The first group is comprised of Bain
Capital LLC, Carlyle Group and Clayton Dubilier & Rice Inc. That last
company recently agreed to buy ServiceMaster Co. The other includes Thomas H.
Lee Partners LP and CCMP Capital Advisors LLC.
At least a few of the players aren’t
strangers to investing in the professional contractor supply market. Clayton
Dubilier & Rice had previously bid on Hughes Supply, but lost out to Home
Depot. Lee Partners and CCMP sold National Waterworks to Home Depot, which is
now a part of HD Supply.