Do It Best Corp. announces merger
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Fort Wayne-based Do It Best Corp. has announced a merger with United Hardware, a wholesale hardware distributor headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
The member-owned hardware, lumber and building materials cooperative said Thursday that the deal will grow its membership by 20%.
United Hardware serves more than 700 independent hardware retailers through its distribution center in Milbank, South Dakota. The retailers are located in 16 states in the Upper Midwest.
The combined company will continue to operate under the Do It Best brand, with all central functions moving to the Do It Best headquarters at Electric Works in Fort Wayne.
“This partnership represents a shared commitment to exceptional service, quality products, and a comprehensive range of programs to empower independent home improvement business owners, as well as our deep-seated belief in the co-op model and our dedication to drive member growth in an increasingly competitive market,” Do It Best CEO Dan Starr said in a news release.
United Hardware’s origins date back to 1945 and today, the company is reporting annual sales of nearly $200 million. A spokesperson for Do It Best declined to specify how many employees the company has.
Do It Best, which relocated from New Haven to Fort Wayne to serve as the anchor tenant for the Electric Works mixed-use innovation district in late 2022, is the largest private company in Indiana with more than $5 billion in annual revenue and nearly 1,700 total employees, including about 470 in the Hoosier State, according to IBJ research.
“We’re energized by the economic prospects this merger brings to local communities, including Fort Wayne and beyond,” Starr said. “There’s no limit to what we can accomplish with our combined strengths and resources.”