Maintenance, repair and operations (MRO)
Also called maintenance, repair and operating supplies
Reviewed by Dasha ShakovVP Marketing, Proton
Updated
What is MRO?
Maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) supplies are what a business uses to keep its buildings, equipment and people working, not what it makes or sells. An MRO distributor sells these supplies: tools, fasteners, lubricants, bearings, janitorial and safety products, electrical and plumbing parts, and similar items.
How it works
MRO buying is frequent, unplanned and spread across thousands of low-cost items. MRO distributors therefore compete on availability, speed and ease of ordering, and on services such as vendor-managed inventory, vending machines on the customer’s floor and integrated supply.
MRO example
When a conveyor belt snaps late on a Tuesday, the bottling plant’s maintenance manager orders a replacement belt, two bearings and a can of lubricant from its MRO distributor for delivery the next morning.
Related terms
- Original equipment manufacturer (OEM)An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is a company that makes finished products or equipment, such as machines or vehicles, under its own brand.
- Industrial distributionIndustrial distribution is the part of wholesale distribution that supplies factories, plants and utilities with the parts, tools and supplies they run on.
- Integrated supplyIntegrated supply is an arrangement in which a distributor takes over most or all of a customer’s purchasing, stocking and storeroom work for a category.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)Personal protective equipment (PPE) is gear worn to protect a worker from injury or exposure, such as gloves, safety glasses, hard hats and respirators.
- Vendor-managed inventory (VMI)Vendor-managed inventory (VMI) is an arrangement in which a distributor or manufacturer keeps a customer’s stock filled to agreed levels.
