: Family-owned regional electrical distributor serving the Midwest with a comparable product portfolio and emphasis on local contractor service. Direct competitor analog in business model, with a different but overlapping service territory.
• Werner Electric Supply: Wisconsin-based independent electrical distributor with branches, contractor-focused sales, and an e-commerce platform. Strong functional analog to Johnson in operating model and target customer, though serving a different region.

Direct peers

• Crescent Electric Supply Company: Mid-sized regional electrical distributor serving contractors, industrials, and OEMs with the same major electrical brands. Highly comparable business model and customer base to Johnson, with greater geographic footprint.
• Summit Electric Supply: Independent electrical distributor with deep contractor and industrial customer focus and a similar mix of wire/cable, distribution equipment, lighting, and motor control. Comparable in business model and product breadth, with broader geographic reach.
• Border States Electric: Employee-owned regional electrical distributor with a comparable mix of contractor and industrial customers and an emphasis on service and e-commerce. Direct overlap with Johnson on product categories and go-to-market model, though operating in different geographies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/JohnsonElectric
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-johnson-electric-supply-company

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 The Johnson Electric Supply Company