AF Distributors
AF Distributors is a privately held two-step wholesale distributor founded in 1980, supplying fireplaces, hearth products, BBQ grills, and outdoor heating equipment from 40+ premium brands to brick-and-mortar dealers across the Western US via three distribution centers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersPhoenix, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AF Distributors does
AF Distributors is a privately held two-step wholesale distributor founded in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona (originally as Arizona Fasteners Corp). The company distributes fireplaces, hearth products, BBQ grills, outdoor heating equipment, gas logs, fire pits, and fireglass to independent brick-and-mortar dealers across the Western United States, with nationwide online fulfillment capability extending its reach beyond its core regional geography. It operates three distribution centers — a 91,000 sq. ft. headquarters hub in Phoenix AZ (newly opened in 2025), a California facility in Sacramento, and a Texas facility in Grand Prairie — and distributes 40+ premium manufacturer brands including Napoleon, Fire Magic, Summerset, American Made Grills, Modern Flames, Bromic, Real Fyre, and Majestic across seven product categories.
The company generates revenue through wholesale product distribution margins on volume-based sales to its dealer network. Its go-to-market is anchored in dealer relationship management, supported by a 24/7 dealer portal for ordering and account management, manufacturer SPIFF (Sales Performance Incentive Fund) programs that drive dealer sell-through, and multi-channel marketing (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, email newsletters, and a website catalog). The Phoenix hub's state-of-the-art inventory scanning system and improved picking paths are designed to increase order accuracy and processing speed, which are the primary technology differentiators — there is no disclosed proprietary software platform or AI/ML capability beyond conventional distribution/logistics tooling.
The company is privately held, has remained under consistent ownership since founding, and reports no private equity, venture capital, or parent company involvement. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; transactions are handled through dealer accounts on the dealer portal. The business model is fundamentally a B2B hardware distributor with no recurring software or services revenue stream disclosed. Expansion focus is on dealer network growth, premium brand portfolio deepening, and infrastructure investment (the 2025 Phoenix hub), with limited evidence of vertical or geographic diversification beyond the Western US core.
AF Distributors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AF Distributors
- Legal name
- AF Distributors
- Website
- https://weareafdistributors.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- AF Distributors is a privately held two-step wholesale distributor founded in 1980, supplying fireplaces, hearth products, BBQ grills, and outdoor heating equipment from 40+ premium brands to brick-and-mortar dealers across the Western US via three distribution centers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where AF Distributors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Phoenix
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
AF Distributors business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wholesale Distribution: AF Distributors operates as a two-step wholesale distributor, selling hearth products, BBQs, and outdoor heating equipment to brick and mortar dealers. Revenue is generated through product distribution margins and volume-based sales to dealer networks across the Western United States with nationwide fulfillment capabilities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
AF Distributors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AF Distributors is a two-step wholesale distributor that supplies fireplaces, hearth products, BBQ grills, and outdoor heating solutions to brick-and-mortar dealers across the Western United States. The company operates three warehouse facilities in Phoenix AZ, Grand Prairie TX, and Sacramento CA, including a new 91,000 sq. ft. Phoenix distribution hub. It carries over 40 premium brands and provides nationwide online fulfillment to its dealer network.
Product overview
AF Distributors is a two-step wholesale distributor serving brick-and-mortar dealers across the Western United States with nationwide online fulfillment capabilities. The company offers a diversified portfolio of hearth products, outdoor living equipment, and BBQ grills through multiple warehouse facilities in Arizona, California, and Texas. The product portfolio spans seven core categories: BBQs/Grills (featuring brands like American Made Grills, AOG, Fire Magic, Napoleon, Summerset, TrueFlame, Wildfire, and Primo), Fireplaces (including American Fyre Designs, Astria, British Fires, Dimplex, Empire, Heat & Glo, Majestic, Modern Flames, Napoleon, Summit Open Luxury Fireplaces, and Superior), Stoves/Inserts (from Country Stoves, Dielle, Iron Strike, Majestic, Napoleon, and Osburn), Outdoor Heating (Bromic Heating), Gas Logs (Real Fyre), Fire Pits (Fire Garden, Grand Canyon Gas Logs, The Outdoor Plus), and Fireglass (Athena Fireglass). The company also offers manufacturer SPIFF (Sales Performance Incentive Fund) programs to support dealer sales.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BBQs and Grills Distribution Wholesale distribution of BBQ and grill products including gas, charcoal, and ceramic options from brands such as American Made Grills, AOG, Fire Magic, Napoleon BBQs, Primo Ceramic Grills, Summerset Grills, TrueFlame Grills, Wildfire Outdoor Living, and Le Griddle, supplied to dealers for resale to end consumers.
- Fireplaces Distribution Wholesale distribution of fireplace products including gas, electric, and wood-burning units from brands such as Napoleon, Heat & Glo, Majestic, Modern Flames, Dimplex, Astria, Empire Comfort Systems, Superior, Montigo, and Summit Open Luxury Fireplaces, supplied to dealers for residential heating and ambiance applications.
- Stoves and Inserts Distribution Wholesale distribution of wood stoves, pellet stoves, and fireplace inserts from brands including Country Stoves and Inserts, Dielle Pellet Stoves, Iron Strike, Osburn, Majestic, and Napoleon, supplied to dealers for efficient home heating applications.
- Outdoor Heating Solutions Distribution Wholesale distribution of outdoor heating products including Bromic Heating Smart-Heat solutions and Tungsten electric units for commercial patio and residential outdoor heating applications, supplied to dealers.
- Gas Logs Distribution Wholesale distribution of gas log sets and burner systems from Real Fyre and Grand Canyon Gas Logs for converting existing fireplaces to gas fuel, supplied to dealers.
- Fire Pits and Outdoor Fire Features Distribution Wholesale distribution of outdoor fire pits and fire features from American Fyre Designs, Fire Garden Outdoor Fire Features, Grand Canyon Gas Logs, and The Outdoor Plus, supplied to dealers for residential outdoor living spaces.
- Fireglass Distribution Wholesale distribution of decorative fireglass and fire pit media from Athena Fireglass for aesthetic fire feature installations, supplied to dealers.
- Nationwide Online Fulfillment Services Nationwide online order fulfillment services available to dealers for purchasing hearth, patio, and BBQ products through a 24/7 dealer login portal, complementing the company's regional dealer network distribution.
Companies that use AF Distributors
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
AF Distributors technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
AF Distributors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- American Fyre DesignscoreAF Distributors distributes American Fyre Designs outdoor fire features to dealers in the Western US market.
- American Made GrillscoreAF Distributors is a distributor for American Made Grills, offering SPIFF programs and dealer incentives for sales.
- AOG – American Outdoor GrillcoreAF Distributors distributes AOG grills with 2026 sales incentive programs available for qualifying sales.
- NapoleoncoreAF Distributors carries Napoleon BBQs and fireplaces with multiple 2026 SPIFF programs including built-in grills and Prestige PRO incentive offerings.
- Fire Magic GrillscoreAF Distributors distributes Fire Magic grills, a premium brand featuring commercial-grade stainless steel construction, with 2026 sales incentive programs.
- Summerset GrillscoreAF Distributors distributes Summerset Grills with 2026 SPIFF program offering $50-$175 per qualifying grill sold.
- Summit Open Luxury FireplacesminorAF Distributors now offers Summit Open Luxury Fireplaces featuring Bedrock Burner and GlowFire Log Technology.
- Modern Flames Electric FireplacescoreAF Distributors distributes Modern Flames TruWood Premium Timber series featuring handcrafted real wood logs with authentic bark and charred splits.
- Bromic HeatingcoreAF Distributors distributes Bromic Smart-Heat solutions and Tungsten electric units for commercial patio and residential outdoor heating.
- DimplexcoreAF Distributors carries Dimplex electric fireplaces as part of their product portfolio.
- TrueFlame GrillscoreAF Distributors distributes TrueFlame Grills with 2026 SPIFF program offering $50-$125 per qualifying grill sold.
- Wildfire Outdoor LivingcoreAF Distributors distributes Wildfire Outdoor Living products with 2026 SPIFF program offering additional $75-$150 bundle rewards.
- Real FyrecoreAF Distributors distributes Real Fyre gas logs to dealers.
- Grand Canyon Gas LogscoreAF Distributors distributes Grand Canyon Gas Logs for outdoor fire features.
- The Outdoor PluscoreAF Distributors distributes The Outdoor Plus products for fire pits and outdoor heating.
- Athena FireglasscoreAF Distributors distributes Athena Fireglass decorative fire features.
- Primo Ceramic GrillscoreAF Distributors distributes Primo Ceramic Grills premium kamado-style BBQs.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AF Distributors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ferguson Enterprises: Large public wholesale distributor of plumbing, heating, and HVAC products. Comparable as a multi-hub two-step distributor serving contractor and dealer channels, though with a far broader category mix and national footprint that dwarfs AF Distributors' regional hearth/BBQ focus.
- Orgill: Largest independently owned hardlines distributor in the US, serving hardware, building materials, and hearth dealers. AF Distributors is comparable as a regional two-step distributor selling into independent dealer accounts, though Orgill operates at far greater national scale and category breadth.
- Do it Best: US hardware and lumber buying cooperative serving independent retailers nationwide. Comparable to AF Distributors as another two-step-style distributor serving independent dealer accounts, though Do it Best's category breadth and member network scale far exceed AF's regional hearth/BBQ focus.
- True Value Company: Hardware distribution cooperative serving independent retailers. Comparable to AF Distributors in that both serve independent brick-and-mortar dealer channels with hardware-adjacent assortments, although True Value operates a much broader category mix at national scale.
Others
- Travis Industries: Manufacturer of hearth products including Lopi, Fireplace Xtrordinair, and DaVinci Custom Grills. Comparable because Travis Industries operates its own regional distribution through Lopi/Stove distribution networks, positioning it as both a potential AF supplier and a competing distributor to independent hearth dealers.
- Hearth & Home Technologies (HHT): Largest US manufacturer of fireplaces, stoves, and hearth products (Heat & Glo, Heatilator, Quadra-Fire, Majestic, Vermont Castings brands). Comparable because HHT is both a key AF Distributors supplier and a vertically integrated competitor that controls its own dealer programs, representing the principal counterparty/competitive threat to AF's two-step model.
- Hestan Outdoor: Premium commercial-grade grill manufacturer with a strong Western US dealer presence. Comparable as a high-end grill brand distributed in part through independent dealers that AF Distributors serves, and a candidate supplier whose distribution could complement or compete with AF's existing premium grill portfolio.
- Napoleon: Major manufacturer of premium BBQs and fireplaces distributed by AF Distributors. Comparable as a flagship brand partner whose SPIFF programs and dealer co-investment directly drive AF Distributors' sell-through, but also a potential vertical competitor should Napoleon expand direct-to-dealer fulfillment.
Emerging players
- Twin Star Home: Manufacturer and omnichannel distributor of electric fireplaces, home furnishings, and outdoor living products. Comparable as a vertically integrated player that both manufactures hearth products and distributes them through its own dealer and retail channels, overlapping with AF Distributors' portfolio categories.
- BBQ Guys: Largest US online retailer of BBQ grills, smokers, and outdoor kitchens. Comparable because it competes for the same end-consumer hearth and BBQ demand that AF Distributors' dealer channel depends on, representing a structural threat to the independent dealer customer base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
AF Distributors social profiles
Digital presenceAF Distributors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AF Distributors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
AF Distributors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AF Distributors 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 AF Distributors
What does AF Distributors do?
AF Distributors is a two-step wholesale distributor that supplies fireplaces, hearth products, BBQ grills, and outdoor heating solutions to brick-and-mortar dealers across the Western United States. The company operates three warehouse facilities in Phoenix AZ, Grand Prairie TX, and Sacramento CA, including a new 91,000 sq. ft. Phoenix distribution hub. It carries over 40 premium brands and provides nationwide online fulfillment to its dealer network.
Is AF Distributors a public or private company?
AF Distributors is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was AF Distributors founded?
AF Distributors was founded in 1980. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is AF Distributors based?
AF Distributors is headquartered in Phoenix, United States, in the North America region.
How does AF Distributors make money?
One revenue line is on record: wholesale Distribution.
Who are AF Distributors's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ferguson Enterprises, Orgill, Do it Best and True Value Company. Others are Travis Industries, Hearth & Home Technologies (HHT), Hestan Outdoor and Napoleon. Emerging players are Twin Star Home and BBQ Guys.
Does AF Distributors have an API?
No public API is recorded for AF Distributors.