Company History
KPS Global® was formed in December 2015 by D Cubed Group LLC through the acquisition of Kysor Panel Systems from Manitowoc Company, Inc. and the Hill Phoenix Walk-ins Division from Dover Corporation. With a long history of acquisitions, the key to success is the knowledge base retained by the workforce that comprises the KPSG team.
From the start, the companies that have made KPSG who we are today have all been driven by the same idea of customizing insulated panels to meet customer needs.
Our long history combines the expertise of industry leaders across the country. On one side of the industry, our history begins with Charles Needham leading the industry of walk-ins from his home garage in 1947.
In the following years, Charles moved his business to Fort Worth (less than a mile away from KPSG Headquarters today) and officially founded Charles Needham Industries in 1956.
A year later in 1957, another industry leader founded Kalt Manufacturing Company, Inc which would later become a part of KPS Global’s DNA.
Following Mr. Needham’s death in 1987, Charles Needham Industries Inc was purchased by Kysor Industrial Corporation to form Kysor//Needham.
As the industry grew and Kysor//Needham corporation became more successful, they sought out an opportunity to increase their revenue by purchasing Kalt Manufacturing, inc.
As a result, they gained access to manufacturing facilities in Oregon, Arizona, and Indiana and operated under a new name, Kysor//Kalt.
As the business continued to grow, Kysor//Kalt expanded to another facility in Piney, Flatts in 1996.
Then a year later, Scottsman Industries acquired the company and formed Kysor Panel Systems and relocated its headquarters to Fort Worth.
The industry continued to grow, and new players emerged looking for strategic growth opportunities. In 2000, Welbilt Corporation, a food service giant acquired Kysor Panel Systems in the hope of creating the largest and strongest food service equipment organization in the world and moved to the current location of KPS Global’s headquarters today in 2006.
Two years later, Kysor Panel Systems was purchased by another large player un the industry Maintowoc walk-ins. 9 years later in 2015, a private equity firm D3 Group acquired Maintowoc and formed what we currently know as KPS Global today. And three years later in 2018, KPS Global® acquired Custom Cooler to bring continuous line panels and an expanded customer base to the KPS Global portfolio.
KPS Global today is a direct reflection of its long-standing history of industry leaders across the country and our expertise and wide-spread knowledge is unmatched. With each acquisition, the future of KPS Global grew brighter and brighter. Each former company gave KPS Global access to best practices, new customer bases, and innovative ideas.
As a result, KPS Global leverages a strong history of expertise and utilizes our five strategic locations to meet customer needs across the industry. Our history gives us a competitive advantage that has allowed us to become the most trusted solution provider in the industry.
KPS Global Timeline
1887
Jersey grocery store owner C.V. Hill wanted a better way to refrigerate perishables for his customers. C.V. built a dairy ice box that he sold for $75, and continued to sell as the newfound business: C.V. Hill Refrigerator Works.
1889
Mr. Hill establishes his first manufacturing factory to produce coolers for C.V. Hill Refrigerators Works.
1947
In another part of the country, Mr. Charles Needham begins a leading industry of walk-ins in his home garage.
1956
Mr. Needham officially creates Charles Needham Industries Inc. and purchases a plot of land less than a mile away from where KPS Global Headquarters currently sits.
1957
Bud Hewitt founded Kalt Manufacturing Company, Inc.
1987
Following Mr. Needham’s death, Charles Needham Industries Inc. was purchased by Kysor Industrial Corporation forming Kysor//Needham.
1994
Similarly, Hill Refrigeration is purchased by another well-known refrigeration manufacturer, Phoenix Refrigeration Systems, to form Hillphoenix.
1994
Kysor Industrial, Co. sought opportunity to increase their revenue by purchasing the family owned business Kalt Manufacturing, Inc. Through this acquisition, they gained manufacturing facilities in Oregon, Arizona, and Indiana. Kalt Manufacturing, Inc. was then changed to also operate under the name Kysor//Kalt.
1996
As business began to expand rapidly, it was decided to open a brand new Kysor//Needham facility in Piney Flats, Tennessee.
1996
Cooler Technology is purchased in Puyallup, WA
1997
Kysor Industrial, Co. was sold to Scotsman Industries, consolidating Kysor//Katt and Kysor//Needham to Kysor Panel Systems.
1998
Kysor Panel Systems relocated its headquarters to Fossil Creek in Fort Worth, TX.
2000
Food service giant and conglomerate Welbilt Corporation, a wholly owned entity of Berisford, PhL., courted Scotsman Industries and Kysor Panel Systems for acquisition for the purpose of creating the largest and strongest food service equipment organization in the world. Within the same year. Hillphoenix was also expanding rapidly through several acquisitions, one being the National Cooler Corporation in Southern California.
2006
Kysor Panel Systems moves to its current location: 4201 North Beach Street.
2008
Manitowoc, another conglomerate and manufacturer of walk-in freezers and refrigeration products, purchased Kysor Panel Systems and made us a division of Manitowoc Walk-ins. In 2009, Hillphoenix opened a brand-new walk-in division in Fort Worth, TX.
2015
A private equity firm. D3 Group, acquired the Manitowoc Walk-Ins division and the Hillphoenix Walk-Ins division to form what we are currently know as today: KPS Global!
2018
Acquired in November, Custom Cooler brings continuous line panels as well as an international customer base to the KPS Global portfolio.
