McMaster-Carr
American industrial supply company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
McMaster-Carr Supply Company is a private American supplier of hardware, tools, raw materials, industrial materials, and maintenance equipment. They function as a business-to-business company.[2] The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Elmhurst, Illinois, with distribution centers in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey; Santa Fe Springs, California; Douglasville, Georgia and Aurora, Ohio.[3][4] A new distribution center and regional headquarters began construction in June 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas, with completion expected in 2027.[5]
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Industrial supply |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Headquarters | Elmhurst, Illinois |
Number of employees | 3,001[1] |
| Website | www |
History
The company was founded in 1901 at 160 East Lake street in Chicago as the McMaster-Davis Supply Company.[6][7] Starting with $50,000 in investor capital, its founders were T.J. McMaster, a former stationary engineer, and F.C. Davis, who had been a chief engineer in the U.S. Navy.[6][8] In 1904, an attorney with a background in mechanical engineering named Walter S. Carr purchased the company.[9] As early as 1908, the name of the company had been changed from McMaster-Davis to McMaster-Carr.[10][11]
Harry and James Channon, the sons of Henry Channon the founder of the H. Channon company, a large Chicago distributor of maritime and steam engine supplies, later purchased the company.[12]