Action Industrial Supply

What Action Industrial Supply does

Action Industrial Supply is a privately held industrial distributor and integrated solutions provider headquartered in Muskegon, Michigan. Founded in 1979 and led by President/Owner Tom Witt, the company sells safety equipment, MRO supplies, tools, workwear, and footwear through a Magento-based e-commerce platform (actionis.com), four Michigan retail showrooms (Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Holland, Traverse City), and a company-owned delivery fleet enabling same-day and next-day fulfillment across more than 600,000 SKUs. It has expanded via two wholly-owned acquisitions — CA Safety Products (2012) and WorkingPerson.com (2019) — and operates under the DBA "Action Supply Safety & Workwear Store."

Beyond distribution, Action Industrial Supply delivers higher-margin services including Workwear On Demand (an employer-allowance B2B program with custom microsites, mobile boot truck, and custom embroidery), industrial vending (SnapVend coil/locker systems and SecuraStock edge storage, crib, and flammable-material solutions with SNAPData reporting), and Engineered Systems (custom conveyors, material handling, ergonomic workstations via partnerships with Pacline, Gorbel, Wildeck, and others). Its customer base is split across manufacturing and industrial firms and employers running employee clothing/footwear allowance programs. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales, managed vending services, project-based engineered systems work, and recurring employer program contracts; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is subject to change at the company's discretion.

Name

Action Industrial Supply

Legal name

Action Industrial Supply Company

Website

https://actionis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Supplies Distribution

NAICS

Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423840), Industrial Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42383), Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42385)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Supplies & MRO Marketplaces (CRAFAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial MRO Supplies for Vehicle/Equipment Workshops (Bearings, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Fasteners) (TLAKAOAK), Janitorial & Sanitation (JanSan) Supplies Wholesale (CRAOAGAA), Material Handling Equipment MRO (Forklifts, Reach Trucks, Pallet Jacks) (TLAKAHAC)

Keywords

• Industrial supplies distribution
• Safety equipment supply
• MRO products
• Workwear programs
• Industrial vending services

Headquarters

HQ city

Muskegon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Supplies Sales: Direct sales of industrial supplies including safety equipment, workwear, footwear, MRO items, and tools through e-commerce and retail stores. One-time transaction model with no subscription requirement for standard purchases.
2. Industrial Vending Services: Managed vending machine programs where companies pay for vending services to control inventory access, track consumption, and reduce waste. Consignment-based stock model where suppliers provide inventory in machines.
3. Engineered Systems & Custom Solutions: Project-based sales of custom conveyor systems, storage solutions, material handling equipment, and ergonomic workstations. Includes project management, CAD design, and turn-key installation services.
4. Workwear On Demand Program: B2B program where companies allocate clothing/footwear allowances to employees who shop online or in-store using pre-approved credits. No fees for setup or management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Action Industrial Supply distributes more than 600,000 industrial, safety, MRO, workwear, and janitorial products through its Magento e-commerce platform (Supplies On Demand) and four Michigan retail stores, with same- and next-day delivery via a company-owned fleet. Beyond core supply, it delivers managed industrial vending programs (SnapVend and SecuraStock machines), custom-engineered conveyor, storage, and material-handling systems, and a Workwear On Demand allowance program that lets employers allocate clothing and footwear credits to employees for online or in-store shopping.

Product overview

Action Industrial Supply operates as a multi-product industrial supply and services company with a unified platform approach. The core offering centers on Supplies On Demand (www.actionis.com) - an e-commerce platform offering over 600,000 industrial products. This platform is complemented by specialized vending solutions (SnapVend Coil Machines, Standard Lockers, Variable Lockers, and Virtual Machines; plus SecuraStock, SecuraCrib, and SecuraChem from SecuraStock), Engineered Systems for custom conveyor and material handling solutions, Storage Solutions for industrial racking and cabinets, and the Workwear On Demand Program for business employee clothing/footwear programs. Additional services include a Mobile Boot Truck, Custom Embroidery, and Inventory Management. The product portfolio is distributed through 4 Michigan retail locations (Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Holland, Traverse City) with same/next-day delivery via company-owned fleet.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CA Safety Products: Safety products brand acquired in 2012.
• WorkingPerson.com

Products and services

• Supplies On Demand An industrial supplies distribution platform offering more than 600,000 MRO, safety, workwear, footwear, tool, and janitorial products with same-day and next-day delivery, built on a Magento storefront with Quick Order, requisition lists, and company account authentication for purchasing departments.
• Industrial Vending Services A managed on-site industrial vending program providing 24/7 access to MRO supplies, PPE, tooling, and spares through coil machines, lockers, and specialty storage systems, with consumption tracking and cost-center reporting for industrial facilities.
• Engineered Systems Custom conveyor, material handling, and ergonomic workcell solutions for manufacturing and warehousing, including overhead conveyors, lift tables, assembly stations, and turn-key integrated systems delivered through project management and CAD design partners such as Pacline, Gorbel, Wildeck, and Rapid Industries.
• Storage Solutions Industrial storage products sourced from vendor partners (ASI Storage Solutions, Lyon Workspace, Bulldog Rack Co.) covering locker systems, industrial racking, cabinets, and workspace organization products for warehouses and manufacturing facilities.
• Workwear On Demand Program A B2B employer allowance program in which companies allocate pre-set credits to employees who shop pre-approved clothing and footwear through a dedicated online catalog or in-store, with no setup or management fees and add-on services including Mobile Boot Truck visits and custom embroidery.
• SecuraStock Industrial Vending System An industrial storage vending system offering the world's leading edge storage dispensing technology with a 3-year warranty, no motors or coils, asset tracking, and a dispensing cost per SKU 50-70% lower than competing machines, performing the workload of 2-4 traditional machines.
• SecuraCrib Storeroom Management System A storeroom management system using motion-sensing technology and secure access to automatically record checkouts, with on-premise-hosted software providing electronic transaction notifications for industrial stores and cribs.
• SecuraChem Flammable Vending Machine A patented vending machine built specifically for flammable and hazardous materials, with built-in inventory control, motion sensing, spill containment shelves, and online MSDS tracking for compliance in chemical storage areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20-30% reduction in overall consumption through reduced shrinkage with locker vending systems
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SnapVendcoreTechnology or IntegrationSnapVend provides industrial coil vending machines and locker systems used in 95% of tool and safety supply vending placements. Products include coil machines, standard lockers, and variable lockers. Known for reliability, easy configuration, and SNAPData reporting system for consumption tracking.
• SecuraStockcoreTechnology or IntegrationSecuraStock offers industrial storage vending solutions including the world's leading edge storage system. SecuraStock dispensing cost per SKU is 50-70% lower than other machines and does the job of 2-4 traditional machines. Also provides SecuraCrib (storeroom management) and SecuraChem (flammable/hazardous product vending).
• Pacline Overhead ConveyorscoreTechnology or IntegrationFeatured vendor for overhead conveyor systems. Over 35 years helping improve productivity and efficiency for manufacturing operations and warehousing. Featured on engineered systems page.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Applied Industrial Technologies: Distributor of bearings, power transmission, fluid power, and industrial MRO supplies with a focus on technical service; overlaps with Action's industrial/MRO supply offerings and engineered solutions.
• Fastenal: Industrial supplies, fasteners, and the pioneer of on-site industrial vending and bin stock solutions; comparable in vending technology offering (FMI program) and B2B industrial supply distribution model.
• MSC Industrial Direct: Major MRO and metalworking distributor selling cutting tools, MRO supplies, and fasteners via catalogs and online; closest direct competitor to Action in industrial supply distribution breadth and B2B sales motion.
• W.W. Grainger: The largest U.S. industrial MRO distributor operating a broad e-commerce and physical branch network with ~1.5M SKUs; directly comparable product breadth and target customers, but much larger scale and national reach.
• McMaster-Carr: Catalog and e-commerce leader for industrial MRO parts and supplies with industry-leading UX; comparable e-commerce-first industrial supply distribution model with strong SKU breadth.

Direct peers

• Bearing Distributors Inc. (BDI): Specialty distributor of bearings, power transmission, and industrial MRO supplies with engineered solutions and inventory management services; comparable in industrial supply distribution and B2B vending model.
• Würth Industry North America: Provides industrial fastening, assembly, and MRO supplies with on-site vending/inventory management solutions (CPS/CIMP); comparable in vending-based industrial supply distribution and manufacturing-customer focus.

Regional players

• Grainger Industrial (regional Canada peer): Canadian arm of Grainger providing industrial MRO distribution; comparable product mix and customer base but operates in a different geography from Action's U.S. Midwest footprint.
• Tape Industrial (Search), a regional MRO distributor: Multi-brand industrial and institutional MRO distributor with regional networks; comparable model as a mid-sized regional industrial/MRO distributor that competes with national players in localized markets.

Emerging players

• Imperial Supplies: Specializes in truck/fleet parts, shop supplies, and MRO consumables sold direct to fleets and industrial customers; comparable niche industrial supply focus with catalog/e-commerce distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/intent/post?text=6+Advantages+of+Industrial+Vending+Machines&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.actionis.com%2F2018%2F01%2F09%2F6-advantages-of-industrial-vending-machines%2F
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClYb1wLUj02neLNP8srYpTw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ActionIS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/action-industrial-supply

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Action Industrial Supply