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HARDI endorses initiatives to promote proper installations
The Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International has formally endorsed two industry initiatives, making unanimous the HVACR supply channel’s commitment to the proper installation of heating and cooling equipment.
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America recently introduced a new ACCA-developed, ANSI-recognized standard for Quality Installation Specifications on HVAC systems, intended to demonstrate contractors’ commitment to quality HVAC residential and commercial installations, improve equipment performance and durability and provide assurance to customers of proper installations. Additionally, the Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Institute is introducing a free Contractor Guide CD to help contractors navigate ARI’s Directory of Certified Product Performance to find certified matched air-conditioning and heat pump systems.
HARDI’s endorsement means that more than 450 distributor companies and their 4,000 branch locations will be promoting these valuable tools to help insure quality installation of heating and cooling equipment. HARDI is promoting the use of ACCA’s Quality Installation Specifications as a training curriculum model within distributor training programs and customer universities. Members and visitors will be able to download the specifications from www.hardinet.org.
HARDI and ARI are also partnering to offer countertop displays to distributors promoting the free Contractor Guide CD to contractor customers. Contractors can customize the brochure with their company information, print it out and provide it with all of their proposals. To receive the CD, contractors simply fill out the countertop display’s reply mail card and send it to ARI.
Distributors, who play a vital role in providing product and system training, are eager to add these two new tools to their array of training resources. Helping to maximize contractors’ time by eliminating callbacks and installation repairs, these programs raise the industry’s professionalism and overall profitability. HARDI is proud to support two such worthy initiatives. As the primary conduit between the industry’s manufacturers and installers, HARDI distributors are uniquely suited to expand the reach and adoption of these advanced installation practices.
Rheem purchases additional land in Mexico
The Heating & Cooling Division of Rheem Manufacturing Company has purchased a 37-acre commercial development site in Nuevo Laredo, in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Rheem’s Heating & Cooling and Water Heating divisions currently have manufacturing operations in Nuevo Laredo. This land purchase provides the company with an important strategic platform for continued global market expansion. This is the latest in a series of strategic business investments designed to put the company in the best position to increase market share and aggressively compete with off-shore competition.
Rheem has been realigning and rationalizing manufacturing plant utilization over the last 36 months to optimize competitiveness, including completing a manufacturing plant expansion in Milledgeville, Ga., and reformatting its Fort Smith plant for improved manufacturing flexibility. Rheem’s manufacturing plant rationalization is designed to harmonize its facility operations to ensure that each plant is used most effectively in achieving the company’s strategic growth plan.
The Heating & Cooling Division plans call for the construction of a manufacturing facility on the Nuevo Laredo site that will join the Fort Smith and Milledgeville plants in a harmonized system of world-class manufacturing facilities capable of supplying high-quality products in greater volumes to North American and world markets. Rheem has contracted with a land-use architectural firm to conduct feasibility studies and to provide design assistance for the future plant.
Specifics related to plant size, construction timetable, estimated completion and occupancy, employment and products to be manufactured in the future facility are yet to be determined. Rheem will announce future next steps as they are defined.
Rheem just completed the most expansive period of product development in the Heating & Cooling Division’s history, including the introduction of more than 100 new heating and cooling products in 30 months. Since 2005, the company has also opened a state-of-the-art parts distribution center in Randleman, N.C., and new regional distribution centers in Lewisville, Texas, and McDonough, Ga.
Activant Solutions to host software demos
Activant Solutions Inc. will host free software demonstrations in 15 cities this fall. These demonstrations will give distributors an opportunity to see how Activant Prophet 21 can help them increase sales, improve customer service and send more money to their bottom line.
“We want to show wholesale distributors how Activant Prophet 21 can help them move their business to the next level of success,” said Steve McLaughlin, senior vice president and general manager of Activant.
Demonstrations will be held in the following cities in fall 2007:
September 5 -- Saddle Brook, N.J.
September 6 -- Woodland Hills, Calif.
September 6 -- Baton Rouge, La.
September 11 -- Des Moines, Iowa
September 11 -- Atlanta, Ga.
September 12 -- Denver, Colo.
September 13 -- Pittsburgh, Pa.
September 13 -- Cincinnati, Ohio
October 2 -- Phoenix, Ariz.
October 3 -- Chicago, Ill.
October 4 -- Toronto, Ontario
October 4 -- Charlotte, N.C.
October 9 -- Detroit, Mich.
October 10 -- Virginia Beach, Va.
October 11 -- Yardley, Pa.
For more information, visit distribution.activant.com/software or call 800/776-7438, press 1.
ASA forming new council to help showroom managers
ASA is already making plans for its next professional council. The Showroom Manager’s Council will address the issues, opportunities and challenges facing the showroom side of the business. Its first meeting will be Tuesday and Wednesday, December 4-5, at the Marriott O’Hare Hotel near Chicago.
The introduction of this newest council will dovetail with the asa Education Foundation’s newest Essentials Course, Essentials of Profitable Showroom Sales Consulting, which will be introduced at about that time.
Hank Darlington, author of the course, will be presenting at the Network ‘07 Convention. ASA has already invited him to participate in the newest council.
Those who are interested should send an e-mail to kprice@asa.net so ASA can provide updated information about the council as it is developed.
First Supply celebrates grand opening of new Gerhards Showroom
First Supply has announced that Gerhards Showroom celebrated its grand opening on June 26, at their new location at 3595 North 127th Street in Brookfield. This registered Kohler Showroom occupies nearly 3,000 square feet and offers a wide variety of fixtures, baths and whirlpools. More than 100 customers stopped by to take a look and to learn more about First Supply and Gerhards.
“The working displays in the showroom allow our clients to visualize the benefits of installing these products in their homes,” said Stacie Weaver, branch supervisor. “Our goal is to identify with our customers’ busy lifestyles and show them alternatives to make their lives more functional and relaxed.”
For details, visit www.1supply.com.
Danfoss named one of world’s most respected companies
Danfoss was recently named number 12 of 200 companies with the best corporate reputations in the world. The 2007 Global RepTrak Pulse is the second annual ranking of corporate reputations of the world’s largest companies.
Reputation Institute created the study to communicate to corporate executives how their companies fared with consumers. RepTrak ranks companies based on 23 key attributes in which most companies build their reputations, including performance, product/service, innovation, workplace, governance, citizenship and leadership. The top 200 companies are listed in the annual RepTrak report.
More than 60,000 online interviews were conducted with consumers, spanning 29 countries in six continents in January and February 2007 to measure the reputation of more than 1,000 companies. Companies were rated by consumers in their home countries from an average of at least 100 ratings provided by local respondents who are familiar with the company.
Danfoss ranked 12th, placing the company in the top tier: companies in this category are considered to have an excellent reputation. The top three companies were lego, ikea and Barilla.
For more information, visit www.reputationinstitute.com/reptrakpulse.
Julien launches new theme for 2007
Julien’s new theme for 2007 is “A beautiful way to live ...”, expressing the company’s distinguishing dedication to providing its customers with high-quality and innovative products that transform the living space into one’s personal sanctuary, while reminding them of the finer side of life.
Julien’s “A beautiful way to live ...” theme addresses the “human” side of its business. Julien’s products are installed in rooms that are considered the most important rooms in the house. More than ever, consumers find themselves with family and friends in the kitchen -- entertaining, celebrating, creating and simply living. In the bath, users are relaxing, rejuvenating and enjoying private time. Julien strives to meet its customers’ needs for aesthetics in the home that are captivating and functional by providing a complete experience for the user, an emotional connection with design and function.
With a focus on fine living, Julien’s collections enhance daily rituals with their elegance and panache. Julien is a “green” company that uses 100% recyclable stainless steel in the manufacturing process.
For more information, visit www.julien.ca or phone 866/901-5624.
Electronic bill delivery takes off at Billtrust
Billtrust, a leading provider of outsourced billing services, announced a 40%-plus increase in their e-Adoption rate since the beginning of the year. Taking the total number of invoices sent electronically and dividing that by the total number of bills sent for a defined time period calculate this rate.
According to Mitch Rose, vice president-marketing at Billtrust, “For several years we have been helping our customers migrate their customers to electronic bill delivery. Our research indicated that the time was right for a dedicated e-Adoption effort.”
Billtrust launched its Accelerated e-Adoption program in March. The program offers best practice consultation, implementation support and incentives for achieving key milestones. Each quarter, Billtrust rewards the customer that achieves the highest e-Adoption point increase with an office party. The second quarter 2007 winner is Harry Cooper Supply, with a 24-point-plus increase over the previous quarter.
Billtrust offers a suite of bill delivery products that include both U.S. Mail and electronic options, including e-mail, fax and web. For more information, visit www.billtrust.com.
Coburn’s makes switch to State Water Heaters
State Water Heaters announced its new partnership with Coburn’s Supply Company, a leader in the wholesale distribution of quality plumbing products throughout Louisiana and East Texas. Coburn’s will phase out its previous brand of commercial and residential water heaters and carry only State brand products. Coburn’s elected to make the switch because of State’s commitment to advertising and its reputation for helping educate and forming strong relationships with plumbing contractors nationwide.
State Water Heaters supports the efforts of its wholesalers and distributors by reaching out directly to contractors and the consumer market. State promotes the durability and energy efficiency of its products with a wide variety of marketing strategies. For example, State Water Heaters is a primary sponsor of a NASCAR racing team in the Nextel Cup Series. Veteran driver Ward Burton’s black No. 4 NASCAR race car displays a State logo across the hood, driving up brand awareness and increasing demand for State products.
Coburn’s plans to work with State to develop dealer programs for plumbing contractors, similar to the programs already in place at Coburn’s for air conditioning dealerships.
For information, call Coburn’s at 800/832-8492 or visit www.coburns.com. To learn more about State Water Heaters, visit www.statewaterheaters. com or www.stateracing.com.
Falcon Stainless partners with Bradford White and Cash Acme
Falcon Stainless, a full-line manufacturer of corrugated stainless steel flexible water connectors, announces a partnering with Bradford White Corporation, a full-line manufacturer of residential and commercial products for water heating.
Falcon Stainless is currently making specially designed connectors for Bradford White integrated mixing devices supplied by Cash Acme. It was Falcon’s devotion to outstanding customer service and exemplary manufacturing that allowed for this arrangement.
Look to Falcon Stainless and Bradford White for innovative products that provide greater efficiency and ease of installation.
To learn more, call 800/814-8444 or visit www.falconstainless.com.