Since 1961, Air Hydro Power has served the Kentucky, Southern Indiana, West Virginia, Alabama, Southern Ohio, and the Florida Panhandle manufacturing base as a Total Solutions Provider. From our Hydraulic, Pneumatic and Connector roots, we have adapted to new technologies like Electrical Motion Control, Safety, Bar Coding and Vision Inspection Systems. We are a total solutions provider with the best people, facilities, and products to service your needs. Air Hydro Power is now proudly part of the Houchens Industries ESOP. A 100% employee-owned company; Employee ownership allows employees to share in the success of our Company and to build retirement benefits through participation in the ownership of Air Hydro Power.
Air Hydro Power expands its footprint with the opening of our new Southern Headquarters in Madison, Alabama. This milestone establishes our home base in the southern territory, enhancing our ability to serve customers and strengthen partnerships throughout the region.
AHP opens its first ParkerStore inside Ace Hardware in Leitchfield, KY, launching a new partnership with our Houchens sister company to expand access to fluid power solutions. Alongside this milestone, AHP also opened stand-alone ParkerStores in Muscle Shoals, AL, and Huntingburg, IN, strengthening our regional presence.
AHP expands its capabilities with the acquisition of Baker Bohnert LLC, a Louisville, KY-based leader in custom expansion joints. This addition enhances our product offerings and strengthens our ability to provide specialized solutions to our customers.
In December of 2023, AHP acquired the stocks of Lebanon Power and Apparatus with locations in Lebanon, KY and Bowling Green, KY.
In January of 2023 Air Hydro Power was acquired by Houchens Industries, bringing in the ideals of employee-owned ESOP program. Replacing the 401K with a profit-sharing retirement fund.
AHP opened a ParkerStore in Evansville, IN and opened a second Huntsville, AL location.
Air Hydro Power acquired Uland Supply (Louisville, KY), Gatterdam Industrial Supply (Louisville, KY), and Huntington Hose (Winchester, KY, Huntington, WV, South Point, OH). Also, AHP expanded the ParkerStore Hose Doctor program to have multiple mobile repair service vehicles in Alabama and Kentucky.
AHP added a branch in Pensacola Florida in 2020
In 2017, Air Hydro Power Acquired Power-Motion Inc in Birmingham Alabama, along with adding leading industrial Robot lines: Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots.
In 2016, AHP acquired Total Hose with two locations in Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama. Air Hydro Power also acquired Hose House in Corbin, Kentucky in 2016 making that AHP's twelfth location and totaling 190 employees.
In 2015, a branch was opened in Birmingham, Alabama.
Air Hydro Power celebrates its 50th Anniversary and adopts a new logo to take us into the next 50 years! Corporate headquarters undergoes 11,200 sq ft expansion.
Strategic acquisitions have been important to the company: in January 2004, Louisville Metal Hose was acquired to expand the company offering in the industrial hose and belting area. Along with the products came an experienced team of sales and support specialists that know this industry.
In September of 1998, Art Hackmiller retired and sold the company to three of its managers: J. Richard Beaven, Thomas F. McGuire and Matthew W. Ott.
In addition to purchasing Air Hydro Power, a complete hydraulic repair facility was also acquired. This operation is Premier Hydraulic Services that has over 20 employees and has a complete machine shop, 2 hydraulic test stands, and field service capabilities.
Branches were added in Lexington in 1971, Henderson in 1981, Bowling Green in 1991, Parker Store (Louisville) in 1998, and Parker Store (Elizabethtown) in 1999. In 1999 the Bowling Green operation was moved to Glasgow and another Parker Store was opened.
Another milestone was reached on March 27, 1987, when the Louisville office moved into its own building. The new facility at 3405 Robards Court increased our space to 21, 000 square feet.
On February 21 1983, Air Hydro Power, Inc. acquired Marlatt Controls, Inc., a competitor based in Louisville (Marlatt Controls was originally Neff Kentucky operation that Harry Neff, Jr. sold to Chuck Marlatt, Sr.). As with the first purchase, we also acquired a number of new product lines and some valuable employees. This acquisition turned AHP into a truly balanced hydraulic and pneumatic distributor: some of the major lines that came with this company were MAC Valves, PHD, Tolomatic and Bimba.
In 1965, AHP became the third Vickers distributor in the USA. This provided a tremendous boost to the company, since Vickers at that time owned the hydraulics market. From 1965 to the early 1980's AHP grew nicely, primarily in the hydraulic area due to the dominance of Vickers.
In July of 1963 Air Hydro Power purchased the assets of the Charles Weber company, a competitor, and acquired a number of new lines: ATC, Norgren, and Veeder Root (now Danaher Controls). Bob hired his first employee: Art Hackmiller joined the organization. AHP was incorporated with two major stockholders: Bob as the majority holder. With the incorporation of the company, it was moved from Bob's basement to 4400 Bishop Lane. Art's and Bob's office was a 12-foot square and they shared inventory space with an International Harvester tractor distributor.
When Bob started AHP, he represented one manufacturer: Parker Hannifin. The first month's sales were $295.84. Sales for the first 12 months totaled $65,289.00. Today, the total 1961 sales are done every day.
