PM Industrial Supply, a Southern California metalworking distributor approaching its 70th anniversary, has successfully transitioned to third-generation leadership despite widespread industry consolidation. Brothers Zack and Jason Gerin have taken the helm from their father Barry, continuing a family legacy that began in New York and relocated to California in 1969.
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A Cross-Country Legacy Built on Independence
The Gerin family’s distribution journey began with patriarch Mark Gerin, who started as a sales representative for Sid Tool Company in New York during the 1950s. After leaving what would become industry giant MSC Industrial Supply, Mark began buying job lots and selling them throughout New York before establishing his first warehouse in Brooklyn. “Ultimately, he opened his own little — call it a warehouse,” recalled Barry Gerin, now company chairman. “It was a storefront in Brooklyn and, ultimately, he took on a partner and started growing.”
Mark Gerin’s vision always extended beyond the East Coast. “He always wanted to come to California,” Barry said, noting that his father “used to run away to California, if you could believe that.” In 1969, following his mother-in-law’s passing, Mark’s wife agreed to relocate the family and business approximately 2,800 miles west. The company established itself in Los Angeles’s Chatsworth neighborhood, initially serving end users in the San Fernando Valley before expanding throughout Southern California.
Navigating Modern Distribution Challenges
Today, PM Industrial faces intensified competition in an industry experiencing seemingly constant consolidation. Zack Gerin, the company’s new president, explained that the competitive landscape has shifted dramatically. “Ten or 15 years ago… we would deal with our suppliers and have access to certain lines that maybe were exclusive,” he said. “As more and more independent distributors got consolidated, it’s become harder for suppliers to give that exclusivity to the distributors.”
The company now competes not only on price but on product lines it originally introduced to the market. Despite these challenges, Zack maintains that independence remains “a big strength” that helps PM Industrial stand out. “We’ve found that as other independents get absorbed into the bigger companies, they’re looking for cost savings and streamlining operations,” he noted, adding that customers report losing the personal touch that smaller distributors provide. According to industry analysis, merger and acquisition activity in industrial distribution remains strong, making PM Industrial’s sustained independence increasingly rare.
Service as Strategic Advantage
As price competition intensifies, PM Industrial is doubling down on service capabilities to maintain customer relationships. The company is developing a coolant monitoring and maintenance program as part of its strategy to position itself as “a strategic partner, not just a supplier.” Zack Gerin emphasized that “We’re always looking for new ways to add value to the customer. We don’t just go to customers and say, ‘Hey, we can give you this for cheaper than what you’re buying it for.’”
Operational improvements have been central to the company’s recent strategy. “Over the past, I would say, 10 years, we’ve been working hard on just improving the company — not just growing, but improving operational efficiencies,” Zack explained. Initiatives include expanding vendor-managed inventory programs and consolidating transactions to reduce operational load while maintaining growth. The Industrial Supply Association, of which PM Industrial is a longtime member, emphasizes that such service differentiation is crucial for independent distributors competing against larger entities.
Building for the Fourth Generation
The Gerin brothers grew up in the business, working alongside their father from a young age. Jason Gerin, now warehouse supervisor, recalled that “The more and more I got involved, the more I realized that it’s something I wanted to keep being a part of.” This sentiment reflects the company’s family atmosphere, which extends beyond the Gerin family to include many long-term employees.
“A lot of people here have been working here for a long time,” Jason noted. “And that just shows how nice it is here.” Zack added that the company culture his father built — “made of really strong, really good people with a good culture of working together” — remains intact even as the company has grown to over 30 employees. According to workplace culture research, such environments contribute significantly to business longevity and employee retention.
Barry Gerin expressed profound satisfaction in watching his sons take the business beyond what he accomplished. “I don’t have the capability that Zack does: he went to school for this; I [just] worked for my dad,” he said. “But it’s just the greatest joy to come in, and the boys are there. I’ve just always loved it.” The family already anticipates the next generation’s involvement, with Zack joking that “it’s only a matter of time” before the next wave of Gerin children begins weekend visits to the warehouse.
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