Alamo Iron Works is now an Industrial Distribution Group company.

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A new chapter in Texas construction history modifies the quotation from Blakely, a lawyer and businessman with interests in real estate, ranching, banking and insurance: “Texas is neither southern nor northern. Texas is Texas.”

That is to say that North Texas construction companies can expect to see economic and supply purchasing benefits from a deal finalized in June: Industrial Distribution Group (IDG) has purchased Alamo Iron Works (AIW) of San Antonio.

“Our commitment to Texas overall will provide the construction and contractor community an array of products and services under a single organizational framework. We believe this will give greater value to the construction community over the option of buying these products and services from several companies,” explained Scott Prince, Lead Director, IDG Board.

The 135-year-old AIW played an integral role in the historic development of San Antonio and South Texas, but it fell into bankruptcy. Its revenues dropped from $109 million in 2008 to $50 million expected this year.

Prince says the goal is to restore AIW to prominence, bring it back stronger, and retain its historic brand under the name “Alamo Iron Works, an Industrial Distribution Company.”

IDG is looking for ways to leverage this purchase to “launch a greater array of services and bring the breadth of our product offer to the North Texas market,” according to Prince.

IDG distributes 400,000 products from 10,000 suppliers to more than 15,000 customers in North America and China. The nature of IDG’s products and those historically of AIW are a strategic fit with little overlap, he says.

Significantly, IDG has vital integrated supply chain management and processes that have never been available to AIW previously. AIW, which has provided products for many of Texas’ historic buildings and economic-powerhouse facilities, will gain access to IDG’s industrial distribution infrastructure in a way that promises benefits for AIW’s customer base, the region, and all of Texas.

“We have a number of customers throughout North Texas and Central Texas and we will be able to serve them more efficiently through our new location base in San Antonio,” he said.

Industrial Distribution Group (IDG) is a leading national supplier of industrial products and supply chain solutions. –mh

©2010 Construction News, Ltd.