United Hardware and Do it Best announced the intention to merge, creating one of the industry’s leading cooperatives aimed at delivering “unparalleled support” to member-owners.
“We are embarking on a significant milestone in our journey as a cooperative that will change our future for the good,” United Hardware president and CEO Chad Ruth said. “By aligning with a like-minded co-op, we’re better positioned to serve our members and help them win the marketplace.”
According to the companies, the merger is expected to deliver significant benefits to member-owners, employees, and customers through enhanced scale, efficiency, and innovation.
“We believe deeply in the power of the co-op model. It’s about partnership, mutual growth, and shared success,” Do it Best president and CEO Dan Starr said. “United Hardware joining us is not just a merger. It’s a declaration of our belief in this model, a belief in partnering with our members to compete and win.”
Maple Grove, Minn.-based United Hardware is a full-line wholesale hardware distributor servicing independent retailers across the country. The company services retailers from its Milbank, S.D., distribution center and delivers an extensive product line to more than 700 stores in the Midwest.
Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Do it Best is a member-owned hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative with annual sales of nearly $5 million.
