General Tools & Instruments, New York, NY, has joined Affiliated Distributors' (A-D) Industrial Supply Division as a new preferred supplier.

Now a "9-star" supplier in the Core MRO Circle of Profit category, General has restructured its sales team to better support the industrial/commercial channel and has custom designed a sales program to specifically accommodate A-D Members.

General, established in 1922 in New York City, is now in its third generation of private, family ownership. General’s management team has 101 years of experience in specialty tools, test instruments and the industrial channel of distribution. The General brand is currently sold in more than 18 countries, including: the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, U.K. and France.

Additionally, General sources report that a new international alliance is taking the General brand to more countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Sources say the company’s broad offerings of precision specialty hand tools and test instruments is vital to a wide variety of end user customer segments, encompassing both professionals and DIYers.

A robust new product development system is in place, and sources report more than 25% of all General’s sales for the past three years have come from new products. Existing product lines have also been expanded during this time. Over the past year, General has emerged as a market leader in video inspection systems.

Recent product developments and corporate acquisitions have expanded General’s product line to include over 1,500 precision tools and hand-held instruments.