Aug 01, 2022
Munch's Supply, the parent company of Lenexa-based based O'Connor Co., has gobbled up another HVAC-related business in the Kansas City area.
Wholesale Sheet Metal, a Kansas City, Kansas-based heating, ventilating, air conditioning and sheet metal provider since 1985, and its brand Pile Protection Tops were sold to the Hillside, Illinois-based company in mid-July.
Pile Protection Tops offers finishing products for drilling companies and deep foundation contractors installing piles in the U.S. and Canada.
"The WSM/PPT acquisition will provide fantastic support in the sheet metal category to our O'Connor Co. business unit, a Trane and American Standard HVAC distributor that has been part of the Kansas City market for more than 100 years," Bob Munch, chief business development officer for Munch's Supply, said in a July 19 release.
Munch's Supply, which has been operating in the Chicagoland area since 1956, entered the Kansas City market in late 2017 with the acquisition of O'Connor Co. Inc., a wholesale distributor of HVAC equipment, parts and tools.
Founded in 1920, O'Connor had grown to seven branches serving portions of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
At the time of the 2017 deal, Munch and O'Connor had a combined 18 branches in eight states. Today, Munch's geographic footprint now extends to 71 locations in 17 U.S. states and one Canadian province.
Prior to the purchase of Wholesale Sheet Metal, Munch's Supply had 51 Kansas City-area employees and more than 1,200 total workers.
"Sheet metal — especially custom orders — has been an area of opportunity in our business for a long time," O'Connor Co. President Greg Borr said in the release. "Many of our customers have bought from WSM and PPT for years. This acquisition is a perfect way to continue to expand our service offerings."
Wholesale Sheet Metal, which has 34 employees, will continue to be run by Tim and Saundra Roche. Owner Patrick Chilen has retired.
"I am incredibly proud of the legacy we have built for almost four decades," Chilen said in a release. "With the help of dedicated employees and customers, we have become an industry leader for custom sheet metal and supplies in our market."
Although the business will become part of O'Connor Co., the company and Pile Protection Tops will retain their brands.
Marcone, a Creve Coeur, Missouri-based distributor of home appliance, HVAC and plumbing repair parts and equipment across North America, acquired Munch's Supply in 2021.
According to the release, Marcone and Munch's Supply "operate with a singular goal — to become the hub for parts and services to the home for both technicians and consumers."
Exert is from the KCBJ.