CINFAB
CINFAB is a Cincinnati-based commercial HVAC sheet metal contractor, founded in 1981 and part of Grote Enterprises, that designs, fabricates, and installs ductwork and HVAC systems for healthcare, sports, institutional, and corporate construction projects across Ohio and Kentucky.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersCincinnati, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CINFAB does
CINFAB is a privately held commercial HVAC sheet metal contractor headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1981 and operating as a subsidiary of Grote Enterprises (alongside TJ Dyer and Commercial HVAC). The company designs, coordinates, fabricates, and installs HVAC ductwork and related sheet metal systems for general contractors, construction managers, and building owners across Ohio and Kentucky, serving healthcare, sports, institutional/educational, corporate/office, industrial, and hospitality verticals. Its core technical assets are a 40,000-square-foot in-house fabrication facility with a dedicated welding shop and in-house engineering and BIM coordination (Autodesk), supported by Trimble field technology; these enable prefabrication of ductwork and plumbing racks and pre-coordinated, weather-insensitive installation on job sites.
CINFAB monetizes exclusively through project-based, competitively bid contracts — operating either as a subcontractor to mechanical contractors or as the prime sheet metal partner to a general contractor or building owner. Revenue is generated from one-time design-build, design-assist, fabrication, and installation engagements, with no recurring or subscription component. Notable projects include large healthcare facilities (Mercy West $270M, Kettering Soin Medical Center $135M, UK Patient Care Facility ~1M sq ft), corporate headquarters (GE Global Operations Center 352K sq ft, Queen City Tower 800K+ sq ft), sports venues (Paul Brown Stadium, Great American Ballpark, Kentucky Horse Park), and landmark institutional work (Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal). The company maintains three offices — Cincinnati (HQ), Lexington KY (2015), and Columbus OH (2024) — and operates a 4-year in-house apprentice program that produces Sheet Metal Journeymen.
The business is differentiated by end-to-end in-house execution (design through install), documented safety performance (EMR as low as 0.47, the lowest possible in Ohio), and repeat ABC Excellence in Construction recognition. Its customer base is concentrated among regional general contractors and large institutional end-owners, creating moderate project-pipeline concentration risk despite vertical diversification. The company is privately held under Grote Enterprises with no disclosed financial metrics, no public funding events, and no publicly stated revenue or headcount trend.
CINFAB firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CINFAB
- Legal name
- CINFAB LLC
- Website
- https://cinfab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CINFAB is a Cincinnati-based commercial HVAC sheet metal contractor, founded in 1981 and part of Grote Enterprises, that designs, fabricates, and installs ductwork and HVAC systems for healthcare, sports, institutional, and corporate construction projects across Ohio and Kentucky.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CINFAB industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mechanical Contracting / HVAC Sheet Metal Services
- NAICS
- Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (238220)
- SIC
- Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)
- akta.pro primary industry
- HVAC & Refrigeration Contracting (IMAFALAB)
Keywords
Where CINFAB is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cincinnati
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
CINFAB business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- HVAC Sheet Metal Project Services: One-time project-based fees for design, fabrication, coordination, and installation of HVAC sheet metal systems. Projects range from simple to complex HVAC systems. Revenue is generated through competitive bidding on construction projects as either a subcontractor or prime contractor.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
CINFAB product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CINFAB is a commercial HVAC sheet metal contractor that designs, coordinates, fabricates, and installs simple and complex HVAC systems for commercial and industrial buildings. The company operates a 40,000-square-foot in-house fabrication facility with a dedicated welding shop, using Autodesk BIM software and Trimble field technology to deliver prefabricated ductwork and plumbing rack systems. Services are delivered as either a subcontractor to mechanical contractors or as the prime sheet metal partner to construction managers, general contractors, and building owners.
Product overview
CINFAB offers a unified suite of HVAC sheet metal services centered on the design, fabrication, and installation of commercial HVAC systems. The core offering consists of HVAC Sheet Metal Design, Fabrication and Installation services, supplemented by Design Build and Design Assist capabilities, a 40,000-square-foot in-house Fabrication Facility, Coordination Services using Autodesk software, and Field Installation Services for large capital projects and special repairs. CINFAB also operates an Apprentice Program for workforce development. These services primarily serve healthcare, hospitality, industrial, office, institutional, research labs, pharmaceutical, and sports facilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Completed Union Terminal project: 500,000 pounds of sheet metal over 25 months with 100+ change orders completed within original project duration
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CINFAB
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CINFAB technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
CINFAB partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Grote EnterprisescoreCINFAB is part of Grote Enterprises team of companies. Grote Enterprises includes CINFAB LLC, TJ Dyer, and Commercial HVAC. Parent company relationship providing organizational structure and shared services.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CINFAB competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Limbach Holdings: Public HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractor with a strong presence in commercial and institutional markets. Closely comparable in scope (HVAC/mechanical contracting with fabrication) and customer base (healthcare, education, commercial), though larger and national.
- Shambaugh & Son: Midwest-based mechanical contractor (Indiana) operating as a subsidiary of EMCOR Group, providing HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. Directly comparable as a regional mechanical contractor serving commercial, healthcare, and industrial customers in adjacent geographies.
- TJ Dyer: Mechanical/HVAC contractor operating as a sister company under Grote Enterprises (CINFAB's parent). Directly comparable in HVAC/mechanical contracting and shared corporate services, providing useful insight on CINFAB's operational model within the parent group.
- DeBra-Kuempel: Cincinnati-based mechanical contractor offering HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and building automation. Directly comparable as a regional Midwest mechanical contractor serving commercial and industrial customers with similar vertical mix.
Regional players
- John E. Green Company: Michigan-based mechanical contractor providing HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, and electrical services for commercial and industrial customers. Comparable as a regional mechanical contractor with similar customer verticals, though operating in a different Midwest geography.
- Murphy Company: Regional mechanical contractor based in the Midwest providing HVAC, plumbing, and process piping for commercial and industrial customers. Comparable as a mid-size mechanical contractor with design-build and prefabrication capabilities.
Broad incumbents
- Comfort Systems USA: Large public mechanical contractor providing HVAC, plumbing, and electrical across the U.S. Comparable in core HVAC contracting and commercial customer focus, but far larger and more geographically diversified than CINFAB's regional footprint.
- APi Group: Public holding company providing safety, specialty, and industrial services including mechanical contracting and HVAC. Comparable in mechanical/HVAC service and installation work, though operates a diversified portfolio across many specialties.
- EMCOR Group: One of the largest mechanical and electrical construction and facilities services firms in the U.S. Comparable in HVAC/mechanical installation across commercial, healthcare, and institutional sectors, but at much greater scale and breadth including service revenue.
Emerging players
- Engineered Air: Custom HVAC sheet metal fabrication and installation firm. Comparable in the fabrication-and-installation model and commercial customer base, though typically smaller-scale than CINFAB.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CINFAB social profiles
Digital presenceCINFAB financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CINFAB leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
CINFAB funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CINFAB 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 CINFAB
What does CINFAB do?
CINFAB is a commercial HVAC sheet metal contractor that designs, coordinates, fabricates, and installs simple and complex HVAC systems for commercial and industrial buildings. The company operates a 40,000-square-foot in-house fabrication facility with a dedicated welding shop, using Autodesk BIM software and Trimble field technology to deliver prefabricated ductwork and plumbing rack systems. Services are delivered as either a subcontractor to mechanical contractors or as the prime sheet metal partner to construction managers, general contractors, and building owners.
Is CINFAB a public or private company?
CINFAB is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CINFAB founded?
CINFAB was founded in 1981. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is CINFAB based?
CINFAB is headquartered in Cincinnati, United States, in the North America region.
How does CINFAB make money?
One revenue line is on record: HVAC Sheet Metal Project Services.
Who are CINFAB's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Limbach Holdings, Shambaugh & Son, TJ Dyer and DeBra-Kuempel. Regional players are John E. Green Company and Murphy Company. Broad incumbents are Comfort Systems USA, APi Group and EMCOR Group. Engineered Air is listed as an emerging player.
Does CINFAB have an API?
No public API is recorded for CINFAB.
What industry is CINFAB in?
CINFAB's product category is Mechanical Contracting / HVAC Sheet Metal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFALAB, HVAC & Refrigeration Contracting. Its NAICS code is 238220 and its SIC code is 3580.