Playbook · Industrial Distribution
How to improve inventory accuracy and balance across branches in Industrial Distribution (2026)
Last updated September 2026
Right part, right branch, right time — one view across every DC. 4 steps, in order, for a industrial distribution operation.
What you are working against in Industrial distribution
- Overstocked in one branch, out of stock in another
- Dead stock accumulating across the network with no owner
- Turns and write-offs scrutinized every quarter
Before you start: where Industrial distribution usually sits
| Metric | Typical for Industrial distribution | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Fill Rate | 93–98% | Counter and project fill both matter |
| Inventory Turnover Ratio | 3–5 turns | Top quartile above 5 |
| Days Sales of Inventory | 60–120 days | Top quartile turns inventory in under 75 days |
Published ranges, not targets. Take your own baseline before step one.
The steps
- 1One live view of stock and value across every branch and DC
- 2Reconcile book-to-physical to kill phantom stockouts
- 3Rebalance to the branch that needs it before buying
- 4Protect the counter sale and the fill rate
Why it pays off
Frequently asked questions
How do you tell whether this is working in industrial distribution?
Recompute the same way each period. Fill Rate: Fill Rate = Units Shipped from Stock ÷ Units Ordered. Inventory Turnover Ratio: Inventory Turns = Cost of Goods Sold ÷ Average Inventory. Days Sales of Inventory: DSI = (Average Inventory ÷ Cost of Goods Sold) × 365.
What does Industrial distribution start from?
Fill Rate of 93–98% is the published band for industrial distribution — counter and project fill both matter. The 4 steps above are the same in any sector; the band you start from is not.
See what your inventory is really costing you.
Tell us where the cash is trapped — excess stock, idle surplus, slow RFQs — and we'll show you the outcome Maintained can unlock.