Plumbing and HVAC equipment distributor Hills Distribution — owned by private equity firm Grove Mountain Partners — partnered with two HVAC distributors Coastal Supply Group and RJ Murray Company.

Hills Distribution was launched by Grove in November as a parent company, following Grove’s January 2024 acquisition of Plimpton & Hills.

Staten Island, NY-based Coastal Supply Group is a family-owned company that provides plumbing supplies, kitchen and bath showrooms and an HVAC inventory to customers throughout the New York and New Jersey regions. The company is run by Alex and John Federico, who will continue in their positions.

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“They have a marked emphasis on customer service and high compatibility in values with our first partnership company, Plimpton and Hills, based in Connecticut,” Hills Distribution Chairman and Grove Mountain Partners Partner Stephen Fraser said in a Jan. 29 news release. “In addition to these acquisitions, Hills Distribution is actively seeking additional partners in the wholesale HVAC and plumbing equipment space around the northeast, with the aim of creating the premier customer-focused platform with embedded scale and efficiencies.”

Established in 1922, RJ Murray Company provides over 500 dealers, contractors, government and industrial companies with heating and air conditioning equipment across the northeast U.S. The Latham, NY-based company supplies customers from its headquarters and Burlington, VT.

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“For our part, given the long and historic role RJ Murray Company has played in HVAC distribution in this country and the special culture we have refined for nearly a century of family ownership, we were very careful in the selection of a partner to help us expand on our strong foundation,” Hills Distribution President Bob Murray added.