VAI lands ERP deal with merged Imperial Brady

VAI said the newly merged Imperial Brady has chosen its S2K Enterprise ERP platform to run operations across more than 300 North American locations. The rollout is designed to unify financials, distribution and warehouse management for a $10 billion distributor with more than 13,000 employees.

Why it matters: - Imperial Brady is now trying to run a much larger distribution network on one system after merging Imperial Dade and BradyPLUS. - The ERP rollout is meant to improve inventory accuracy, streamline operations and support customer service across janitorial, foodservice and packaging supply lines. - The deal expands VAI's reach in facility supply, foodservice and packaging distribution.

What happened: - VAI announced that Imperial Brady selected VAI's S2K Enterprise ERP solution to power its combined North American operations. - Imperial Brady began operating under that name on May 8, 2026, after the merger of Imperial Dade and BradyPLUS. - The merger formally closed in March 2026. - Imperial Brady is a $10 billion distribution company with a focus on janitorial, foodservice and packaging supply solutions.

The details: - VAI's ERP platform brings financials, distribution and warehouse management into one system. - The software supports barcoded order verification, lot and serial tracking, customizable pricing and kit assembly. - VAI's tools also include future order planning, shopping lists and cross-referenced items. - The combined company has more than 13,000 employees, including about 7,500 from Imperial Dade and 6,000 from BradyPLUS. - The rollout covers more than 300 facilities across North America, including Imperial Dade's 125+ locations and BradyPLUS's 180 distribution centers. - Imperial Brady will use one unified platform to access real-time data across branches for procurement, logistics and localized customer service. - VAI said the system is designed to support scalable growth in the JanSan market.

Between the lines: - The merger creates a distribution organization large enough to justify a single technology stack rather than separate legacy systems. - A unified ERP platform can reduce fragmentation across purchasing, inventory and fulfillment, which matters more as location count and product complexity rise. - Bob Vormittag, president at VAI, said the project represents an opportunity to support the systems and cultures of more than 13,000 employees while preserving a customer-first approach.

What's next: - Imperial Brady will roll out VAI S2K Enterprise across its combined network. - The implementation will centralize operations across branches and is intended to improve efficiency and scale. - VAI said the partnership reflects its focus on serving large, complex distribution organizations.

The bottom line: - Imperial Brady is betting on a single ERP platform to turn a major merger into a more efficient national distribution operation. - VAI gets a marquee customer that underscores its push into large-scale distribution.