What Gritton & Associates does

Gritton & Associates, Inc. is a family-owned and operated manufacturer representative firm founded in 1967 by Earl Gritton in Salt Lake City, Utah. The firm represents 50+ HVAC, hydronic, steam, plumbing, and industrial-process equipment manufacturers — including anchor partner Bell & Gossett (Xylem) since founding, alongside Lochinvar, Marley/SPX, Galletti, NIMBUS, AE-Air, VTS America, and Smardt — and sells, specifies, and services their products across a four-state Mountain West territory (Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming). It operates three offices: two in Salt Lake City (a Hydronics & Plumbing headquarters and a former Sabol & Rice Airside office) and one in Meridian/Boise, Idaho, and supports customers with design assistance, estimating, factory-authorized installation/startup, and ongoing maintenance/service.

Name

Gritton & Associates

Legal name

Gritton & Associates, Inc.

Website

https://gritton.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gritton & Associates is a family-owned manufacturer representative firm (founded 1967) selling and supporting HVAC, hydronic, steam, plumbing, and industrial cooling equipment from 50+ manufacturers to commercial contractors and facility owners in Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HVAC and Industrial Equipment Representation

NAICS

Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (238220)

SIC

Steam & Air-Conditioning Supply (4961), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC & Refrigeration Contracting (IMAFALAB)

Keywords

• HVAC equipment distribution
• Hydronic systems supply
• Industrial cooling solutions
• Commercial plumbing equipment
• Steam system representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Revenue generated from selling HVAC, plumbing, and industrial equipment from manufacturer partners including boilers, chillers, cooling towers, air handling units, pumps, heat exchangers, and related components to commercial contractors and facilities.
2. Manufacturer Representation: As a manufacturer representative firm, Gritton & Associates represents top-tier manufacturers (Bell & Gossett, Lochinvar, Marley, Galletti, NIMBUS, AE-Air, and 50+ others) providing equipment for HVAC, hydronic, steam, and industrial systems.
3. Technical Support Services: Provides design assistance, estimating assistance, installation assistance, and service assistance to support equipment selection and implementation for commercial and industrial clients.
4. Service and Maintenance: Ongoing maintenance and support services for HVAC systems including troubleshooting, repairs, and ongoing commercial air conditioning service for installed equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gritton & Associates is a manufacturer representative firm that supplies HVAC, plumbing, hydronic, steam, and industrial equipment from 50+ partner manufacturers to commercial contractors and facilities across the Mountain West. The company complements equipment sales with design assistance, estimating support, factory-authorized installation assistance, and ongoing service assistance.

Product overview

Gritton & Associates is a manufacturer representative firm (not a product manufacturer) serving the HVAC, plumbing, and industrial systems industry across Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming for over 50 years. The company operates as a multi-line rep firm representing numerous manufacturer partners to provide a comprehensive portfolio of heating, cooling, ventilation, and plumbing equipment. Their core product categories include hydronic systems (pumps, valves, heat exchangers from Bell & Gossett), cooling towers and fluid coolers (Marley/SPX, Recold), boilers and water heaters (Lochinvar, Cemline, Ace Heaters), chillers and heat pumps (Galletti, AE-Air, Smardt), air handling and distribution (VTS, Nailor, Ingenia), adiabatic and dry cooling systems (NIMBUS), and compressed air systems (Elgi, Beko). The company differentiates through complementary service offerings including design assistance, estimating support, installation assistance, and factory-authorized service. They also provide selection software tools and training/education programs through manufacturer partners. The product portfolio is structured as equipment sourced from manufacturer partners rather than proprietary manufactured products, with services focused on specification support and project facilitation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bell & Gossett Hydronic Products Air separators, expansion tanks, balance and control valves, heat exchangers, pressure booster systems, pumps, steam specialties, sump/sewage/effluent systems, and variable frequency drives for plumbing, wastewater, and HVAC applications. Sold to commercial contractors and facility engineers.
• Lochinvar Boilers and Water Heaters

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% reduction in electricity consumption with Galletti Greentech hydronic system
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key, standard and project.

• Bell & Gossett (Xylem)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBell & Gossett is an anchor manufacturer partner providing pumps, valves, heat exchangers, air separators, expansion tanks, pressure booster systems, and variable frequency drives for plumbing, wastewater and HVAC applications. Gritton has represented Bell & Gossett since founding in 1967.
• LochinvarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLochinvar provides high-efficiency boilers, water heaters, tanks, and heat pumps. Gritton represents their full product line including the Custom Hi-Power Commercial Electric Water Heater.
• Marley (SPX Cooling Technologies)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSPX Cooling Technologies provides Marley brand cooling towers, fluid coolers, evaporative condensers, and adiabatic cooling systems including the new MH Element Fluid Cooler offering 15% more thermal capacity.
• GallettikeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGalletti provides hydronic fan coil units, commercial water chillers, and heat pumps. Founded in 1906 in Italy, Galletti has expanded into a global leader in comfort air conditioning with advanced technological innovations.
• NIMBUS Advanced Process CoolingkeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNIMBUS provides VIRGA adiabatic coolers and BOREAS dry cooling systems featuring closed coolant paths that eliminate Legionella risk and reduce water consumption for process cooling applications.
• AE-Air (Applied Environmental Air)keyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAE-Air provides commercial water chillers, fan coil units, water source heat pumps, and HVAC solutions. Based in Dallas, TX with state-of-the-art production facility. Has designed and delivered over 5.5 million units since 1966.
• VTS AmericakeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVTS America provides modular air handling units, air curtains, and hydronic unit heaters. Gritton highlights VTS's American Ventus AHU line with distinctive casing design and manufacturing specifications.
• SmardtkeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSmardt provides oil-free centrifugal chillers for commercial and industrial applications, offering energy-efficient cooling solutions without oil lubrication requirements.
• Cemline CorporationstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCemline provides unfired water heaters, steam generators, cement lined tanks, and replacement tube bundles for commercial and industrial steam applications.
• NailorstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNailor provides air distribution products including dampers, louvers, air terminal units, displacement diffusers, electric duct heaters, silencers, fan coil units, and water source heat pumps.
• Acme FanstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcme Fan provides roof exhaust propeller fans, roof supply centrifugal fans, gravity vents, wall exhaust and supply fans, ceiling and cabinet fans, inline fans, and plenum fans.
• Engineered ComfortstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEngineered Comfort provides fan coil units and water source heat pumps for commercial HVAC applications.
• Strobic AirstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrobic Air provides fume exhaust systems, laboratory exhaust fans, heat recovery coil modules, lab fan controls, and lab filtration modules.
• Ace HeatersstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAce Heaters provides gas fired water heaters, indirect fired water heaters and storage tanks for commercial applications.
• BEKO TechnologiesstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBEKO Technologies provides compressed air filtration, compressed air dryers, and condensate technology solutions.
• ELGi CompressorsstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorELGi provides oil lubricated screw air compressors, oil free screw air compressors, portable air compressors, and air accessories for compressed air applications.
• M&T Bank (Westank)standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWestank provides glycol makeup units, tanks and air/dirt separators for hydronic systems.
• ACS American Chiller Service of IdahoprojectImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExpert installation partner for the Idaho Central Arena ice rink refrigeration system project. Expert installation by ACS enabled rapid 14-week project completion.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Johnstone Supply: Cooperative HVACR distributor with hundreds of branches across the U.S. - provides equipment wholesale to contractors and competes with independent reps on distribution relationships and brand assortment.
• Watsco: Publicly traded largest U.S. HVACR distributor (Carrier Enterprise joint venture, Gemaire, Baker Distributing) competing for the same contractor spec-in dollars that flow through reps like Gritton.
• Carrier Enterprise: Carrier Global's HVAC distribution joint venture with Watsco - direct OEM-controlled distribution channel that competes with independent reps on the same commercial contractor customer base.
• Ferguson Enterprises: Large publicly traded plumbing, HVAC, and industrial pipe, valves, and fittings distributor - competing adjacent channel serving mechanical contractors with similar product categories.
• Trane Technologies: Global HVAC equipment OEM (Trane, Thermo King) that sells through independent rep firms like Gritton, but also competes for direct relationships with large mechanical contractors on chillers, air handlers, and controls.

Others

• Bell & Gossett (Xylem): Xylem-owned hydronic equipment brand that Gritton has represented since 1967 - included as a principal/supplier that defines Gritton's product line and competitive positioning rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Texas AirSystems: Texas-based HVAC manufacturer's representative and distributor serving commercial and industrial contractors with design, estimating, and equipment supply across heating, cooling, and plumbing categories - the closest analog to Gritton's rep-firm model.
• R.E. Dimond & Associates: Independent Pacific Northwest HVAC manufacturer's representative firm representing hydronic, airside, and plumbing principals to commercial contractors in Oregon and Washington - mirrors Gritton's regional rep structure and service bundle.
• Habegger Corporation: Midwest HVAC manufacturer's representative firm representing top-tier boiler, hydronic, and airside equipment brands to commercial contractors - directly comparable regional rep model with design and installation support services.

Emerging players

• MSA Air Conditioning Distribution: Texas-based HVAC manufacturer's rep and distributor focused on commercial and industrial applications - similar rep model but a different regional footprint, partially overlapping on principal relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gritton-%26-associates/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Gritton & Associates