TEC

What TEC does

Temperature Equipment Corporation (TEC) is a Midwest-focused HVAC/R equipment distributor founded in 1935, headquartered in Lansing, Illinois (with principal operations referenced in Tinley Park, IL), operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of WATSCO (NYSE: WSO) and a joint venture with Carrier Corporation. TEC holds exclusive distribution rights for Carrier, Bryant, and Payne brands across Chicagoland, NW Indiana, SW Michigan, and Milwaukee, supported by 22 branch locations and more than $30 million in inventory. The company distributes a full residential and commercial HVAC portfolio, ranging from air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, boilers, water heaters, thermostats, and IAQ products to commercial chillers (3–1500 tons), rooftop units, VRF systems, building automation, and custom air handling units, including large bespoke fabrication work such as the Chicago Temple 235,000 CFM installation.

The core business model is wholesale HVAC equipment and parts distribution to HVAC contractors, with revenue generated primarily through hardware sales (equipment and parts) complemented by training and technical service revenue. GTM is hybrid: direct field sales via Territory Managers, inside sales engineers, an e-commerce storefront, an exclusive dealer portal, and a contractor mobile app, layered with marketing dollars, training funds, and partner programs to recruit and retain SMB contractor accounts. The technology stack is operational rather than AI-driven, comprising a dealer portal (tecdealer.com), an e-commerce storefront, the TEC Contractor Assist mobile app, TEC Tube YouTube training, and integrations with Carrier/Bryant/Payne dealer systems, AHRI ratings, Service Bench warranty, and ComEd rebate programs. Customer concentration is low: the named accounts are predominantly individual SMB residential and commercial HVAC contractors across the Midwest, with one enterprise custom-project reference (Chicago Temple), supporting a long-tail, transactional revenue profile rather than anchor-account dependency.

Name

TEC

Legal name

TEC Distribution LLC

Website

https://tecmungo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Temperature Equipment Corporation (TEC) is a Midwest HVAC/R equipment distributor founded in 1935, exclusively distributing Carrier, Bryant, and Payne brands to residential and commercial contractors across 22 branches in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, as a subsidiary of WATSCO and a joint venture with Carrier Corporation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HVAC Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC Equipment (Heating, Cooling & Air Handling) (IMAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

TES Components & Balance-of-Plant (Heat Exchangers, Tanks, Insulation, Pumps, Valves) (EUAFANAL)

Keywords

• HVAC equipment distribution
• Commercial HVAC systems
• Residential HVAC products
• HVAC parts supplies
• HVAC contractor services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. HVAC Equipment Distribution: Distribution of commercial and residential HVAC equipment including air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, chillers, rooftop units, and air handling units. TEC operates as an exclusive distributor of Carrier, Bryant, and Payne brands in the Midwest region.
2. Parts and Supplies: Distribution of Carrier, Bryant, and Payne Factory Authorized parts, Totaline OEM parts, refrigeration parts, and aftermarket parts. Full inventory of HVAC components and supplies available through 22 locations.
3. Technical Services and Training: Technical training programs including classroom training at 11 locations across 5 states, online training modules, and TEC Tube video resources for Bryant and Carrier dealers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Temperature Equipment Corporation (TEC) is a Midwest HVAC equipment distributor that sells Carrier, Bryant, and Payne residential and commercial HVAC systems, Factory Authorized parts, and supplies to HVAC contractors through 22 branch locations, a direct field sales force, e-commerce storefront, and dealer portal. The company complements distribution with technical application engineering, classroom and online training, marketing support, and custom HVAC fabrication for plan/spec and design/build projects.

Product overview

Temperature Equipment Corporation (TEC) is a major HVAC/R equipment distributor serving the Midwest, offering an integrated portfolio of Carrier, Bryant, and Payne brand residential and commercial HVAC products. The core offering consists of three main product categories: Residential products (air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, boilers, water heaters, thermostats, air purifiers, geothermal systems, and full parts inventory), Commercial products (air handling units, chillers from 3-1500 tons, rooftop units, VRF systems, BAS, and custom solutions), and Custom HVAC Solutions for specialized applications. TEC supports its product distribution through complementary platforms including the TEC Dealer Portal for dealer accounts, TEC Storefront e-commerce for online ordering, TEC Tube online learning via YouTube, and comprehensive training programs. As a WATSCO company and joint venture with Carrier Corporation, TEC has been in business since 1935 and operates 22 locations across Chicagoland, NW Indiana, SW Michigan, and Milwaukee areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carrier HVAC Products Exclusive distribution of Carrier commercial and residential HVAC equipment (air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, boilers, accessories) to HVAC contractors in the Midwest.
• Bryant HVAC Products Exclusive distribution of Bryant commercial and residential HVAC equipment across Chicagoland, NW Indiana, SW Michigan, and Milwaukee.
• Payne HVAC Products

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% reduction in total energy usage for Chicago Temple project
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration43 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Carrier Corporation (CARR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTEC is in a joint venture with Carrier Corporation as the exclusive distributor of Carrier commercial and residential HVAC brands including Carrier, Bryant, WeatherMaker, Day & Night, and Heil in the Midwestern United States.
• HVAC Contractors (Dealer Network)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTEC develops true partnerships with HVAC contractors offering marketing dollars, training funds, member discounts, and bonuses. Territory Managers provide dedicated support to help contractors grow their businesses.
• ComEd (Commonwealth Edison)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerComEd rebate program for midstream air conditioning, ductless mini split, and heat pump products in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WATSCO: NYSE-listed parent company of TEC and the largest HVAC/R distributor in the United States. WATSCO operates a national network of distribution subsidiaries with a product and customer model that is directly comparable to TEC's exclusive Carrier distribution business, but at vastly greater scale and geography.
• Ferguson Enterprises: Large publicly-traded distributor of plumbing, HVAC, and related building products with thousands of branches across North America. Overlaps with TEC in HVAC equipment and parts distribution to contractors, though Ferguson operates a much broader multi-product portfolio well beyond HVAC.
• Winsupply: Private cooperative-style distributor of plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and industrial products serving contractors through local company-owned branches. Comparable to TEC in the HVAC distribution segment, with similar contractor-focused GTM and branch-based distribution model, though across a wider product mix.

Direct peers

• Johnstone Supply: Cooperative HVAC/R wholesale distributor serving independent contractors across the U.S. through hundreds of branch locations. Directly comparable to TEC as a wholesale distributor targeting the same HVAC contractor customer base with similar product categories, manufacturer brand partnerships, and contractor-support services.
• R.E. Michel Company: Privately held HVAC/R wholesale distributor with branch locations across the eastern and central United States. Directly comparable to TEC as an HVAC-focused distributor serving contractor customers with a similar branch network, training programs, and exclusive-territory manufacturer relationships.
• Baker Distributing Company: Wholesale distributor of HVAC/R products, parts, and supplies serving residential and commercial contractors through branches across the southern and central U.S. Directly comparable to TEC in product mix, contractor-focused distribution model, and exclusive manufacturer brand relationships.
• Gustave A. Larson Company: Midwest and Mountain West regional HVAC/R wholesale distributor serving contractors with Carrier and other major brands. Highly comparable to TEC as a regional exclusive Carrier/Bryant distributor with similar branch network, training programs, and contractor-services model.
• United Refrigeration: Wholesale distributor of refrigeration, HVAC, and related parts serving contractors across the U.S. with 200+ branches. Comparable to TEC in the HVAC/R distribution category, with overlapping contractor customer base and similar parts/equipment revenue model.

Regional players

• ACR Supply: Regional HVAC/R distributor serving the Carolinas and southeastern U.S. Comparable to TEC as a regional exclusive-brand distributor targeting HVAC contractors with similar product mix and service offering, though operating in a different geography.
• Peirce-Phelps: HVAC and building solutions distributor serving the Mid-Atlantic region with residential, commercial, and parts distribution. Comparable to TEC in product categories and contractor-focused distribution model, though operating in a different geographic territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tecmungo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/tectubefilms
• Facebookfacebook.com/tecmungo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/temperature-equipment-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TEC