FAST vs NOK Comparison

Fastenal began as an industrial retailer, expanding its product portfolio from nuts and bolts to cutting tools, safety equipment, and janitorial supplies. It transitioned into a distributor by building out a dense network of branches close to its business customers. Once a customer becomes large enough, Fastenal installs vending machines and its own personnel on-site. Today, these on-site locations exceed Fastenal's branch count and remain the firm's main focus for expansion. Fastenal acts as a one-stop outsourcing partner for its industrial customers, offering value-added services along with a wide breadth of maintenance, repair, and operations supplies.

Nokia is a networking equipment vendor focused primarily on supporting wireless networks and, to a growing extent, Internet Protocol and optical systems. The firm operates three segments. The mobile infrastructure segment sells equipment and software used to operate the core of carrier and enterprise wireless networks. Network infrastructure comprises IP, optical, and fixed-network equipment, including switching and routing equipment, optical components, and devices used in fiber-to-the-premises networks. The portfolio business comprises businesses considered noncore to Nokia in the future, including fixed wireless access customer premises equipment, enterprise campus edge, and microwave radio.