Tioga Air Heaters began its venture into manufacturing in 1961. The company began in North Dakota where winters are bleak and the environment can quickly put a halt to a variety of activities. The company had a product to remedy some inclement weather situations. It was an industrial heater.
The Beginnings
The first Tioga heater, named after the city of the same name, was intended for the drilling rigs of the region. The construction combined with the design produced a heater guaranteed to address a specific problem. It was to provide the workers on the rig with a livable climate no matter how horrific the weather was outside. The success of this initial heater was to result in continued production of heaters meant to meet the specifications for operating under severe weather conditions.
Tioga Air Heating had found its niche. It began to supply a variety of clients with appropriate heaters. One successful early placement was Prudhoe Bay Oil Field on Alaska’s North Slope. The result was an increase in potential markets as well as the establishment of a reputation it retains until this day for:
- Dependability
- Reliability
- Consistent high quality performance even when working in extreme Arctic weather conditions
Offers to provide industrial and portable heaters for the Canadian oil fields and elsewhere in Alaska helped position Tioga Air Heat to consider expansion
Expansion
With the heaters a success if oil rigs nationally and internationally, Tioga began to expand its client base. Heaters, indirect and indirect fired, portable and temp, became part of a product base that was later include dehumidifiers. Tioga was pushing to open up different industrial markets to its products. They began to sell their products to diverse industries including:
- Commercial construction projects
- Mining
- Power plants
- Painting and coating
- Government facilities e.g. military
- Refineries
During these early advancements and successes Tioga Air Heaters changed its location and not only manufactured products for sale, but also offered them as rentals. Their rental temporary and portable heaters supplied companies with a more affordable option than purchasing them did. To improve their services further, the company continued to help customers by providing customization for their heating and ventilation solutions.
Enter Mangrove Equity Partners
In 2013, under the ownership and presidency of Bruce Wallace, Mangrove Equity Partners purchased Tioga Heaters, now stationed in Minneapolis MN. Under their guidance, the company began to expand its market position through the purchase of other companies in the same or related field. The two major recent purchases are:
- Mobile Air Inc – Detroit
- Reliable Construction Heaters – Cleveland
This was a move towards consolidating the market presence of Tioga.
Tioga Air Heaters Today
Today, the company remains a leader in both the sale and rental of heating and ventilation equipment. It clients include Cardwell, Dreco, IRI, LTV, Nabors, Parker and Rowan. It markets are in Canada, China, Kazakhstan, Russia and parts of the United States clearly illustrating that Tioga Air Heaters continues to have a strong presence in its field.
