Regardless which path an owner picks, his or her exit will likely be the largest transaction he or she will ever conduct — one that should be handled with extreme care. Here are some tips from a group of advisors who are well-versed in helping HVACR distributors make crucial business decisions, including exit planning.
"Contrary to popular belief, I think that we really do work in a cool industry," Munch said. "It checks a lot of boxes for an industry that fuels enthusiasm, such as technology-focused product segments, rapid growth, networking-focused industry organizations, etc. All these things promote excitement and engagement, and I think that shows.”
Headquartered near Miami, HSC serves customers throughout and beyond its 30-location footprint, mainly in the Southeast U.S. HSC also conducts international sales through an office in Monterrey, Mexico.
For many wholesalers, HVACR distribution runs in their blood. This is evident by the ample number of second-, third-, and fourth-generation owners leading wholesale distributors nationwide.
The Portland Group currently has wholesale branches in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine as well as four retail showroom locations.
As more and more North American manufacturers realize revenue from servitization and end-of-life management, streamlining the aftermarket service value chain is quickly becoming a focus area to improve efficiencies and reduce costs.
“I feel like I learned this industry through trial and error with no one paying attention to everything around me," Miller said. "The industry has changed so much, and I don’t think anything is the same as it was 17 years ago.”