What Cerris Systems does

Cerris Systems is a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) national commercial specialty contractor headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, with $1.4 billion in disclosed revenue and 501–1,000 employees distributed across 14 U.S. offices. The company delivers mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) construction services — including HVAC piping, plumbing, medical gas, process piping, sheet metal, generator/UPS installation, EV charging, and electrical systems — plus ongoing 24/7 service and maintenance, prefabrication, and building automation systems (BAS) integration using Alerton and other controls platforms. Its technology stack is operations-led rather than software-led: prefabrication facilities produce piping, plumbing, ductwork, and equipment skids off-site; BIM (Autodesk) is used in preconstruction; and BAS integrates HVAC, lighting, security, and energy subsystems for buildings.

The company serves nine primary verticals: healthcare, mission critical/data centers, hospitality and entertainment, power and energy, federal government and public works, office and retail, industrial, education, and pharmaceutical. It runs a project-based enterprise field sales motion via RFP/RFQ bidding to general contractors, owners, and architects, with key decision-makers embedded on every project. Revenue derives primarily from one-time construction contracts with a secondary recurring tail from service and maintenance agreements, supported by ~50 LEED APs and ENR rankings of #60 (Top 600), #10 (Top 50 Mechanical), and #8 (Top 20 Sheet Metal) in 2024.

Cerris Systems operates as one Strategic Business Unit within the broader Cerris enterprise (alongside Cerris Builders and Cerris Emerging Solutions), created in the July 2024 corporate rebrand from MMC Corp. Founded in 1932 as Midwest Plumbing & Heating in Kansas City, the firm has grown through a multi-decade roll-up program — Stroh Corporation and BCS in 2016, Allen's Mechanical in 2026 — and continues expanding geographically with recent office openings in Huntsville (2024), Phoenix (2025), and Springfield (2025).

Name

Cerris Systems

Legal name

Cerris Systems, Inc.

Website

https://cerrissystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Cerris Systems is a 100% employee-owned nationwide MEP and building automation contractor delivering mechanical, electrical, plumbing construction, prefabrication, and 24/7 service to healthcare, mission critical/data center, hospitality, power, federal, and industrial clients across 14 U.S. offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Construction Contracting: Revenue generated from mechanical, electrical, and plumbing construction services for commercial and industrial projects. Services span from preconstruction through construction and into ongoing maintenance and service.
2. Service and Maintenance: 24/7 mechanical and electrical service offerings including routine and emergency maintenance. Services extend beyond construction into facilities management and long-term partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cerris Systems is a national commercial contractor specializing in Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) construction and building automation for complex commercial projects of any size. Its offerings span preconstruction planning, off-site prefabrication, full mechanical and electrical construction, building automation systems integration, and 24/7 service and maintenance. The company serves healthcare, mission critical/data centers, hospitality, power & energy, federal/public works, office/retail, industrial, education, and pharmaceutical sectors through 14 U.S. offices.

Product overview

Cerris Systems is a national commercial contractor specializing in MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) services, offering an integrated portfolio of preconstruction, prefabrication, construction, and building service/maintenance capabilities. The company's core offerings include Building Automation Systems for full building integrations (HVAC, lighting, security, energy solutions), Mechanical Construction (HVAC piping, plumbing, medical gas, process piping, sheet metal), Electrical Construction (power systems, EV charging, fire alarms), and 24/7 Service/Maintenance. Prefabrication capabilities enable efficient off-site fabrication of piping, plumbing, and ductwork. Cerris Systems serves diverse industries including healthcare, mission critical/data centers, power and energy, hospitality, federal government, office/retail, industrial, education, and pharmaceutical sectors across 11 office locations nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cerris Builders: General construction division of Cerris enterprise, formerly MW Builders
• Cerris Emerging Solutions

Products and services

• Preconstruction Services Preconstruction planning service for enterprise construction projects, providing accurate estimates, conceptual budgeting, one-pass BIM modeling, multiple budget iterations, and design assistance from project kickoff through final design. For owners, developers, general contractors, and architects planning commercial construction.
• Prefabrication Services Off-site fabrication of piping, plumbing, ductwork, and equipment skids in permanent fabrication facilities or onsite/nearby fab shops to maximize efficiency, quality, and safety on construction projects. Available nationwide across Cerris Systems' fab shop footprint.
• Construction Services Full-service mechanical and electrical construction capabilities for enterprise clients across healthcare, mission critical/data centers, power and energy, hospitality/entertainment, federal government/public works, office/retail, industrial, education, and pharmaceutical sectors. Project sizes range from small renovations to 921,000+ SF facilities.
• Mechanical Construction Mechanical construction sub-service specializing in HVAC piping, plumbing, medical gas, process piping, food grade process piping, precision equipment installation, turbine installation, balance of plant piping, sheet metal fabrication, and power/industrial shutdown work for commercial and industrial clients.
• Electrical Construction Electrical construction sub-service including generator installation, UPS installation, EV charging station installation, power and control wiring, data and communication cabling, system design/build, remodel/retrofit, arc flash analysis, lighting and controls, and fire alarm systems for commercial and industrial clients.
• Building Automation Systems Full building systems integration offering combining HVAC, lighting, security, and energy solutions using expert controls teams (Alerton and other platforms) to ensure buildings run optimally 24/7. Includes control system upgrades, web-based graphics, and application design for enterprise building owners.
• Building Service and Maintenance 24/7 mechanical and electrical service and maintenance offering for existing building systems across all served verticals. Includes routine and emergency maintenance with dedicated primary and secondary technicians assigned to each account. Available across all 14 U.S. office locations.
• Mechanical Service Mechanical service sub-offering including refrigeration services, food service equipment maintenance, ice machines, sheet metal fabrication and installation, and plumbing service and repair for commercial facility clients.
• Electrical Service Electrical service sub-offering including generator maintenance, UPS maintenance, industrial equipment repair, EV charging station maintenance, arc flash analysis, thermal imaging, facility preventative maintenance, and efficiency upgrades for commercial facility clients.

Named customers30 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCerris Systems partners with MCAA to sponsor the organization's national summit each year and is actively involved in local chapter opportunities. This partnership supports workforce development and industry advancement initiatives.
• AutodeskstrategicTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Autodesk for BIM technologies on complex construction projects. Used Autodesk solutions for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta project to deliver complex preconstruction using the latest BIM technologies.
• Local 533 Pipefitters (Union)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong trade union partnership with Local 533 Pipefitters and other union partners across the country. The company is employee-owned and works alongside union partners in project teams.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EMCOR Group: Diversified national mechanical and electrical construction services provider with $13B+ revenue across U.S. and U.K., offering HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and facility services. Closest scale-comparable peer to Cerris, with similar mission critical, healthcare, and industrial exposure plus a meaningful recurring service business.
• Comfort Systems USA: Largest publicly-traded pure-play mechanical and electrical contractor in the U.S., providing HVAC, plumbing, and building automation services across commercial and industrial markets. Directly comparable to Cerris on customer base (healthcare, data centers, hospitality, mission critical), service mix, and project-based contracting model.
• Southland Industries: Large privately-held MEP and building services firm providing design, fabrication, installation, and service across healthcare, mission critical, and commercial markets. Nearly identical business model to Cerris with employee-ownership culture, prefab capabilities, and national office footprint.
• Limbach Holdings: Public specialty mechanical contractor (~700M revenue) focused on HVAC, plumbing, and controls across healthcare, education, and data center verticals. Highly comparable to Cerris on customer mix, scale, and emphasis on Building Automation Systems as a differentiator.
• IES Holdings: Public electrical and mechanical infrastructure services firm offering commercial/industrial electrical contracting, data center buildouts, and building systems. Comparable to Cerris on mission critical vertical, electrical construction scope, and recurring service offerings.
• MYR Group: Public specialty electrical construction services provider with commercial, industrial, and mission critical exposure. Comparable to Cerris on electrical construction scope and large-project execution, though MYR has heavier transmission/distribution tilt than Cerris's balance of plant mechanical work.
• Faith Technologies: Large employee-owned electrical and specialty systems contractor focused on commercial, industrial, and mission critical markets, with integrated prefab and 3D modeling capabilities. Direct peer given its employee ownership structure and overlap with Cerris's electrical construction and mission critical offerings.

Broad incumbents

• APi Group: Public safety, specialty, and industrial services conglomerate operating fire protection, HVAC, and life safety businesses across commercial facilities. Comparable to Cerris on facility services but operates as a multi-business platform rather than a focused MEP contractor.
• Tutor Perini: Public large-scale general construction contractor delivering civil, building, and specialty projects for healthcare, hospitality, and federal clients. Adjacent peer given Cerris's healthcare and federal public works exposure, but operates with general contracting scope rather than MEP specialization.
• Quanta Services: Largest publicly-traded utility infrastructure services firm with electric power, oil & gas, and communications exposure. Overlaps with Cerris on power and energy project scope (e.g., KMEA Jameson Energy Center, Riverton Generation) but operates at much larger scale and different vertical mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cerrissystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cerris Systems