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Core & Main has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of HM Pipe Products, Inc. and HM Pipe Products Kitchener Inc. (collectively, HM Pipe Products), a Canadian distributor of water and wastewater products.
“With our expansion into Canada, we will achieve a key milestone for Core & Main,” said Steve LeClair, chair and CEO of Core & Main. “The team at HM Pipe Products has extensive market knowledge, an excellent reputation in the industry and strong customer connections. We plan to utilize our collective resources and combined expertise to address Canada’s water and wastewater infrastructure needs, providing significant future growth opportunities in the multibillion-dollar Canadian market.”
Established in 2010, HM Pipe Products is a trusted provider of a broad array of products to assist contractors and municipalities in Ontario with their waterworks infrastructure projects. Their experienced team operates from two locations in London, Ontario, and Kitchener, Ontario.
“It was important for us to partner with an established industry veteran who has a similar culture and dedication to exceptional service when entering the Canadian market,” said Jack Schaller, executive vice president of Core & Main. “We found that in HM Pipe Products. I look forward to welcoming them to Core & Main and collaborating with their team as we build out our presence in Canada.”
“I am very proud of what our team has accomplished since Fraser Metcalf and I founded the company in 2010,” said HM Pipe Products president Rick Henry. “Fraser and I are excited to enter a new chapter as part of the Core & Main family. We feel a strong alignment of purpose with their team, and this partnership paves the way for us to support the Canadian water and wastewater industry with expanded resources and unmatched excellence.”
Executive leadership changes
Core & Main has also announced changes to its executive leadership team.
Schaller, formerly president of Core & Main, announced that he will transition to a role as executive vice president. Given the strong performance under his leadership, Schaller has committed to ensuring the ongoing success and continued growth of the business. As part of this transition, he will continue supporting the integration of the company’s newly acquired businesses, leading supplier relations and assisting with this organizational transition.
“This transition is something I have been thinking about for some time,” Schaller said. “I’ve grown to love this industry over my 40-plus years, and it’s important to me to make sure Core & Main is in a position where I can make this move with a solid plan in place for our future success.”
As part of that plan, Brad Cowles, president, will be expanding his role to lead the waterworks product line, previously led by Schaller. Cowles has more than 18 years of leadership experience in the organization, most recently leading the fire protection product line. In addition to his core waterworks responsibilities, Cowles will have responsibility for several growth and margin initiatives.
Finally, Core & Main has announced that Mike Huebert joined the company in July of 2024 as president, overseeing the fire protection product line and certain other high growth product lines. Huebert is executive vice president of sales with Advanced Drainage Systems where he oversees field sales and engineering, national accounts and retail sales teams. He will bring a wealth of experience, having managed business development, commercial operations, and driving sales and operational performance for ADS, one of Core & Main’s top suppliers.
“This is an opportunity to add a well-respected, talented leader in Mike Huebert,” LeClair said. “The chance to add an executive with his experience does not come along often, and I am excited to have him join our business. By transitioning some of Jack’s responsibilities to Brad, and by bringing on a capable new leader, Core & Main is well positioned to take the organization to the next level. As we continue on our path to driving shareholder value, the evolution of our executive leadership team strategically aligns our collective strengths and opens new opportunities for profitable growth.”
Learn more about Core & Main here.