HVAC distributor acquires Coastal Supply, RJ Murray

Northeast HVAC distributor Hills Distribution has acquired New York companies Coastal Supply and RJ Murray for undisclosed sums, adding to the wave of distributor consolidation.

The big picture: The deals come just weeks after another Northeast distributor, Standard Air, was acquired by Koch Air.

What’s happening: Hills Distribution was formed as a parent company in 2024, following private equity firm Grove Mountain Partners’ acquisition of Plimpton & Hills, a Connecticut-based distributor. 

• Coastal Supply and RJ Murray, the oldest operating Carrier distributor in the world, serve contractors across New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
• “We are delighted to have been able to align with these two great companies which we have studied and watched with appreciation for some time,” said Hills’ chairman Stephen Fraser. 

What’s next: Both companies are family-run, and their leadership will remain in place. 

• “In addition to these acquisitions, Hills Distribution is actively seeking additional partners… around the northeast,” Fraser added.