Why the HVAC Technician Shortage Is Getting Worse The HVAC technician shortage is not a future problem. It is already here, and its trajectory points somewhere the industry does not want to go. By 2031, if the pipeline does not change, the sector will be operating under serious strain: longer wait times, higher labor costs, slower technology adoption, and service markets that … [Read more...] about The HVAC Technician Shortage: What 2031 Could Look
Market Analysis
HVAC Tariff Costs: What the Supreme Court Ruling Really Changes
The Supreme Court handed down a significant trade policy decision last week, and the headlines made it sound like relief was on the way. For HVACR distributors, contractors, and manufacturers trying to manage HVAC tariff costs, the reality is more complicated than the news cycle suggests. The Court struck down one major tariff mechanism. Several others remain fully intact, a … [Read more...] about HVAC Tariff Costs: What the Supreme Court Ruling Really Changes
Watsco Q4 Earnings Miss Masks a Bigger Story
Watsco Q4 earnings tell two stories, and neither one cancels the other out. On the surface, Watsco Q4 earnings paint a rough picture. Revenue fell 10%. HVAC equipment sales dropped 13%. Earnings per share declined 29%. When you back out the 11% domestic pricing increase, implied equipment volumes were down more than 20%. That is not a soft patch. But Watsco's own framing … [Read more...] about Watsco Q4 Earnings Miss Masks a Bigger Story
nVent Earnings Reveal a Company the Channel Barely Recognizes | HVACR Trends
The nVent Portfolio Transformation Is Not Subtle / What the nVent Portfolio Transformation Means for the Channel nVent's Q4 2025 earnings tell two stories. The surface story is a record quarter with sales up 42% and backlog tripling to $2.3 billion. The deeper story, the one that should matter more to every distributor and rep carrying nVent products, is that this is not the … [Read more...] about nVent Earnings Reveal a Company the Channel Barely Recognizes | HVACR Trends
Prokeep Launches Distributor Order Automation With AI-Powered Quoting
Distributors talk a lot about speed. Faster quotes. Faster answers. Faster fulfillment. But the gap between talking about speed and actually building it into the quoting workflow is still wide at most branches. Prokeep is trying to close that gap with a new distributor order automation platform that uses AI to convert incoming customer messages into ERP-ready quotes, and … [Read more...] about Prokeep Launches Distributor Order Automation With AI-Powered Quoting
Where Margin Is Hiding
Distributor margin rarely disappears in one dramatic event. It leaks. Slowly. Through timing gaps, unclear handoffs, and processes that span multiple departments but belong to none of them. The reality is that, in many cases, it didn't truly disappear. If that's true, the obvious question is: Where is the margin hiding? Scott Sinning has spent years working on exactly … [Read more...] about Where Margin Is Hiding
Malco Launches MalcoEdge HVACR Refrigeration Tools
Malco Tools has announced MalcoEdge, a new line of HVACR refrigeration tools designed for technicians working in the field. The following is from Malco's announcement. Malco Tools Introduces New MalcoEdge™ Line of HVACR Refrigeration Tools Purpose-built to support every phase of refrigeration service ANNANDALE, MINN. (Jan. 27, 2026) — Malco Tools, one of the nation’s … [Read more...] about Malco Launches MalcoEdge HVACR Refrigeration Tools
Honeywell Q4 2025 Earnings Summary
Strong Order Growth and Record Backlog Accelerating, Separation Tracking Ahead of Schedule Honeywell Q4 earnings reflect a company in transition, posting strong results while preparing for a major restructuring in 2026. Now headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Honeywell is a multinational conglomerate known for its building technologies, aerospace systems, materials, … [Read more...] about Honeywell Q4 2025 Earnings Summary
What Lennox’s Low Bar Tells Us About the HVAC Market Bottom
If you spent 2025 watching orders slow, inventory stack up, and replacement demand stall, you already know it was one of the most challenging HVAC markets in over a decade. The question now is whether we have finally hit the HVAC market bottom, or whether there is more pain ahead. Lennox's Q4 results and 2026 guidance give us something concrete to work with. A recent William … [Read more...] about What Lennox’s Low Bar Tells Us About the HVAC Market Bottom
Women in HVACR Leadership Team Takes Shape for 2026
The HVACR industry talks constantly about workforce shortages, but too many of those conversations skip past one of the clearest opportunities sitting right in front of us. Women make up roughly 3% of the HVACR workforce. That number has barely moved in years. If you want to solve the talent problem, you have to widen the pipeline, and Women in HVACR leadership has been … [Read more...] about Women in HVACR Leadership Team Takes Shape for 2026
Smart HVAC/R Systems: Convenience or Creepy?
The HVAC/R industry crossed a line without much debate. Smart HVAC privacy wasn't on the agenda when connected thermostats and cloud-based controllers became standard. The focus was efficiency, remote access, and fewer callbacks. But modern systems don't just control temperature. They collect data. Occupancy patterns, schedules, runtime behavior, user access logs. The equipment … [Read more...] about Smart HVAC/R Systems: Convenience or Creepy?
AI for Distributors: Supporting the Entire Sales Team
The conversation around this approach has moved past the question of whether to adopt it. The real question now is how to deploy AI for distributors in a way that actually supports the people doing the work. Too many solutions focus on one slice of the sales process while ignoring the rest. That approach creates silos, not scale. Jason Sullivan is the Founder and CEO of … [Read more...] about AI for Distributors: Supporting the Entire Sales Team
Visual Workplace Doubles Revenue with Multi-Channel Transformation
ALPHARETTA, Ga., Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forward Solutions today released a new case study showcasing how embracing a multi-channel sales and marketing strategy can deliver breakthrough growth for industrial manufacturers. With business buyers now expecting a seamless experience across distributor, direct, and digital channels, many mid-market manufacturers are … [Read more...] about Visual Workplace Doubles Revenue with Multi-Channel Transformation
Helios Bets on AI Diagnostics with Nationwide Bluon Rollout
Commercial service organizations are watching AI tools closely, trying to figure out which ones actually deliver results in the field. Helios HVACR, a nationwide commercial service provider operating in more than 40 states, just made a significant move by deploying Bluon's HVACR AI diagnostics platform across its entire field operation. The goal is straightforward: faster … [Read more...] about Helios Bets on AI Diagnostics with Nationwide Bluon Rollout
HVAC Market Slowdown Signals a Prolonged Industry Reset
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
