, ▁Inc ., ▁is ▁a ▁Port ▁Washington , ▁New ▁York ▁based ▁company ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁provider ▁of ▁industrial ▁and ▁M RO ▁( main ten ance , ▁repair , ▁and ▁operating ▁supply ) ▁products ▁through ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁brand ed ▁e - Com merce ▁websites ▁and ▁relationship ▁mark eters ▁in ▁North ▁America . ▁The ▁primary ▁brand ▁is ▁Global ▁Indust rial . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁as ▁Global ▁Equ ip ment ▁Company , ▁a ▁materials ▁handler . ▁It ▁first ▁entered ▁direct ▁market ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁began ▁market ing ▁computer ▁equipment ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁It ▁changed ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁Global ▁Direct mail ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁and ▁to ▁System ax ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Sub s idi aries ▁and ▁divisions ▁Sub s idi aries ▁and ▁divisions ▁of ▁System ax , ▁Inc . ▁include ▁Global ▁Indust rial , ▁N ex el , ▁Inf ot el , ▁C & H ▁Dist rib utors ▁and ▁Avenue ▁Indust rial ▁Supp ly ▁Company . ▁ ▁Ac quisition ▁of ▁Comp USA ▁On ▁January ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁System ax ▁Inc . ▁announced ▁an ▁agreement ▁on ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁the ▁Miami - based ▁Comp USA ▁brand , ▁tra dem arks , ▁and ▁e - commerce ▁business , ▁and ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 1 6 ▁Comp USA ▁ret ail ▁out lets ▁in ▁Florida , ▁Texas , ▁and ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁The ▁first ▁new ▁Comp USA ▁store