When you are in the business of making life run smoothly, dealing with unexpected challenges and seismic changes is all in a day’s work. For Wesco International, it comes down to ingenuity, expertise, and leadership in driving transformation for itself and its customers.
There are endless articles written about how the global economy is trying to adjust to a post-pandemic “new normal” with a range of supply chain issues from soup to nuts…and bolts.
But the truth is: disruption in all its forms is not a new normal. It’s a “forever normal” that Wesco, a leading global supply chain solutions provider based in Pittsburgh, has been helping customers, suppliers and partners navigate for more than a century.
Driving systems-critical innovation on a global scale in the face of a constantly evolving economic ecosystem requires both deep expertise and fearless ingenuity. Serving more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies (including being one itself at No. 200 in 2022), and with approximately $21 billion in revenue in 2022, Wesco has the depth of experience and breadth of resources to move with speed, agility and precision in building tangible supply chain solutions that innovate, transform and deliver.
“Wesco will maintain its global leadership position by undergoing a major digital transformation and unlocking the potential of our big data. We’re investing in best-in-class digital products, AI and machine learning so we can better anticipate customer needs and respond even faster to volatile supply chain developments.”
John J. Engel, Chairman, President and CEO
The Forever Normal
History is full of pandemics, wars and disasters, as well as technological leaps, ground-breaking socio-economic changes and record-shattering innovations. Volatility is a constant that becomes either an obstacle or an opportunity.
Pivoting was part of Wesco’s DNA before DNA was even discovered. Wesco began in 1922, as the distribution arm of Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Corp. by visionary entrepreneur George Westinghouse who wanted to leverage possibilities of railroad technology, natural gas distribution and alternating-current electrical systems. The goal was to bring very real, practical benefits to people across the United States. From lighting highways in the 1940s to lighting up television screens, Wesco has been in the business of delivering ingenuity, convenience and progress for its customers and those they serve.
With an eagle eye for efficiency not just for customers but for its own growth, Wesco moved to acquire the right strategic partners, with more than 50 acquisitions since 1994. After going public in 1999, Wesco (NYSE:WCC) has continued to evolve and expand, today offering more than 1.5 million products and a wide array of consultative services for the electrical and electronic, utility, broadband and communications, and security sectors. With decades of experience, Wesco offers consultative supply chain optimization services for material management, electronic invoicing and vendor managed inventory systems, integrated supply management and more. It designs and implements cost-reduction programs while improving supply chain efficiency and resiliency.
In 2020, Wesco acquired Anixter, a comparably sized company uniting Wesco’s capabilities in industrial, construction and utility with Anixter’s expertise in data communications, security and wire and cable. The global COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges that tested the resiliency of everything from the basic workplace to the complexities of global manufacturing and transport.
Wesco recognized that these problems were guideposts toward a faster, more flexible and technology-enabled future, and the company is driving digitalization as a key priority for itself and its customers.
Getting it Right on a Global Scale
Big goals can seem straightforward. However, the simplest of goals often require the most complex solutions. This is especially true when scaling global systems that cross boundaries and currencies while at the same time driving foundational shifts within a company. Wesco has a long history of proving its expertise and leadership in helping global organizations plan for and deliver worldwide supply chain solutions.
Wesco serves more than 140,000 customers in 50 countries in critical industries including construction, manufacturing, utilities, data and broadband communications, security, government, education and more. Wesco understands the unique challenges and unparalleled complexities required to plan, transform and grow. And whether it’s digitalization or dependability, it’s the people at the heart of Wesco who are leading the way.
Together for Tomorrow
Change doesn’t just happen in bits and bytes. Progress and innovation start at the head and heart of any company, meaning that a company is only as good as its people.
The world is a big place, and big ideas can come from anyone, anywhere. That is why Wesco, with more than 18,000 associates, is continually looking at how to create a more diverse, inclusive and opportunity-driven workplace that delivers the expertise, innovation and trust that customers have come to rely on.
Wesco has been recognized by Forbes as one of the World’s Best Employers and one of America’s Best Employers for Women in 2021 and again in 2022. In October 2022, Wesco was named among the 50 best workplaces for career growth in the inaugural 2022 American Opportunity Index. And, for the last four years, the company has been included in Bloomberg’s Gender Equality Index.
But it’s not just people who matter, it’s the planet, too.
Wesco has committed to, and achieved, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, waste reduction and best-in-class safety performance. More than just leading by example, Wesco helps implement real, practicable solutions in these areas for its customers and partners, helping everyone work toward a sustainable future for every stakeholder on planet Earth.
It may be ambitious to have a mission to deliver life “uninterrupted” when life presents daily change and challenges. But Wesco knows that the only way to secure the future is to lead the way with expertise, ingenuity and innovation.
Company: Wesco International
Headquarters: Pittsburgh, PA
Operations: More than 50 countries
Industry: Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Manufacturing
Revenue: $18.2B
Stock Symbol: WCC
Products: A global leader in electrical, communications and utility distribution and supply chain services providing nearly 1.5M products.
wesco.com
