What Nelco does

Nelco Inc. is a privately held, family-owned plumbing and heating materials distributor operating from a single location at 5510 Saint-Jacques Street in Montreal, Quebec, since its founding in 1947 by brothers Anthony and Nello Malo. The company originated from the Malo family's earlier general contracting business, William Malo and Sons. From this single address — which has not changed in over 75 years — Nelco serves both commercial contractors and residential customers across the Greater Montreal area.

The company's product portfolio is organized around seven categories: fixtures (bathtubs, showers, toilets, kitchen and bathroom sinks), heating components and ducts, water heaters, miscellaneous specialized plumbing parts, pumps (submersible and circulating), faucets and accessories, and pipes and fittings spanning copper, ABS, PEX, PVC, and steel. Nelco carries inventory from a broad roster of brand-name suppliers including Delta, Kohler, Moen, Geberit, Uponor, SharkBite, Grundfos, Armstrong, Liberty Pumps, Zoeller, John Wood, Giant, Honeywell, Maax, Toto, Duravit, Franke, Blanco, and others. There is no e-commerce or online ordering capability; all transactions occur through physical channels.

Revenue is generated entirely through hardware sales via three physical channels: (1) a walk-in service counter staffed by specialists, open weekdays 7:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; (2) a physical showroom displaying fixtures and trending products, accessible weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. by appointment; and (3) field sales representatives who visit job sites and businesses throughout the Greater Montreal area. Delivery is offered locally. Nelco operates with 11 to 50 employees, and pricing is not publicly disclosed; customers must visit the counter, book a showroom appointment, or engage a field representative to obtain quotes. The business model is the traditional specialty trade counter — long-running relationships, expert staff, and curated inventory — with no digital transformation, no AI capabilities, no external funding, and no subsidiary or parent corporate structure.

Name

Nelco

Legal name

Nelco Inc.

Website

https://nelco.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nelco Inc. is a family-owned plumbing and heating materials distributor in Montreal, serving residential renovators and commercial contractors across the Greater Montreal area since 1947 through a counter, showroom, and field sales model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plumbing and Heating Materials Distribution

NAICS

Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4237), Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies (Hydronics) Merchant Wholesalers (423720), Warm Air Heating and Air-Conditioning Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423730)

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC, Water Heaters & Indoor Air Quality Distribution (CRAOAFAJ)

Keywords

• Plumbing materials supply
• Heating products distribution
• Plumbing fixtures retail
• Pipes and fittings wholesale
• Water heater sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Plumbing and Heating Materials Sales: Nelco generates revenue through the sale of plumbing and heating materials, fixtures, and parts via its service counter and showroom. Products include pipes and fittings (copper, ABS, PEX, PVC, steel), faucets and accessories, heating components, water heaters, pumps, fixtures (bathtubs, showers, toilets, sinks), and miscellaneous plumbing parts. The company serves both commercial contractors and residential customers in the Montreal area.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Core offering

Nelco distributes plumbing and heating materials from a single Montreal facility, selling pipes, fittings, fixtures, faucets, water heaters, pumps, and heating components through a wholesale service counter, an appointment-based retail showroom, and field sales visits. The company aggregates products from numerous brand-name manufacturers (Delta, Kohler, Moen, Uponor, SharkBite, Grundfos, John Wood, Toto, Franke, and others) to serve both commercial contractors and residential customers.

Product overview

Nelco is a plumbing and heating materials distributor serving commercial and residential customers since 1947. The company offers an integrated portfolio of products organized around seven core product categories: Fixtures (bathtubs, showers, toilets, and sinks), Heating (electrical and hydraulic heating systems and parts), Water Heaters (residential and commercial hot water tanks), Miscellaneous Parts (specialized plumbing materials and replacements), Pumps (submersible and circulating pumps), Faucets and Accessories (kitchen and bathroom faucets with installation parts), and Pipes & Fittings (copper, ABS, PEX, PVC, and steel). Nelco operates through two service channels: a Counter service for specialized materials and parts open weekdays, and a showroom displaying fixtures and trending plumbing products with consultant support by appointment. The company carries products from various brand suppliers including Delta, Kohler, Moen, Franke, and MAAX.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fixtures

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

37 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• DeltaminorOthersDelta faucets and accessories are displayed and sold through Nelco's showroom and counter, representing a product supply relationship.
• KohlerminorOthersKohler products are featured in Nelco's showroom and product offerings, representing a product supply relationship.
• MoenminorOthersMoen faucet products are available at Nelco, indicating a supplier-product relationship.
• GeberitminorOthersGeberit products are carried by Nelco as part of their faucet and accessory offerings.
• UponorminorOthersUponor PEX piping products are available at Nelco's counter as part of their pipes and fittings range.
• SharkBiteminorOthersSharkBite plumbing solutions are carried at Nelco's counter for pipes and fittings.
• FerncominorOthersFernco pipe fittings and connectors are part of Nelco's product assortment.
• Great Lakes CopperminorOthersGreat Lakes Copper pipes and fittings are available through Nelco's counter.
• BMI CanadaminorOthersBMI Canada products are featured on Nelco's pipes and fittings page.
• Bow GroupminorOthersBow Group building products are available through Nelco's counter.
• DahlminorOthersDahl valve products are carried at Nelco's counter.
• Royal Building ProductsminorOthersRoyal Building Products are part of Nelco's pipes and fittings offering.
• GrundfosminorOthersGrundfos circulating pumps and related products are available at Nelco.
• Armstrong Fluid TechnologyminorOthersArmstrong pumps and fluid technology products are carried by Nelco.
• Liberty PumpsminorOthersLiberty Pumps products are available at Nelco's counter.
• ZoellerminorOthersZoeller submersible pumps are part of Nelco's pump product range.
• John WoodminorOthersJohn Wood water heaters are available at Nelco for both residential and commercial installations.
• GiantminorOthersGiant water heaters are offered at Nelco for residential and commercial hot water needs.
• HoneywellminorOthersHoneywell heating system components are available at Nelco.
• SlantfinminorOthersSlantfin heating products are part of Nelco's heating product range.
• MaaxminorOthersMaax bath and shower products are featured in Nelco's showroom and fixtures category.
• FrankeminorOthersFranke kitchen sinks and products are available through Nelco.
• BlancominorOthersBlanco kitchen sinks and accessories are part of Nelco's fixture offerings.
• DuravitminorOthersDuravit bathroom fixtures are available at Nelco.
• ForemostminorOthersForemost Canada bathroom products are carried by Nelco.
• PanasonicminorOthersPanasonic products are featured in Nelco's bathroom fixtures and accessories range.
• TotominorOthersToto toilets and bathroom products are part of Nelco's fixture offerings.
• KindredminorOthersKindred Canada sinks and products are available at Nelco.
• FleurcominorOthersFleurco shower enclosures and bathroom products are carried by Nelco.
• SaniflominorOthersSaniflo macerating toilets and pumping solutions are available at Nelco.
• BemisminorOthersBemis toilet seats are available through Nelco.
• MascominorOthersMasco Canada plumbing products are available at Nelco for miscellaneous parts and accessories.
• RidgidminorOthersRidgid tools are available through Nelco's miscellaneous parts category.
• OateyminorOthersOatey plumbing products are part of Nelco's miscellaneous parts and fittings inventory.
• FluidmasterminorOthersFluidmaster toilet repair and plumbing products are available at Nelco.
• BrasscraftminorOthersBrasscraft plumbing supply products are available through Nelco.
• LenoxminorOthersLenox tools are available at Nelco for plumbing and construction applications.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Patrick Morin: Patrick Morin is a Quebec hardware and building materials retailer with multiple locations and a contractor-focused offering. Relevant to Nelco because it competes in the same Greater Montreal and broader Quebec market for plumbing materials, fixtures, and renovation products sold to contractors and DIY customers.
• CANAC: CANAC is a Quebec hardware, plumbing, and building materials retailer serving both contractors and residential customers. Comparable to Nelco because it competes head-to-head for the same plumbing and heating materials shopper in Quebec, particularly for renovation and trade purchases.
• BMR (Groupe BMR): BMR is a Quebec-based hardware and home improvement cooperative serving independent dealers across the province. Comparable to Nelco as a competing Quebec trade channel for plumbing, fixtures, and renovation products, though it distributes across many categories rather than specializing in plumbing/heating.

Direct peers

• J.A. Robidoux & Fils: J.A. Robidoux is a long-standing family-owned plumbing and heating wholesaler based in Quebec. Closely comparable to Nelco in scale, geography, and specialization in plumbing/heating materials with counter service and field sales — effectively a Quebec specialty-distributor peer.
• EMCO Corporation: EMCO is one of Canada's largest plumbing, HVAC, waterworks, and specialty industrial product distributors, serving contractors and developers from coast to coast. Directly comparable to Nelco because both are wholesale distributors of plumbing, heating, and water-heating products to trade and prosumer customers, with field sales and counter operations.
• Ferguson Enterprises (formerly Wolseley Canada): Ferguson operates the largest plumbing and heating distribution network in North America, including substantial operations in Canada. Comparable to Nelco because both focus on plumbing, HVAC, water heaters, and pipe/fittings distribution to contractors, with showrooms and counter service as core channels.
• Bibeau Division Plomberie / Plomberie Martin & Fils-type specialty wholesalers: Smaller Quebec specialty plumbing wholesalers (e.g., Plomberie Martin et Fils) share Nelco's counter-service, multi-brand distributor model serving local contractors. They are direct competitive peers for plumbing counter sales and heating materials in the Greater Montreal region.

Broad incumbents

• RONA inc. RONA is a major Canadian home improvement retailer headquartered in Quebec with pro-dedicated desks and a broad plumbing, fixture, and HVAC assortment. Comparable to Nelco because it competes for the same contractor and residential reno buyer in Greater Montreal, even though its product breadth and store count vastly exceed Nelco's.
• Home Depot Canada: Home Depot Canada is the dominant national big-box home improvement retailer with a dedicated pro desk and full plumbing, HVAC, and water-heating assortment. Comparable to Nelco as a competing channel for the same residential and contractor plumbing/heating buyer in Montreal, with vastly greater scale and digital reach.

Emerging players

• Wolseley Express / Reliance Plumbing & Heating Showrooms: Reliance and its procurement partners operate trade showrooms in Quebec and across Canada for plumbing, heating, and water-heating products. Relevant to Nelco as a competing showroom-style channel for premium plumbing fixtures and HVAC equipment in the same Montreal market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Nelco