Gexpro

When working with electricity, Gexpro feels quite at ohm with watt industry needs. The company, once a unit of  General Electric, is a global distributor of electrical, voice, and data products. Its inventory of products -- from GE and more than 200 other manufacturers -- includes such items as cable and wire, conduits, industrial controls, electrical distribution equipment, lighting products, motors, and power conditioning devices. Gexpro also offers supply chain and support services. In 2006 Rexel acquired GE Supply for $725 million in cash; it changed the unit's name to Gexpro the following year. Gexpro continues to operate as a stand-alone organization, with more than 150 locations on four continents.

Gexpro operates a hub-and-spoke network, with direct overnight delivery service to customers in hub-serviced areas. Its Global Sales Center serves as a central contact point for small and medium-size customers, and its Global Account Management group supports large, multi-location customers. Gexpro dates back to 1904, when GE started buying electrical distributors. In 1929 GE consolidated 22 distributors into one entity, christened GE Supply.

Rexel retained the right to use the GE Supply name until early 2008. With the consulting help of Landor Associates, GE Supply was renamed Gexpro in 2007. The name refers to both GE and Rexel, while also referring to "excellence" and "professionalism," according to the company. Gexpro actually is a DBA name for the company, which is officially known as General Supply & Services, Inc.

Under Rexel management, the company reorganized into two big organizations: Gexpro Electrical Distribution, which includes the company's Parts Super Center, and Gexpro Services, a provider of supply chain management services offering managed inventory programs. In 2008 Gexpro acquired Beacon Electric Supply, a small distributor based in San Diego.