Big Ass Solutions

Big Ass Solutions
Private
Industry Manufacturing
Founded 1999
Headquarters Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Number of locations
 8
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Carey Smith, CEO
Products Industrial, Commercial, Agricultural, Residential Fans and Lighting
Parent Delta T. Corporation
Website bigasssolutions.com

Big Ass Solutions manufactures fans, lights and controls for industrial, agricultural, commercial and residential use, including the Big Ass Fans, Big Ass Light, and Haiku fan product lines. The company's headquarters are in Lexington, Kentucky, with additional offices in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada.

History

Carey Smith founded the HVLS Fan Co. in 1999, with a focus on manufacturing large-diameter fans for agricultural facilities.[1] The company's first line of products included several iterations of a large-diameter, low-speed ceiling fan for industrial and agricultural use. These fans use airfoils instead of flat blades and feature onboard variable-frequency drives.

Smith changed the name to Big Ass Fans in 2002 after numerous customers called the company asking if it made "those big-ass fans." Because of the name, Lexington's Blue Grass Airport declined to display advertising from the company in its baggage claim area,[2] and residents staged protests [3] of a 10-ft mural depicting the company's name and mascot, "Fanny" the donkey, on the side of its building. The airport later relented and hung a Big Ass Fan and a plaque near the security checkpoint.

As of Dec. 2015, the company occupied six buildings in Lexington: an 88,000-square-foot office building; a 44,000-square-foot research and development lab that is certified LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council; a 165,000-square-foot manufacturing facility; a 98,000-square-foot manufacturing facility; a 44,000-square-foot manufacturing facility; and a 33,000-square-foot service center.

The company grew to more than 800 employees by the end of 2015, up from 627 at the end of 2014, 481 at the end of 2013 and 298 at the end of 2012.[1]

Technological Developments

Since its founding, Big Ass Fans has expanded its product line to include directional, oscillating and mobile fans. The company has developed a line of fans for air-conditioned commercial and residential spaces, LED light fixtures and controls.

In 2012, Big Ass Fans introduced its first ceiling fan in a standard residential size of 60 inches. Haiku incorporates direct current, permanent magnetics and aerodynamic airfoils. It is 80% more efficient than conventional ceiling fans and held the top 10 spots on Energy Star's Most Efficient 2014 list.[4]

In 2014, the company added smart technology SenseME to the Haiku ceiling fan.[5] Haiku with SenseME integrates with the Nest Learning Thermostat through a smartphone app. Big Ass Fans manufactures Haiku with SenseME in America. The decision to do so added 40 positions to its Lexington, Ky., manufacturing team.[6]

The company holds 149 patents and 134 patents pending and employs more than 75 degreed engineers.[7]

Business model

Big Ass Fans sells its products directly to customers.[8] Smith retains private ownership of Big Ass Fans and has said he doesn't intend to take the company public.[9] Since the Great Recession of the late 2000s, Big Ass Fans has grown more than 30% annually,[9] with revenues climbing from $34 million in 2009 to $165 million in 2014.[10]

The company has grown from six employees at its founding to more than 800 at the end of 2015.[11] Smith attributes that growth, in part, to the company's higher-than-average pay, which is 30% more than the U.S. median of $45,790 and 50% more than the Kentucky median of $38,940.[10] The company annually ranked among the top 25 Best Places to Work in Kentucky for the last seven years: 2015 (No. 13), 2014 (No. 3), 2013 (No. 7), 2012 (No. 15), 2011 (No. 11), 2010 (No. 17) and 2009 (No. 23).[12] Big Ass Fans maintains a retention rate of about 90 percent, far outpacing the national average of 63 percent.[10]

In 2014, the company opened a new division called Big Ass Light to sell LED fixtures. Big Ass Light and Big Ass Fans both fall under the corporate brand Big Ass Solutions.

Awards and recognition

Example of industrial fan: Powerfoil X2.0 Plus
Example of residential fan: Haiku
Big Ass Fans employees accepting the 2012 Best Places to Work in Kentucky award.

In 2015:

In 2014:

In 2013:

In 2012:

In 2011:

In 2010:

In 2009:

References

  1. 1 2 "The Economist, April 1, 2014: Big Asspirations". economist.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  2. ↑ "Lexington Herald-Leader", January 18, 2010: Big Ass Fans Comes to Airport". kentucky.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "Reliable Plant", April 20, 2014: Big Ass Fans Moves Into New Facility". reliableplant.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  4. ↑ ""Energy Star", 10 January, 2015: ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2015". energystar.gov. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Gigaom", 04 June, 2014: Big Ass Fans' New Ceiling Fan is Really a Robot". gigaom.com. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "Big Ass Fans", 04 June, 2014: Big Ass Fans the World's First Smart Ceiling Fan". bigassfans.com. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "The Build Network", 13 November, 2013: How to Screen Candidates for Curiosity and Positivity". thebuildnetwork.com. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "The Economist, April 1, 2014: Big Asspirations". economist.com. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Forbes", 02 July, 2013: Big Ass Fans Getting Bigger". forbes.com. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 "CNN", 19 February, 2014: Why Big Ass Fans pays 30% above national average". cnn.com. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Sage Summit", 05 August, 2014: Sage Summit Speakers". sage.com. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  12. ↑ 2 "Best Places to Work kentucky", 23 August, 2009: Best Places to Work in Kentucky Winners" Check |url= value (help) (PDF). bestplacestoworkky.com. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  13. ↑ "Inc. Names Haiku with SenseME as Best in Class Design » Big Ass Fans". Inc. Names Haiku with SenseME as Best in Class Design » Big Ass Fans. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  14. ↑ "Forbes Again Names Big Ass Fans Among America's Most Promising Companies » Big Ass Fans". Forbes Again Names Big Ass Fans Among America's Most Promising Companies » Big Ass Fans. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  15. ↑ "World Architecture News Honors Haiku with SenseME » Big Ass Fans". World Architecture News Honors Haiku with SenseME » Big Ass Fans. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  16. ↑ "Big Ass Light High Bay LED Named Plant Engineering Product of the Year » Big Ass Fans". Big Ass Light High Bay LED Named Plant Engineering Product of the Year » Big Ass Fans. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  17. ↑ "Consulting-Specifying Engineer Honors Big Ass Light High Bay LED » Big Ass Fans". Consulting-Specifying Engineer Honors Big Ass Light High Bay LED » Big Ass Fans. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  18. ↑ ""Best Places to Work in Kentucky", 14 April, 2015: Best Places to Work in Kentucky Rankings Announced" (PDF). http://bestplacestoworkky.com/. Retrieved 16 April 2015. External link in |work= (help)
  19. ↑ "Big Ass Fans: Number 2437 on the 2015 Inc. 5000". Inc.com. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  20. ↑ ""Energy Star", 10 January, 2015: ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2015". energystar.gov. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  21. ↑ "USGBC", 17 September, 2014: Announcing the Best of Building Award winners". usgbc.org. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  22. ↑ "FX Awards", 5 September, 2013: FX Awards Product of the Year". zmags.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  23. ↑ "Spark Awards", 20 August, 2013: Haiku Winner Gold". sparkawards.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  24. ↑ "Architectural Products", 3 January, 2013: Product Innovation Awards" (PDF). arch-products.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  25. ↑ "Architectural Record", 12 December, 2012: Product Innovation Awards". arch-products.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  26. ↑ "Popular Science", 19 January, 2012: Best of What's New". popsci.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  27. ↑ "Lexington Herald-Leader", 11 July, 2011: Business Awards". kentucky.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  28. ↑ "Plant Engineering", 16 April, 2012: 2011 Product of the Year". plantengineering.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.

External links

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