SPS Companies
SPS Companies is a privately held, employee-owned wholesale distributor (since 1951, ESOP since 1989) serving residential and commercial plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, mechanical/industrial piping, and roofing contractors across 19 Midwest, Mountain West, Plains, South Central, and New England locations via branches, warehouses, showrooms, and a web/mobile ordering portal.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1951
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SPS Companies does
SPS Companies, Inc. is a privately held, employee-owned (ESOP since 1989) wholesale distributor headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, operating since 1951 across three divisions — Plumbing, Fire Protection (SPS Fire Protection and Pipe Fabricators), and SPS Metals. The company serves residential and commercial plumbing, mechanical and industrial piping, HVAC/refrigeration, fire protection, roofing/sheet metal, and builder/remodeler contractors through 19 branch and warehouse-distribution locations across the Midwest, Mountain West, Plains, South Central, and New England (most recently Taunton, MA). Customer-facing channels include outside and inside sales representatives, a City Desk, three Kitchen & Bath Showrooms, a web order-entry portal, and an SPS Portal mobile app that provides account customers with product availability, pricing, order history, and invoice access.
The company's product offering spans plumbing pipe, valves, fittings, fixtures, water heaters, and water softeners; HVAC equipment including newly added Fujitsu lines; fire protection pipe fittings, valves, hangers, and accessories; pipe fabrication services (cutting, threading, grooving, welding); and specialty copper and architectural metals through SPS Metals. Distribution is supported by a diversified fleet (boom trucks, box trucks, gooseneck trailers, covered flat-bed semi-trailers) enabling jobsite delivery, after-hours emergency support with 15-30 minute lead times, and value-added technical services including heat loss/heat gain calculations, ductwork sizing, radiant layout drawings, and control wiring diagrams. SPS does not develop proprietary technology platforms beyond standard e-commerce/mobile ordering and has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities.
Revenue is generated through product sales on credit-account terms, with pricing set per account rather than publicly listed. The company has no venture capital, private equity, or parent company ownership and no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions beyond the 1977 SPS Metals deal, or restructuring events since becoming an ESOP. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.
SPS Companies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SPS Companies
- Legal name
- SPS Companies, Inc.
- Website
- https://spscompanies.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1951
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- SPS Companies is a privately held, employee-owned wholesale distributor (since 1951, ESOP since 1989) serving residential and commercial plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, mechanical/industrial piping, and roofing contractors across 19 Midwest, Mountain West, Plains, South Central, and New England locations via branches, warehouses, showrooms, and a web/mobile ordering portal.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SPS Companies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wholesale Plumbing & HVAC Distribution
- NAICS
- Hardware Merchant Wholesalers (423710), Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies (Hydronics) Merchant Wholesalers (423720), Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)
- akta.pro primary industry
- HVAC, Water Heaters & Indoor Air Quality Distribution (CRAOAFAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Home Improvement & DIY (Tools, Hardware, Paint) Distribution (CRAOAFAC)
Keywords
Where SPS Companies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices19 records
Markets served
SPS Companies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Distribution Sales: Wholesale distribution of plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, and industrial piping products to contractors, builders, and other B2B customers. Revenue generated through product sales with credit account terms available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Account Pricing |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | After Hours Support Service |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
SPS Companies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SPS Companies is a wholesale distributor of products and services for residential and commercial plumbing, mechanical and industrial piping, HVAC, refrigeration, and fire protection. The company distributes products from hundreds of manufacturers through 19 branch and warehouse locations, complemented by jobsite delivery, showrooms, and digital ordering portals.
Product overview
SPS Companies is a wholesale distributor offering a diverse portfolio of products and services for residential and commercial plumbing, mechanical and industrial piping, HVAC, refrigeration, and fire protection industries. Their core digital offerings include the SPS Portal Mobile App and Web Order Entry Portal, which enable customers to check product availability, pricing, and manage orders online. They operate Kitchen & Bath Showrooms featuring design consultants, provide fire protection products through their SPS Fire Protection and Pipe Fabricators divisions, and offer specialty copper and architectural metals through their SPS Metals division. The company was established in 1951 and is headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SPS Portal Mobile App Mobile application enabling account customers to check product availability, get pricing, and view invoices from mobile devices.
- Web Order Entry Portal Online portal allowing registered account customers to view products and descriptions, check availability and pricing, place orders online, review order history, and view invoices.
- SPS Kitchen and Bath Showrooms Physical showroom locations featuring working displays of showerheads, tubs, faucets, and toilets, supported by design consultants who help customers create kitchen and bath environments.
- SPS Fire Protection Products Distribution of fire protection products including pipe fittings, valves, pipe hangers, fire sprinkler accessories, and related materials.
- Pipe Fabrication Services Pipe fabrication services including pipe cutting, threading, grooving, and welding for fire protection industry customers.
- SPS Metals Wholesale distribution of specialty copper and architectural metal products for professional roofing, sheet metal, and plumbing contractors.
Quantifiable outcome
- Flexible delivery schedules with ability to deliver directly to building or jobsite
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SPS Companies
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
SPS Companies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
SPS Companies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Watermark DesignminorWeb design and development partner responsible for the SPS Companies website design and development. Watermark Design is a Minnesota-based web design company that maintains and updates the corporate website.
- ESOP AssociationminorIndustry association for employee-owned companies. SPS Companies is a proud member, and is an ESOP company since 1989.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SPS Companies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Morrison Supply Company: Wholesale distributor of plumbing, HVAC, and waterworks products primarily serving Texas and the South Central U.S. Overlaps with SPS in plumbing/HVAC contractor distribution and competes in the same product categories though in a different regional footprint.
- Winsupply: Cooperative-style wholesale distributor of plumbing, HVAC, and industrial supplies serving independent contractor-locals. Comparable in serving plumbing/HVAC contractors via branch networks, though Winsupply's local-ownership franchise model differs from SPS's centralized ESOP structure.
- Ferguson Enterprises: Largest U.S. wholesale distributor of plumbing, HVAC, waterworks, and fire protection products serving residential and commercial contractors. Directly comparable in core product mix (plumbing, HVAC, fire protection) and B2B contractor customer base, but at significantly larger national scale.
- Hajoca Corporation: Privately held U.S. plumbing and HVAC wholesale distributor serving contractors across the country. Closely comparable business model — wholesale distribution to plumbing and HVAC contractors with branch-based service and contractor credit accounts.
Others
- Watts Water Technologies: Manufacturer of plumbing, water safety, and water treatment products. Not a direct competitor, but a key supplier in the same plumbing value chain that SPS distributes products from, and an indicator of category-level demand.
- Ferguson (Industrial / Process Solutions): Industrial-side distribution arm of Ferguson serving mechanical and industrial piping customers. Comparable to SPS's mechanical/industrial piping and fire protection offerings, but at much greater scale and as a division of a larger public company.
Regional players
- Reece Limited: Australia- and New Zealand-leading plumbing, HVAC, and bathroom products distributor serving trade contractors. Highly comparable business model (branch-based trade counter distribution with showrooms), but operates primarily in Australasia rather than competing directly with SPS in the U.S.
- Apex Supply Company: Plumbing and HVAC wholesale distributor serving the Pacific Northwest. Comparable wholesale-to-contractor model with branch showrooms, though geographically distinct from SPS's Midwest concentration.
Broad incumbents
- HD Supply (Home Depot Pro): Large-scale national distributor serving professional contractors across multiple trades including plumbing, HVAC, and facilities maintenance. Overlaps with SPS's contractor customer base and product categories but is a much broader, publicly traded, multi-trade operator.
Emerging players
- Reliance Worldwide Corporation: Manufacturer and supplier of plumbing and water management products (e.g., SharkBite, HoldRite). Comparable in the plumbing distribution value chain, but operates more as a manufacturer/supplier reaching the same plumbing contractor end customers via distributors like SPS.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SPS Companies social profiles
Digital presenceSPS Companies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SPS Companies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
SPS Companies subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
SPS Companies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SPS Companies 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 SPS Companies
What does SPS Companies do?
SPS Companies is a wholesale distributor of products and services for residential and commercial plumbing, mechanical and industrial piping, HVAC, refrigeration, and fire protection. The company distributes products from hundreds of manufacturers through 19 branch and warehouse locations, complemented by jobsite delivery, showrooms, and digital ordering portals.
Is SPS Companies a public or private company?
SPS Companies is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was SPS Companies founded?
SPS Companies was founded in 1951. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is SPS Companies based?
SPS Companies is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does SPS Companies make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Distribution Sales.
Who are SPS Companies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Morrison Supply Company, Winsupply, Ferguson Enterprises and Hajoca Corporation. Others are Watts Water Technologies and Ferguson (Industrial / Process Solutions). Regional players are Reece Limited and Apex Supply Company. HD Supply (Home Depot Pro) is listed as a broad incumbent. Reliance Worldwide Corporation is listed as an emerging player.
Does SPS Companies have an API?
No public API is recorded for SPS Companies.
What industry is SPS Companies in?
SPS Companies's product category is Wholesale Plumbing & HVAC Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAFAJ, HVAC, Water Heaters & Indoor Air Quality Distribution, with a secondary code of CRAOAFAC, Home Improvement & DIY (Tools, Hardware, Paint) Distribution. Its NAICS code is 423710 and its SIC code is 5070.