Nortek Air Solutions builds efficient, dependable and long-lasting heating and cooling systems that create ideal environments for working, living and learning. As the largest manufacturer of custom air handlers in North America, our engineers, designers and representatives work together with our customers to make solutions that keep commercial, healthcare, educational and industrial spaces running all over North America.
Our company’s legacy of innovation began in the early 1900s, when our founders made it their mission to bring better heating and cooling solutions to building occupants who needed them most. Today, we are continuing that tradition by using the latest technologies and what we have learned since 1935, in the unification of our companies, brands and people, to help create a better tomorrow, every day.
In 1935 the Brown Sheet Iron and Steel Company opened the doors to an old brownstone building in Minneapolis and began manufacturing industrial gravity and forced air furnaces under the Mammoth brand.
In 1937 Governair Corporation was founded by William Quinn. Its first product was a Vertical Up-Blast Unit Cooler. Later it expanded to include cold storage unit coolers and packaged air conditioning systems.
In 1955 Ambrose Keyser, Chief Engineer at Governair leaves to start Temtrol. Temtrol started in an old cotton gin and three houses on two acres, which he foresaw for growth. Ambrose came up with the name Temtrol (an abbreviation of “temperature control”) and, with an initial investment of $35,000, started working toward the future of Temtrol, Inc. as a manufacturer of air-handling units, and heating and cooling coils.
1967 Nortek, Inc. was founded in Providence, RI.
In 1977 WEBCO was founded by William Eugene Bennet in Springfield, MO. It was licensed by The Wing company to sell and fabricate Wing’s rooftop energy recovery packages. Later it expanded to ventilation, air handling, packaged DX systems, penthouse mechanical systems and specialty process equipment. In 1999, Nortek, Inc. acquired WEBCO.
In 1980 North America's oldest HRV manufacturer, CES (Conservation Energy Systems), later to be named Venmar, incorporates under the ownership of Rick Olmstead in the Saskatoon, SK area. Shortly after it shipped its first vanEE R200, the original double cross flow HRV.
In 1985 CleanPak International, LLC was founded in Clackamas, OR. Founded in 1985, It began as an air-handling unit manufacturer, and then expanded to become experts at manufacturing the entire cleanroom environment.
1987 Nortek, Inc. forms Commercial Environmental Systems Group (CES Group).
In 1993 Huntair, Inc. was founded in Tualatin, OR and was the inventor of FANWALL TECHNOLOGY®
In 1994 Governair builds first acoustical testing laboratory.
In 1994 Venmar Ventilation, Inc. Acquires Aston Industries in St. Leonard-d’Aston, QC where it focused its manufacturing on the custom applied commercial energy recovery market.
In 1995 Nortek, Inc. acquires Venmar Ventilation, Inc.
In 1996 Commercial Environmental System Group adopts Conservation Energy Systems from Venmar Ventilation and has manufacturing in Saskatoon, SK and St. Leonard-d’Aston, QC. Conservation Energy Systems joins sister companies Governair, Mammoth and Temtrol
In 1997 Conservation Energy Systems, Inc. changed its name to Venmar CES, Inc. and became very active in AHRI to develop testing and certification programs for ERVs/HRVs.
Aston factory
Saskatoon factory
In 1998 CES Group invests in a new greenfield startup of Ventrol, Inc. located in Anjou (Montreal), QC where it started manufacturing custom air handlers and loose coils. Specializing in innovative custom air handling solutions for retrofit and new construction, Ventrol combined a strong customer focus, commitment to quality, and advanced technologies — including thermal breaks, integrated energy recovery heat exchangers, humidification, and sound reduction — to provide the right products for a variety of industries and applications. Ventrol manufactures their own fans with AHRI Certified™ performance to guarantee quality.
In 2000, Nortek, Inc. acquired Eaton Williams Holdings, LTD headquartered in Edenbridge, England. Eaton-Williams designed, manufactured, installed and serviced a leading range of custom and standard humidification and air conditioning equipment under the brand names of Vapac®, Cubit®, Qualitair® and Edenaire®.
In 2004 Commercial Environmental Systems Group changes its name to CES Group, Inc., a management company for Governair, Temtrol, Mammoth, Ventrol, WEBCO, Venmar CES and Eaton Williams.
In 2006, CES Group acquires Huntair, Inc., a leader in creating cleanroom environments for the semiconductor, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries as well as for comfort applications, and CleanPak International, LLC (“CleanPak”), a company specializing in cleanroom applications.
In 2008, Mammoth, Inc. and WEBCO, Inc. combine operations in Springfield, MO to manufacture powerful custom solutions for controlling the environment in buildings. Solutions such as: integrated Prefabricated Equipment Centers (iPEC™), ULTRALINE™ Roof-Mounted A/C Systems, ULTRALINE Packaged DX Chillers, Industrial Air Handlers, V-Cube™ Floor-by-Floor Packaged Self-Contained A/C, Replacement Multizone Rooftop A/C, Water-Source Heat Pumps, and EPiC DDC Controls.
In 2009, CleanPak International product manufacturing moved to Huntair, Inc.’s facility in Tualatin.
In 2014 all companies consolidated under one legal entity CES Group, LLC.
In 2015 CES Group, LLC legal entity changes to Nortek Air Solutions, LLC in the US, Nortek Air Solutions Quebec in Quebec, Canada and Nortek Air Solutions Canada in Saskatchewan, Canada.
In 2015, Nortek Air Solutions consolidates manufacturing of its Mammoth and Venmar branded products in St. Leonard-d’Aston, QC
In 2015 Eaton Williams became part of Nortek Global HVAC (UK) business.
2016 Melrose Industries plc, a British manufacturing company based in London, purchased Nortek, Inc.
In 2016, all Nortek Air Solutions’ brands transition to a common format as shown here.
2021 Madison Industries purchases Nortek, Inc. from Melrose Industries plc. Madison Industries is one of the largest and most successful privately held companies in the world, who has fostered and built exceptional companies that are essential to our collective health and well-being. Their platform is designed to empower companies whose products make our lives better today and build them into the market leaders of tomorrow.
In 2022 Madison Industries breaks down Nortek, Inc. into three focused businesses: Nortek Air Solutions (NAS) for commercial, industrial and institutional air handling systems; Nortek Global HVAC (NGH) for residential and light commercial products and Nortek Data Center Cooling (NDCC).
In 2023 Madison Industries rebrands its Madison IAQ business to Madison Air.
In 2023 the coils team rebrands as Nortek Coil Solutions.
