2025 Top 100 Distributors: Full Speed Ahead on Investments for Future Growth
Despite a sluggish construction market outside of some of the mega-projects mentioned in this issue and concerns over tariffs, the 2025 Top 100 electrical distributors continue to invest heavily in their businesses.
New or reveamped ERP systems and other operational software, new market initiatives and expansion into new geographic areas were some of the most common areas of investment. Michael Evanko, the VP of marketing for Fromm Electric, Reading, PA, said the company’s new FrommConnect services division offers value-added services to the industrial and contractor markets. “We expect this business to grow as the trade gap rises and companies are losing in-house expertise yet need to remain profitable and efficient,” he said in his survey response.
Tom Nelson, Border States’ communications director, said the Fargo, ND-based company was investing in a broad array service initiatives. “The new model focuses on two key areas of Border States’ business —growing and fulfilling customer relationships. With this shift, leadership at Border States also realigned to best support the needs of customers, vendors and employee-owners.
“A key strategy to support the new operating model is the implementation of distribution centers to enhance Border States’ network of 131 locations. Branches and distribution centers will work together to scale for optimization, while still allowing for customization and delivering cost effective and unique experiences for customers.”
Dulles Electric Supply Corp., Dulles, VA; D&S Electrical Supply, Pocatello, ID; and Access Electric Supply, Renton, WA; were three of the Top 100 distributors with plans to move into larger new facilities. Dulles Electric Supply is breaking ground on two new facilities and D&S Electric is preparing to remodel its headquarters.
About the Author
Jim Lucy
Editor-in-Chief
Over the past 40-plus years, hundreds of Jim’s articles have been published in Electrical Wholesaling and Electrical Marketing newsletter on topics such as the impact of new competitors on the electrical market’s channels of distribution, energy-efficient lighting and renewables, and local market economics. In addition to his published work, Jim regularly gives presentations on these topics to C-suite executives, industry groups and investment analysts.
He launched a new subscription-based data product for Electrical Marketing that offers electrical sales potential estimates and related market data for more than 300 metropolitan areas, and in 1999 he published his first book, “The Electrical Marketer’s Survival Guide” for electrical industry executives looking for an overview of key market trends.
While managing Electrical Wholesaling’s editorial operations, Jim and the publication’s staff won several Jesse H. Neal awards for editorial excellence, the highest honor in the business press, and numerous national and regional awards from the American Society of Business Press Editors. He has a master’s degree in Communications and a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Glassboro State College, Glassboro, N.J. (now Rowan University).