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.”
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