10 Sep 2024

Kian Capital-backed Team Air Distributing (“Team Air”), a renowned wholesale distributor providing OEM-branded HVAC equipment, parts and supplies to residential and commercial contractors, has completed the acquisition of Best Choice Supply (“BCS”), a family-owned HVAC wholesale distributor.

BCS was founded in 1988 and has a long track record of providing high-quality service to the Lexington and Somerset, KY regions. The company is committed to providing exceptional service and high-quality products, focusing on long-term partnerships with its strong and loyal customer base.

Team Air stakeholders

Team Air will have around 200 employees and 12 branch sites, including its corporate center

The move broadens Team Air’s product offering by expanding its parts and supplies business and adding custom metal fabrication to the platform’s capabilities. Team Air will now have approximately 200 employees and 12 branch locations, including its corporate headquarters.

Kian invested in the company in May 2023 and has since seen considerable early success in executing on the firm’s Blueprint for Enduring Value™ to drive growth and value creation for all Team Air stakeholders.

In Q3 2023, less than six months after the platform investment, the company was awarded new exclusive territories in Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and Southern Illinois from its OEM partner American Standard.

BCS and Team Air team

The BCS team is thrilled to join forces with a company that not only shares our culture but has also seen great success in the last two years,” said BCS Chief Operating Officer - Alex Mesalam, whose father, Randy Mesalam, co-founded the company.

Alex Mesalam adds, “A key factor in this decision was the shared family values between the BCS and Team Air team. I look forward to continuing my family’s legacy and serving our longtime customer base in partnership with Team Air.”

Expanded delivery options

Adding BCS to Team Air deepens our existing presence in Kentucky and Indiana, allowing us to provide better market coverage for those customers through expanded delivery options and more pick-up points,” said Team Air President and Chief Executive Officer - Jeff Wallace.

Jeff Wallace adds, “Our goal at the outset of our partnership with Kian was to continuously seek to join forces with parts and supplies-focused distributors to scale the business and expand our line card. The addition of BCS to Team Air does exactly that.”

Residential and commercial HVAC market

Team Air will continue to evaluate strategic and culturally aligned acquisitions in the highly fragmented residential and commercial HVAC market to build density in existing markets and strategically target geographic expansion. The Team Air and BCS partnership aligns seamlessly with Kian’s strategy of working with family - and founder-owned businesses.

Team Air is actively seeking partnerships with like-minded founders with businesses that supply wholesale residential and commercial equipment, parts and supplies, including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical.