Alexandria, Va.— Thermostat Recycling Corp. (TRC) announced that Johnstone Supply, US Air Conditioning Distributors, Johnson Supply and Auer Steel have been named the 2015 Big Man on Planet (BMOP) winners. The annual competition among Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) members took place May 1 – Oct. 31 and recovered 432 pounds of mercury from collected thermostats, a 71 percent increase from 2014.

Twenty-five HARDI member distributors with more than 1,000 locations nationwide competed in BMOP this year. The competition created four tiers based on company size and awarded a trophy to the distributor within each tier who recovered the most pounds of mercury. Additionally, a monetary incentive was awarded to the branch location within each tier that recovered the most during the competition.

Tier four: Distributors with 101+ locations

Johnstone Supply won tier four by recovering 205 pounds of mercury. Their Salem, Ore., branch received the $500 incentive for being the location that recycled the most within their tier.

Tier three: Distributors with 41 – 100 locations

US Air Conditioning Distributors won tier three by recovering 33.47 pounds of mercury. Their City of Industry, Calif., branch received the $1,000 incentive for being the location that recycled the most in the overall competition.

Tier two: Distributors with 11 – 40 locations

Johnson Supply won tier two by recovering 18.72 pounds of mercury. York International’s Harrisburg, Pa., branch received the $500 incentive for being the location that recycled the most within their tier.

Tier one: Distributors with 1 – 10 locations

Auer Steel and Heating Supply won tier one by recovering 6.77 pounds of mercury. Corken Steel’s Florence, Ky. branch received the $500 incentive for being the location that recycled the most within their tier.

Last year’s winners included Corken Steel, Crescent Parts & Equipment and Johnstone Supply. Johnstone Supply also won the 2013 BMOP award, and Johnson Supply won in 2012.