Design Air
Design Air is a privately held, regional B2B distributor of HVAC equipment, supplies, and related plumbing products, operating 8 branches in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, serving HVAC contractors, plumbers, and building maintenance professionals via counter sales, e-commerce, and account-based pricing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersKimberly, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Design Air does
Design Air is a privately held, regional B2B distributor of HVAC equipment, supplies, and related plumbing products headquartered in Kimberly, Wisconsin. Founded in 1972, the firm operates eight physical branch locations across Wisconsin (Kimberly, Green Bay, La Crosse, Wausau, Madison, West Allis), Michigan (Iron Mountain), and Illinois (Rockford), complemented by an e-commerce storefront (designair.com), toll-free phone ordering, and text-based ordering. The company carries authorized product lines from major OEMs including Rheem, Friedrich, Mitsubishi Electric, Weil-McLain, Milwaukee Tool, Aprilaire, and Modine, organized into eight product categories spanning heating and cooling equipment, HVAC supplies, sheet metal duct and pipe, commercial products, hydronic supplies, air quality, tools and fasteners, and pipes/valves/fittings.
The technology stack is non-proprietary and centered on a Billtrust eCommerce platform that supports account-based ordering, account-specific pricing, custom kits for one-click reordering, and online invoice management. Adjacent services — design engineering, warranty support, technical support, and delivery — extend the offering beyond pure product resale but represent conventional distributor services rather than differentiated technology. No AI, ML, or proprietary software products are described in the source data.
Design Air's revenue model is straightforward product resale: it purchases HVAC equipment and supplies from OEMs and resells them to HVAC contractors, plumbers, and building maintenance professionals at account-based pricing. There is no subscription or recurring SaaS revenue stream, no public pricing, and no disclosed financial metrics. Customer acquisition relies on the regional branch footprint, an e-commerce and email/newsletter presence, "Learn By Design" educational content, and rebate-program support (Mitsubishi, Focus on Energy, IRA). Ownership is independent and bootstrapped with no identified private equity, venture capital, or parent-company backing.
Design Air firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design Air
- Legal name
- Design Air
- Website
- https://designair.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Design Air is a privately held, regional B2B distributor of HVAC equipment, supplies, and related plumbing products, operating 8 branches in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, serving HVAC contractors, plumbers, and building maintenance professionals via counter sales, e-commerce, and account-based pricing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Design Air industry classification
Industry- Product category
- HVAC Equipment Distribution
- NAICS
- Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512), Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)
- akta.pro primary industry
- HVAC Equipment (Heating, Cooling & Air Handling) (IMAHAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment (IMAHAKAG), New Construction HVAC Rough-In & Final Set (Residential/Light Commercial) (HSAOAGAL)
Keywords
Where Design Air is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kimberly
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Design Air business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- HVAC Equipment and Supplies Distribution: Design Air generates revenue through the sale of HVAC equipment, supplies, and related products to contractors and professionals. Revenue is derived from product sales with account-based pricing, online ordering, and support for both residential and commercial customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Account-based pricing for registered business customers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Design Air product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design Air is a wholesale distributor of HVAC equipment and supplies serving HVAC contractors, plumbers, and building maintenance professionals across the Midwest. The company sells heating and cooling equipment, HVAC supplies, sheet metal duct and pipe, commercial products, hydronic supplies, air quality products, tools and fasteners, and pipes/valves/fittings through an e-commerce platform with account-based pricing and 8 branch locations for pickup and delivery.
Product overview
Design Air is a wholesale HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) equipment and supplies distributor operating as an e-commerce platform. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized into eight main product categories: Heating and Cooling Equipment (boilers, AC units, coils, furnaces, heat pumps, mini splits, heaters, air handlers, water heaters), HVAC Supplies (linesets, grilles, accessories, thermostats, home automation, motors, controls), Sheet Metal Duct and Pipe, Commercial products, Hydronic Supplies, Air Quality products, Tools and Fasteners, and Pipes/Valves/Fittings. The company also provides complementary services including Commercial Solutions, Design Engineering, Warranty Support, Technical Support, and Delivery Service. Design Air carries multiple manufacturer brands including Rheem, Friedrich, Mitsubishi Electric, Milwaukee Tool, and WeatherKing. The platform features account-based online ordering with account-specific pricing and product availability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Heating and Cooling Equipment
Companies that use Design Air
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Design Air technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Design Air partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered primary, core and supporting.
- RheemprimaryAuthorized Rheem distributor selling boilers, AC units, water heaters, furnaces, and related HVAC equipment from Rheem Manufacturing Company.
- FriedrichprimaryAuthorized Friedrich distributor offering air conditioners, heat pumps, and commercial HVAC equipment.
- Mitsubishi ElectricprimaryAuthorized Mitsubishi Electric distributor selling mini splits and heat pump condensers with access to rebate programs.
- Weil-McLaincoreAuthorized Weil-McLain distributor for cast iron boilers and high efficiency boilers.
- Milwaukee ToolcoreAuthorized Milwaukee Tool distributor for professional HVAC tools and equipment.
- AprilairecoreDistributor for Aprilaire humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and air cleaners.
- ModinecoreDistributor for Modine garage heaters and commercial heating equipment.
- Billtrust eCommercesupportingWebsite powered by Billtrust eCommerce platform for online ordering and account management.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Design Air competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Watsco: Watsco is the largest HVAC/R distribution company in the U.S. (Carrier/Trane/Mitsubishi franchisee). It is a scaled public incumbent operating broadly in the same HVAC distribution category as Design Air, but at national scale across multiple territories.
- Ferguson Enterprises: Ferguson is the largest U.S. distributor of plumbing, heating, cooling, and waterworks products, serving HVAC and plumbing contractors. It competes with Design Air in overlapping HVAC and hydronic categories but is a much broader, publicly traded multi-category distributor.
- WinSupply: WinSupply is a member-owned distribution company with plumbing, HVAC, and industrial supply branches across the U.S. It competes with Design Air in HVAC equipment and supplies distribution but operates a broader multi-category model.
Direct peers
- Johnstone Supply: Johnstone Supply is a member-owned cooperative HVAC/R distributor with hundreds of branch locations nationwide. It directly competes with Design Air by serving HVAC contractors with equipment, parts, and supplies across similar product categories.
- R.E. Michel Company: R.E. Michel is a wholesale HVAC distributor with branch locations across the U.S. serving contractors with heating and cooling equipment, parts, and supplies. It is a direct competitor to Design Air in the wholesale HVAC distribution model with a comparable product mix.
- Gustave A. Larson Company: Gustave A. Larson is a regional wholesale distributor of HVAC/R equipment and supplies serving the Midwest and Mountain West with multiple branch locations. It is closely comparable to Design Air's regional multi-branch distribution model targeting HVAC contractors.
- Wallace Eannace Associates: Wallace Eannace is a regional independent HVAC manufacturer's representative and distributor focused on hydronic, plumbing, and HVAC products for commercial and residential contractors. It competes with Design Air in the hydronic and HVAC equipment distribution categories.
Regional players
- Homrich North America: Homrich is a regional HVAC distributor with branches in Michigan and the Midwest. It is a directly comparable regional distributor serving HVAC contractors with similar product categories and overlapping geography with Design Air's Michigan operations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Design Air financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design Air leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Design Air funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design Air 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 Design Air
What does Design Air do?
Design Air is a wholesale distributor of HVAC equipment and supplies serving HVAC contractors, plumbers, and building maintenance professionals across the Midwest. The company sells heating and cooling equipment, HVAC supplies, sheet metal duct and pipe, commercial products, hydronic supplies, air quality products, tools and fasteners, and pipes/valves/fittings through an e-commerce platform with account-based pricing and 8 branch locations for pickup and delivery.
Is Design Air a public or private company?
Design Air is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Design Air founded?
Design Air was founded in 1972. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Design Air based?
Design Air is headquartered in Kimberly, United States, in the North America region.
How does Design Air make money?
One revenue line is on record: HVAC Equipment and Supplies Distribution.
Who are Design Air's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Watsco, Ferguson Enterprises and WinSupply. Direct peers are Johnstone Supply, R.E. Michel Company, Gustave A. Larson Company and Wallace Eannace Associates. Homrich North America is listed as a regional player.
Does Design Air have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design Air.
What industry is Design Air in?
Design Air's product category is HVAC Equipment Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAKAB, HVAC Equipment (Heating, Cooling & Air Handling), with a secondary code of IMAHAKAG, Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment. Its NAICS code is 333415 and its SIC code is 5070.