Formerly | Northern Hydraulics (1981-1998) |
---|---|
Company type | Private |
Industry | Industrial tools retail and manufacturing |
Founded | 1981 |
Founder | Don Kotula |
Headquarters | |
Number of locations | 130 stores (2022) |
Key people | CEO: Suresh Krishna |
Brands | NorthStar, Powerhorse, Klutch, Strongway, Roughneck, Bannon, Ironton, Ultra-Tow, Gravel Gear |
Number of employees | 2,500+ (2022) |
Subsidiaries | Jack's Small Engines |
Website | www |
Northern Tool + Equipment (commonly referred to as Northern Tool) is a manufacturer and retailer of light industrial equipment and do-it-yourself supplies. Founded in 1981 as Northern Hydraulics, the company was officially renamed to Northern Tool + Equipment and is the owner of several private label brands including NorthStar, Powerhorse, Klutch, Strongway, Ultra-Tow, Roughneck, Gravel Gear, Bannon and Ironton which make up a portion of its product line. The company purchased The Golf Warehouse and The Sportsman's Guide in 2012 and sold both in August 2021.
Northern Tool was founded by Don Kotula when he began selling log splitters out of his garage. [1] He originally worked in heavy equipment sales at Ziegler, but left when the business began slumping during the 1981-82 recession. In addition to log splitters, Kotula sold cylinders, valves, and hydraulics with his family members assisting in the sales and order fulfillment. [1] The company's first brick and mortar store was opened in Burnsville, Minnesota in 1981. [2] The company also mailed its first catalog in 1981. The company launched its website, northerntool.com in 1999.
Northern Tool began its own manufacturing business in 1991 with the launch of its NorthStar brand. Northern manufactures tools such as log splitters, generators, pressure washers, sprayers, pumps, and air compressors. [1] Northern Tool operates two manufacturing facilities along with four distribution centers. Northern Tool + Equipment's nine private label brands make up 40 percent of sales. The company launched a website and mail order catalogue in 2008 called Kotula's, named after the founder. [3]
Northern Tool purchased both The Golf Warehouse and The Sportsman's Guide from Redcats in 2012. The operation of both companies were combined, but operated as standalone online retailers. [4] Both subsidiaries were sold to BHG Ventures in 2021. [5]
Northern Tool was the sponsor of the NorthernTool.com 250, a NASCAR series race held at the Milwaukee Mile. The race was held in both 1984 and 1985, but then discontinued until 1993 when it resumed through the 2009 season.
Jewel-Osco is a regional supermarket chain in the Chicago metropolitan area, headquartered in Itasca, a western suburb. In 2007, the company had 188 stores across northern, central, and western Illinois; eastern Iowa; and portions of northwest Indiana. Jewel-Osco has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Boise-based Albertsons since 1999. The company originally started as a door-to-door coffee delivery service before it expanded into delivering non-perishable groceries and later into grocery stores, and supermarkets. Prior to its 1984 acquisition by American Stores, Jewel evolved into a large multi-state holding company that operated several supermarket chains and other non-food retail chain stores located from coast to coast and had operated under several different brand names.
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebranded under its current name with an emphasis on consumer electronics in 1983.
Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is an American department store chain that operates 659 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Men's, Women's, Boys', Girls', Baby, Bedding, Home, Fine Jewelry, Shoes, Lingerie, JCPenney Salon, JCPenney Beauty, as well as leased departments such as Seattle's Best Coffee, US Vision optical centers, and Lifetouch portrait studios.
Western Auto Supply Company—known more widely as Western Auto—was a specialty retail chain of stores that supplied automobile parts and accessories operating approximately 1,200 stores across the United States.
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Farley's & Sathers Candy Company was created as an umbrella company to roll up many small companies, brands and products under a common management team. The confectionery business segment is made up of many small companies, often with intertwined relationships and histories.
Princess Auto is a Canadian retail chain specializing in farm, industrial, garage, hydraulics and surplus items.
Academy Sports + Outdoors is an American sporting-goods store chain with corporate offices in the Katy Distribution Center in unincorporated western Harris County, Texas, United States, near Katy and west of Houston. For 74 years, it was a privately held company owned by the Gochman family, until its May 2011 acquisition by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. On October 2020, it was listed on NASDAQ.
Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) is a large distributor of bicycle parts and accessories in the bicycle industry, based in the United States, with revenues of $150 million in 2008. In addition to wholesaling bicycles and components from other manufacturers, QBP owns and manufactures several brands of its own. QBP also participates in activities which support its community through cycling advocacy and green building.
Golfsmith International Holdings Inc. was an American golf specialty retailer based in Austin, Texas. Each store, along with golfsmith.com, housed a wide selection of golf clubs, shoes, apparel, gadgets and gear from all the major brands as well as proprietary offerings. They also offered custom club fitting, lessons and services for golfers.
Bettcher Industries, Inc. is a developer and manufacturer of cutting tools used in food processing operations and industrial applications. The company, often referred to as just Bettcher, manufactured the first mechanically powered hand-held meat trimmer in 1954. Since then, the company has introduced successive design generations of trimmers which are sold under the Whizard® and Bettcher Quantum® brand names and are used in meat processing plants in the United States and more than 50 other countries.
Sportsman's Guide is an online retailer of hunting and fishing gear, military surplus, ammunition, and outdoor sporting goods. It is based in South St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. The company was founded by Gary Olen in 1970, and the first Sportsman's Guide catalogue was mailed in 1976. In 2012, Sportsman's Guide employed about 700 people.
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