Looking Back at 50 Years Serving Businesses with HVAC in St. Louis
I can’t believe I get to say this, but Midwest Mechanical Services & Solutions has been in business for 50 years helping businesses in the St. Louis area with their most complex HVAC and refrigeration challenges, and we’re not stopping now.
Our History of HVAC Services
When my father, Dan Brouillet, Jr., and Grandfather, Dan Brouillet Sr., started the company in 1970, I’m sure they never thought about what year 50 in business would look like. They were focused on helping local businesses, being experts in everything they did, and going above and beyond expectations.
With a family business, you think a lot about legacy. It’s not top-of-mind on a daily basis, but it does inevitably cross your mind when you look at something like a 50-year anniversary. I’m not sure my dad and grandfather had our legacy on their minds when they started our HVAC solutions business — I think they saw an opportunity to do things their own way, the right way, and they went for it.
As I was growing up and getting interested in the business, we saw what could be and that I could run Midwest Mechanical someday, continuing to serve our existing clients. The year 2021 and a 50-year anniversary were nowhere in our minds, but now that we’re here, it feels big.
Our Promise to Our St. Louis HVAC & Refrigeration Clients
I’m proud of what we have built, and I’m even more proud that I can keep this legacy living. We still operate with these values:
- Customers first
- Go beyond what’s expected
- Treat customers like family
- Think of customers’ businesses like you would your business
- Do it right the first time
Adapting to Many HVAC Service Changes in 50 Years
I watched my dad and grandfather do something they loved, and build something of their own, and now I get to keep that alive. When dad and my grandfather started the business, there were plenty of companies providing heating and cooling equipment and solutions for new construction projects, but no one was providing service beyond the one-year warranty.
Midwest was founded to be an HVAC and refrigeration service company—a legacy we maintain to this day. As the only one in town specializing in service, the founding Brouillets’ were able to establish strong relationships where a partner did the install and Midwest Mechanical Services & Solutions took over service after completion.
We’ve had to adapt to the HVAC industry and technology changes over the last 50 years, but two major shifts in standards really stand out.
- First, we had to learn about completely new refrigerants to comply with EPA regulations laid out in the Montreal Protocol in 1987.
- Second, we began automating our services in 1993. HVAC companies are notoriously some of the last to embrace technology, but we got a computer, found the right software, and transitioned away from our paper pads over several months.
It turns out the Brouillets work really well together. I have so many memories; I could never get them all on paper.
Midwest Mechanical’s HVAC Service Team
I might be biased, but I believe our team is the best in the business. They’re experts in the field, and I’m proud of how they take care of our customers—and that they take that part of the job seriously. I can’t get into individual acknowledgments here, but a huge “thank you” to every single person who has been on the Midwest Mechanical team these last 50 years.
And I have to give massive thank you’s all around to our customers. The ones who have trusted us since 1970, the ones with us today, and those just coming on board. We obviously wouldn’t have made it 50 years without your trust in us to handle your HVAC needs. We promise to continue to serve you and your businesses at the level you’ve come to expect from Midwest Mechanical Service & Solutions.
The Future of HVAC & Our Company
It’s fun looking back and thinking about where we started compared to where we are today (especially in our brand new building) but if you know me, you know I’m always looking forward. What’s next? Where do we go from here?
At Midwest Mechanical Services & Solutions, we’ll continue to provide trustworthy, top-of-the-line HVAC services, and take on your company’s biggest industrial heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration challenges.
Here’s to the future of HVAC and 50 more years! If you would like any information on how you can benefit from better energy efficiency or would like us to have a look at your HVAC systems for future servicing, let us know. Our team is here for you, 24 hours, 7 days a week. 314-432-7655