What John Day Company does

John Day Company is a privately held, family-owned wholesale distributor founded in 1909 in Omaha, Nebraska, operating four vertical divisions — industry, agricultural, safety (established 1997), and material handling (established 1998) — that collectively offer more than 60,000 unique items sourced from over 3,500 manufacturers. The firm's product catalog spans abrasives, adhesives, bearings, cutting tools, fasteners, hydraulic components, hose and tubing, material handling equipment, measuring instruments, safety and environmental products, welding supplies, and farm equipment. Customers are industrial manufacturers and agricultural implement dealers, served through a sales-led go-to-market with separate division-specific field sales forces that share back-office support, supplemented by ordering via the johnday.com e-commerce site, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and email, with procurement card acceptance for VISA, MasterCard, and American Express.

The technology layer is built around conventional MRO distribution infrastructure rather than proprietary software platforms: the firm offers the CribMaster tool crib and store room management software as a reseller partner, providing customers with capabilities such as tool issue and return tracking, calibration scheduling, multi-facility linking, FIFO accounting, and automatic reorder generation. Value-added services include a certified Tool Repair & Weld Center authorized for major pneumatic and electric power tool brands (Milwaukee, Dewalt, Sioux, Metabo, Cooper Tools, I/R) plus band saw blade welding, and Integrated Supply Services that bundle systems contracts, vendor consolidation, JIT delivery, vending solutions, tool crib management, and customized bar coding into multi-year agreements aimed at reducing customer acquisition and possession costs. Approximately 50 associates staff the firm across its headquarters at 6263 Abbott Dr, Omaha, and an in-house training facility, supporting a customer base described as international in scope.

Name

John Day Company

Legal name

John Day Company

Website

https://johnday.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

John Day Company is a privately held, family-owned industrial and agricultural MRO distributor founded in 1909 in Omaha, Nebraska, serving manufacturers and farm implement dealers across four verticals with 60,000+ SKUs from 3,500+ manufacturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial MRO Distribution

NAICS

Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423840), Industrial Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42383)

SIC

Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial MRO Supplies for Vehicle/Equipment Workshops (Bearings, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Fasteners) (TLAKAOAK)

Keywords

• Industrial MRO supplies
• Agricultural equipment parts
• Material handling equipment
• Integrated supply services
• Tool repair services

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. MRO Distribution: Wholesale/distribution of agricultural, industrial, material handling, MRO and safety supplies and equipment. The company offers over 60,000 unique items and represents over 3,500 manufacturers. Four distinct divisions serve industry and agricultural customers with separate sales forces while sharing support services.
2. Integrated Supply Services: Systems contracts customized to meet customer requirements, designed to reduce acquisition and possession costs. Services include inventory management, warehousing, Just-In-Time delivery, Tool Crib management, vending solutions, customizing of part numbers and bar coding.
3. Tool Repair & Weld Services: Certified repair shop services for pneumatic and electric power tools, including warranty repairs. Band saw blade welding services for 1/2" - 1 1/2" blades.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

John Day Company is a wholesale distributor of agricultural, industrial, material-handling, MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations), and safety supplies and equipment, operating through four specialized divisions (industry, agricultural, safety, and material handling). The company offers over 60,000 unique items from more than 3,500 manufacturers, supplemented by value-added services including integrated supply programs, a certified Tool Repair & Weld Center, and the CribMaster inventory management software.

Product overview

John Day Company is a wholesale/distributor of industrial, agricultural, material handling, MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations), and safety supplies and equipment, founded in 1909. The company operates as a single unified distribution business offering over 60,000 unique items across four divisions: industrial, agricultural, safety (established 1997), and material handling (established 1998). The product portfolio spans abrasives, adhesives, bearings, cutting tools, fasteners, fluid power components, hose & tubing, measuring tools, safety equipment, welding supplies, and farm equipment. Value-added services include Tool Repair & Weld Center (certified repair for major power tool brands and band saw blade welding), Integrated Supply Programs (customized procurement and inventory management), and CribMaster Inventory Management Software for tool crib automation. The company offers EDI and e-commerce ordering options and employs approximately 50 associates serving an international customer base across over 3,500 manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Abrasives Industrial abrasive products including blasting & tumbling media, brushes, buffing & polishing compounds, coated & non-woven abrasives, cones, points & burrs, discs, dressing tools, files, sticks, stones, grinding & cutoff wheels, laps & hones. For industrial manufacturing and maintenance customers.
• Adhesives, Sealants & Tape Chemical bonding and sealing products including caulk, sealants, gasket sealant, glue, epoxy, adhesives, protective film, tape, and thread locking/retaining compounds. For industrial and maintenance customers.
• Bearings & Seals Mechanical motion components including bearing cones, cups, bearings, bronze bars and tubes, bushings, cam followers, O-rings, oil seals, pillow block ball bearings, and various seals. For industrial maintenance customers.
• Cutting Tools Metalworking cutting implements including bandsaw blades, carbide inserts & indexable tooling, chisels, demolition tools, drill bits, end mills, hole making tools, Iscar, Mitsubishi, Sandvik products, milling cutters, reamers, threading tools, and rotary files/burrs. For metalworking and industrial customers.
• Fasteners Mechanical fastening hardware including anchors, bolts, capscrews, nuts, pins, clips, retaining rings, e-clips, rivets, screws, set screws, thread repair kits, threaded rod, U-bolts, washers, shims, bushings, woodruff keys, and keystocks. For industrial and agricultural maintenance customers.
• Hydraulic Components Fluid power system products including hydraulic cylinders, pumps, valves, filters, add-on hydraulic doublers, and accessories. For industrial and agricultural customers.
• Material Handling & Storage Equipment Warehouse and facility equipment including bolt bins, casters, drum covers, fork lift booms, fuel cans, hand trucks, carts, pallet trucks, small parts storage, spill pallets, trays, pans, storage bins, and cabinets. For industrial warehousing and facility customers.
• Safety & Environmental Products Occupational safety and environmental protection equipment including anti-fatigue matting, anti-slip traction, eye/face protection, fall protection, fire extinguishers, first aid supplies, hand cleaners, hand protection, head protection, hearing protection, respirators, masks, protective clothing, signage, and warning devices. For industrial and agricultural workplace customers.
• Farm Equipment & Agricultural Supplies Agricultural machinery components and supplies including aftermarket repair parts, DMI cushion truck hitches, hay equipment, lawn & garden items, mowers, planting & harvesting equipment, replacement teeth & tines, tractor accessories, and tractor linkage parts. For agricultural implement dealers and farmers.
• Power Transmission Equipment Mechanical power transfer components including belts, fixed bore pulleys, fixed bore sprockets, G & G Weld-A-Products, hand tachometers, idlers, tensioners, QD hubs, sprockets, sheaves, shaft & pump couplers, and spider flex couplings. For industrial maintenance customers.
• Welding & Soldering Supplies Joining and fabrication products including anti-spatter, cleaners, flux, welding gloves, MIG/TIG welder components, welding clamps, blankets, curtains, glasses, helmets, wall partitions, and protective clothing. For industrial fabrication and maintenance customers.
• Tool, Regrind & Repair Services Certified repair services for pneumatic and electric power tools including Milwaukee, Dewalt, Sioux, Metabo, Cooper Tools (Cleco and Dotco), and I/R brands. Repairs use genuine OEM replacement parts. Includes band saw blade welding service for 1/2" to 1 1/2" blades featuring Morse, Eberle, Starret, and Lenox materials. For industrial customers.
• Integrated Supply Services Customized procurement and inventory management programs designed to reduce total acquisition and possession costs. Services include systems contracts, vendor consolidation, streamlined ordering, JIT delivery, 100% availability on contracted items, simplified purchasing procedures, inventory space optimization, vending solutions, tool crib management, and better pricing management. For industrial enterprise customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% availability on contracted items
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• EMDA (Equipment Marketing & Distribution Association)minorOthersJohn Day Company is a member of the Equipment Marketing & Distribution Association, an industry trade organization for equipment distributors.
• National Safety Council of NebraskaminorOthersJohn Day Company is a member of the National Safety Council of Nebraska, indicating commitment to workplace safety and industry standards.
• CribMastercoreTechnology or IntegrationJohn Day Company offers CribMaster Inventory Management Software as part of their integrated supply solutions. CribMaster is described as the most feature-packed tool crib/store room software available, automating tasks involved with managing tooling or indirect material in manufacturing workplaces.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Fastenal: Fastenal is one of the largest industrial supply distributors in North America, operating on-site vending, tool crib management, and integrated supply programs that closely mirror John Day's offering. Its vending/onsite solution is a direct substitute for John Day's CribMaster-enabled integrated supply services.
• W.W. Grainger: Grainger is the largest North American industrial MRO distributor, offering a catalog of >1.5M SKUs across safety, material handling, fasteners, tools, and janitorial. It is the dominant benchmark against which smaller regional industrial distributors like John Day compete for enterprise MRO spend.
• McMaster-Carr: McMaster-Carr is a leading catalog and e-commerce distributor of industrial supplies with an exceptionally broad SKU range covering fasteners, tools, fluid power, material handling, and safety. It competes with John Day across virtually every industrial product category for online and catalog-driven buyers.
• MSC Industrial Direct: MSC Industrial is a leading U.S. metalworking and industrial MRO distributor with a broad SKU catalog spanning cutting tools, abrasives, fasteners, fluid power, and safety. It directly competes with John Day's industrial division for shop-floor and maintenance buyers.

Direct peers

• Kaman Industrial Technologies: Kaman Industrial Technologies is an industrial distributor specializing in bearings, power transmission, motion control, and fluid power with integrated supply programs. It competes head-to-head with John Day for industrial maintenance accounts in the Midwest and broader U.S.
• Barnes Distribution (now part of Genuine Parts Company / NAPA Industrial): Barnes Distribution was a North American industrial distribution business with a strong product portfolio in safety, fasteners, fluid power, and material handling. Its offering is highly comparable to John Day's four-division structure and integrated supply model.
• Applied Industrial Technologies: Applied Industrial Technologies distributes bearings, power transmission, fluid power, and industrial rubber products with service centers across the U.S. Its product mix in bearings, hydraulics, and pneumatics aligns closely with John Day's industrial division offering.
• Motion Industries: Motion Industries is a major industrial parts distributor covering bearings, power transmission, fluid power, and material handling, with strong integrated supply and supply chain services. It overlaps with John Day's industrial, material handling, and fluid power product lines, particularly for plant maintenance customers.
• Würth Industry North America: Würth Industry is a division of the Würth Group focused on industrial fasteners, tooling, and supply chain solutions including bin management and vendor-managed inventory. It overlaps with John Day's fasteners, cutting tools, and integrated supply offerings for OEM and maintenance customers.

Regional players

• Airgas (an Air Liquide company): Airgas is a major U.S. distributor of welding supplies, safety products, and industrial gases with extensive Midwest coverage. While broader in welding and gases, it competes with John Day's welding/soldering and safety divisions for shop-floor buyers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 John Day Company