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HVACR Trends

HVACR Trends

Information to Inspire, Grow and Profit

Distribution Strategy

HVAC Market Slowdown Signals a Prolonged Industry Reset

January 15, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

Diagonal graphic showing the Watsco and Lennox logos representing HVAC market comparison

The HVAC market slowdown is no longer a matter of debate or selective interpretation.  Fourth-quarter performance came in worse than already lowered expectations, pricing pressure is beginning to surface in markets that historically hold firm, and inventory normalization remains unfinished.  This isn't a collapse scenario, but it is a clear signal that the industry reset is … [Read more...] about HVAC Market Slowdown Signals a Prolonged Industry Reset

New York HVAC Refrigerant Rules Are Triggering Supply Chain Alarm

January 13, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

New York HVAC refrigerant rules

For much of the HVAC industry, New York HVAC refrigerant rules have hovered in an uncomfortable middle ground for several years. Not hypothetical, but not yet fully operational. Something people flagged in conference hallways, side conversations, and breakout sessions, including more than a few discussions at last year’s HARDI conference, but rarely addressed head-on. That … [Read more...] about New York HVAC Refrigerant Rules Are Triggering Supply Chain Alarm

The AI-Enabled Distributor: From Pilot to Profit

January 10, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

A practical look at branch leadership execution, frontline management, and why disciplined branch leadership still wins in distribution.

Channel Marketing Group will be releasing a new eBook, The AI-Enabled Distributor: From Pilot to Profit, on January 16. The guide is written for distributor leaders who are looking for practical, real-world guidance on how AI for distributors is being applied today. . AI is no longer confined to innovation teams or IT departments.  For distributors, it is already influencing … [Read more...] about The AI-Enabled Distributor: From Pilot to Profit

Branch Leadership Blueprint for Distribution

January 8, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

Foundations of a Giant book cover by Brian Eason, focused on branch leadership in wholesale distribution

If you work in wholesale distribution, you already know that strategy may be written at headquarters, but execution lives and dies at the branch.  That reality sits at the heart of Foundations of a Giant: A Branch Boss’s Blueprint for Wholesale Distribution, a new book built around one core idea: strong branch leadership is still the most reliable competitive advantage in the … [Read more...] about Branch Leadership Blueprint for Distribution

HVACR Market in 2025: Why Sales Growth Masked Weaker Demand

December 19, 2025 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

Rooftop HVAC equipment reflects how pricing and repair-driven demand shaped the HVACR market in 2025.

Coming into 2025, most HVACR distributors and manufacturers expected a modest recovery. Interest rates were widely assumed to ease. Deferred residential replacements were expected to return gradually. Nonresidential activity was expected to remain steady enough to provide balance while residential markets found their footing.  The HVACR market in 2025 ultimately followed a … [Read more...] about HVACR Market in 2025: Why Sales Growth Masked Weaker Demand

Voice of the Contractor Data Reveals How HVAC Contractors Really Buy in 2025

December 18, 2025 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

Voice of the Contractor data presented at the HARDI Annual Conference

Executive Summary Six years of Voice of the Contractor data show a channel that is largely satisfied but increasingly pragmatic. Contractors value relationships and rate their primary suppliers positively, yet loyalty is conditional and share shifts quickly when availability, pricing, or execution fall short. Growth continues, multi-trade businesses are expanding, and … [Read more...] about Voice of the Contractor Data Reveals How HVAC Contractors Really Buy in 2025

APR Supply’s Baltimore Expansion Strengthens the Region’s HVACR Supply Chain

December 9, 2025 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

APR Supply announces planned acquisition of McArdle & Walsh to expand HVACR distribution into the Greater Baltimore market.

The APR Baltimore expansion marks an important shift in how contractors across the Greater Baltimore region may access inventory, product breadth, and day-to-day support.  With APR Supply entering due diligence to acquire McArdle & Walsh, the market is watching what a fourth-generation distributor with strong operational discipline can bring to a region defined by … [Read more...] about APR Supply’s Baltimore Expansion Strengthens the Region’s HVACR Supply Chain

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HVAC equipment inventory signaling market bottom conditions

What Lennox’s Low Bar Tells Us About the HVAC Market Bottom

Women in HVACR logo announcing 2026 leadership team

Women in HVACR Leadership Team Takes Shape for 2026

Connected HVAC controller with cloud connectivity icons representing smart HVAC privacy and data collection concerns in the supply chain

Smart HVAC/R Systems: Convenience or Creepy?

Distributor sales team using AI platform across counter, inside sales, and field operations

AI for Distributors: Supporting the Entire Sales Team

Visual Workplace Doubles Revenue with Multi-Channel Transformation

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