Ace Hardware is the world's largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative, operating across more than 60 countries. Founded in 1924, the company is organized around a model of more than 5,800 independently owned and operated stores. Its retail locations sell hardware, home improvement supplies, paint, replacement parts, and offer repair advice.
While not a technology company, Ace Hardware's scale requires significant enterprise infrastructure to support supply chain coordination, inventory management, and point-of-sale systems across its global network. Its cooperative structure means that store owners are members who participate in the business's governance and share in its financial performance.
The company's culture is guided by the W.E.L.I.G.H.T. principles: Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork. The company encourages a community-focused model, with each store independently owned by individuals embedded in the neighborhoods they serve. It has been known as "The Helpful Place" for nearly a century.
