Mobile abrasives supplier for local trades
Stock a van with sanding discs and grinding wheels and deliver to shops and job sites.
- $8k-30k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
9,605 US businesses with employees in this field, +6.0% in a year
NAICS 423840 “Industrial supplies merchant wholesalers”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A small supply business that buys abrasives such as sanding discs, flap discs, grinding and cut-off wheels and belts from distributors or manufacturers. You carry a core range in a van and restock local trade customers on a regular route.
Your first three steps
- Visit 15 to 20 local shops and job sites to learn what they buy, how often and what they pay now
- Apply for wholesale accounts with a few abrasives distributors or manufacturers and ask about minimum orders
- Set up an LLC and EIN, get your state resale certificate, and line up insurance before your first delivery
Who pays
Auto body shops, metal fabricators, welders, woodworking shops, remodelers and general contractors in your area.
How it makes money
You buy at wholesale and sell at a markup, often with repeat weekly or monthly orders. Delivery convenience and having the right grit in stock let you charge fairly against big-box stores.
Skills that help
- Selling and building relationships with trade customers
- Learning grits, wheel types and which jobs they suit
- Route planning and stock control
Watch out for
- General liability and product liability insurance, since a faulty or wrongly used wheel can cause serious injury
- Commercial auto insurance for a vehicle used for business
- Check your state's rules on resale certificates and collecting sales tax
- Grinding wheels need careful storage and handling; make sure you stock correctly rated products and follow manufacturer guidance
- Cash tied up in stock, and big suppliers can undercut you on price
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: mobile abrasives supplier for local trades
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a mobile abrasives supply business?
Startup costs are typically around $8,000 to $30,000, depending on your van and how much stock you carry. Cash gets tied up in inventory, so starting with a smaller core range can help keep early costs down.
How much can a mobile abrasives supplier earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how many trade customers you serve and how full your route is. That is revenue, not profit, and big suppliers can undercut you on price.
What insurance and rules should I check before starting?
Check general liability and product liability insurance, since a faulty or wrongly used wheel can cause serious injury, plus commercial auto insurance. Also check your state's rules on resale certificates and sales tax, and follow manufacturer guidance on storing grinding wheels.
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