It’s already happening in Europe. Manufacturers owning contractors as part of their data center strategy. Recently I was “trolling” LinkedIn and ran across an article from Carl Fredrik Sverdrup, a Zurich-based partner in an investment firm. His LinkedIn article focused on Mitsubishi Electric’s recent announcement of the acquisition of two groups to strengthen its … [Read more...] about The Next HVAC Battleground: Owning the Contractor Lifecycle
Ricardo Bristotti to Lead Nidec’s Global Appliance Platform
Nidec Global Appliance (GA), a business platform of Nidec and owner of the Embraco HVAC&R solutions brand, announced Ricardo Bristotti as its new president. Bristotti takes on the leadership to drive the next phase of growth and strengthen GA’s global portfolio. For the last 15 years, Ricardo has built a career spanning both the appliance and industrial segments, … [Read more...] about Ricardo Bristotti to Lead Nidec’s Global Appliance Platform
Women in HVACR Announces Breakout Speakers for Annual Conference
Women in HVACR (WHVACR), a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration trades, announces Carrie Fraser, Bryce Batts and Michelle Myers as three of its breakout speakers for the 2026 annual conference, Built for Speed. The three sessions will provide attendees with practical guidance on leading through … [Read more...] about Women in HVACR Announces Breakout Speakers for Annual Conference
How Agentic AI Could Change How HVACR Contractors Buy Material
Amidst the conversation about AI and data centers, both of which distributors can benefit from, there is another conversation that, as typical, starts on the consumer side and then migrates to B2B. This is how AI is / may change business models Inevitably it does not occur as quickly as the Big 4 consulting pundits project, but it does seep into the business with more … [Read more...] about How Agentic AI Could Change How HVACR Contractors Buy Material
What Matters to HVAC Contractors and What Makes Them Loyal
I recently wrote this article for a sister publication of HVACRTrends, ElectricalTrends (and did you also know we publish Industrial Supply Trends and US Lighting Trends?) I’m sharing it because it is about contractors. And the reality is that contractor behavior across construction trades is very similar. The big difference for the HVAC industry, and it is similar in … [Read more...] about What Matters to HVAC Contractors and What Makes Them Loyal
Did an Elephant Show Up at the Applied AI Conference?
Mark McGready, Director Data Analytics and Solutions for IDEA, attended the 2026 Applied AI for Distributors Conference organized by Distribution Strategy Group. While he spoke to attendees about IDEA's Data Whispers solution and how Nudge (its avatar) helps drive sales, profits and acts as a virtual sales coach and information resource tailored to each distributor's offering … [Read more...] about Did an Elephant Show Up at the Applied AI Conference?
Refrigeration Technologies’ Viper EZDose
By now you should have heard that Refrigeration Technologies, the Southern California-based manufacturer behind the Viper® line of non-toxic HVACR chemical solutions, recently introduced the Viper EZDose™, a gravity-fed pan and drain line maintenance system designed to help HVAC contractors prevent condensate drain clogs before they become water damage, odor complaints and … [Read more...] about Refrigeration Technologies’ Viper EZDose
