Carter Morse & Goodrich (“CMG”) is pleased to announce that it served as the exclusive financial advisor to Williams Distributing Co. (“Williams” or the “Company”) in its sale to Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc. (“Daikin”), a subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Ltd. (DIL), the world’s largest manufacturer of HVAC systems. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Williams is the leading full-service distributor of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) products and residential building products for builders, contractors, consumers, and architects serving the kitchen and bath, plumbing, garage door and hearth markets in the Great Lakes region of the United States. As a second and third generation family-owned business, the Company is nationally recognized across both the HVAC and building products sectors for its deep inventory of available products, exclusive relationships with key brands and robust customer service experience that continuously exceeds its clients’ expectations. Attaining double-digit growth for three straight years, Williams recently expanded its HVAC parts and accessories portfolio by acquiring the business of Shoemaker, Inc., a distributor of HVAC, hydronics and plumbing supplies serving Michigan and Indiana. Williams operates 32 locations, including 27 dedicated to HVAC, across Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio with 575 employees.
Daikin Industries, Ltd., headquartered in Osaka, Japan, is a Fortune 1,000 company with more than 84,000 employees worldwide and is the world’s #1 indoor comfort solutions provider company. Daikin Comfort Technologies North America provides Daikin, Goodman, Amana® (Amana® is a registered trademark of Maytag Corporation or its related companies and is used under license. All rights reserved) and Quietflex brands products throughout North America.
“I’m so appreciative of the Carter Morse & Goodrich team for their preparation, guidance and leadership throughout the M&A process ultimately culminating in a successful closing,” remarked Jim Williams, the former Chairman of the Board and majority owner of Williams. “While we were fortunate to have multiple options to consider, it became apparent to me that Daikin’s strong focus on people, access to leading technology, along with its commitment to growth and industry leadership, solidified my confidence that the best future for the entire Williams team was to be led by Daikin. We’re thrilled to join the world’s number one indoor comfort solutions provider, sharing a vision that we believe leads to bright futures for both employees and customers alike.”
Ramsey Goodrich, Managing Partner of CMG, commented, “We’re honored that Jim and the Williams family entrusted our firm with their ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ transaction. What initially began as a review of strategic options for the Company early last year developed into a successful sale process and a realization of the Williams family’s life work. We are excited for the Williams family as they explore new endeavors, and for the management team at Williams Distributing with its new partnership with a global leader in Daikin.”
Honigman LLP served as Williams’ primary legal advisor. Transaction advisory services were provided by BDO and tax advisory services were provided by Rehmann. The transaction was managed by Carter Morse & Goodrich’s FINRA registered broker-dealer affiliate, Carter Capital Corporation.
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