History_Timeline_1950s.jpg

A History of Innovation

Collaboration-driven innovation for 75 years

Founded in 1949, Southland is an MEP building systems expert offering full lifecycle solutions, from design through building maintenance. We've grown from a local heating and cooling company to a national MEP leader.  

Scroll to explore
History_Timeline_1940s.jpg
1940s

Southland's early days

Southland Industries begins as a small furnace company in Southern California called Southland Heating.

History_Milestone_1949.jpg

June 17, 1949

  • Six employees purchase the Payne Furnace Long Beach, California branch for $24,000. Renaming it Southland Heating, the new company consists of three majority stakeholders and three minority stakeholders: Don Will, Donald E. Sullivan, Robert N. Hall, Lawrence Redwine, Charles E. Watson, and Margaret G. Stimson.
History_Timeline_1950sb.jpg
1950s

A "Lean" journey begins

Long before the concept of green building, Southland takes a "Lean" approach to projects, focusing on smarter use of materials and less waste. Lean building principles guide us to this day, saving our clients time and money.

History_Milestone_1950.jpg

1950

  • To grow the business, Southland Heating begins to advertise on TV. By the end of 1950, sales quadruple to more than $60,000 a month and employment opportunities grow.
History_Milestone_1951.jpg

1951

  • Southland Heating creates a wholesale company called Advanced Engineering and Supply Corporation (AESC).
History_Milestone_1952.jpg

1952

  • Southland announces new focus on commercial work. To be competitive, Southland asks that each crew be careful about not using more material than they need per job to reduce waste  — an early example of Lean principles. 
  • To better serve our clients, Southland splits into four divisions, each with their own goals: new construction, built construction, service, and appliance sales and installation.
History_Milestone_1953.jpg

1953

  • Southland opens a Pasadena, California office.
  • Southland changes name to Southland Heating and Cooling to reflect the recent rise in popularity of air conditioning in commercial construction. 
  • TCM Corp., a future Southland Industries company, is founded in January. 
History_Timeline_1960s.jpg
1960s

A framework for design-build

In 1968, Southland performs our first design-build project for a mall, foreshadowing the many design-build engagements to come.

History_Milestone_1966.jpg

1966

  • Southland transitions from doing residential to commercial work and moves headquarters to Long Beach, California.
History_Milestone_1968.jpg

1968

  • Southland sells our first, large design-build mall (Oxnard). Our relationship with the general contractor during construction helps to vault Southland into markets throughout the western states.
History_Timeline_1970s.jpg
1970s

Southland starts in-house engineering department

Southland adds in-house engineering to capabilities.  

History_Milestone_1975.jpg

1975

  • Starts in-house engineering department, expanding our capabilities.
History_Milestone_1979.jpg

1979

  • Revenue climbs to $11 million and we make our debut in the "Book of Giants," Contracting Magazine's annual list of top contractors.
History_Timeline_1980s.jpg
1980s

Southland Heating becomes Southland Industries

To reflect services beyond heating and cooling, we change our name to Southland Industries, formally establishing our current brand.  

History_Milestone_1986.jpg

1986

  • Due to an increased demand within the industry, the pipefitting trade is added as part of our core offerings. 
History_Milestone_1988.jpg

1988

  • Mike Moore becomes CEO.
  • Moore changes the name from Southland Heating and Cooling to Southland Industries, Inc., reflecting Southland as a large-scale business that offers many services in addition to heating and cooling.
History_Timeline_1990s.jpg
1990s

Expanding our reach

To mark 50 years of excellence, an energy services division, plumbing solutions, and multiple U.S. offices are added. 

History_Milestone_1990.jpg

1990

  • Southland Industries Service Company (SISCO) is formed, providing service, retrofits, and building automation solutions. 
History_Milestone_1991b.jpg

1991

  • Honolulu, Hawaii office opens.
History_Milestone_1993.jpg

1993

  • The Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) initiative, a Lean concept, is introduced, which allows Southland to improve production and operation of our facilities while reducing waste.
  • Energy Services Division is formed.
  • Southland Industries ranks #12 in Engineering News-Record magazine (ENR).
  • Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada offices open.
  • Revenue reaches $103.5 million.
History_Milestone_1995.jpg

1995

  • The plumbing trade is added into our core capabilities.
  • Our first international projects in Tijuana and Mexico City, Mexico are completed.
History_Milestone_1996.jpg

1996

  • Denver, Colorado, Portland, Oregon, and Houston, Texas offices open.
History_Milestone_1997.jpg

1997

  • Richmond, Virginia office opens.
  • HPAC Magazine publishes landmark article, "Consultant/Contractor Collaboration–An Alternative," about design-build by Southland's Mike Moore and David C. J. Peters. 
History_Milestone_1998.png

1998

  • Southland launches Architectural System Division (ASD), developing cleanroom envelope systems for the electronics industry.
  • Burns Mechanical, a future Southland Industries company, is founded.
History_Milestone_1999.jpg

1999

  • San Jose, California office opens.
  • Southland celebrates our 50th anniversary.
  • SISCO is sold to Reliant Energy Solutions.
History_Timeline_2000s.jpg
2000s

A decade of strategic growth

Southland pivots to design-build and design-assist, marking an intentional shift in business strategy. Fire protection and energy modeling are added to our in-house solutions.

History_Milestone_2001.jpg

2001

  • Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, is brought in by Andy Fimiano, future Southland CEO, for a strategic planning session, resulting in Southland's change in focus to design-build and design-assist. This change is validated by the federal government's turn to design-build for all its projects.
  • Contracting Business Magazine votes Southland Industries "Commercial Contractor of the Year."
History_Milestone_2002.jpg

2002

  • Andy Fimiano becomes CEO.
  • Southland purchases Maximum Fire Protection and adds fire protection to our capabilities.
History_Milestone_2004.jpg

2004

  • Revenue reaches $258 million.
History_Milestone_2006.jpg

2006

  • Starts self-performing controls on new projects.
  • Southland is recognized with the highest safety award, James T. Smerz – Award of Honor, which is awarded to the safest contractor within an elite group.
History_Milestone_2008b.jpg

2008

  • In-house energy modeling group is started.
History_Milestone_2009.jpg

2009

  • Southland innovates, designs, and builds a new modular fire pump room on wheels for fire protection to reduce costs resulting from the complicated design and construction associated with pump rooms.
  • The Southland Green Team is officially formed to implement energy conservation and recycling.
History_Timeline_2010s.jpg
2010s

Becoming a $1 billion company

As Southland grows through acquisitions and expanded services, including engineering, a former intern rises through the ranks to become CEO.

History_Milestone_2011.jpg

2011

  • Ted Lynch, Southland's first intern in 1996, becomes CEO.
  • Revenue reaches $407 million.
  • Southland jumps into the growing Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) market with five IPD projects from private clients.
  • Southland innovates and bench tests the Fan Powered Induction Unit (FPIU), which has since become an industry standard.
  • In honor of the late David C.J. Peters, the David C.J. Peters Scholarship Fund is established with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). 
History_Milestone_2012.jpg

2012

  • Energy services business is restarted as Southland Energy.
History_Milestone_2013.jpg

2013

  • A new logo, brand, and business strategy (Connected Solutions) is launched.
  • Southland acquires ABS Systems, a controls company in Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Southland starts Southland Engineering and Southland Service.
History_Milestone_2014b.jpg

2014

  • Establishes a $1 billion goal.
  • Southland acquires TCM Corp. in Portland, Oregon.
History_Milestone_2015b_1.jpg

2015

  • In October, a new controls company, Envise, is launched. 
  • Southland acquires Trinity EMCS, a controls company in San Francisco, California.
  • Southland Engineering's first office in Tempe, Arizona opens.
  • Southland Engineering debuts on CSE's MEP Giants at #60.
  • Added Electrical Engineering capabilities.
History_Milestone_2018.jpg

2018

  • $1 billion revenue goal is reached.
History_Milestone_2019.jpg

2019

  • Southland moves from an 'S' corporation to a 'C' corporation, expanding opportunities for employee ownership.
History_Timeline_2020s.jpg
2020s

One company, one vision

Our integrated, "one company" approach ensures we seamlessly share resources and adopt best practices across our national network. 

History_Milestone_2020c.jpg

2020

  • Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Penn Medicine Pavilion project ramps up production in April to meet the increasing needs of healthcare professionals.
  • Southland acquires Burns Mechanical in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 29.
History_Milestone_2022B.jpg

2022

  • Southland consolidates brands into the "one company" model.
  • Southland acquires The Brandt Companies in Texas on April 4.

More Episodes