AIWD Buying Group
AIWD Buying Group is a non-profit buying group that coordinates collective purchasing for 150+ independent gas and welding distributors across the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada, connecting them to 100+ preferred vendors via annual memberships and conventions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersStatesboro, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AIWD Buying Group does
AIWD Buying Group (legally the Association of Independent Welding Distributors) is a non-profit, member-driven buying group founded in 1999 and headquartered at PO Box 154, Statesboro, Georgia. It coordinates collective purchasing programs for independent gas and welding distributors and their suppliers, operating across the continental United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. According to the source data, the organization serves 150+ member businesses representing 350+ storefronts, and connects them to a network of 100+ preferred vendors and service providers that offer exclusive deals and volume-based pricing. Membership is granted on an annual basis through a direct application on its website, aiwdgroup.com.
The organization's offering is structured as two complementary membership programs. The Distributor Membership gives welding and gas distributors access to the supplier network and exclusive vendor deals; the Vendor Partnership gives suppliers access to the AIWD network of 350+ stores and 150 member businesses. AIWD also runs an annual convention that functions as the primary in-person engagement channel for both members and vendors. Marketing and member acquisition are handled through a Wix-hosted website, a "Join Now" call-to-action, a structured intake form, and an organic social presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; member testimonials characterize joining as "low cost."
AIWD generates revenue through annual membership fees from both distributor and vendor/supplier members, with possible additional income from conventions. It is privately held with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, subsidiaries, or acquisitions. No technology platform, mobile app, API, or AI/ML capabilities are present in the data — the product is fundamentally relational and procurement-oriented rather than software-based. Ownership and management specifics are not disclosed beyond the legal name and operating status.
AIWD Buying Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AIWD Buying Group
- Legal name
- Association of Independent Welding Distributors
- Website
- https://aiwdgroup.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- AIWD Buying Group is a non-profit buying group that coordinates collective purchasing for 150+ independent gas and welding distributors across the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada, connecting them to 100+ preferred vendors via annual memberships and conventions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AIWD Buying Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Distribution Buying Group Services
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Membership Clubs (Category-Focused) (CRAEADAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Buying Clubs & Community Bulk Purchasing Co-ops (CRAHALAE)
Keywords
Where AIWD Buying Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Statesboro
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
AIWD Buying Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Annual Membership Fees: AIWD generates revenue through annual membership fees charged to independent welding and gas distributors. Members gain access to the buying group's collective purchasing power, exclusive vendor deals, and networking benefits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership for independent welding and gas distributors |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
AIWD Buying Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AIWD Buying Group is a nonprofit membership organization that aggregates the purchasing demand of independent gas and welding distributors to secure collective pricing and exclusive deals from a network of 100+ preferred vendors and suppliers. It offers two membership tracks — Distributor Membership and Vendor Partnership — and supplements these with annual conventions and member-only resources designed to support supply chain resilience and competitive positioning against larger industry players.
Product overview
AIWD Buying Group is a buying group organization (not a technology platform) that serves independent welding and gas distributors. The core offering consists of two membership programs: Distributor Membership gives welding and gas distributors access to a network of over 100 suppliers and exclusive vendor deals, while Vendor Partnership provides suppliers access to the AIWD network of 350+ stores and 150 member businesses. The organization leverages collective buying power to help members compete with larger industry players.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AIWD Distributor Membership Annual membership program for independent welding and gas distributors providing access to a network of over 100 suppliers, exclusive deals from preferred vendors and service providers, and networking opportunities with peer distributors across the continental US, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
- AIWD Vendor Partnership Vendor and supplier program enabling access to over 350 stores and 150 member businesses across the USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico for selling welding and gas industry products and services to AIWD distributor members.
- AIWD Annual Conventions Annual industry conventions hosted by AIWD to facilitate networking, business development, and relationship building between distributor members and vendor partners in the welding and gas industries.
Companies that use AIWD Buying Group
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
AIWD Buying Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AIWD Buying Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Preferred Vendors/SupplierscoreAIWD maintains relationships with over 100 preferred vendors and suppliers. These vendors provide exclusive deals to members, enabling independent distributors to compete with larger industry players. Vendors gain access to 350+ stores and 150 member businesses across the USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
AIWD Buying Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NAED (National Association of Electrical Distributors): NAED is the primary trade association for electrical distributors, providing networking, industry data, and group programs to independent electrical distributors—same member-driven distribution association model as AIWD, in an adjacent industrial vertical.
- HARDI (Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International): HARDI is a trade association that aggregates independent HVACR distributors for collective representation, education, and group programs—analogous to AIWD's membership organization serving welding and gas distributors.
- East West Industrial Network Association (EWINA): EWINA is a buying group for industrial distributors that pools independent distributor purchasing power across multiple industrial categories—directly analogous to AIWD's collective-purchasing model for welding and gas distributors.
- Security Distributors Association (SDA): SDA is a buying and networking group for independent security product distributors, using the same collective-purchasing and preferred-vendor framework as AIWD but focused on the physical security vertical.
- Affiliated Distributors (AD): AD is a large multi-vertical buying group for independent distributors in industrial, electrical, plumbing, and construction supply—running the same collective-purchasing and preferred-vendor model as AIWD, just at significantly greater scale and vertical breadth.
- IMARK Group: IMARK is a member-owned marketing and buying group for independent distributors, primarily in electrical, HVAC, and industrial channels—operating the same member-vendor aggregation model as AIWD with similar annual membership economics.
- Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA): PTDA is an industry association for power transmission and motion control distributors that provides networking, education, and group-purchasing support—directly comparable to AIWD's role serving independent welding and gas distributors.
Broad incumbents
- Industrial Supply Association (ISA): ISA is a broader industry association covering industrial MROP and distribution, serving manufacturers and distributors with networking and education—comparable to AIWD but operating at a wider industry scope beyond welding and gas.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
AIWD Buying Group social profiles
Digital presenceAIWD Buying Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AIWD Buying Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
AIWD Buying Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AIWD Buying Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AIWD Buying Group
What does AIWD Buying Group do?
AIWD Buying Group is a nonprofit membership organization that aggregates the purchasing demand of independent gas and welding distributors to secure collective pricing and exclusive deals from a network of 100+ preferred vendors and suppliers. It offers two membership tracks — Distributor Membership and Vendor Partnership — and supplements these with annual conventions and member-only resources designed to support supply chain resilience and competitive positioning against larger industry players.
Is AIWD Buying Group a public or private company?
AIWD Buying Group is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was AIWD Buying Group founded?
AIWD Buying Group was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is AIWD Buying Group based?
AIWD Buying Group is headquartered in Statesboro, United States, in the North America region.
How does AIWD Buying Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: annual Membership Fees.
Who are AIWD Buying Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NAED (National Association of Electrical Distributors), HARDI (Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International), East West Industrial Network Association (EWINA), Security Distributors Association (SDA), Affiliated Distributors (AD), IMARK Group and Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA). Industrial Supply Association (ISA) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does AIWD Buying Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for AIWD Buying Group.
What industry is AIWD Buying Group in?
AIWD Buying Group's product category is Industrial Distribution Buying Group Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAEADAI, Specialty Membership Clubs (Category-Focused), with a secondary code of CRAHALAE, Buying Clubs & Community Bulk Purchasing Co-ops. Its SIC code is 8600.