MSC Industrial Supply acquires Kar Industrial

MSC Industrial Supply Co., a distributor of Metalworking and Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) products and services to industrial customers throughout North America, has acquired KAR Industrial Inc. (KAR), a metalworking distributor supplying measuring and cutting tools, machine tool accessories and other manufacturing related supplies across Canada’s industrial landscape.

KAR will continue to operate under its current names, including its Duramill and Omnitool divisions, as an MSC company. Ward Meek, president of KAR, will continue to manage the daily operations. KAR was founded in 1954 in Montreal and has a deep history in the Canadian market. KAR operates three facilities in Mississauga, Montreal, and Edmonton for total country coverage. It has estimated revenues of $16 million in 2023 and has a total
of 45 associates across Canada.

MSC plans to build on KAR’s metalworking technical expertise, knowledge of the Canadian market and value-added services by offering KAR’s customers access to MSC’s 2.4 million-plus product portfolio to support their full metalworking and MRO needs, as well as by providing an E-commerce sales channel through mscdirect.com.

MSC president and CEO Erik Gershwind said, “The addition of KAR Industrial Inc. expands our metalworking footprint in Canada. Their expertise in metalworking and industrial distribution aligns well with our commitment to helping customers solve their mission-critical challenges and improve the productivity of their operations.”

“MSC is an industry leader in metalworking with a strong heritage of supporting customers in this space. We are looking forward to combining our metalworking expertise with MSC’s to bring even greater value and success to manufacturing customers,” said Meek.