Core & Main

Core & Main is a specialized distributor of water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection products and related services. It supplies municipalities, private water companies, and professional contractors across municipal, non-residential, and residential end markets in the United States and Canada with the materials used to build, repair, and maintain water and sewer systems: pipe, valves and fittings, clamps, couplings and tapping sleeves, water meters, stormwater retention products, and fire protection equipment.

The business runs through branches rather than a central warehouse. The company operates more than 370 locations backed by a national supply chain, and its fire protection arm adds large inventories, fabrication facilities, and stock listing services. Customer and supplier credit applications, terms of purchase, and branch lookup are handled from the site.

Growth has come largely by combining companies: the site says the business is built on the foundation of more than 100 legacy companies, and it runs an active mergers and acquisitions program aimed at independent distributors, who it says keep their local presence and independence after joining. It also publishes ESG reporting, with a 2022 report available for download.

Core & Main is based in St. Louis and operates as Core & Main LP. Its associate count is stated two different ways on the site, 5,600 on the home page and 5,700 on the vision, mission and values page. Prices are not published; quoting runs through the local branch, and installation labor is not part of the offering.