The State Group acquires MelKay, a leading Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) Contractor in Evansville, Indiana
MelKay, located in Evansville, Indiana is a leading MEP contractor with industrial and commercial customers throughout Southern Indiana, Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky; the business holds preferred vendor status with several blue-chip customers, including Berry Global, Deaconess Health, Sabic, Toyota, and many others.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The State Group Industrial (USA) Limited (The State Group), a portfolio company of funds managed by Apollo, today announced the acquisition of Mel-Kay Electric Co., (MelKay) an Evansville, Indiana based MEP contractor. With operations in southern Indiana, western Kentucky and southern Illinois, MelKay has over 400 union tradesmen focusing on electrical, mechanical and plumbing construction and maintenance, HVAC, fire, security, communication and safety systems.
“Our successful partnership with The State Group is a testament to our team’s collective effort to be the best in providing high-quality, value-added MEP solutions for our customers and to our commitment to the local communities we serve,” said Chad Thompson, President of MelKay. “We’re excited to join The State Group as we begin the next chapter of MelKay’s growth and future for our employees.”
“MelKay was founded by my grandfather in 1951 in the back office of his in-laws’ small hotel and restaurant,” said Scott Hartig, CEO of MelKay. “Selling a company that has been part of my family for three generations is not easy. But knowing the quality of the people who will continue to lead MelKay, combined with the incredible opportunities that come with The State Group, gives me tremendous confidence in a very bright future for everyone at MelKay.”
“The addition of MelKay provides an exciting opportunity to partner with a company aligned with our own values in prioritizing quality of service, teamwork and focus on customer satisfaction.,” said Michael Lampert, Executive Chairman of The State Group. “MelKay has a strong brand built on a foundation of over 75 years of high-quality service. We are proud to welcome the entire MelKay team into The State Group family.”
About The State Group Headquartered in Franklin, TN: The State Group is a leading North American multi-trade industrial and specialty services contractor. Established in 1961, the company provides comprehensive electrical and mechanical trade services to Fortune 100 companies in power generation, automotive, datacenter, ecommerce, oil and gas, communications, metals and transportation industries. The State Group performs over eight million man-hours annually of retrofit, maintenance, construction and emergency services and maintains a tooling and equipment inventory to support its skilled workforce. The company has offices across the United States and Canada. For more information, please visit www.stategroup.com.
“Berenson & Company, LLC operated as financial advisor to The State Group for the transaction.”
Similar Articles
Back to Newsroom
State Group Ranks in Top 50 Overall Firms on Engineering News-Record’s Top 600 Specialty Contractors List
Franklin, TN – October 26, 2026 – Engineering News-Record, a publication covering the construction and engineering industries, has included State Group on its 2026 Top 600 Specialty Contractors List. State Group ranked 45th overall and 24th amongst electrical contractors. “I’m proud to celebrate another year in the top 50 overall firms and in the top 25 electrical contractors,” said Brian Jones, Chief Executive Officer, State Group. “It’s a testament to the expertise and commitment of our employees – both at State Group and our Family of Companies. Achievements like this are the outcome of thousands of decisions made every day...
Read Article
The State Group Appoints Mark Funk as Chief Operating Officer
Leadership appointment strengthens State Group’s executive team as the company continues to invest for its next stage of growth The State Group, a leading North American technical services contractor, today announced the appointment of Mark Funk, P.E., PMP, as Chief Operating Officer, further strengthening the company’s leadership team as it positions the business for continued growth. Funk brings three decades of engineering, construction, project execution, operations, and business leadership experience to State Group. He joins the company from Fluor Corporation, where he most recently served as President of its Advanced Technologies and Life Sciences business line, with responsibility for the...
Read Article
The State Group Celebrates Construction Safety Week 2026
This week, The State Group celebrated Construction Safety Week across all of our US and Canadian divisions. Construction Safety Week is an annual awareness week focused on celebrating the safety leaders and craft professionals who are the backbone of our safety efforts. This week of training and awareness puts a spotlight on safety and empowers employees with the skills to foster a safety-first workplace culture. “Construction Safety Week is an excellent opportunity for our teams to show off what they do best: put safety first,” said Brian Jones, State Group’s Chief Executive Officer. “From Toronto to Georgia, The State Group...
Read Article