At AirPro Fan & Blower Company, we believe in building our success on relationships—relationships with customers, brand partners, and especially our talented representatives in the field. This month, we highlight one such partner who exemplifies the best of what we do: TJ Mueller from Koch Applied Solutions.
Humble Beginnings
A University of Kentucky graduate, TJ first cut his industrial teeth by selling pumps and small boilers for another rep outfit. A non-compete clause redirected his path to industrial fans when he joined Lathrop Trotter as a Sales Engineer in 2005. Little did he know that this move would spark a career spanning twenty years of peddling industrial fans across the Midwest. Together with his longtime fan friend Steve Beegle, they perspicaciously bought Lathrop Trotter and recently rebranded it as Koch Applied Solutions, ushering in a new chapter for the company.
The Midwest Footprint
A broad customer base keeps TJ and his sales crew busy. With a footprint stretching from the rolling prairies of St. Louis, MO to the Appalachian foothills of Pittsburgh, PA and into parts of Michigan, Koch Applied serves the OEM industrial fan market as well as the commercial and industrial HVAC boiler markets; in addition, they have a utility division that supports Power Generation facilities across the region. TJ says that managing a multi-state team has its challenges, “but we have great people and something new and exciting to work on every day. Our large footprint gives us insight into large projects that we would not otherwise see.”
Trust as a Must
That’s a lot of turf to cover, so we asked TJ about some of the challenges of working as a Manufacturer’s Rep. He candidly explains that “the biggest challenge as a rep is doing what is best for your customer and maintaining those relationships, while also sustaining relationships with multiple manufacturers and their need for sales and growth.” TJ adds that while keeping customers and manufacturers happy poses a challenge, he enjoys educating customers about how fans work and earning their trust. He states, “Most customers aren’t buying fans every day, so they trust me to help them with their fan application.” TJ takes this responsibility seriously, making him a reliable partner for AirPro.
Happy Customers
Perhaps it’s TJ’s business philosophy that feeds his success. He states that “Every business is a people business. People buy from people and relationships are the key to success. Treat every customer like they are the most important customer in your territory.” It’s this thoughtful approach—blending technical expertise with genuine care for his customers—that makes TJ such a valuable collaborator. When asked about teaming with AirPro to sell fans TJ explains that “AirPro is a great manufacturer to work with. They make a quality product, are very responsive, and always do what they say the will, including shipping on time.”
When he’s not crisscrossing the Midwest selling fans, TJ enjoys playing the guitar, a good round of golf, and spending time with his family. As a proud dad to four kids—three of whom are adopted—TJ’s passion for relationships and his love for people extend well beyond his work. We here at AirPro are grateful to know and work with TJ and look forward to a lasting partnership.
Connecting with Koch Applied Solutions
Koch Applied Solutions is part of the established field of AirPro Reps across the country. To learn more, check out https://www.kochapplied.com/ follow the Koch Applied Solutions LinkedIn page, and connect with TJ Mueller on LinkedIn.
Contact AirPro
Contact us to connect with your local rep. Our team is available to discuss your fan application, provide technical expertise, and even visit your plant to inspect existing equipment for retrofit/repair recommendations.