Building Success – and a Home – in the Lone Star State

HTS Texas
Written by William Young

HTS Texas is the American wing of multi-national company Heat Transfer Solutions (HTS), originally a Canadian company but one that has since grown to have many supporting businesses throughout North America.

HTS was established in 1992 out of Toronto before expanding further into Texas, first by establishing the business in the area in 2000 and then hiring on company president Mike Donovan in 2001, beginning operations that same year; today, the businesses operates five locations across Dallas, Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, and San Antonio, with further offices in Beaumont and Round Rock.

HTS Texas also added five additional principals from its Houston office in 2017 to oversee continued growth in the state, as HTS overall has also seen further expansion into areas like Chicago, New England, and New York. The company is a supplier of HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) equipment, builds automated air systems, and offers services in the commercial and industrial spaces, most notably for the oil and gas industry, educational spaces including K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions, healthcare and critical environment spaces, hospitality and retail businesses, laboratories and more. The company describes itself as “the largest independent built-to-order commercial and industrial full-service HVAC distributor in North America,” and in its lifespan has grossed over $150 million over a 15-year period (as reported at the end of 2015).

As part of its primary services, HTS Texas offers its clientele the best in automated HVAC systems for buildings, a parts department that includes fully-stocked showrooms and warehouses across four of its Texas locations, and a full suite of repair and maintenance solutions for any problem encountered during a project. The company has a litany of services to offer any type of client, from general contractors to manufacturers and everyone in between and, with over 40 partners in manufacturing, features a robust lineup of products to suit any heating or cooling need.

When it comes to acting as a customer’s line to these high-quality HVAC services, HTS Texas is proud to offer 24/7 response to all of its customers so that every issue can be addressed immediately; what’s more, the company takes pride in offering a staff that is highly proficient in both the engineering and sales realms. These teams often collaborate closely with clients to help them make the appropriate decisions about what types of technology best suit their project and how to get the most out of HVAC technology in any setting.

For example, HTS is a proponent of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification in its projects, having established a points system to help businesses reach greener standards. The company offers energy-efficient products to further increase air ventilation and minimize the effects of harmful or hazardous materials and chemicals that can be overlooked in practically any location or scenario. This full approach to meeting and exceeding customer expectations has been the company’s backbone for the past two decades.

HTS Texas has built a strong reputation in the state for its quality of service and is well-regarded internally by its workforce. Both current and former workers on website like Indeed and GlassDoor praise the company’s fast-paced environment, citing it as a great place for people looking to push themselves, with “lots of benefits for those looking to succeed.” HTS Texas is very sales-oriented in its business approach and, as such, has high expectations for success, so employees are expected to have good time management and multi-tasking skills to meet these standards. That said, many workers are quick to note that friendly relations can be easily built with management that in turn lead to a fun, team-based environment, and that strong relationships are encouraged internally between both co-workers and customers. The company has also been cited as an ideal place to learn about the HVAC industry (especially for co-op students and interns entering the business) thanks to an abundance of opportunities to learn from its experienced employees, adding to its considerable reputation.

HTS Texas has found a foothold in many key cities in the state of Texas and has also become involved in many endeavors in the local communities therein. The company has participated recently in events like the Fourth Annual Houston Chili Fest held in February 2020, where the business helped to raise over $60,000 for both Folds of Honor (scholarships to spouses and children of fallen or disabled service members) and for ALS Texas to further fund research into the disease. The team also find themselves assisting with many other efforts in the state, like when recovery efforts were underway for Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and the company provided volunteers with supplies.

In its nearly 20 years in business, HTS Texas has been no stranger to industry accolades. It has been part of the Inc. 5000 list of the most successful companies in America three times and, most recently, received the Gold Award for Top Representative in Equipment Sales from its partner American ALDES (a ventilation solutions provider based out of Florida), adding to the numerous distinctions and awards garnered in its near twenty-year lifespan.

HTS Texas has had a full plate of projects on its calendar annually since its inception, with 2019 being no different. The company worked at the Domain 12 building in Austin, a 17-floor, 320,000 square foot building erected in 2019 and leased to Facebook, for which HTS provided cooling systems including chillers (machines that remove heat from liquid), AHUs (air handling units, regulating and circulating air) and WSHPs (water source heat pumps) that are also oil-free. It also had to work under a tight schedule in Austin during the off hours at the University of Texas’ Welch Hall as it assisted in the building’s renovation by updating its HVAC systems with AHUs. Finally, the team also found work at the Ventana by Buckner senior living facility in Dallas installing new fans, grilles, and OA (outside air) units. These projects added to the company’s hefty résumé as a dependable and trusted HVAC supplier and service provider in the area.

Going forward, HTS Texas finds itself in an uncertain time as many businesses have had to pause or outright cease operations in the wake of COVID-19 measures across the world; however, the company recently announced that it has been deemed an essential business as it is “critical to the health and wellbeing of… client operations,” including the operations of the CISA (National Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It will be taking all necessary precautions to continue operations in a safe manner for all of its workers and will be continuing to offer support and services to other critical businesses and infrastructure for the foreseeable future.

The company’s original goal for 2020 was to keep its growth on track and to double its revenue to around $330 million, a landmark which may be stymied now; nevertheless, HTS Texas will continue providing its necessary services to those in need of top-shelf HVAC solutions in the state and will rise to meet the challenges facing all businesses in 2020.

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