The training sessions provided technical expertise from training school instructor Dave Polka, who coordinated this class along with HVAC business development manager Mike Olson. Added to this class for the first time was a session, led by Jeff Miller, manager of HVAC sales, on how distributors can get to know additional HVAC applications and opportunities they can sell and how to pursue that kind of market growth.

"Technical competency is imperative," Miller said, "but it becomes extremely powerful in combination with a deliberate strategy to identify which segments of your local market you intend to pursue - and which applications, specifically, within that market."

The final training day was devoted to an optional, supplemental certification start-up course. Nearly half of the trainees stayed to learn how to commission a drive properly. The benefit of this certification is that, instead of a standard one-year warranty, distributors will be able to offer their customers a two-year on-site warranty with their drives.

Such schools are scheduled regularly in the field and in New Berlin. Course dates are listed on the Training page under Main Menu at www.abb-drives.com.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies designed to enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in approximately 100 countries and employs about 107,000 people.

Publication date: 10/02/2006