They are like Grainger, specializing in mechanical and fluid power industrial components and MRO services for factories.

The Sysco for industrial machinery: they distribute critical parts and provide services to keep factories and heavy equipment operational.

• Bearings and Mechanical Power Transmission Products: These include essential components for machinery such as various types of bearings, belts, chains, gears, and electric motors.
• Fluid Power and Flow Control Products: This category encompasses hydraulic and pneumatic components like pumps, valves, cylinders, hoses, and filtration systems, used for motion and fluid control.
• Automation Products: AIT distributes advanced technologies for industrial automation, including sensors, controls, robotics, and motion control systems.
• Industrial Supplies: This broad range includes maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) products such as hand and power tools, safety equipment, fasteners, and cleaning supplies.
• Engineering and Design Services: AIT provides expertise in designing, optimizing, and troubleshooting industrial systems and applications for its customers.
• Repair, Assembly, and Fabrication Services: These services involve repairing industrial equipment, assembling custom components, and fabricating specialized parts to meet customer specifications.
• Inventory Management Services: Applied Industrial Technologies offers solutions to help customers optimize their MRO inventory levels, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency.
• Predictive and Preventative Maintenance: Services include programs and technologies designed to monitor equipment health, predict potential failures, and extend asset lifespan through proactive maintenance strategies.

Applied Industrial Technologies (Symbol: AIT) - Major Customers

Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) primarily sells to other companies (B2B model).

As a broad-line industrial distributor, AIT serves a highly diversified customer base across numerous industrial sectors. Due to the fragmented nature of its customer base, AIT does not typically have specific "major customer companies" (individual companies accounting for 10% or more of its revenue) that are publicly disclosed by name in its financial filings. Instead, AIT categorizes its customers by the industries or end markets they operate in.

The major categories of customers (industries) that Applied Industrial Technologies serves include, but are not limited to:

• Manufacturing (general industrial)
• Food & Beverage
• Oil & Gas
• Mining
• Pulp & Paper
• Chemicals
• Metals
• Agriculture
• Government
• Utilities
• Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)

These categories represent the diverse types of businesses that rely on AIT for maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) products, fluid power solutions, power transmission products, and related services.

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Neil A. Schrimsher, President & Chief Executive Officer

Neil A. Schrimsher joined Applied Industrial Technologies as Chief Executive Officer in 2011, and his title was expanded to President & CEO in 2013. Prior to joining Applied, he served as Executive Vice President of Cooper Industries, where he led multiple businesses in their Electrical Products Group and spearheaded numerous domestic and international growth initiatives. Before Cooper Industries, Schrimsher worked at Siemens Energy & Automation as Vice President of the Residential Infrastructure Division (2001-2003) and Vice President of Power Distribution & Controls (2003-2006). He began his career at General Electric Company in 1984, holding various positions in GE Lighting, including National Sales Manager and General Manager of Commercial & Industrial Marketing.

David K. Wells, Vice President – Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

David K. Wells joined Applied Industrial Technologies in May 2017 as Vice President – Finance and became Vice President – Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer in August 2017. He is responsible for financial, treasury, and capital management, as well as internal and external financial reporting and investor relations. Before joining Applied, Wells served as Vice President & CFO at Colfax Corporation – ESAB/Fabrication Technologies. His career also includes five years as Vice President & CFO at Apex Tool Group, and extensive industrial experience at both Danaher Corporation and Cooper Industries in various leadership positions.

Kurt W. Loring, Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer

Kurt W. Loring serves as the Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer at Applied Industrial Technologies.

Richard M. Wagner, Chief Accounting Officer & Controller

Richard M. Wagner joined Applied Industrial Technologies in August 2024 as Chief Accounting Officer. In this role, he is responsible for the company's Corporate Accounting functions, SEC reporting, regulatory and financial control compliance, and oversight of the SAP Shared Services, Payables, and Collections groups. Previously, Wagner served as VP, Chief Accounting Officer at Dentsply Sirona.

Jon S. Ploetz, Vice President – General Counsel & Secretary

Jon S. Ploetz joined Applied Industrial Technologies in March 2023 as Vice President – General Counsel & Secretary. He is responsible for the company's global legal affairs, governance and compliance activities, ESG efforts, and corporate secretary duties. Prior to joining Applied, he served at Harsco Corporation, where he held the roles of Vice President, Assistant General Counsel & Assistant Corporate Secretary, and Assistant General Counsel, Corporate & Securities.

Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) faces several key risks, primarily stemming from its operational model and reliance on the broader industrial economy. The three most significant risks include:

1. Macroeconomic Environment and Cyclicality of the Industrial Sector: Applied Industrial Technologies' performance is closely linked to the health of the manufacturing sector, which is inherently cyclical. Future economic downturns in industrial production or shifts in demand could negatively impact the company's sales and overall financial performance.
2. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Execution: AIT's growth strategy significantly relies on mergers and acquisitions. There is always the potential for challenges in sourcing and integrating new businesses. Errors in careful planning, due diligence, and effective integration could hinder the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and adversely affect AIT's financial results.
3. Maintaining Key Supplier Relationships and Managing Supply Chain Disruptions: As a leading industrial distributor, AIT relies heavily on strong supplier relationships to provide components like bearings, power transmission, and automation tools. The loss of key supplier relationships or significant supply chain disruptions could directly impact the company's ability to procure products, serve customers, and consequently affect its results of operations and financial condition.

The increasing penetration and competitive pressure from large e-commerce platforms, particularly Amazon Business, in the industrial B2B distribution space. These platforms leverage superior logistics, vast product catalogs, and streamlined purchasing experiences to offer competitive pricing and convenience, potentially disintermediating traditional distributors like AIT for a growing segment of their MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) and industrial component sales. This mirrors the disruptive impact of Netflix on Blockbuster by offering a more convenient and often lower-cost alternative to traditional distribution models.

Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) operates within several significant addressable markets, primarily as a distributor and technical solutions provider for industrial motion, fluid power, flow control, automation technologies, and related maintenance supplies.

Here are the estimated market sizes for their main product and service categories:

• Industrial Distribution Market: The global industrial distribution market was valued at approximately USD 8.41 trillion in 2024 and is projected to grow to about USD 12.95 trillion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.41% from 2025 to 2034. In the U.S., this market was valued at USD 2.94 trillion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 4.24 trillion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 3.72% from 2025 to 2034. North America held the largest market share, exceeding 40% of the global market.
• Bearings Market: The global bearings market was estimated at USD 120.98 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 226.60 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 9.5% from 2024 to 2030. More specifically, the global industrial bearings market was valued at approximately US$ 185.5 billion in 2024 and is estimated to reach US$ 398.7 billion by the end of 2035, growing at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2025 to 2035. The U.S. bearings market generated a revenue of approximately USD 8.2 billion in 2024, with expectations to reach around USD 19.9 billion by 2034.
• Fluid Power Equipment Market: The global fluid power equipment market size reached USD 51.9 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to USD 90.2 billion by 2033, demonstrating a CAGR of 6.02% during 2025-2033. North America dominated the fluid power equipment market with a 31.5% share in 2024.
• Flow Control Market: The global flow control market is estimated at USD 6.21 billion in 2025 and is anticipated to reach USD 10.21 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 10.45% during the forecast period (2025-2030). Another report indicates a global market value of USD 59.6 billion in 2024, projected to grow to USD 86 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 3.38% from 2024 to 2035.
• Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) Market: The global MRO market size was valued at USD 683.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 842.6 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 2.33% during 2025-2033. The United States MRO market is valued at approximately USD 91 billion.

Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) is expected to drive future revenue growth over the next 2-3 years through a combination of strategic initiatives and favorable market dynamics:

1. Strategic Acquisitions: Acquisitions are a consistent and significant contributor to AIT's sales growth and remain a top capital allocation priority for fiscal 2026. For instance, in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, acquisitions accounted for a 6.3% increase in sales. Recent examples include the January 2025 acquisition of Hydradyne, expected to enhance fluid power offerings and add $260 million in sales, and the May 2025 acquisition of IRIS Factory Automation, aimed at boosting automation offerings.
2. Organic Growth in Service Center Segment: The Service Center segment, which focuses on maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO), is a key driver of organic sales growth. In Q1 FY2026, this segment led organic growth with a 4.4% increase, reflecting strong demand in shorter-cycle maintenance projects and effective internal initiatives.
3. Expansion in Engineered Solutions (Automation & Technology): The Engineered Solutions segment is poised for growth due to improving order trends, particularly in automation, technology, mobile, and industrial verticals. Management anticipates a reacceleration of discrete automation investments in the coming quarters.
4. Pricing Actions: Applied Industrial Technologies expects pricing to contribute to its sales growth. For fiscal year 2026, the company forecasts a pricing contribution of 150-200 basis points.
5. Improving Industrial Market Activity: AIT's leadership is "constructive" regarding its market position as industrial activity gradually strengthens across North America. The company anticipates a "productive demand environment" as macroeconomic clarity continues to emerge, supported by various secular and structural tailwinds in the U.S. industrial economy.

Share Repurchases

• On May 1, 2025, Applied Industrial Technologies' Board of Directors authorized a new share buyback program to repurchase up to 1.5 million shares of common stock, replacing a prior authorization.
• As of December 31, 2024, the company had 974,624 shares remaining under a previous repurchase authorization from August 2022 to buy back up to 1.5 million shares.
• In the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 (ended October 2025), AIT completed a $98.74 million share buyback, repurchasing 204,136 shares for $53.2 million at an average price of $260.49.

Outbound Investments

• Applied Industrial Technologies has made 9 acquisitions in the last five years, with a focus on expanding its automation and fluid power offerings.
• The company completed the acquisition of Hydradyne, LLC for $272 million in November 2024, enhancing its fluid power solutions and service capabilities. This acquisition is expected to contribute approximately $260 million in sales and $30 million in EBITDA within the first 12 months.
• Other key acquisitions include Grupo Kopar in May 2024 (expanding its automation platform into Mexico) and the September 2023 acquisitions of Bearing Distributors and Cangro Industries (strengthening its U.S. footprint).

Capital Expenditures

• Capital expenditures are a component of the company's capital deployment, which totaled $251 million in fiscal year 2024, encompassing M&A, debt reduction, dividends, and share buybacks.
• The company emphasizes a returns-based approach to capital investment decision-making.
• Capital investments are focused on operational excellence, including investments in technology, analytics, and talent, to strengthen its competitive position, drive organic growth, and enhance operating efficiencies.