Within the last few weeks I found out that Pittsburg based Incline Equity had acquired Cleveland based AFC Holdings. To fastener people, this means that AFC of the Cincinnati area and Dell Fastener from the Pittsburgh area, both are now owned by a different holding company. Yeah, I know, we are still going to be calling on Dave and Denise and Joanne and Jen. Most likely, few things will change in the short run, and maybe even the long run. But, I’m guessing, somebody with deeper pockets now owns those fastener distributors. I recently visited the Anixter Fastener group in Glendale. They too were recently purchased by an equity firm, or holding company. Some big suppliers are in the same boat. Lindstrom has been referred to in publications as “a Harbour Group company” which suggests they are at least partly owned by a holding company. I’m sure there are probably other fastener companies with outside investors.(…)
