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
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Branch Leadership Blueprint for 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
BuildOps Bluon Integration Expands AI Support for Commercial HVAC
The BuildOps Bluon integration is now broadly available following a successful trial, expanding in-workflow access to AI-powered technical data for commercial HVAC contractors. The expanded integration brings Bluon’s equipment intelligence and guided technical support directly into BuildOps, allowing technicians to access model-specific information while working in the … [Read more...] about BuildOps Bluon Integration Expands AI Support for Commercial HVAC
A Conversation with Richard Boothman, North American Sales Director for Modine Manufacturing
Richard Boothman serves as North American Sales Director for Modine Manufacturing's Heating Division, where he is responsible for commercial strategy, sales, channel relationships, and market development across the company’s heating vertical within the Climate Solutions portfolio. He has spent decades in HVAC, with experience spanning unitary equipment, engineered systems, and … [Read more...] about A Conversation with Richard Boothman, North American Sales Director for Modine Manufacturing
Real-Time Product Data Is a Competitive Divide in HVAC
Real-time product data is now a competitive divide in the HVAC channel, and manufacturers who provide real-time product data gain an immediate advantage. When specs, pricing, and availability are current for reps, distributors, and contractors, jobs move quickly and customers feel confident. When that information is old or inconsistent, quotes slow down, margins weaken, and … [Read more...] about Real-Time Product Data Is a Competitive Divide in HVAC
Carrier and Women in HVACR Award $55,000 in Scholarships to Advance Women in the Trades
The HVACR industry is stronger when more people have a real chance to contribute, lead and build meaningful careers. That is why the Women in HVACR scholarships program, in partnership with Carrier, stands out. Their joint effort is not simply another feel-good moment. It is a concrete investment in the next generation of technicians, engineers and business leaders who will … [Read more...] about Carrier and Women in HVACR Award $55,000 in Scholarships to Advance Women in the Trades
2026 Housing Market: What HVAC Channels Must Do Now
The team at John Burns Research & Consulting is painting a different picture of the next housing cycle. It is not a reset back to 2021-style demand. It is a structural shift, and the 2026 housing market implications for HVAC channel leaders are significant. If you operate in HVAC manufacturing, wholesale distribution, or as a rep agency, what happens over the next eighteen … [Read more...] about 2026 Housing Market: What HVAC Channels Must Do Now
Lantern’s AI Forecasting: A New Era for Distributors
I had the chance to sit in on a demo of Lantern’s AI forecasting platform recently, and it was one of the more compelling tools I have seen in a while. The team is tackling a problem every distributor knows too well. Distributors are carrying more inventory than they want, chasing fill rates they cannot afford to miss, and leaning on ERP rules that were written when the … [Read more...] about Lantern’s AI Forecasting: A New Era for Distributors
AI Adoption in Distribution: How Leadership and the Right Partner Drive Lasting Change
The distribution industry is at an inflection point. Tariffs, labor shortages, and margin pressure are reshaping how companies compete, while AI adoption in distribution is changing how work gets done. The challenge is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to implement it in a way that delivers immediate results and builds lasting competitive advantage. In this article, … [Read more...] about AI Adoption in Distribution: How Leadership and the Right Partner Drive Lasting Change
Watsco’s Q3 2025 Results: Better Than Feared, but Not Out of the Woods Yet
Watsco’s Q3 2025 results offered a sigh of relief for HVAC distributors and manufacturers watching the A2L refrigerant transition unfold. Earnings per share of $3.98 missed Wall Street consensus by about 6 percent but came in ahead of buy-side expectations. That mix of mild disappointment and cautious optimism perfectly sums up where the HVAC channel sits today: weathering … [Read more...] about Watsco’s Q3 2025 Results: Better Than Feared, but Not Out of the Woods Yet
