CHICAGO — Just like bees return to the hive every day for sunset, Yellow Jacket has habitually returned to the AHR Expo every January for the past 45 years.
One trend the company has observed over the past few years coming to the expo is how technology preferences vary by age group.
“We know if we don’t continue to build on digital platforms, we’re going to fall behind,” said Gary Lampasona, vice president of sales and marketing, Ritchie Engineering Co. Inc.
In response to the technology buzz, the P51-870 TITAN™ Digital Manifold was launched at the expo and revealed to contractors and suppliers as they entered the Yellow Jacket booth.
The four-valve manifold provides fast and accurate measurements for refrigeration and a/c systems. Measurements are displayed on a backlit digital display and can be transmitted via Bluetooth® to a smartphone for further analysis. Local display of system pressures, temperatures, superheat, and subcool provide instant analysis. When connected to a smartphone, target superheat and subcool are easily attained, along with all the other capabilities of the Mantooth™ app. The P51-870 features a 4.3-inch full color touchscreen graphic display with digital and graphical representation of pressure and temperature measurements. It also features onboard data logging and standard vacuum sensor and measurements (vacuum sensor included). A four-pack of hoses is included as well as a backpack carrying case for safe storage.
“We are always looking for ways to make the service technicians’ daily tasks easier,” said Lampasona. “It’s [the P51-870 Digital Manifold] easy to use and intuitive.”
And, to discover just how easy the new P51-870 TITAN is, attendees were able to watch live demos of the product during the expo.
“It’s been an outstanding show,” said Lampasona. “We are constantly in touch with the market to identify the newest requirements.”
The AHR Expo is a great venue to meet with customers, the sales team, and suppliers, according to Mary Jo Gentry, marketing communications manager, Ritchie Engineering.
“We attend every year not only to highlight our own new products but to see what other new offerings are being announced,” she said.
This year, Yellow Jacket was interested in finding out about two different aspects of the market while at the industry event.
“We’re always looking to develop products for the new refrigerants in the marketplace,” said Lampasona. “Another area of research is the Internet of Things (IoT); a challenging task to identify where the equipment manufacturers are going with that technology. But, we’re always looking for what’s next in those categories.”
With a goal to provide innovative tools for the trade, Yellow Jacket not only created a buzz, it listened to it as well. The company pays attention to what’s going on in the industry around it to ensure the products and services it offers to its customers are second to none.
“We do our best to provide the service technician with a product that works every time they need it,” said Lampasona.
Publication date: 2/26/2018
