McIntyre's Tools & Equipment

What McIntyre's Tools & Equipment does

McIntyre's Tools & Equipment is a family-owned distributor and retailer of professional tools, equipment, and consumables, operating under the legal entity E McIntyre & Sons Ltd from three locations across Northern Ireland: Kilrea (headquarters and service centre), Dungannon, and Belfast. Founded in 1958, the company supplies trade professionals, the wholesale market, general consumers, and industrial customers across construction, manufacturing, engineering, agricultural, automotive, and food sectors, stocking more than 50 brands including Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, Hikoki, Metabo, 3M, Honeywell, and Snickers. Its core proprietary technology is MacVend, a Vending Management Inventory (VMI) offering built on three reconfigurable hardware units (28 Level, Rotopoint, LockerSense) and powered by SupplyPoint's management software, providing industrial customers with 24/7 automated dispensing, real-time stock reporting, and consolidated supplier management.

The business generates revenue across five streams: in-store retail hardware sales, wholesale distribution, MacVend managed services, Fit2Fit-accredited face fit testing for RPE compliance, and a repair and maintenance service centre at Kilrea serving major power-tool brands. Go-to-market is omnichannel within Northern Ireland: three physical retail showrooms, a direct delivery network spanning the region, wholesale supply to bulk buyers, and direct enterprise sales of MacVend solutions. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; quotes are provided per requirement with standard 30-day payment terms from invoice date.

The company has no external funding, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed parent; it operates as an independent private firm with an active recruitment channel. Strategic emphasis sits on extending the platform through the SupplyPoint partnership, accredited services (face fit testing, repair), and incremental product/service expansion rather than geographic or acquisition-led growth.

Name

McIntyre's Tools & Equipment

Legal name

E McIntyre & Sons Ltd

Website

https://emcintyre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

McIntyre's Tools & Equipment is a Northern Ireland family-owned retailer and distributor, founded in 1958, supplying trade professionals, wholesale buyers, and the general public with professional-grade tools and equipment across three locations (Kilrea, Dungannon, Belfast), complemented by MacVend VMI solutions, Fit2Fit face fit testing, and a repair service centre.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Tools and Equipment Retail

NAICS

Hardware Retailers (44414), Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423840)

SIC

Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420), Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAIADAB

Tools & Tool Accessories Retail (Hand, Power, Pneumatic)

Consumer Products & Retail/Home & Furniture Retail/Home Improvement & Hardware Retail

SECONDARYCRAIADAN

Workplace/Jobsite Supplies Retail (Site Consumables, Tarps, Ropes, Chains)

Consumer Products & Retail/Home & Furniture Retail/Home Improvement & Hardware Retail

SECONDARYCRAMAAAE

Outdoor Navigation, Safety & Survival Gear Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Sporting Goods & Outdoor Retail/Outdoor & Adventure Equipment Retail

Keywords

• Power tools retail
• Industrial equipment supply
• Workwear and PPE
• Vending inventory management
• Tool repair services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kilrea

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Tool & Equipment Sales: Sale of tools, equipment, accessories, and consumables directly to trade professionals and general public from 3 retail locations across Northern Ireland.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Supply of tools and equipment to the wholesale market, serving trade professionals and businesses.
3. MacVend VMI Solutions: Vending Management Inventory systems and solutions including hardware, software, and stock management services for industrial customers.
4. Face Fit Testing Services: FFP Fit2Fit accredited on-site respiratory protective equipment fit testing, RPE audits, and toolbox talks for workplace safety compliance.
5. Repair & Maintenance Services: Service centre at Kilrea headquarters offering servicing and maintenance for power tools and equipment, including on-site callout emergency services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

McIntyre's Tools & Equipment is a Northern Ireland tool and equipment retailer operating three physical storefronts in Kilrea, Dungannon, and Belfast, selling professional tools, equipment, workwear, PPE, and consumables from 50+ world-renowned brands to trade professionals, wholesale buyers, and the general public. The company complements retail with wholesale distribution, a door-to-door delivery network, a dedicated repair and service centre, a Fit2Fit-accredited face fit testing service, and its proprietary MacVend Vending Management Inventory (VMI) system for industrial customers.

Product overview

McIntyre's Tools & Equipment is a retail chain of tool and equipment stores with three locations in Northern Ireland (Kilrea, Dungannon, Belfast). Founded in 1958, the company offers a wide range of trade tools and equipment across multiple categories (air tools, power tools, hand tools, welding equipment, workwear, safety gear, generators, pressure washers) primarily through its retail operations. The company's main technology product is MacVend, a Vending Management Inventory (VMI) system developed in partnership with SupplyPoint that automates tool and consumable dispensing for industrial workforces. MacVend encompasses three unit types: the 28 Level (reconfigurable tray system), Rotopoint (versatile rotation-based dispenser), and LockerSense (weighing-based locker system). Beyond retail and VMI, the company also provides face fit testing services for respiratory protective equipment and operates a repair and service centre for power tools and equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MacVend: Vending Management Inventory (VMI) system that provides cost savings, increased accountability, accurate reporting, and stock visibility for production floors. MacVend is operated in partnership with SupplyPoint.

Products and services

• MacVend Vending Management Inventory (VMI) System A proprietary Vending Management Inventory system that automates tool, accessory, and consumable dispensing for industrial workforces. MacVend provides 24/7 access to supplies, real-time reporting, consolidated supplier management, and stock visibility to reduce costs and eliminate stockouts on production floors. Powered by SupplyPoint management software.
• MacVend 28 Level Vending Unit A dense-capacity industrial vending unit with reconfigurable design and expansion ports for RFID and ancillary equipment. Powers up to 1121 secure locations across 10 connected units.
• MacVend Rotopoint Vending System A versatile vending solution ideal for PPE, MRO, and metal cutting applications, with reconfigurable compartment sizes offering up to 702 secure locations per unit, expandable to 7020 locations across 10 connected systems.
• MacVend LockerSense Locker System A locker-based vending system with built-in weighing technology offering 6, 12, or 18 weighing locations for accurate piece count control and user accountability. Provides 9-27 secure locations per frame, expandable to 270 locations across 10 connected frames.
• Repair & Service Centre A full-service repair and maintenance centre at Kilrea headquarters with qualified engineers available for regular servicing and emergency on-site callouts. Service agents cover major brands including Bosch, DeWalt, Makita, Metabo, and Chicago Pneumatic.
• Face Fit Testing Service An FFP Fit2Fit accredited on-site respiratory protective equipment (RPE) fit testing service that includes RPE audits, mask consolidation recommendations, and toolbox talks on RPE usage and maintenance for workplace safety compliance.
• Tools, Equipment, Workwear and PPE Retail Range The core retail offering spanning power tools, hand tools, air tools, welding equipment, generators, pressure washers, workwear, safety gear, and consumables from over 50 world-renowned brands including Hikoki, Milwaukee, Metabo, DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, 3M, and Honeywell, sold directly across the Kilrea, Dungannon, and Belfast stores.
• Wholesale Distribution Supply Bulk supply of tools and equipment to wholesale buyers, distributors, and trade professionals with competitive pricing and reliable delivery across Northern Ireland.

Quantifiable outcome

• Minimal downtime through skilled repair and maintenance services
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SupplyPointcoreTechnology or IntegrationMacVend has teamed up with SupplyPoint, the market leading experts in VMI solutions. SupplyPoint provides the powerful management software designed and developed by their experienced engineers that powers the MacVend vending systems.
• Air Ambulance NIminorOthersCharitable partnership with Air Ambulance NI. Staff members Nigel Gibson and Christopher Ramsey are shown with Kerry Anderson from Air Ambulance NI.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Toolstation: UK trade-only tools and hardware retailer (part of Travis Perkins Group) competing for the same tradesperson and SME buyer. Directly comparable assortment, trade-focused GTM, and growing branch network across the UK and Ireland.
• Screwfix: UK's largest direct-to-trade tools and hardware retailer with hundreds of branches and a heavy online catalogue. Directly comparable in target customer (trade professionals), product range (power tools, hand tools, PPE, consumables), and multi-channel fulfilment model.
• Ironmongery Direct: UK trade-focused hardware and ironmongery retailer supplying door hardware, fixings, tools, and consumables to tradespeople. Comparable trade customer focus, brand-stocking model, and multi-channel fulfilment.
• Cromwell Tools: UK industrial and trade tools distributor with a wide catalogue of branded power tools, hand tools, PPE, and MRO consumables. Comparable wholesale/retail mix, trade customer base, and brand-led assortment strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Wickes: UK home improvement retailer serving DIY and trade with tools, workwear, and consumables. Overlaps in product range and trade segment but anchored on kitchens, bathrooms, and building materials.
• Travis Perkins: UK's largest builders' merchant group, parent of Toolstation. Overlaps in tools, PPE, and consumables supply to trade, but operates primarily as a building materials merchant rather than a pure tools retailer.
• CEF (City Electrical Factors): UK electrical wholesale distributor supplying trade electricians with tools, PPE, and consumables from a national branch network. Comparable trade-focused wholesale model and tool/PPE product mix.
• Würth UK: Subsidiary of the global Würth Group, supplying trade and industrial customers with fasteners, tools, PPE, and consumables. Comparable trade channel, VMI/canteen-style managed inventory offerings, and consumables focus.

Emerging players

• RS Components: Global industrial and electronics product distributor serving maintenance, engineering, and procurement buyers with tools, PPE, and consumables. Comparable B2B/industrial customer overlap and broad catalogue approach.

Others

• SupplyPoint: Technology partner and supplier of the VMI platform that powers MacVend. Not a direct competitor but a critical enabler/ecosystem participant whose product underpins McIntyre's differentiated managed-services offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcintyres-tools-and-equipment

Compliance1 record

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 McIntyre's Tools & Equipment