Founded in 1984 and based in Lafayette, Louisiana, Southern Ice is a distributor of food-service and commercial refrigeration equipment, parts, and supplies, including products manufactured by Manitowoc Ice. The company operates seven locations in key Sunbelt markets, including in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Southern Ice will operate under its existing name and under the direction of its current leadership team to provide continuity to customers, employees, and OEM partners, a press release from Watsco said.

In addition to Southern Ice, Watsco has also acquired Lashley & Associates, a distributor of commercial supplies and custom air-movement products based in Houston, Texas, and HVAC Distributors, a distributor of HVAC equipment and supplies with locations in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina.

With these acquisitions, Watsco has added locations and approximately $47 million in annualized sales in high-growth Sunbelt markets, providing the company with more brands, more product offerings, and more distribution points, the press release said.

“We are pleased to welcome these great businesses to the Watsco family,” said Albert H. Nahmad, Watsco’s chairman and CEO. “We look forward to investing in their growth plans, leveraging our transformative technology platforms, and supporting customers and employees as part of our family.”

Since entering distribution in 1989, Watsco has completed 72 acquisitions, including many of multi-generation, family-owned businesses.