NB Handy
HANDY Distribution is a family-owned wholesale distributor founded in 1891, operating 15 branches across five Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states to supply HVAC, commercial roofing, steel, and machinery products to contractors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1891
- HeadquartersLynchburg, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NB Handy does
NB Handy, doing business as HANDY Distribution, is a privately held wholesale distributor of HVAC, commercial roofing, steel/metal, and machinery products founded in 1891 and owned by the same family for more than 125 years (now 135 years). The company operates 15 branch and warehouse locations across five Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states — Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia — serving residential, light commercial, and industrial HVAC contractors, commercial roofing contractors, and metal fabricators. The corporate headquarters and a nearly 50,000 square foot metal processing center are located in Lynchburg, Virginia, with additional Florida locations in Davenport and Ft. Myers.
The company's product portfolio spans four core categories: HVAC products (duct and air distribution, coil and sheet metal, equipment/accessories/supplies, and roof curbs), commercial roofing (low slope TPO/EPDM/PVC systems, metal roofing systems, roofing metals, and support services), a Steel Center offering cut-to-length galvanized, galvannealed, stainless steel, and aluminum processed on an Iowa Precision Multi-Pro IV Coil Line, and HVAC/roofing machinery. Underlying technology consists of conventional wholesale-distribution infrastructure — branch-based counter sales, an online customer portal for ordering and invoicing, and a Remnant Coil Calculator tool — supplemented by value-added technical services such as shop drawings, engineering calculations, energy savings analysis, and metal takeoffs. NB Handy holds exclusive regional distribution rights for Sentrigard Metal Systems' Sentriclad Architectural Metals and distributes major manufacturer lines including Samsung HVAC, Allied Air Commercial, Carlisle Syntec, GAF, Johns Manville, and Versico.
Revenue is generated through hardware sales across the four product categories, with go-to-market executed via field sales representatives, mobile equipment specialists, branch counter sales, and the self-serve online portal for registered credit-account customers. The company operates under the ARCO Innovations umbrella, achieves an order fulfillment ratio of 96% or better, and carries nearly $30 million in inventory across its distribution network. Pricing is account-based and not publicly disclosed; new customers must apply for credit account status.
NB Handy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NB Handy
- Legal name
- NB Handy Distribution
- Website
- https://nbhandy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1891
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- HANDY Distribution is a family-owned wholesale distributor founded in 1891, operating 15 branches across five Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states to supply HVAC, commercial roofing, steel, and machinery products to contractors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NB Handy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Materials Wholesale Distribution
- NAICS
- Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423840), Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers (423510), Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Wholesale-Construction & Mining (No Petro) Machinery & Equip (5082)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Construction, Hardware & MRO Supply Clubs (Trades/Contractors) (CRAEAEAG)
Keywords
Where NB Handy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lynchburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices15 records
Markets served
NB Handy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- HVAC Products Distribution: Wholesale distribution of HVAC fabrication and installation products including duct and air distribution, coil and sheet metal, equipment, accessories and supplies. Revenue generated through product sales to contractors.
- Commercial Roofing Products Distribution: Distribution of commercial roofing products including low slope systems, metal roofing systems, and roofing metals. Sells single-ply commercial roofing, architectural metal roofing, and related supplies.
- Steel Products Distribution: Distribution of steel products including galvanized, galvannealed, stainless steel, and aluminum through company steel centers. Processes and ships steel products from company facilities.
- Machinery Distribution: Distribution of HVAC and roofing machinery including fabrication equipment, installation tools, and equipment accessories.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Account-based pricing for registered customers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
NB Handy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NB Handy (HANDY Distribution) is a wholesale distributor of HVAC products, commercial roofing systems, steel/metal products, and machinery to contractors across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast United States. The company maintains 15 branch locations carrying nearly $30 million in inventory, operates a state-of-the-art metal processing center in Lynchburg, VA, and provides complementary technical support services including engineering calculations, shop drawings, and metal takeoffs.
Product overview
NB Handy (HANDY Distribution) is a wholesale distributor of commercial building materials operating across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions. The company offers a multi-category product portfolio organized into four core business segments: (1) HVAC Products including duct & air distribution, coil & sheet metal, equipment/accessories/supplies, and roof curbs; (2) Commercial Roofing encompassing low slope systems (TPO, EPDM, PVC from Carlisle, GAF, Johns Manville, Versico), metal roofing (exclusive Sentrigard/Sentriclad systems), roofing metals, and support services; (3) Steel Center featuring a state-of-the-art metal processing facility with cut-to-length capabilities for galvanized and galvannealed products; and (4) Machinery for HVAC and roofing applications. The company provides related technical support services including energy analysis, wind calculations, tapered insulation design, shop drawings, and metal takeoffs. NB Handy distributes products from major manufacturers including Samsung, Allied Air, Carlisle, GAF, Johns Manville, Versico, and Sentrigard.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HVAC Products Distribution Wholesale distribution of HVAC fabrication and installation products, equipment, sheet metal, and sheet metal fabricating equipment for residential, light commercial, and industrial applications. Serves HVAC contractors.
- Commercial Roofing Distribution Wholesale distribution of commercial roofing products including low slope and metal roofing systems, architectural metals, and accessories. Serves commercial roofing contractors.
- Sentrigard Metal Systems (Exclusive Distribution) Exclusive distribution of Sentrigard Metal Systems featuring Sentriclad architectural metals for commercial and residential applications, including custom metal roofing and wall panel systems with proprietary Kynar 500 PVDF coatings.
- Steel Center (Metal Processing) State-of-the-art metal processing center in Lynchburg, VA processing galvanized, galvannealed steel in sheets and coils with cut-to-length capabilities. Processes and ships steel products for metal fabrication customers.
- Machinery Distribution Wholesale distribution of HVAC and roofing machinery equipment including fabrication tools and machinery for duct work and metal roofing installation. Serves contractors needing equipment for fabrication and installation.
- Low Slope Roofing Support Services Technical support services for commercial roofing projects including energy savings analysis, wind uplift calculations, roof system consultation, tapered insulation design, and custom accessory quotes. Serves commercial roofing contractors.
- Metal Roofing Support Services Engineering support services for metal roofing projects including shop drawings, site-specific engineering calculations, and metal takeoff services.
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% or better order fulfillment ratio
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use NB Handy
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
NB Handy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
NB Handy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Carlisle SynteccoreSales alignment with Carlisle Syntec for commercial roofing products in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina for over 25 years. Represents Carlisle Single Ply roofing systems with full technical support services including roof consultations and energy savings analysis.
- GAFcoreDistributes full line of GAF Commercial Roofing Systems in Georgia including single-ply TPO and PVC roofing products as well as asphalt built-up roofing and polymer-modified bituminous roofing products.
- Johns ManvillecoreOffers Johns Manville roofing products at Norfolk, Richmond, and Roanoke branches. Johns Manville provides a complete product offering designed to perform at a superior level.
- VersicocoreOffers Versico roofing products at NC and SC branch locations. Versico is positioned as one of the top three single-ply roofing system manufacturers in the U.S. Product offerings include VersiGard EPDM, VersiWeld TPO, VersiFlex PVC, and complete insulation and accessory products.
- Sentrigard Metal SystemscoreExclusive distributor of Sentrigard Metal Systems featuring Sentriclad Architectural Metals. Sentrigard has set a new standard in contractor manufacturing with state-of-the-art machinery for residential or commercial applications.
- Samsung HVACmajorCarries full line of Samsung HVAC products including ductless, VRF, rooftop units, package heat pumps, split systems, air handlers, and gas furnaces.
- Allied Air CommercialmajorDistributes Allied Air Commercial unitary equipment products.
- CONCORDmajorDistributes CONCORD unitary equipment products.
- MRP SupportsminorProvides paver support products as part of the Carlisle Plaza Paver System offering.
- Carlisle Coatings & WaterproofingmajorOffers Carlisle waterproofing solutions including below grade, above grade, and blindside applications with over 45 years of industry leadership.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NB Handy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Russel Metals: Major North American metals distributor with service centers distributing steel, aluminum, and stainless products. Comparable on Steel Center metal processing capabilities, though operates at much larger national and industrial scale.
- Kloeckner Metals: Global metal service center distributing flat-rolled steel, aluminum, and stainless products with processing capabilities. Comparable metal processing and distribution model, though operates at significantly larger international scale.
- Ferguson Enterprises: Largest U.S. distributor of plumbing, HVAC, and waterworks products serving residential, commercial, and industrial contractors. Comparable as a multi-vertical specialty distributor to HVAC/trade contractors, though at much larger national scale and broader product breadth.
- HD Supply (now White Cap): Large U.S. distributor of construction supplies, tools, and specialty products to professional contractors. Comparable in serving commercial construction contractors with building product distribution, though with broader product and customer scope.
Direct peers
- SRS Distribution: Leading U.S. wholesale distributor of roofing, HVAC, and building products serving contractors. Highly comparable as a multi-state specialty distributor targeting the same roofing and HVAC contractor base with similar product mix and field sales model.
- ABC Supply Co. Largest wholesale distributor of roofing and building products in North America with 900+ branches. Directly comparable on commercial roofing distribution product lines (TPO, EPDM, metal roofing) and contractor customer base, though at significantly greater scale.
- Lansing Trade Group: Wholesale distributor of flat-rolled steel and metal products operating service centers in the eastern and central U.S. Comparable on metal service center operations and flat-rolled steel processing/distribution to industrial and contractor customers.
- Winsupply: U.S. wholesale distributor of plumbing, HVAC, and building products with a decentralized branch network serving contractors. Comparable business model of regional branch-based contractor distribution with HVAC and building products overlap.
- Johnstone Supply: Cooperative wholesale distributor of HVACR parts, equipment, and supplies serving independent contractors across the U.S. Comparable on HVAC distribution to contractors with similar multi-branch regional model and technical support services.
Regional players
- Reliable Heating & Cooling (RHC) / formerly Goodman Distribution: HVAC product distributor serving contractors in the U.S. Southeast with Daikin/Goodman brands. Comparable on HVAC distribution to contractors in the Southeast U.S. with regional branch coverage similar to NB Handy's footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NB Handy social profiles
Digital presenceNB Handy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NB Handy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
NB Handy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NB Handy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NB Handy
What does NB Handy do?
NB Handy (HANDY Distribution) is a wholesale distributor of HVAC products, commercial roofing systems, steel/metal products, and machinery to contractors across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast United States. The company maintains 15 branch locations carrying nearly $30 million in inventory, operates a state-of-the-art metal processing center in Lynchburg, VA, and provides complementary technical support services including engineering calculations, shop drawings, and metal takeoffs.
Is NB Handy a public or private company?
NB Handy is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was NB Handy founded?
NB Handy was founded in 1891. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is NB Handy based?
NB Handy is headquartered in Lynchburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does NB Handy make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. HVAC Products Distribution is the primary driver. The others are commercial Roofing Products Distribution, steel Products Distribution and machinery Distribution.
Who are NB Handy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Russel Metals, Kloeckner Metals, Ferguson Enterprises and HD Supply (now White Cap). Direct peers are SRS Distribution, ABC Supply Co., Lansing Trade Group, Winsupply and Johnstone Supply. Reliable Heating & Cooling (RHC) / formerly Goodman Distribution is listed as a regional player.
Does NB Handy have an API?
No public API is recorded for NB Handy.
What industry is NB Handy in?
NB Handy's product category is Building Materials Wholesale Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAEAEAG, Construction, Hardware & MRO Supply Clubs (Trades/Contractors). Its NAICS code is 423840 and its SIC code is 5080.