EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — NEFCO, a premier specialty supply partner to the professional construction trades, on Wednesday announced the acquisition of Unicoa, a Phoenix-based leader in the construction, pipeline and industrial supply industry.
The strategic move marks NEFCO’s sixth acquisition since 2022 and 11th acquisition since 2017 as NEFCO expands its branch network to 39 locations nationwide. With NEFCO’s acquisition of Southwest Fastener in March 2023 and, now, Unicoa in March 2024, NEFCO is positioned as one of the largest local construction supply distributors in Phoenix with a broad product offering, ranging from strut, hardware, anchors, rod and pipe hangers (SHARP) to tools, safety and general supplies.
Unicoa was incorporated by Larry F. Pershing in 1973 beginning as a two-man bearing supply operation in Glendale, Arizona. Pershing prided himself on the importance of establishing relationships with customers, suppliers and employees. In 2019, Pershing completed the sale of Unicoa to John Paul Labbe. Prior to acquiring Unicoa, Labbe held numerous positions at Unicoa and, throughout his ownership, he remained committed to Pershing’s original vision while growing the company’s reach and presence throughout Arizona.
“We are excited to partner with NEFCO and expand both our reach and ability to continue to put our customer first,” said Labbe. “We believe that this partnership will offer many opportunities and growth for our customers and associates. Both cultures are rooted in the same family-operated model with individualized customer service being the cornerstone. UNICOA offers NEFCO an introduction to the Phoenix tools and safety market and we are all very excited for what the future has in store.”
"We are thrilled to partner with J.P. and the rest of the incredible team at Unicoa," said Matthew Gelles, president and CEO of NEFCO. "Unicoa has built a tremendous reputation in the Phoenix and Tucson markets for dependable delivery, large inventories, and unmatched customer service.
"The combination of Southwest Fastener and Unicoa successfully marries NEFCO’s full product offering, SHARP with Southwest Fastener and tools with Unicoa, and establishes the combined business as one of the largest local construction supply distributors in the greater Phoenix market.”
