Gustave A. Larson Co.
Address: W233N2869 Roundy Circle West, Pewaukee
Year founded: 1936
Product or service offered: Wholesale distributor of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration equipment, parts, and supplies. We also offer hydronics, geothermal, hearth and food service products.
Projected 2014 revenue: $200 million
CEO: Andrew Larson
Other key members of the leadership team: Scott Larson, president and chief operating officer
Target clientele: Residential and commercial HVAC and refrigeration contractors. We also offer food service, hydronics, geothermal and hearth products to specialty contractors.
Business organization memberships: HARDI, SMACNA, MBA, NARI
What has fueled your company’s growth? “Our growth has been fueled by the ability to sell high-quality products and offer unsurpassed technical, product and business training to our customers. We also pride ourselves on our friendly and professional customer service.”
What is the biggest obstacle to your company’s growth? “One of our biggest growth obstacles is the ability to find qualified employees to fill sales and operations positions. We are in a highly technical industry and our customers demand knowledgeable sales consultants to not only provide technical information, but also help them grow their business by providing value added solutions.”
Do you plan to make any changes in your company in the coming months? “We are always looking for opportunities to increase our sales footprint with quality products and new branch locations.”
Who are the business people, locally or nationally, whom you admire? And what traits do those people exhibit that make you admire them? “Our father, Karl Larson, is the one person in business that we look up to most. Dad passed away over two years ago, but we still look to his vision and leadership as an example of how to succeed in business. His philosophy was to think long term, keep the organization flat, and empower your people to make decisions in order to serve your customers. We continue that today exemplified through our vision, mission, and values.”
What is the outlook for the business conditions of your industry over the next several months? “Our industry association projects a flat to a slight increase in 2014.”
What is your company’s most important growth strategy right now? “Two of our most important strategic initiatives are to acquire new customers and increase our parts/accessory to equipment inclusion rate. New customers will help us achieve our aggressive market share goals. Increasing our inclusion rate will ensure a profitable market share.”
