Danfoss’ announced their acquisition of Palladio Compressors today. This would seem to signal more than portfolio expansion—it plugs a real gap in the HVAC/R market. By bringing non-captive screw technology under its roof, Danfoss adds supply to a segment where options have been limited, while positioning itself to accelerate adoption of natural and low-GWP refrigerants. The … [Read more...] about Danfoss acquires Palladio Compressors
Industry News
EPA Floats Refrigerant Rule Rollback: Five Years of Breathing Room or Just More Confusion?
The EPA has proposed a major revision to the Biden-era refrigerant transition rules, offering relief to contractors, distributors, and manufacturers who’ve been bracing for 2025 compliance deadlines. The move could push back enforcement in key sectors, giving the industry as much as five years to adapt — but it also raises new questions. When the 2023 Technology Transitions … [Read more...] about EPA Floats Refrigerant Rule Rollback: Five Years of Breathing Room or Just More Confusion?
Show Me the Value: Why HR Needs Receipts
HR often sits in a strange space inside organizations. Employees are wary because they see HR as working for management, not for them. Leadership, meanwhile, gets frustrated when HR leaders say they want to be “strategic” but then spend their time bogged down in the tactical weeds. Over the years, I have worked closely with HR leaders in different contexts. Too often, I … [Read more...] about Show Me the Value: Why HR Needs Receipts
AI Agents in Distribution: From Hype to Practical Impact
Distributors are hearing more about AI every day, but much of the conversation stays broad and abstract. This article looks at something more practical: how AI agents are already being used in distribution to handle routine tasks, free up people, and improve the customer experience. Recently, I had the chance to speak with Mohamed Ben Aribia, founder of Helixia, and watch … [Read more...] about AI Agents in Distribution: From Hype to Practical Impact
Market Share Math: How Distributors Can Sharpen 2026 Planning
Market share is the most cited, least understood metric for most HVAC distributors. With economic uncertainty hanging over 2026, sharper distribution planning is essential. Here is how to ground your growth targets in reality and avoid the blind spots competitors may be leaving wide open. Why Market Share Matters in 2026 This article kicks off a series we will be … [Read more...] about Market Share Math: How Distributors Can Sharpen 2026 Planning
New Product Introductions – Why they Fail
Recently we did a project for a manufacturer to help them prepare for a sales meeting. They wanted to understand what their staff was thinking but they wanted a 3rd party to gather the insights to ensure their team that there would be anonymity. They questions related to how the “go to market team” (Sales, Marketing, Product Development / Engineering, Customer Service) … [Read more...] about New Product Introductions – Why they Fail
AI for HVACR Reps
From a tech viewpoint, AI is what companies talk about. Distributors are implementing it or at least discussing it. Not much gets shared within the manufacturer environment but it is well in use. Reps have asked the question. Some have dappled. Few are advanced. Most are intrigued but lack expertise and/or are concerned about expense. The challenge for many reps is the … [Read more...] about AI for HVACR Reps
Learning from the Front Lines: Insights from Auer Steel’s BrewCast Series
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
Creating more time for your inside teams to service customers
This week we’ve been on calls with key distributors and working on our latest benchmark research about how automated order management is creating “barriers to exit” for customers. We are preparing this full report for a webinar and white paper in partnership with our friends at Conexiom. I’m excited to be co-presenting this webinar and crafting the white paper research … [Read more...] about Creating more time for your inside teams to service customers
EARNINGS Analysis: AAON Q2 2025 Results
An uneven HVACR Market and some supply chain restraints created a flat sales environment for AAON in their Q2 results. AAON – AAON, the Tulsa, Oklahoma headquartered HVAC manufacturer of HVAC equipment for commercial and industrial markets, announced 2Q 2025 earnings on August 11. Net sales during 2Q decreased 0.6% to $311.6 million. The year-over-year decline was … [Read more...] about EARNINGS Analysis: AAON Q2 2025 Results
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
Pentagon Pricing Series – A Pricing Reset is the Most High-Risk and High-Reward Activity in B2B Distribution
As a former pricing leader for three billion-dollar distributors in North America, I can share from experience that a major pricing reset is simultaneously a dangerous activity, yet when done right, the best driver of top-line sales growth in this industry. Earlier this year, I wrote a Case Study for Modern Distribution Management (MDM) on the pricing reset MSC … [Read more...] about Pentagon Pricing Series – A Pricing Reset is the Most High-Risk and High-Reward Activity in B2B Distribution
EARNINGS Analysis: WATSCO Q2 2025 results some headwinds and tailwinds
A slow Q2 for the largest HVAC distributor, Watsco, but record gross profits and climbing GM% helped offset some of the headwinds. Watsco – Watsco, headquartered in Miami, Florida, is the largest distributor in the North American market for HVAC products, with over 375,000 contractors, technicians, and installers visiting or calling one of its 701 locations each year, … [Read more...] about EARNINGS Analysis: WATSCO Q2 2025 results some headwinds and tailwinds
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
