Following its August 2024 purchase by private equity firm Wynnchurch Capital, industrial supplies master wholesaler ORS Nasco has expanded its portfolio with two strategic acquisitions earlier this year.
The company acquired redistributor R3 Safety in February and welding supplies distributor and manufacturer Techniweld USA in May.
CEO Kevin Short told MDM he is optimistic about the company’s new ownership and the early investments in M&A this year. He said the acquisitions are a key part of ORS Nasco’s strategy to scale operations and deliver a stronger, more complete value proposition for distributors across North America.
“ORS Nasco has been the industry’s largest pure-play wholesaler, but we are not satisfied with this position, and we wanted to improve and scale.” – ORS Nasco CEO Kevin Short
MDM’s 2Q25 M&A Report (store link)
Safety and welding have long been ORS Nasco’s core product categories. The acquisition of R3 Safety helped fill assortment gaps in safety, particularly in hand protection, while Techniweld strengthened ORS’s welding offerings across filler metals, wire, cables and hoses. Both moves enhance the company’s ability to serve distributors looking for a one-stop-shop to increase supply chain efficiency.
Short noted that many distributors traditionally sourced products directly from manufacturers, but are now shifting more to wholesale due to the added flexibility, service reliability and time savings the industry offers. He described the Techniweld and R3 acquisitions as accelerating ORS Nasco’s ability to meet those evolving customer needs.
“The value proposition of the wholesaler is at an all-time high because of all the volatility and uncertainty,” Short emphasized. “Many of their customers can and do buy directly from the manufacturer, but at this moment in time, it makes more sense for the distributor to lean into wholesale and buy exactly what they need and take the uncertainty out of play.”
MDM’s 2Q25 MarketPulse Report (store link)
Short emphasized the strong employee retention from both acquisitions and the importance of cultural alignment. He said key talent from both companies has not only been retained but also integrated into the core business, creating new opportunities for growth.
“No company ever said they had too many great associates or salespeople. We’ve done a really good job not just retaining talent but giving individuals the chance to influence the core business.” – ORS Nasco CEO Kevin Short
Both acquired companies bring different strengths to ORS Nasco’s foundation. R3 Safety — formerly owned by Europe-based Bunzl — offered enterprise-level structure and discipline, while Techniweld brought agility and a loyal customer base as a family-owned business. Short said the cultural fit with both organizations was a critical factor in the success of the deals.
Short, who joined ORS Nasco in January 2020, said he had been familiar with both R3 and Techniweld for years and had built early relationships with leadership at both companies. When the opportunity for deals opened in 2024, ORS was well-positioned to act quickly.
Looking forward, Short confirmed that the company is actively pursuing additional M&A opportunities aligned with its strategic priorities in MRO, welding, JanSan, packaging and fasteners. He noted that there remains a robust pipeline of other industrial wholesalers that are both strategic and cultural fits for ORS, with ORS targeting the MRO industrial space.
“We’re just getting started,” Short said. “No matter how blessed we are to scale, it’s important to act smaller because that’s what customers value most — reliability and simply doing what you say you’ll do.”
