Family Owned with a Solid Reputation

If you’re from the Fox Valley area, you’ve probably noticed the signature green trucks of Artlip and Sons, Inc. on the road. Whether the crew is fabricating and installing piping and sheet metal on custom projects or servicing a residential HVAC system on a hot summer day, the community has relied on Artlip and Sons to provide “quality work by craftsmen who care” since 1969.

Wayne Artlip originally founded the company and his sons joined him. Hank, current president and owner, got his start in the industry as a sheet metal apprentice at Local 265. He joined his father’s shop as a sheet metal mechanic and worked his way to head of the service department before he took over as president nearly 20 years ago. Now, the family-run company is proud to include four generations of the Artlip family.

“My grandfather was the longtime service manager for a large Aurora area HVAC company. A lot of people knew him,” Hank said. “Now, my older brother is our head pipefitter and my younger brother is one of the office leaders. My niece started with us about five months ago, so she makes the third generation at Artlip and Sons, and fourth generation in the industry.”

The full-service mechanical contractor employs a team of about 25 employees. Since its humble beginnings more than 50 years ago, the company has expanded to serve customers across light commercial, heavy commercial, industrial, institutional and residential markets.

“When my dad started the company, he was a pipefitter and service contractor. Service has always been the heart and soul of our business,” Hank said. “Over time, he realized he needed a sheet metal division, so he bought out a small sheet metal contractor.”

The sheet metal shop can custom fabricate almost any solution for any application. From filtration systems to kitchen exhaust hoods and more, they do it all with a top-of-the-line plasma cutter. On the HVAC side, Artlip and Sons is a factory authorized dealer of Carrier products, including air conditioners, boilers, dehumidifiers and split system heat pumps.

The company’s expertise can be seen in a number of high-profile projects throughout the community. For nearly a decade, they’ve worked with Starbucks to finish the buildout once each location’s “box” has been constructed and turn it into the coffee shops we all know and love. They’ve also recently completed work on a Ruggable Midwest manufacturing facility, where temperature, humidity and ventilation were all critical requirements. Additional projects include indoor air quality improvements in schools, hospitals and retirement homes.

A longtime SMACNA member, Hank is honored to accept his new position on the Executive Committee as Vice President for the remainder of 2021.

“You get a lot more back by being involved,” he said.