1st Ayd

What 1st Ayd does

1st Ayd Corporation is a privately-held B2B distributor and light manufacturer of industrial and commercial maintenance supplies, headquartered at 1325 Gateway Drive, Elgin, Illinois. Founded in 1974, the company operates an e-commerce storefront (1stayd.com) and sells a 13-category catalog spanning hand care, floor and carpet care, spill response, cleaning and maintenance chemicals, safety and personal protective equipment, fleet and vehicle maintenance, rags/wipers/paper, breakroom supplies, seasonal items, and lighting. The company serves horizontal end-markets including auto repair shops, industrial manufacturing, commercial facilities, and fleet operations, with no single vertical specialization disclosed.

The product mix combines proprietary 1st Ayd-branded manufactured items (foaming glass cleaner, hand and surface cleaning towels, cherry cleaning wipes) with distribution of third-party brands such as Zep, WD-40, Swiffer, Anco, FrogWear, MCR Safety, Norseman, Charlotte Products, IPC Worldwide cleaning equipment, and Remco Products color-coded tools. Bulk packaging options run from individual units through 55-gallon drums to 270-gallon totes, accommodating both small buyers and high-volume facility accounts. The e-commerce platform is built on Dynamics eShop and does not offer public API access.

The revenue model is product sales through direct e-commerce (account-based with login), phone (847-622-0001), and email ([email protected]), with quote-based pricing rather than publicly displayed list prices. The firm employs between 101 and 250 people and operates as a single-location domestic distributor with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or subsidiaries.

Name

1st Ayd

Legal name

1st Ayd Corporation

Website

https://1stayd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Cleaning & Maintenance Supplies

NAICS

Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423840), Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (42469)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Cleaning Chemicals & Disinfectants Distribution (CRAOAGAB)

Keywords

• Industrial cleaning supplies
• Maintenance chemicals distribution
• Safety PPE products
• Facility supplies distribution
• Vehicle maintenance chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Elgin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - B2B Distribution: Sale of industrial cleaning, maintenance, safety, and facility supplies to commercial and industrial customers. Products sold include hand care, floor care, spill containment, fleet/vehicle maintenance supplies, safety PPE, rags/wipers, breakroom supplies, seasonal products, and lighting.
2. Proprietary Branded Products: Sale of company-manufactured 1st Ayd brand products including hand cleaners, degreasers, glass cleaners, rust penetrants, and specialty chemicals sold under own SKU numbers.
3. Wholesale/Distribution of Third-Party Brands: Distribution of products from other manufacturers including Zep, WD-40, Swiffer, Anco, FrogWear, MCR Safety, Norseman, Charlotte Products, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

1st Ayd Corporation manufactures and distributes industrial and commercial cleaning, maintenance, and safety products under its own 1st Ayd brand and as a wholesale distributor of third-party brands including Zep, WD-40, Swiffer, MCR Safety, and others. Offerings span 12+ product categories such as hand cleaners, floor and carpet care, spill containment, degreasers, safety PPE, fleet and vehicle maintenance chemicals, rags/wipers, breakroom supplies, seasonal items, and lighting. Products are sold in bulk sizes up to 270-gallon totes through a B2B e-commerce storefront backed by phone and email sales support.

Product overview

1st Ayd Corporation operates an e-commerce distribution platform for industrial and commercial cleaning, maintenance, and safety products. The company distributes both its own branded products (under the 1st Ayd label, including foaming glass cleaners, hand and surface cleaning towels and wipes) alongside an extensive catalog of third-party brands. Product portfolio spans 13 major categories: Hand Care (heavy-duty and light-duty cleaners, sanitizers, moisturizers), Floor & Carpet Care (sweeping compounds, carpet cleaners, floor cleaners, waxes, mops, brooms), Spill Care (absorbents, pads, rolls, spill kits), Cleaning & Maintenance (aerosols, degreasers, glass cleaners, bathroom supplies), Safety & PPE (disposable and work gloves, safety glasses, first aid), Fleet & Vehicle Maintenance (brake cleaners, washer fluids, detailing products), Rags, Wipers & Paper (towels, tissue, microfiber), Breakroom Supplies (disposable food service items), Seasonal (winter safety, ice melt, herbicides), and Lighting (LED fixtures, work lights). The e-commerce platform is powered by Dynamics eShop and does not offer public API access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 1st Ayd Foaming Glass Cleaner (No Ammonia) Foaming ammonia-free glass cleaner sold as 12 x 19 oz per case, marketed under the 1st Ayd own brand for commercial and industrial glass cleaning applications.
• 1st Ayd Hand and Surface Cleaning Towels Pre-moistened cleaning towels with 72 sheets per dispenser, 6 dispensers per case, sold under the 1st Ayd brand for hand and surface cleaning.
• 1st Ayd Cherry Hand and Surface Cleaning Wipes Cherry-scented hand and surface cleaning wipes in 8x12 inch white sheets, 90 sheets per dispenser, 6 dispensers per case, under the 1st Ayd brand.
• Heavy Duty Hand Cleaners Industrial-grade hand cleaning products designed for heavy-duty applications such as automotive repair and industrial facilities; part of the Hand Care category.
• Light Duty Hand Cleaners Hand cleaning formulations designed for lighter-duty applications and routine handwashing.
• Antibacterial Hand Cleaners Hand cleaners formulated with antibacterial properties for hygiene-critical environments.
• Hand Sanitizers Alcohol-based hand sanitization products for commercial and industrial facilities.
• Floor & Carpet Care Products Comprehensive floor and carpet cleaning solutions including sweeping compounds, carpet cleaners, liquid and powdered floor cleaners, waxes, strippers, pads, brooms, squeegees, and mop heads.
• Spill Care Products Industrial spill containment and cleanup products including granular/powder absorbents, pads, rolls, drum toppers, tubes/socks, and spill kits.
• Cleaning & Maintenance Products General cleaning and maintenance products including aerosols, liquid cleaners, degreasers, glass cleaners, bathroom supplies, cleaning wipes, air fresheners, and powdered cleaners.
• Safety & PPE Personal protective equipment including nitrile, latex, and vinyl disposable gloves, work gloves, leather gloves, chemical-resistant gloves, cut-resistant gloves, cotton and string knit gloves.
• Fleet & Vehicle Maintenance Products Automotive maintenance chemicals and supplies including brake cleaners, solvents, washer fluid, chemical spray cans, vehicle maintenance chemicals, abrasives, wiper blades, and detailing products.
• Rags, Wipers & Paper Products Disposable wiping materials including toilet tissue, paper towels, facial tissue, wipers, cloth rags, microfiber towels, and dispensers.
• Breakroom Supplies Food service and breakroom essentials including condiments, utensils, cups, plates, tissues, and napkins.
• Seasonal Products Seasonal maintenance and outdoor items including winter gloves, ice melt salt, spreaders, winter chemicals, winter gear, snow removal tools, herbicides, and insecticides.
• Lighting Products Commercial lighting solutions including LED lighting, lighting ballasts, and work lights.
• Blue Pumice Hand Soap Heavy-duty hand soap with pumice abrasive, available in multiple sizes from 16 oz bottles up to 55-gallon drums.
• Low VOC Brake Parts Cleaner Low-VOC brake parts cleaner sold as 24 x 14 oz per case, distributed through 1st Ayd for automotive service applications.
• UFO LED High Bay Adjustable Fixture LED high bay fixture with adjustable 80/100/150 watt settings, 3500K–4000K–5000K color temperatures, 120–277V operation, dimmable, up to 20,100 lumens output.
• Swiffer WetJet Mop Starter Kit & Refills All-in-one mopping system with dual-nozzle mop designed for finished floors including wood, laminate, and tile. Distributed as a third-party brand.
• WD-40 with Smart Straw WD-40 multi-use lubricant with permanently attached smart straw for two-way spraying (stream or spray), 12 x 12 oz per case, distributed as a third-party brand.
• Banish Non-Selective Weed Killer Concentrate VOC-compliant, water-based total-kill herbicide with year-long residual control, available in gallon, 5-gallon, and 55-gallon container sizes.
• Penetrating Gel Lube with PTFE Transparent, water-resistant penetrating lubricant that sets to a grease-like gel with high adhesive strength, fortified with PTFE; sold as 24 x 13 oz per case.
• Rechargeable Dual Work Light and Spot Light NEBO Big Larry 2 rechargeable flashlight delivering 500 lumens COB work light and 200 lumens top flashlight, with red COB light mode; 4-pack, 16 per case.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• IPC WorldwideminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor1st Ayd distributes cleaning equipment from IPC Worldwide, featured in the manufacturer partners section of the website.
• Remco ProductsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor1st Ayd distributes color-coded cleaning tools from Remco Products, featured in the manufacturer partners section of the website.
• Blue Jay Fasteners (Line Card Partner)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor1st Ayd provides a line card link to Blue Jay Fasteners for fastener products.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Fastenal Company: Industrial and construction supplies distributor with on-site vending and FAST Solutions. Adjacent competitor in industrial consumables, PPE, and fasteners for industrial B2B customers, though not specialized in JanSan chemicals.
• MSC Industrial Direct: Melville, NY-based metalworking and MRO supplies distributor. Overlaps with 1st Ayd on cutting fluids, abrasives, and maintenance chemicals sold to industrial buyers, but offers a much wider metalworking-focused catalog.
• W.W. Grainger, Inc. Lake Forest, IL-headquartered industrial supply giant with a KeepStock clean chemicals and maintenance assortment. Overlaps with 1st Ayd on cleaning, safety/PPE, and facility maintenance categories, but serves a much broader maintenance/MRO footprint.

Direct peers

• Zep Inc. Atlanta-based manufacturer and distributor of industrial and institutional cleaning chemicals. Direct overlap with 1st Ayd across cleaning, degreasing, and hand care SKUs — and notably 1st Ayd itself distributes Zep products, confirming category parity.
• Spartan Chemical Company: Maumee, OH-based manufacturer of janitorial and industrial cleaning chemicals. Comparable in being a US JanSan chemical maker with private-label and branded product portfolios sold through B2B distribution channels.
• State Industrial Products: Cleveland-based manufacturer of industrial cleaning, maintenance, and specialty chemical products. Closely mirrors 1st Ayd's industrial cleaning, lubrication, and facility maintenance focus for industrial B2B customers.
• Betco Corporation: Toledo, OH-based manufacturer of cleaning and floor care products. Direct competitor in branded JanSan chemicals (cleaners, degreasers, floor finishes) distributed to B2B facility and industrial accounts.
• Hillyard, Inc. St. Joseph, MO-based distributor and manufacturer of janitorial supplies, floor care products, and cleaning chemicals. Comparable as a vertically integrated JanSan distributor with own-brand manufacturing and multi-category catalog serving B2B accounts.
• Brady Industries: Las Vegas-based janitorial and sanitation products distributor serving the Western US. Direct competitor in JanSan distribution with multi-category catalog, private label, and bulk fulfillment to commercial and industrial accounts.
• ABC Compounding Co. Morrow, GA-based manufacturer of janitorial and industrial cleaning chemicals. Comparable as a smaller-scale JanSan chemical maker with branded product lines sold through distribution to commercial and institutional customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FIRSTAYD

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 1st Ayd