A Playbook Not Seen in Decades

The last distributor to pull off something like this was NB Handy in the 1990s, with help from Mestek’s Vice President of Sales Mike Bailey.

“There’s really no other program like what NB Handy has built in the past 50 years,” Bailey recalled. “Most machinery dealers don’t work the trade the way these guys do – calling on five, six, seven contractors a day, week after week, year after year. That’s how you earn trust, and that’s what makes this new AMS partnership so different.”

Bailey is now helping AMS bring that model west, building a machinery division that’s more than a sales channel – it’s a full-fledged, in-stock, boots-on-the-ground operation.

Expanding Footprint and Stocking Strategy

AMS’s footprint stretches from Ohio inward. “We just opened our Columbus, Ohio facility a little over a year ago,” Hitchcock said. “That's as far East as we go , our other locations  include Indianapolis, Springfield, IL , Springfield, MO two locations in St. Louis, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and Dallas and Austin, Texas.”

Columbus and Dallas serve as stocking hubs. “Columbus is a new facility with extra space, and we recently doubled our Dallas facility to 100,000 square feet,” Hitchcock explained. “Texas is expected to be one of our biggest markets.”

An internal transfer system allows machines to move quickly between branches. “If a machine is in Columbus or Dallas, we can get it to  any of our other locations within a week,” Hitchcock said. Mestek’s manufacturing plants near Cleveland and Cedar Rapids also support efficient logistics. “If we need to pick up a machine, we’ll make a delivery to Cedar Rapids or Cleveland, swing by Mestek, pick up the machine, and bring it back to our facility,” he added.

Machine Lineup and Market Reach

AMS stocks a broad range: “We’re representing the entire Mestek line – Iowa Precision, Lockformer, Engel, Roto-Die – with plasma tables, TDC/TDF  Rollformers, Corner-Matic machines, Pittsburgh, Snaplock, Flangers, and Tennsmith hand brakes. Larger custom coil lines are made to order.”

“This covers diverse markets,” Hitchcock said. “Not just  the larger sheet metal shops but HVAC contractors doing smaller sheet metal work. We work with the mechanical contractors, sheet metal contractors, and duct fabricators. Our bench brakes range from a couple thousand dollars to coil lines over a million.” “The needs vary, but the approach is the same: understand what helps the customer grow and get more efficient.”

AMS is also building a stocking program of common wearable parts, especially for rollformers, while relying on Mestek for complex repairs. “One of our biggest concerns was maintaining the service level on machinery that we have on consumables,” Hitchcock said. “Mestek heard our concern, hired extra staff to help support us, so we’re confident we can maintain relationships.”

EXPANDING: Mestek Machinery equipment awaits delivery inside AMS’s expanded Dallas warehouse, ready to meet surging demand from HVAC contractors across the region.

Consulting, Training, and Customer Support

“Some contractors don’t know what they don’t know,” Hitchcock said. “We see shops doing things they could be doing more efficiently with machines and say, ‘Hey, you know this machine can save you time?’ We present solutions and costs, and then it’s up to the customer to make the determination if it is right for their business”

AMS invests heavily in training its sales teams, sending outside and inside reps to Mestek’s Cleveland and Cedar Rapids facilities and hosting monthly webinars. “We want our staff to become machinery experts,” Hitchcock explained. “Ross Winning, our Machinery Lead, is handling quotes, orders, and ensuring all boxes are checked alongside our sales reps in the field talking directly with our customers.”

AMS also partners with contractors for live demonstrations and plans to join Mestek at the annual AHR Expo, aiming to build a full machinery division with its own show in the future.

Hitchcock detailed the purchasing process: “ The standard in machinery sales is payment in full before shipment.  Contractors usually self finance or obtain outside financing through their banks. Mestek Machinery also offers financing and leasing options. 

Capital Investment and Timing

The partnership launched around June 1, coinciding with the One Big Beautiful Bill, which restored 100% bonus depreciation and increased Section 179 expensing.

“That was dumb luck, a coincidence,” Hitchcock said. “Interest skyrocketed as the new tax rules went into effect. For many customers, it’s the difference between waiting and pulling the trigger.”

Bailey noted, “We’ve been lobbying for this for years, and it’s made a real difference. It’s a great time for contractors to invest.”

Early Success and Future Outlook

“Our activity has grown 1,000% – we’re quoting four or five major proposals a day in five states,” Bailey reported. “Orders from the Midwest have notably increased, reflecting the strong demand and trust contractors have in AMS’s new machinery offering. The reps are energized, the phones are ringing, and customers are seeing the benefit of having machinery locally from people they already trust.”

“It is 100% my job and my regional representative’s job to continue to consult and educate not only the American Metals reps, but the trade in general,” Bailey added.

Mestek continues innovating, integrating Stratus software with machinery for data-driven fabrication. “This is one of those shifts that doesn’t come along often,” Bailey said. “It’s bringing digital transformation to the shop floor.”

AMS and Mestek’s partnership is redefining HVAC distribution in the Midwest – a proven model on the East Coast, thriving anew.