Industrial distribution · B2B

Industrial supply distributor, Greater Lisbon

Thirty years supplying components to Portuguese manufacturers and construction firms. Solid book of accounts, paper catalog, visit-and-phone sales. Two competitors recently digitalised. The founder is in his early sixties and the management load is starting to weigh.

The starting point

Industrial supply distributor, Greater Lisbon

Long-standing relationships with industrial buyers, recurring orders, but a 200-page printed catalog and an order workflow that lives in the heads of four sales reps. Newer procurement officers expect digital ordering and live stock visibility, and quietly route their easy orders elsewhere. The founder still does pricing, key-account contact and the bank — and his evenings.

What BTJT brought

Digital catalog with live stock visibility and a B2B portal for repeat orders. CRM tying contacts to historical orders and renewal alerts. Account-scoring framework so the sales reps focus on accounts that grow rather than accounts that simply remain. Lightweight ERP integration so quotes and invoices flow without manual rekeying. Recruitment of a junior commercial-administrative profile to absorb the daily ops.

Where things stand today

Active accounts up materially against a flat market, with most of the new accounts coming from procurement-portal listings and clean B2B SEO. The founder moved into a chairman-style role focused on the top fifteen relationships and the bank. The sales team has clear targets they can read on a dashboard, and the recruitment of two more reps is in progress.

What this case shows

B2B distributors carry decades of relational equity that the digital gap quietly erodes. Closing the gap is not glamorous, but it stops the silent leakage and reopens growth on terms that fit a senior owner's life.

If you run a B2B distribution business that still works on a printed catalog and your inbox, and you can feel the procurement world moving without you — that is exactly the situation this approach is designed for.

Does this resemble your situation?

Submit your situation. We respond within five business days, with no commitment. Everything you share is confidential.

Submit your situation

Composite scenario. Names, regions and figures have been altered to protect the identity of the people and businesses concerned. The dynamics described reflect engagements we work on.