KMA & Associates Independent Rep Group

What KMA & Associates Independent Rep Group does

KMA & Associates is a privately held manufacturers' representative firm founded in 1987 in Columbus, Ohio. The company acts as an independent sales intermediary between architectural product and contract furniture manufacturers (Arktura, Carvart, Mecho, SWF Contract, Unika Vaev Acoustics, Concertex/Nappa Tile, Leland, Martin Brattrud, Nienkamper, and Soft Touch Furniture) and the architects, interior designers, contract furniture dealers, and contractors who specify and procure those products for commercial projects. KMA earns commissions on sales its representatives generate within its assigned territories.

The firm operates across a four-state territory — Ohio (with sales offices in the northern, central, and southern regions), Indiana, Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania — staffed by 8 employees, including four field representatives (Candy Cooper, Melinda Lewis, Natasha Catlin, Claire Steenbergen) and a sales support coordinator. KMA's competitive position rests on exclusive territorial representation rights for its manufacturer lines, deep relationships with the A&D community built on 100+ years of combined sales experience, and a bundled product portfolio that allows a single rep to cover doors, window shades, acoustical products, glass, ceilings, demountable walls, seating, tables, and textiles on a given project.

KMA underwent an ownership transition on January 2, 2025, when sole owner John Petrovic retired and sold the business to long-time employees Candy Cooper (McDowall) and Melinda Lewis, who now serve as co-principal owners. The firm has no disclosed institutional investors, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no public financial filings; revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

KMA & Associates Independent Rep Group

Legal name

KMA & Associates

Website

https://kma.bz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KMA & Associates is an independent manufacturers' representative firm founded in 1987 in Columbus, Ohio, representing ten architectural product and contract furniture brands to architects, interior designers, dealers, and contractors across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania on a commission basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ohio (Multiple Offices)

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Manufacturer Representative Commission: As a manufacturers' representative firm, KMA earns commissions from the manufacturers they represent. They sell architectural products (doors, window shades, acoustical products, ceilings, glass, demountable walls) and contract furniture (seating, tables, textiles) to architects, interior designers, dealers, and contractors in their territory, earning a commission on sales generated through their representation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

KMA & Associates is a manufacturers' representative firm that sells architectural products (doors, window shades, acoustical products, ceilings, glass, demountable walls) and contract furniture (seating, tables, textiles) on behalf of multiple manufacturers across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania. The firm engages directly with architects, interior designers, dealers, and contractors to specify and sell these products, earning commissions from its manufacturer principals on sales generated through its territory-based field sales force.

Product overview

KMA & Associates is a manufacturers' representative firm, not a product developer. The company serves as an intermediary representing multiple architectural product and contract furniture manufacturers across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania. The product portfolio includes architectural products (Arktura, Carvart, Mecho, SWF Contract, Unika Vaev Acoustics), textiles (Concertex/Nappa Tile), and contract furniture (Leland, Martin Brattrud, Nienkamper, Soft Touch Furniture). These represented brands offer seating, tables, textiles, demountable walls, window shades, glass, ceilings, and acoustical products for commercial and contract specifications. KMA does not develop or manufacture its own products; rather it provides sales representation, specification support, and customer service for its manufacturer partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Products Representation Sales representation for architectural product manufacturers including Arktura, Carvart, Mecho, SWF Contract, and Unika Vaev Acoustics. Covers doors, window shades, acoustical products, ceilings, glass, and demountable walls for commercial specifications. Sells to architects, interior designers, dealers, and contractors across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ArkturacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArchitectural products manufacturer specializing in innovative door systems and architectural solutions. KMA represents Arktura in their territory.
• CarvartcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArchitectural doors manufacturer. KMA represents Carvart in Ohio and western Pennsylvania territories.
• MechocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWindow shade manufacturer known for automated and manual window treatment systems. KMA represents Mecho in their territory.
• SWF ContractcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract furniture manufacturer. KMA represents SWF Contract in their territory.
• Unika Vaev AcousticscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcoustical products manufacturer. KMA represents Unika Vaev Acoustics in Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
• Concertex/Nappa TilecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTextiles and upholstery manufacturer. KMA represents Concertex/Nappa Tile in their territory.
• LelandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract furniture manufacturer specializing in seating and tables. KMA represents Leland in Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
• Martin BrattrudcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract furniture manufacturer known for seating solutions. KMA represents Martin Brattrud in Ohio and western Pennsylvania only.
• NienkampercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract furniture manufacturer. KMA represents Nienkamper in Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
• Soft Touch FurnitureminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract furniture manufacturer in KMA's product portfolio.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Designtex: Designtex is a major architectural textiles manufacturer selling surface materials, upholstery, and wallcoverings into the contract interiors specification channel. Comparable as a represented category competitor (KMA represents Concertex/Nappa Tile in textiles) and as a manufacturer operating through independent reps selling to the same A&D community.
• Teknion: Teknion is a North American contract furniture manufacturer with systems furniture, seating, and architectural products lines that compete for specification business in KMA's territory. Comparable as a manufacturer whose rep network and direct dealer channels intersect the same A&D projects in commercial interiors.
• MillerKnoll: MillerKnoll (the merged Herman Miller + Knoll entity) is the largest premium contract furniture and textiles platform in North America, selling into the same A&D specification pipeline that KMA's rep firm feeds. Comparable because its dealer and rep channels compete directly with KMA's represented brands (Leland, Martin Brattrud, Nienkamper) for the same project specifications.
• Kimball International: Kimball International is a major contract furniture manufacturer (Kimball, National, Etc.) selling seating, tables, and casegoods into the A&D specification channel. Comparable as a multi-brand manufacturer whose independent rep partners compete for the same specification opportunities as KMA's represented brands in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Western PA.
• Steelcase: Steelcase is one of the largest global contract furniture manufacturers, selling seating, tables, and architectural solutions to the same architect and interior designer (A&D) customers KMA serves, but through a direct dealer network and corporate sales force rather than through independent reps. Comparable as a major manufacturer whose products compete for the same specification decisions in the same Ohio/Midwest commercial interiors market.
• Allsteel: Allsteel is a contract office furniture brand (part of HNI Corporation) selling systems furniture and seating to the A&D specification channel. Comparable as a manufacturer whose independent rep network competes for the same specification opportunities in KMA's Ohio/Midwest territory.
• Haworth: Haworth is a global contract furniture and architectural interiors manufacturer competing for specification business with the same A&D community KMA serves. Operates via a mix of direct sales, dealers, and independent reps in overlapping Midwestern territories, making it a structural comparable for the specification sales motion KMA performs on behalf of its represented manufacturers.
• Hunter Douglas Architectural: Hunter Douglas is a leading architectural window treatments manufacturer (shades, blinds, dynamic façades) selling into the same A&D specification channel that KMA serves, including Mecho (a KMA-represented line). Comparable because Hunter Douglas competes head-to-head with KMA's represented Mecho line for window-shade specifications on commercial projects.
• Carnegie Fabrics: Carnegie Fabrics is an architectural textiles manufacturer selling high-performance fabrics, wallcoverings, and acoustic solutions into the A&D specification channel. Comparable as a manufacturer whose product categories (textiles, acoustics) overlap with KMA's represented Concertex/Nappa Tile and Unika Vaev lines, competing for the same interior project specifications.
• Humanscale: Humanscale designs and manufactures ergonomic seating, desks, and workplace products sold through a rep-and-dealer channel directly to the A&D community KMA serves. Comparable as an architectural products manufacturer competing for specification decisions on commercial interiors projects in the Midwest.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kma-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 KMA & Associates Independent Rep Group