At HVACR trends we have been following innovative channel leaders like Auer Steel and Heating Supply and their excellent outreach programs for the past year. Contractors know that the business is about more than equipment. Success depends on how well you engage homeowners, develop talent, and prepare your team for what is coming next. This fall, Auer Steel is curating … [Read more...] about Learning from the Front Lines: Insights from Auer Steel’s BrewCast Series
Volcanoes make noise. Glaciers shape markets: Bosch in HVAC
Volcanoes erupt. They grab attention, change landscapes overnight, and leave everyone scrambling to adapt. Glaciers, by contrast, move almost imperceptibly. Yet over time they carve valleys, redirect rivers, and permanently reshape the terrain. Bosch has chosen to act like a glacier in the U.S. HVAC market. Their recent $8 billion acquisition of Johnson Controls–Hitachi’s … [Read more...] about Volcanoes make noise. Glaciers shape markets: Bosch in HVAC
Engineering Better Sales: HVAC’s Moneyball Moment
Most HVACR companies spend a lot of time on products, pricing, and promos. But sales execution? That often gets overlooked. If you’re still managing sales by gut feel and muscle memory, you’re leaving margin on the table. It’s time to take a Moneyball approach. In Moneyball, the Oakland A’s figure out how to win by asking better questions and using better data. They stopped … [Read more...] about Engineering Better Sales: HVAC’s Moneyball Moment
Copper Tariffs: Minor Home-Buyer Bump, Major OEM Headache
How a 50% duty on semifinished copper drifts past consumers and lands squarely on coil makers, lineset extruders, and the distributors who serve them. The drama that wasn’t, at least for homeowners When the White House dropped its Section 232 tariff proclamation on July 31, slapping a 50% duty on copper pipe, tube, wire, rod, and sheet effective August 1, it sounded dire … [Read more...] about Copper Tariffs: Minor Home-Buyer Bump, Major OEM Headache
Wholesale HVAC Equipment Costs Just Jumped
Prices are moving again. Quietly, but steadily. The Producer Price Index for HVAC equipment has ticked up for eleven months in a row. It’s not necessarily making headlines, but it’s worth your attention. Undoubtedly, you’ve already raised prices due to tariffs or manufacturer increases, but are you sure you’re keeping pace? Every month, something is going up. Are you … [Read more...] about Wholesale HVAC Equipment Costs Just Jumped
Masco Q2 Earnings: Plumbing Holds Strong as Paint Softens What It Signals for Residential HVAC
Masco’s Q2 2025 earnings report was a study in contrasts. For those of us watching the residential HVAC space, it offered a few clear signals. Headline numbers: Adjusted gross margin improved to 37.7%, up 10 basis points. Revenue was $2.05 billion, down 2% year-over-year. Adjusted for currency and divestitures, it was flat. Adjusted operating margin rose to … [Read more...] about Masco Q2 Earnings: Plumbing Holds Strong as Paint Softens What It Signals for Residential HVAC
From Tools to Toolbags: Malco’s Next Move
When The Malco Group picked up Veto Pro Pac earlier this month, it wasn’t just an expansion move. It was a signal. Malco is already known for HVAC-specific tools, chemicals, and accessories. Adding Veto brings a premium tool storage line into the fold and pushes the company further into full-spectrum jobsite relevance. This deal doesn’t just add SKUs. It deepens Malco’s … [Read more...] about From Tools to Toolbags: Malco’s Next Move
Talent Isn’t a Trait. It’s a Trajectory.
If you were to ask ten people what “entrepreneurial talent” looks like, there is a very good chance that you’d get ten different answers. Some focus on mindset, others on past results. Some consider traits like curiosity and drive. Dr. Jeff Magee’s “Player Capability Index” takes a structured run at defining entrepreneurial talent by mixing elements of motivation, personal … [Read more...] about Talent Isn’t a Trait. It’s a Trajectory.
Embraco enters the HVAC compressor market
Embraco built its name in refrigeration—especially with fractional horsepower compressors used in light commercial and residential cold chain applications. Now, with the acquisition of Xecom, the brand is moving into HVAC. The new scroll line covers rooftop units, heat pumps, and central systems for both commercial and residential use. More importantly, Nidec appears to be … [Read more...] about Embraco enters the HVAC compressor market
Danfoss Announces new Universal TR6 Thermostatic Expansion Valve Kit
In last month’s article, we looked at the timelines around the shift to R-454B and other A2L refrigerants. As that transition picks up, manufacturers are starting to release components that work across both legacy and next-generation systems. Danfoss’s new Universal TR6 thermostatic expansion valve is one of them—compatible with R-410A, R-454B, and R-32. It’s designed to … [Read more...] about Danfoss Announces new Universal TR6 Thermostatic Expansion Valve Kit
