Unicoa, has been acquired by NEFCO, a specialty supply partner to the professional construction trades. Unicoa supplies a broad variety of tools, equipment, and accessories for the construction, pipeline, and industrial business in Phoenix and Tucson.
"We are excited to partner with NEFCO and expand both our reach and ability to continue to put our customer first," said Unicoa President John Paul (J.P.) 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 individualised 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."
Unicoa was incorporated by Larry F. Pershing in 1973 beginning as a two-man bearing supply operation in Glendale, Arizona. Larry prided himself on the importance of establishing relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees. In 2019, Mr. Pershing completed the sale of Unicoa to J.P. Labbe. Prior to acquiring Unicoa, J.P. held numerous positions at Unicoa and throughout his ownership he remained committed to Larry's original vision while growing the company's reach and presence throughout Arizona.
Matthew Gelles, President and CEO of NEFCO, expressed his enthusiasm about the acquisition, "We are thrilled to partner with J.P. and the rest of the incredible team at Unicoa. 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®️ via Southwest Fastener and Tools+ via Unicoa and establishes the combined business as one of the largest local construction supply distributors in the greater Phoenix market."
