Atrium Home Services Acquisitions

Atrium Home Services has established itself as a focused Midwest consolidation platform, completing seven strategic HVAC, plumbing, and electrical acquisitions since launching in December 2021. Headquartered in Warrensville Heights, Ohio (Cleveland area), the Calera Capital-backed company operates under the leadership of CEO Chris Patti, an industry veteran with 25 years of distribution and operational excellence experience.

Unlike platforms pursuing rapid national expansion, Atrium has built methodically around two core markets—Ohio and Michigan—creating operational density that enables superior service delivery, efficient resource allocation, and meaningful collaboration among portfolio companies. The platform's portfolio of seven brands serves over 500,000 customers annually through 500+ employees, generating consistent performance through what Atrium describes as a "best practices" model that rewards high performance and fosters peer learning.

As of December 2025, Atrium remains privately held under Calera Capital ownership, positioning for continued regional expansion while maintaining the founder-friendly, people-first culture that has attracted quality acquisition targets and retained original ownership teams post-transaction.

Platform Overview: Midwest-Focused Essential Services Consolidation

Headquarters: Warrensville Heights, Ohio
Founded: December 2021
CEO: Chris Patti (appointed November 2023)
Former CEO: Matt Witzky (2021-2023, founding CEO)
Chairman: Edward Orzetti
Primary Backer: Calera Capital (majority stake acquired December 2021)
Total Capital Raised: Undisclosed
Service Lines: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, sewer & drain, water treatment
Current Portfolio: 7 brands across Ohio and Michigan
Employees: 500-1,000
Geographic Focus: Midwest (primarily Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota)

Leadership: Chris Patti Brings Distribution and Operational Excellence

Chris Patti joined Atrium Home Services as CEO in November 2023, bringing a quarter-century of leadership experience across distribution businesses in both private and public sector environments. His appointment marked a strategic evolution as Atrium transitioned from startup phase under founding CEO Matt Witzky to a more operationally mature platform focused on execution, efficiency, and employee development.

"I look forward to working closely with the management team and visiting with our outstanding professionals across the company to listen to their ideas and make sure we are providing the proper tools and programs to help them achieve their desired success," Patti stated upon his appointment. This listening-first approach reflects his collaborative leadership philosophy—understanding that frontline technicians, dispatchers, and local managers often possess the most valuable insights for operational improvement.

Chris Patti's Background and Experience

Prior to Atrium, Patti served as CEO of KSI Auto Parts, an automotive aftermarket distribution company specializing in collision parts for automotive body shops. At KSI, he led a multi-location distribution network serving body shops across the United States, developing expertise in inventory management, logistics optimization, and customer service excellence in a demanding, time-sensitive industry.

His career includes senior leadership and C-suite roles at:

LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ: LKQ) - Global leader in automotive replacement parts distribution with $14+ billion in annual revenue. Patti's experience at LKQ provided exposure to large-scale distribution operations, public company governance, and strategies for building national platforms through acquisition and organic growth.

Keystone Automotive Operations - Major distributor of automotive aftermarket products, where Patti held the position of Vice President of US Sales. At Keystone, he developed go-to-market strategies, managed large sales teams, and built relationships with thousands of independent body shops and collision centers.

Avantor (NYSE: AVNTR) - Global provider of products and services to customers in the life sciences, advanced technologies, and applied materials industries. At Avantor (formerly VWR International), Patti served as Vice President of Sales, gaining expertise in scientific and laboratory distribution markets. This experience in highly technical, precision-dependent distribution parallels the home services industry's requirement for skilled technician deployment and quality assurance.

Educational Background:
Patti earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Muhlenberg College (1994-1998), demonstrating strong communication skills that serve him well in leading diverse teams and building stakeholder relationships. He resides in New Jersey with his wife and daughter.

What Patti's Background Means for Atrium

Patti's distribution expertise translates directly to home services operations in several key ways:

1. Inventory Management Excellence - Automotive parts distribution requires managing thousands of SKUs, predicting demand patterns, and maintaining optimal stock levels across multiple locations. These skills apply directly to HVAC equipment, plumbing supplies, and electrical materials procurement.
2. Route Optimization and Logistics - Just as parts distribution requires efficient delivery routing to minimize costs and maximize speed, home services platforms must optimize technician dispatch, minimize drive time, and maximize billable hours per day.
3. Time-Sensitive Service Delivery - Body shops need parts delivered quickly to minimize customer vehicle downtime. Similarly, homeowners with broken furnaces or plumbing emergencies require rapid response. Patti's experience building service-oriented cultures translates across industries.
4. Multi-Location Operations - Managing geographically dispersed locations with local leaders requires balancing central control with operational autonomy—precisely the challenge facing home services consolidation platforms.
5. People-First Leadership - Patti's stated commitment to "listen to ideas and provide proper tools" reflects understanding that distributed operations succeed through empowered local teams, not top-down mandates.

Edward Orzetti, Atrium's Chairman, stated upon Patti's appointment: "Chris and I have worked together for almost two decades and I look forward to supporting him as he helps drive a focused operating rhythm across the company that will improve the experience for both our associates and our customers."

The long-standing professional relationship between Patti and Orzetti suggests strong cultural and strategic alignment, reducing typical private equity CEO transition risks and enabling faster execution on growth initiatives.

Calera Capital: Focused Investors in Specialty Industrial and Service Businesses

Calera Capital, based in San Francisco, acquired a majority stake in the founding companies of Atrium Home Services (Anderson Heating and Service Professor) in December 2021. The firm specializes in partnering with founders and management teams in specialty industrials, business services, and related sectors where operational excellence and customer relationships drive competitive advantage.

Calera's investment thesis for Atrium aligns with its broader portfolio strategy:

Home Services Sector Fit:

• Non-Discretionary Services - HVAC, plumbing, and electrical repairs are essential, creating recession-resistant revenue streams
• Fragmented Market - Thousands of family-owned businesses create consolidation opportunities
• Skilled Labor Moat - Licensed technicians create barriers to entry that protect market position
• Recurring Revenue Potential - Maintenance agreements and seasonal tune-ups generate predictable cash flows
• Local Brand Equity - Trusted community reputations built over decades resist commoditization

Calera's approach emphasizes "collaborative strategic dialogue to develop a plan that is custom-fit for their business," rather than imposing standardized operating models. This philosophy aligns with Atrium's preservation of local brand identities and its emphasis on best practice sharing rather than top-down mandates.

The firm's portfolio includes other specialty service businesses demonstrating similar characteristics: ImageFIRST (healthcare linen and facility services), Cypress Health Partners (physical therapy and chiropractic clinics), and various specialty industrial distributors and service providers.

Atrium's Founding and Strategic Evolution

Atrium Home Services launched in December 2021 through Calera Capital's simultaneous acquisition of two well-established, family-owned companies:

Anderson Heating, Cooling & Plumbing (Mentor, Ohio - Cleveland area)
Service Professor (Grand Rapids, Michigan)

This dual-anchor strategy provided immediate scale across two major Midwest metropolitan areas while establishing the template for Atrium's acquisition approach: partnering with trusted, multi-generational businesses with strong reputations, loyal customer bases, and cultural alignment around customer service excellence.

Matt Witzky served as founding CEO from December 2021 through November 2023, building the initial platform infrastructure, completing five add-on acquisitions, and establishing operational systems that enabled Atrium to reach 500+ employees. Witzky's "considerable contributions" and "tireless leadership" (as acknowledged in Patti's appointment announcement) created the foundation upon which the current organization operates.

The transition from Witzky to Patti in November 2023 marked a strategic shift from startup/assembly phase to operational maturity and efficiency optimization—a common evolution as platforms reach critical mass and focus shifts from acquisition velocity to organic growth and margin expansion.

Complete Portfolio Breakdown: 7 Brands Across Ohio and Michigan

Atrium's portfolio demonstrates geographic clustering around two core markets—Greater Cleveland, Ohio and West Michigan—with strategic expansion into Detroit and other Ohio metro areas. This concentration creates operational synergies impossible for geographically dispersed platforms.

Ohio: 5 Brands (Core Market Concentration)

Ohio represents Atrium's largest geographic concentration with five portfolio companies serving Greater Cleveland, Medina, Willoughby, and Parma—creating market density that enables shared service routes, consolidated inventory warehousing, and collaborative recruiting.

Anderson Heating, Cooling & Plumbing (Mentor, OH - Greater Cleveland)

Location: 6119 Heisley Rd, Mentor, Ohio 44060
Founded: Mid-1980s (40+ years of service as of 2025)
Acquired: December 2021 (platform founding company)
Services: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, water heaters, indoor air quality
Service Area: Greater Cleveland including Mentor, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Willoughby, Mayfield Heights
Phone: (440) 255-8500
Website: myandersonhvac.com

Anderson Heating, Cooling & Plumbing serves as one of Atrium's two founding partners, bringing over four decades of Greater Cleveland market expertise. Located in Mentor (approximately 30 miles northeast of downtown Cleveland), Anderson has built its reputation on what the company describes as treating every customer "not just as numbers; they are individuals with unique needs and concerns."

The company operates across the full spectrum of residential home services:

HVAC Services: Furnace installation and repair, air conditioning installation and repair, heat pump systems, ductless mini-splits, emergency heating and cooling service (24/7 availability), preventive maintenance agreements, indoor air quality solutions including air purification and humidity control.

Plumbing Services: Water heater installation and repair (traditional tank and tankless systems), drain cleaning and sewer services, leak detection and repair, fixture installation, backflow prevention, water treatment systems, emergency plumbing repairs.

Electrical Services: Electrical panel upgrades, lighting installation (including LED conversions), EV charging station installation, rewiring and circuit additions, generator installation and service, electrical safety inspections, smart home electrical integration.

Anderson's comprehensive service offering positions it as a one-stop solution for homeowners—a strategic advantage as customers increasingly prefer single-vendor relationships rather than maintaining separate contractors for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical needs.

The company emphasizes its "better than we found it" guarantee, promising to leave homes in improved condition beyond just completing the immediate service call. This customer-first philosophy aligns with Atrium's platform values and differentiated service approach in competitive Cleveland markets.

As a platform founding company, Anderson likely maintains significant operational influence within Atrium, contributing best practices around multi-trade service delivery, customer experience design, and technician training programs that benefit newer portfolio additions.

New Image Plumbing (Medina, OH)

Location: Medina, Ohio (approximately 30 miles southwest of Cleveland)
Founded: Early 2000s (20+ years of experience)
Acquired: 2022
Services: Plumbing, sewer & drain, water heater installation and repair
Specializations: Residential sewer line repairs, trenchless sewer replacement, leak detection, water heater replacement

New Image Plumbing joined Atrium in 2022, adding plumbing-specialist expertise to the Ohio portfolio. Located in Medina—a growing exurban community between Cleveland and Akron—New Image serves a market with significant aging housing stock requiring sewer line replacement, water heater upgrades, and bathroom/kitchen remodeling plumbing work.

The company's specialization in sewer and drain services complements Anderson's broader HVAC and plumbing offerings, creating referral opportunities when Anderson customers need specialized underground work or when New Image customers require heating and cooling services.

With over 20 years of local market presence, New Image has built the trust and reputation that Atrium prioritizes in acquisition targets. The Medina location extends Atrium's service territory beyond Greater Cleveland into the growing suburban corridor, positioning for organic growth as the area continues attracting families seeking larger properties and newer school districts.

Hedlund Plumbing, Heating & Cooling (Willoughby, OH - Now Part of Service Professor)

Location: Willoughby, Ohio (Greater Cleveland eastern suburbs)
Founded: 1978
Acquired: 2023
Services: HVAC maintenance and repair, furnace repairs, plumbing services, water heaters
Current Status: Operates under Service Professor brand (as of 2024-2025)

Hedlund Plumbing, Heating & Cooling brought nearly 45 years of operating history when joining Atrium in 2023. Founded in 1978—the same year as Service Professor in Michigan—Hedlund serves Willoughby and surrounding eastern Cleveland suburbs including Mentor, Eastlake, and Wickliffe.

Interestingly, by late 2024/early 2025, Hedlund had been integrated into Service Professor's operations, as indicated by Service Professor's website stating "Hedlund Plumbing Is Now A Part Of The Service Professor Family!" This integration demonstrates Atrium's willingness to consolidate brands when operational synergies justify unified operations—particularly when serving similar geographic markets or when customer bases have significant overlap.

The Hedlund-Service Professor integration likely created efficiencies in:

• Dispatch operations - Unified call center and technician routing across Cleveland-area service calls
• Inventory management - Consolidated parts purchasing and warehousing for both brands
• Technician utilization - Cross-brand deployment during peak seasons or when specialized skills required
• Marketing efficiency - Combined digital advertising budget and local service ads optimization

While Atrium generally preserves local brand identities, the Hedlund integration suggests the platform makes data-driven decisions about when brand consolidation creates customer value through expanded capacity, faster response times, or enhanced service offerings.

Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning (Parma, OH)

Location: Parma, Ohio (Cleveland southwestern suburb)
Founded: Recent establishment (specific founding date undisclosed)
Founder/Owner: Josh Bigelow
Acquired: 2024
Services: HVAC systems, air conditioning, furnace installation and repair, maintenance agreements
Growth Status: Significant expansion under Atrium support

Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning represents Atrium's newest Ohio acquisition (announced 2024), bringing specialized HVAC expertise to Cleveland's southwestern suburbs. Founded by Josh Bigelow, Great Dane had established strong local reputation prior to partnering with Atrium.

Parma, with a population of approximately 80,000, represents Cleveland's largest suburb and a strategic market for home services. The city's housing stock—predominantly built between 1950-1970—creates consistent demand for HVAC system replacements, furnace repairs, and air conditioning installations as equipment reaches end-of-life.

According to platform announcements, Great Dane has experienced "significant growth under Atrium's support," suggesting successful implementation of Atrium's operational playbook including marketing optimization, technician training programs, and service delivery improvements.

Bigelow's continued involvement post-acquisition (typical for Atrium partnerships) ensures preservation of the customer relationships and local market knowledge that drove Great Dane's pre-acquisition success while benefiting from Atrium's resources in recruiting, technology, and back-office functions.

Michigan: 2 Brands (West Michigan and Detroit Metro)

Michigan represents Atrium's second core market with two strategically positioned companies: Service Professor dominating the Grand Rapids/West Michigan market and Blanton Plumbing serving Detroit metropolitan area.

Service Professor (Grand Rapids, MI - Platform Founding Company)

Location: 4770 50th St SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 (headquarters near Gerald R. Ford International Airport)
Additional Locations: Kalamazoo, Grand Ledge, multiple West Michigan service areas
Founded: 1978 (originally as G&D Electric in Greenville, Michigan)
Founders: David Krause and Glen Smejkal
Current Leadership: Brad Krause (President, son of founder David Krause), Tony Krause (Vice President)
Acquired: December 2021 (platform founding company)
Services: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, sewer & drain, duct cleaning, generator services
Service Territory: 7 West Michigan counties, 15,000+ customers annually
Employees: 20+ professional technicians plus support staff
Recognition: Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company (2015, 2016, 2017), Michigan 50 Companies to Watch (2016, 2017), 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For (2014-2017)

Service Professor stands as Atrium's second founding partner and arguably its most established brand, bringing nearly 50 years of Michigan market history. The company's evolution from single-trade electrical contractor to comprehensive home services provider mirrors industry trends toward multi-trade capabilities.

Company History and Evolution:

1978: Founded in Greenville, Michigan by David Krause and Glen Smejkal as G&D Electric, providing commercial and residential electrical construction services.

2004: Brad Krause (David's son) transitioned the company from construction focus to service-oriented model, rebranding as Service Professor. "I transitioned the company to a service company, which included a new brand," Brad Krause explained. The name "Service Professor" emphasized expertise and knowledge—positioning technicians as educators who help customers understand their home systems.

2012: Launched plumbing division, recognizing opportunity to serve existing electrical customers' plumbing needs and cross-sell services.

2013: Added HVAC division, completing the three-trade platform that characterizes modern home services companies. "As of today, electrical is already our smallest department," Krause noted, indicating HVAC and plumbing had surpassed the original electrical focus.

2014-2017: Achieved significant recognition including Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company status for three consecutive years, Michigan 50 Companies to Watch designation, and 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For awards—validating the service-first culture driving the company's growth.

2021: Partnered with Calera Capital as co-founding company of Atrium Home Services platform.

Service Philosophy and Competitive Advantage:

Service Professor's success stems from what Brad Krause describes as an "obsession with customer service." The company's mission statement explicitly references this focus, and customer testimonials consistently highlight exceptional service experiences.

"I don't think anyone who hires a plumber expects to be wowed with a high service level," Krause stated. "We really saw a gap in our market with that, and we've taken it head-on to make sure we perform. We have to be great at our craft, of course, but I think our reviews show that we're doing great in our service."

Key differentiators include:

Up-Front Pricing: Service Professor provides detailed pricing before work begins, eliminating the surprise invoices that plague home services reputation. "We don't like surprises either," the company states. "Your Service Professor technician will provide several options, with up-front pricing, so you can choose the best solution for your home and budget."

24/7 Availability: Recognizing that plumbing and HVAC emergencies don't follow business hours, Service Professor operates round-the-clock customer service ensuring comfort restoration "as soon as possible."

Worry-Free Guarantee: 100% customer satisfaction guarantee backed by rigorous technician training and quality control processes.

Professional Standards: All technicians undergo background checks, drug testing, and licensing requirements. "We would never hire anyone who we wouldn't trust working in our own homes," the company emphasizes.

Respect for Homes: Technicians wear boot covers to protect floors, park trucks conveniently, and treat every home "with the utmost respect."

Current Operations:

Service Professor serves 15,000+ residential and commercial customers annually across seven West Michigan counties from its Grand Rapids headquarters. The company maintains multiple service locations in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Grand Ledge, enabling faster response times across its geographic territory.

The company's service area includes:

• Grand Rapids metropolitan area
• Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan
• Grand Ledge and mid-Michigan corridor
• Surrounding rural areas across West Michigan

Recognition and Awards demonstrate sustained excellence:

• A+ BBB Rating - Maintained since accreditation in August 2001
• Angie's List Super Service Award - Consistent recognition for quality
• Best of HomeAdvisor - Customer satisfaction excellence
• Best of GR - Local community recognition
• Highest Google rating in industry - Online reputation leadership

Integration with Atrium:

As a platform founding company, Service Professor likely maintains significant operational autonomy while contributing best practices to newer portfolio brands. The company's evolution from electrical specialist to multi-trade provider provides valuable lessons for other Atrium companies considering service line expansion.

The acquisition of Hedlund Plumbing (Ohio) into Service Professor's brand demonstrates Atrium's trust in Service Professor's operational systems and customer service standards—essentially appointing Service Professor as the operational model for Cleveland market expansion.

Service Professor's hiring postings for Vice President of Customer Experience, various technician positions, and dispatcher roles indicate continued growth under Atrium ownership, contradicting concerns that private equity acquisition might limit operational investment or growth initiatives.

Blanton Plumbing (Detroit Metro Area, MI)

Location: Detroit metropolitan area, Michigan
Founded: 1950 (75+ years of service)
Acquired: 2023
Services: Plumbing, sewer line replacement, water treatment solutions, water heaters
Heritage: Family-owned firm with multi-generational customer relationships

Blanton Plumbing joined Atrium in 2023, bringing three-quarters of a century of Detroit-area plumbing expertise. Founded in 1950, Blanton represents the oldest company in Atrium's portfolio, with roots predating the post-war suburban expansion that created much of Detroit's current residential infrastructure.

The company's longevity—surviving industry consolidation, economic recessions, and Detroit's well-documented economic challenges—demonstrates operational resilience and deep community trust that Atrium values in acquisition targets.

Blanton specializes in:

• Plumbing repairs and installations across residential properties
• Sewer line replacement including traditional and trenchless technologies
• Water treatment solutions addressing Detroit area water quality concerns
• Water heater installation for both traditional tank and tankless systems

The Detroit metropolitan area (population approximately 4.3 million) represents significant growth opportunity for Atrium's Michigan operations. Detroit's housing stock—much built in the 1920s-1950s—requires ongoing plumbing infrastructure updates, sewer line replacements, and water quality solutions given the region's well-publicized water system challenges.

Blanton's family-owned heritage and multi-generational customer relationships exemplify the type of businesses Atrium seeks: trusted community fixtures with loyal customer bases, established vendor relationships, and skilled technician teams that would be nearly impossible to replicate through organic startup efforts.

Strategic Approach: Best Practices Model with Brand Autonomy

Atrium Home Services differentiates from many consolidation platforms through its emphasis on what the company describes as a "best practices" model—identifying high-performing processes and systems across portfolio companies, then facilitating peer-to-peer knowledge transfer rather than imposing top-down standardization.

Core Values and Cultural Framework

Atrium operates according to clearly defined values that guide acquisition selection, operational decisions, and employee development:

Customer Dedication: "We hire the best caliber people, hold them to the highest standards, train them to meet those standards, and reward them for doing so." This commitment to quality over quantity permeates hiring decisions, training investments, and compensation structures.

Accountability: Individual and team performance accountability ensures consistent service delivery across all brands while creating clear expectations for technicians, managers, and corporate support staff.

Teamwork: Collaboration across brands enables sharing of successful approaches to common challenges—seasonal demand fluctuations, technician recruiting, pricing strategies, or equipment supplier negotiations.

These values mirror those articulated by successful home services operators like Tommy Mello of A1 Garage Door, who emphasizes that sustainable growth requires cultural clarity, performance accountability, and continuous improvement mindsets.

Shared Services and Corporate Support

Atrium provides centralized support in areas where scale creates efficiency while preserving local decision-making authority on customer-facing operations:

Corporate Functions:

• Accounting and Financial Reporting - Unified accounting systems, consolidated financial statements, cash management, and capital allocation
• Marketing and Digital Advertising - Platform-level expertise in Google Local Service Ads, SEO, paid search, and reputation management
• Information Technology - ServiceTitan implementation support, cybersecurity, data analytics, and business intelligence
• Human Resources - Recruiting support, benefits administration, compliance management, and training program development
• Strategic Planning - Growth strategy development, market analysis, acquisition identification and integration

Local Autonomy:

• Service Delivery - Local teams determine technician deployment, service quality standards, and customer interaction protocols
• Pricing - Market-specific pricing reflects local competitive dynamics and cost structures
• Hiring Decisions - Local managers select technicians and service staff who fit their specific culture and market needs
• Brand Identity - Companies maintain their established names, logos, and community presence

This balance between central support and local control reduces the bureaucracy and decision-making delays that can plague large platforms while maintaining the entrepreneurial agility that built each company's original success.

Performance Recognition and Reward Systems

CEO Chris Patti emphasized upon his appointment that Atrium focuses on "supporting our technicians and associates with first-class training while rewarding success and teamwork." This performance-based culture creates financial and professional advancement opportunities for employees who excel in their roles.

Unlike platforms that pursue maximum cost reduction through standardization and centralization, Atrium recognizes that home services success depends fundamentally on individual technician skill, customer service mindset, and local market knowledge—factors that reward-based systems nurture better than cost-cutting mandates.

The "best practices" model also creates peer recognition opportunities where technicians and managers achieving superior results share approaches with colleagues from other portfolio brands, fostering healthy competition and collaborative improvement.

Technology and Systems Implementation

While Atrium maintains brand autonomy, the platform likely standardizes certain technology systems where unified platforms create efficiency:

ServiceTitan or Similar Field Service Management: Customer relationship management (CRM), dispatch optimization, technician scheduling, pricing and estimates, invoice generation, accounts receivable tracking, and business intelligence reporting.

Reputation Management: Online review solicitation, review response management, social media monitoring, and customer feedback analysis.

Marketing Technology: Google Local Service Ads management, SEO platforms, paid search optimization, website analytics, and lead attribution tracking.

HR and Payroll Systems: Employee information management, benefits enrollment, time tracking, payroll processing, and compliance documentation.

Unified systems enable corporate support teams to provide effective assistance while generating platform-level data that identifies performance gaps, improvement opportunities, and best practices worth replicating across brands.

Growth Timeline: From Dual-Anchor Launch to Midwest Leader

December 2021: Platform Formation with Two Founding Companies

Atrium Home Services launched through Calera Capital's simultaneous acquisition of Anderson Heating (Ohio) and Service Professor (Michigan) in December 2021. This dual-company founding provided:

Immediate Scale: Combined operations generated substantial revenue from day one, avoiding typical startup scaling challenges and enabling corporate infrastructure investment immediately.

Geographic Diversity: Two-state footprint across separate metropolitan areas (Cleveland and Grand Rapids) reduced single-market concentration risk while establishing templates for both Ohio and Michigan expansion.

Multi-Trade Capabilities: Anderson's HVAC/plumbing/electrical breadth combined with Service Professor's evolution from electrical to full-service provider demonstrated the multi-trade platform vision.

Operational Best Practices: Two successful companies with different histories, market approaches, and service delivery models provided foundation for identifying "best of both" practices.

Matt Witzky assumed CEO responsibilities, tasked with building platform infrastructure, developing acquisition pipeline, and creating operational systems to support growth to 10+ brands.

2022: Add-On Acquisitions Begin

New Image Plumbing (Medina, Ohio) - Atrium's first add-on acquisition brought plumbing specialist expertise and extended the Ohio service territory southwest of Cleveland into the Medina market. The acquisition validated Atrium's ability to integrate companies beyond the two platform anchors and demonstrated success attracting quality targets through founder referrals and industry reputation.

During 2022, Atrium focused on:

• Integration of founding companies - Implementing shared technology systems, establishing corporate support functions, and developing collaborative forums for best practice sharing
• Build-out of corporate team - Hiring finance, HR, IT, and marketing professionals to support portfolio brands
• Refinement of acquisition criteria - Developing playbook for target identification, valuation approach, and cultural fit assessment

2023: Accelerated Expansion and CEO Transition

Hedlund Plumbing, Heating & Cooling (Willoughby, Ohio) - Added in 2023, Hedlund brought 45 years of operating history in Cleveland's eastern suburbs, creating service territory overlap with Anderson that enabled operational experimentation with multi-brand coverage models.

Blanton Plumbing (Detroit, Michigan) - The Detroit acquisition marked significant strategic expansion, giving Atrium presence in Michigan's largest metropolitan area (4.3 million population) and adding the portfolio's oldest company (founded 1950).

November 2023: CEO Transition

Chris Patti replaced founding CEO Matt Witzky in November 2023, marking strategic shift from assembly/startup phase to operational maturity and efficiency optimization. Chairman Edward Orzetti thanked Witzky "for his considerable contributions to the company and for his tireless leadership that he provided since his first day in building the business we have become."

Patti's appointment signaled focus on:

• Operational excellence - Improving technician productivity, reducing operational costs, and enhancing customer experience
• Employee development - Investing in training programs and career advancement pathways
• Organic growth - Driving same-store sales growth from existing brands rather than pure acquisition velocity
• Technology utilization - Leveraging data analytics and field service management systems for performance improvement

2024: Continued Market Density Building

Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning (Parma, Ohio) - The Parma acquisition added specialized HVAC expertise in Cleveland's largest suburb, further densifying Ohio operations and creating more opportunities for technician cross-deployment and shared service coverage during peak seasons.

By late 2024, Atrium had achieved:

• 500+ employees across seven portfolio brands
• 500,000+ annual customer interactions generating substantial recurring service revenue
• Geographic clustering in Greater Cleveland (4 companies) and Michigan (2 companies) enabling operational leverage
• Multi-brand market coverage in Cleveland allowing service capacity expansion without single-brand strain

The Hedlund-Service Professor brand integration (announced late 2024/early 2025) demonstrated platform maturity and willingness to make strategic branding decisions based on operational data rather than rigid adherence to "never rebrand" policies.

Industry Context: Regional Focus as Competitive Advantage

Atrium Home Services operates in an increasingly competitive home services consolidation landscape where platforms differentiate through geographic strategy, operational philosophy, and value creation approaches. Atrium's decision to build regional density rather than pursue national footprint creates distinct advantages and challenges versus larger competitors.

The Midwest Home Services Market

Ohio and Michigan present attractive characteristics for home services platforms:

Aging Housing Stock: Both states feature high concentrations of homes built in 1950s-1970s requiring HVAC system replacements, sewer line updates, electrical panel upgrades, and plumbing infrastructure modernization. Older homes generate 2-3x the service calls of newly built properties.

Four-Season Climate: Cold winters and hot summers create year-round HVAC demand—heating systems work hard October-March, air conditioning runs June-September, and shoulder seasons generate maintenance agreement revenue.

Population Stability: Unlike Sun Belt markets seeing rapid population growth with new construction, Midwest markets are relatively stable with growth coming from service intensity rather than customer acquisition.

Lower Competition: Midwest markets face less private equity competition than higher-growth markets like Texas, Florida, Arizona, and California where platforms compete aggressively for quality acquisition targets.

Affordability: Home values and acquisition multiples tend lower in Midwest markets than coastal regions, enabling capital-efficient growth.

Geographic Clustering vs. National Expansion

Atrium's regional focus contrasts with platforms like Wrench Group (100+ brands, national footprint) or Apex Service Partners (80+ brands, multi-region). Each strategy offers distinct tradeoffs:

Regional Clustering Advantages:

• Operational efficiency - Technicians can service multiple brands within compact territory, reducing drive time
• Inventory consolidation - Centralized parts warehouses serve multiple brands with shorter delivery times
• Recruiting leverage - Larger local presence makes platform more attractive to top technician talent
• Marketing ROI - Concentrated ad spend in fewer markets generates higher return than dispersed national advertising
• Emergency coverage - Brands can cover overflow calls during peak demand or equipment failures
• Management oversight - Corporate leaders can visit all locations regularly and maintain direct relationships with local teams

Regional Clustering Challenges:

• Market concentration risk - Regional economic downturns impact entire portfolio simultaneously
• Slower growth - Limited geographic expansion opportunities constrain acquisition pipeline
• Competitive intensity - Multiple brands in same market may compete for same customers and technicians
• Lower exit valuation - Platforms with national footprints may command higher multiples from strategic buyers seeking geographic coverage

Atrium's choice suggests belief that operational excellence in concentrated markets will generate superior returns versus spreading capital across geographically dispersed markets where operational oversight becomes more difficult.

Similar regional strategies have succeeded in home services: User Friendly Home Services built significant concentration in Kentucky and Ohio before broader expansion, and T3 Services Group maintains focused positions in specific metropolitan areas rather than pursuing broad geographic coverage.

Competition and Market Position

Atrium competes with both national platforms pursuing Midwest expansion and regional/local operators:

National Platform Competitors:

• Wrench Group - Largest home services platform with 100+ brands and $3+ billion revenue
• Apex Service Partners - 80+ brands emphasizing AI-powered sales coaching and technology-driven performance
• Redwood Services - 60+ locations across HVAC, plumbing, electrical services
• Legacy Service Partners - 33+ brands emphasizing partnership and collaboration

Regional Platform Competitors:

• User Friendly Home Services - 19+ companies with concentration in Ohio and Kentucky
• Local and regional operators - Independent businesses and small multi-location companies

Atrium differentiates through:

• Best practices model - Collaborative improvement rather than top-down standardization
• CEO operational expertise - Chris Patti's 25 years of distribution and operational excellence experience
• Brand preservation - Local identities maintained where operationally sensible (except when integration creates clear value like Hedlund-Service Professor)
• Employee focus - Emphasis on technician training, development, and rewards
• Regional concentration - Deep market knowledge and operational leverage in Ohio/Michigan

Private Equity Backing and Exit Horizons

Calera Capital typically holds portfolio companies 5-7 years before pursuing exits. With Atrium's December 2021 formation, the platform likely has 3-5 years remaining in the initial hold period, suggesting continued acquisition and organic growth focus before exit discussions begin.

Potential exit scenarios include:

Strategic Acquisition: Larger home services platforms (Wrench, Apex, Redwood) or strategic buyers seeking Midwest market entry could acquire Atrium for its regional density and operational quality.

Secondary Buyout: Another private equity firm acquiring from Calera at higher valuation reflecting Atrium's scaled operations and improved profitability.

Continuation Fund: Calera maintaining ownership through fund continuation vehicle, allowing patient capital to benefit from continued growth.

Management Buyout: Chris Patti and local brand leaders acquiring majority control with financing support.

The most probable scenario involves strategic acquisition by a larger platform seeking Atrium's Ohio and Michigan market positions, quality brand portfolio, and operational systems.

What Home Services Operators Can Learn

Atrium's growth trajectory offers insights for business owners and industry participants:

For Potential Sellers

Cultural Fit Matters as Much as Valuation: Atrium's emphasis on "best caliber people" and customer service excellence suggests the platform screens for cultural alignment, not just financial performance. Founders considering partnership should evaluate whether their values match platform priorities.

Operational Involvement Continues: Atrium maintains local leadership teams post-acquisition, suggesting founders not ready to fully exit can remain operationally involved while achieving liquidity.

Regional Platforms Offer Advantages: Working with Ohio/Michigan-focused platform may provide more local attention and operational support than becoming one of 100+ brands in national portfolio.

Brand Preservation is Negotiable: While Atrium generally maintains local brand names, the Hedlund-Service Professor integration demonstrates pragmatic approach—brands consolidate when creating customer value, not when preserving brands artificially.

For Growth-Focused Independent Operators

Multi-Trade Capabilities Create Value: Service Professor's evolution from electrical specialist to full-service provider demonstrates the value of adding complementary service lines to serve existing customers' broader needs.

Customer Service Excellence Drives Growth: Service Professor's "obsession with customer service" and resulting Inc. 5000 recognition shows that operational excellence and customer experience can generate high growth rates even in mature markets.

Technology Matters: Platforms like Atrium provide access to ServiceTitan, marketing automation, and business intelligence tools that individual operators struggle to implement and optimize independently.

Talent Development is Competitive Advantage: Atrium's emphasis on "first-class training while rewarding success" reflects industry reality that technician quality and retention drive long-term success more than marketing spend or pricing strategies.

For Platform Builders

Regional Clustering Enables Operational Excellence: Atrium's Ohio/Michigan focus demonstrates that concentrated geographic strategy can create competitive advantages versus geographically dispersed portfolios.

Dual-Anchor Founding Reduces Risk: Launching with two established companies (Anderson and Service Professor) rather than single platform company provided diversification, operational learning opportunities, and credibility with future acquisition targets.

CEO Selection Drives Value Creation: Chris Patti's distribution expertise and operational focus directly address home services platform challenges around inventory management, routing optimization, and multi-location operations.

Best Practices Model Scales Knowledge: Collaborative peer learning across brands potentially scales expertise faster than centralized corporate mandates, though requires strong governance to ensure adoption.

Future Outlook: Building Midwest Market Leadership

Atrium Home Services' vision centers on becoming the Midwest's preeminent home services platform through disciplined acquisition, operational excellence, and employee development. Several factors will influence success:

Favorable Conditions:

• Aging Midwest housing stock creating consistent replacement and repair demand
• Limited private equity competition compared to high-growth Sun Belt markets
• Chris Patti's operational expertise addressing core home services challenges
• Geographic clustering creating leverage as density increases in Ohio and Michigan
• Calera Capital's patient capital enabling long-term value creation over quarterly optimization

Potential Challenges:

• Midwest population trends showing slower growth than Sun Belt markets
• Technician shortage limiting organic growth regardless of marketing investments
• Economic sensitivity of Midwest industrial markets to national recession
• Competition from national platforms expanding into Atrium's core markets
• Integration complexity as portfolio scales beyond 10-15 brands

The platform's commitment to employee development, customer service excellence, and operational quality positions it for sustainable growth even if acquisition pace moderates. Under Chris Patti's leadership, Atrium appears focused on building durable competitive advantages through people and processes rather than purely financial engineering.

As Patti stated: "I look forward to working closely with the management team and visiting with our outstanding professionals across the company to listen to their ideas and make sure we are providing the proper tools and programs to help them achieve their desired success."

That commitment to listening, supporting, and empowering the frontline professionals who serve customers daily—combined with strategic discipline around geographic focus and operational excellence—may ultimately prove more valuable than chasing maximum acquisition velocity or premature national expansion.

For the Midwest home services market, Atrium represents evidence that regional platforms with strong operational leadership can compete effectively against national giants by executing with discipline, maintaining culture, and delivering consistent customer value.

Last Updated: December 2025
Sources: Atrium Home Services announcements, Calera Capital portfolio information, Service Professor company history, Anderson Heating company information, company websites, industry analysis