For the past number of months, David Gordon and I have been talking non-stop about pricing and have been busy helping many distributors and manufacturers with their "buy side" and "sell side" programs. As a former pricing leader for two of the largest distributors in North America, I have been remiss in writing as much as we should about buy-side and sell-side pricing. So, … [Read more...] about Pentagon Pricing Series – Part 1 – Sell Side Pricing
Industry News
AI at the Crossroads: What Happens Next Depends on Who’s Driving
The conversation around AI is picking up steam, and not just in tech circles. Whether you're in HVACR, construction, distribution, or finance, the ripple effects of AI are starting to hit every corner of the economy. But I think we're asking the wrong first question. It's not just, "What will AI do?" It's, "What kind of society do we want to build with it?" In the HVACR … [Read more...] about AI at the Crossroads: What Happens Next Depends on Who’s Driving
WATSCO 2025 Investor Day highlights key growth programs
In the world of distribution (especially in the HVACR Channel) most private companies do not report results, and many public companies do not release the detailed strategic initiatives that have more depth than what is provided in the 10K. WATSCO once a year does release more details that time to strategic initiatives and I eagerly await the annual WATSCO investor conference … [Read more...] about WATSCO 2025 Investor Day highlights key growth programs
How to Drive HVACR Orders: Strategies to Activate Untapped Revenue from Silent Contacts
One of the fun parts of writing about the HVACR channel and working with distribution leaders at Channel Marketing Group (CMG) is the opportunity to present the research we do in the channel to our readers. David Gordon and I are presenting research we did in partnership with Prokeep that dives deep into revenue growth strategies and proactive selling to customer … [Read more...] about How to Drive HVACR Orders: Strategies to Activate Untapped Revenue from Silent Contacts
New Research: What HVAC Buyers Expect from Distributors in 2025
New research reveals how buying behavior is changing—and what it means for your ecommerce strategy We recently partnered with BigCommerce to better understand how contractors and institutional buyers are sourcing HVAC, electrical, and industrial supplies—and what they now expect from distributors in 2025 and beyond. The full report is now live: … [Read more...] about New Research: What HVAC Buyers Expect from Distributors in 2025
Gas Furnace Shipments & The One Big Beautiful Bill: What Happens if it Passes?
Unless you’ve been trapped under something heavy for the past three months, you’ve probably heard of President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) budget proposal. Regardless of your political leanings, passage (or not) of the OBBB will affect the trajectory of gas furnace shipments in 2025 and beyond. April and year-to-date (YTD) 2025 data from AHRI confirm robust … [Read more...] about Gas Furnace Shipments & The One Big Beautiful Bill: What Happens if it Passes?
Embraco Builds Compressor Plant in India: Why it Matters
As global demand continues to grow for high-efficiency, variable-speed, and natural refrigerant-ready compressors, manufacturers are rethinking their supply chains. One of the most recognized names in refrigeration technology: Embraco (part of Nidec Global Appliance) is taking a major step with the construction of a new $120 million compressor factory in India. While this … [Read more...] about Embraco Builds Compressor Plant in India: Why it Matters
