Hart Travers & Associates

What Hart Travers & Associates does

Hart Travers & Associates is a family-influenced manufacturers' representative agency founded in 1954 and headquartered in Lombard, Illinois. The firm sells and supports plumbing and water-systems products on behalf of 14 represented manufacturers to a network of more than 150 active distributor accounts across a five-state core territory — Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Iowa, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan — with reach into roughly 25 states overall.

The portfolio spans commercial and residential plumbing categories including hydrants and backwater valves (Prier), sump and water-treatment systems, touchless and self-closing flush valves (Sencillo), and water/wastewater systems (SJE Rhombus, added 2025). Distribution is executed through an outside-sales team supported by inside-sales and engineering staff; key personnel include engineer Jeff St. Onge and sales staff Bill Darby, Joe Hoffman, Marcus Larson, Reggie Layoff, Dave Bryant, and Jim Travers.

The firm operates on a commission-based revenue model, earning a percentage of manufacturer sales generated through its distributor channel. There is no external funding, no parent corporation, and no disclosed technology platform; competitive position rests on the durability of the 70-year principal relationships, multi-line aggregation value to distributors, and category-specific technical knowledge embedded in the sales and engineering team. The business has executed two principal additions (Sencillo 2023, SJE Rhombus 2025), several outside-sales hires (2022, 2024), and continued manufacturer recognition including multiple Prier Rep of the Year awards.

Name

Hart Travers & Associates

Legal name

Hart, Travers & Associates, Inc.

Website

https://htareps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hart Travers & Associates is a family-influienced manufacturers' representative agency, founded 1954 in Lombard, Illinois, that sells plumbing and water-systems products from 14 manufacturers to 150-plus distributors across a five-state Midwest territory (IL, WI, NW Indiana, Eastern IA, Upper Peninsula MI).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plumbing Manufacturer Representation

NAICS

Hardware Merchant Wholesalers (423710), Business Support Services (5614)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Pipe Installation, Repair & Repiping (HSAOAAAB), Plumbing Parts & Supplies Retail (Pipes, Valves, Fittings) (CRAIADAD)

Keywords

• Plumbing manufacturer representation
• Plumbing product distribution
• Commercial plumbing products
• Residential plumbing fixtures
• Pump and valve distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Lombard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Commission-based Sales Representation: HTA earns revenue as a manufacturer's representative agency by representing plumbing manufacturers and earning commissions on sales through their distribution network across their coverage territory.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hart, Travers & Associates, Inc. (HTA) is a full-service plumbing manufacturers' representative agency that represents 14 top-tier plumbing manufacturers and sells their products through distribution channels to engineers, contractors, builders, architects, developers, and bath showrooms across Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Iowa, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The agency also offers complementary services including product training, CEU courses, system start-up services, and quote preparation.

Product overview

Hart, Travers & Associates, Inc. (HTA) is a full-service plumbing manufacturer representatives agency representing 14 top-tier manufacturers across the plumbing industry. The company services Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Iowa, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, serving distributors, engineers, contractors, builders, architects, developers, and bath showrooms. HTA's product portfolio spans multiple categories including pumps (Zoeller Pump Company, Zoeller Engineering Products, Flint and Walling), basins and tanks (AK Industries), water filtration (Atlas Filtri), plumbing fixtures and toilets (Mansfield Plumbing Products), valves (Bonomi, Magic Plastics), hydrants and brass products (Prier Products), drainage specialties (Sioux Chief), pump controls (SJE Rhombus, Tulsar Custom Controls), plumbing accessories (Black Swan, Sencillo Systems), and piping systems (IPEX). Beyond product representation, HTA offers complementary services including engineering support, product training, CEU courses for plumbers, system start-up services, and quote preparation. The agency, celebrating 70 years in business, also recently expanded its territory through a partnership with SJE Rhombus for Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Manufacturer Representation Services Full-service plumbing manufacturer representation for 14 top-tier plumbing manufacturers, selling through distribution channels to engineers, contractors, builders, architects, developers, and bath showrooms across Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Iowa, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
• Product Training Services Specialized product training on industry-leading plumbing brands offered to contractors, engineers, and distributors to support product knowledge and proper application.
• CEU Courses Continuing Education courses for licensed plumbers covering Proper Sizing of Installation of Pump and Sewage Systems (Illinois and Wisconsin) and Water Hammer Arrestor Applications, Sizing & Placement (Illinois only).
• System Start-Up Services System start-up services for Zoeller and Sencillo systems including installation verification, power supply testing, and configuration support.
• Quote Preparation Services Quote preparation services with 48-hour turnaround for Zoeller pump products and AK Industries triple garage basins, provided through HTA's inside sales team.

Named customers14 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SJE RhombuscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 December 2025SJE Rhombus appointed HTA as manufacturers' representative agency for Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana. HTA provides product expertise, customer service, and field support to help expand SJE Rhombus' reach in the territory.
• Zoeller Pump CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of HTA's original manufacturer partners since 1954. Zoeller is a leading manufacturer of sump, sewage, grinder pumps, and related products.
• Mansfield Plumbing ProductscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership since 1979 representing residential, commercial and institutional plumbing fixtures, including acrylic soaking tubs and whirlpool tubs.
• Sioux ChiefcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership established in 2009 following merger with T. Matera & Associates. Products include residential and commercial drains, support hangers, accessories, manifolds, and access boxes.
• AK IndustriescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership established in 2009 following merger. Products include rotational molded poly basins, septic tanks, fiberglass basins, triple garage sets, covers and accessories.
• Prier ProductscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership since 2007. Products include wall and ground hydrants, sill faucets, plumbing brass drainage products. HTA has been named Prier Rep of the Year multiple times.
• Sencillo SystemsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership started in 2023 for finish plumbing specialties and tools, including domestic water booster pumps.
• IPEXminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership started in 2016 for thermoplastic pipe, valve and fitting solutions for commercial and residential construction.
• Black SwanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership started in 2019 for plumbers putty, pipe joint compounds, hand cleaners, wax gaskets, pipe lubricants, cutting oils, solvent cements, PTFE tape and accessories.
• Magic PlasticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership established in 2009 following merger. Products include quiet check valves and combination check/ball valves.
• Zoeller Engineering ProductscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPart of Zoeller Pump Company family. Products include commercial duty grinder pumps, solids handling pumps, explosion proof pumps, systems and accessories.
• Flint and WallingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPart of Zoeller Pump Company. Products include lawn irrigation, well pumps and accessories.
• Tulsar Custom ControlsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProducts include custom control panels.
• Atlas FiltriminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProducts include water filtration and treatment solutions, Italian-engineered design for drinking water and industrial filtration.
• BonomiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProducts include ball, butterfly and check valves for civil and industrial systems, electric and pneumatic actuators, automated valves.
• Foster SinksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProducts include kitchen sinks, faucets and more. Founded in 1973, focuses on craftsmanship, design trends and technological progress.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Maas & Joyce Co. Independent manufacturers' representative agency serving plumbing and HVAC markets in the Midwest. Closely comparable business model to HTA, with territory-based rep services supporting distribution channel sales for plumbing manufacturers.
• R.L. Deppmann Company: Michigan-based manufacturers' representative agency covering plumbing, water treatment, and HVAC lines across the Midwest. Operates the same commission-based rep agency model as HTA, representing manufacturers and selling through distribution to contractors and engineers.
• The Whitaker Companies: Multi-regional manufacturers' representative agency serving plumbing, HVAC, and mechanical markets across multiple US regions. Operates the same rep agency business model as HTA, with territory-based manufacturer representation and distribution channel sales.
• The Dinges Group: Midwest-based manufacturers' representative agency for plumbing and HVAC products. Directly comparable to HTA in terms of rep services, territory coverage, and distribution channel relationships with plumbing manufacturers.

Broad incumbents

• Winsupply Inc. National wholesale distributor of plumbing, HVAC, and industrial supplies operating company-owned and dealer locations across the US. Many of the same contractor, builder, and engineer customers that HTA's manufacturers target are served through Winsupply's distribution network.
• Ferguson Enterprises: Largest US wholesale distributor of plumbing, HVAC, waterworks, and industrial products. Although Ferguson is a direct distributor rather than a rep agency, it competes for downstream contractor and builder customer relationships that HTA's manufacturer partners supply through distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HTAReps
• Facebookfacebook.com/htareps
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hart-travers-associates
• Instagraminstagram.com/harttraversassoc/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Hart Travers & Associates