Winsupply Inc., an HVACR distributor, opened its new Richard W. Schwartz Center for Innovation on August 25. The 28,000-square-foot building, located near Winsupply’s support services campus in Moraine, Ohio, will also serve as the new headquarters of Winsupply of Dayton.

The arrangement gives support services teams the ability to work alongside a successful local company to quickly develop, test, and refine innovations. These innovations include everything from IT solutions, inventory management, warehouse operations, merchandising and product deliveries, customer communications, vendor marketing, and showroom displays. Upon testing, these innovations can then be rolled out nationwide to help every local Winsupply company become more competitive.

“The ability for our support services teams to work side by side with an operating local company will be invaluable and will actually help speed up the time-to-market for our newest services. I thank the leadership team for naming the facility in the spirit of what I believe in,” said Rick Schwartz, Winsupply’s board chairman, for whom the Center for Innovation is named.

“This will allow my company to try out new services and technology that will help us better serve our customers,” said Jeff Williams, president and owner of Winsupply of Dayton. “Our team will be able to provide feedback before the services are expanded to all local companies.”

Winsupply Inc. owns a majority equity stake in more than 640 local distribution companies across the U.S., including Win-branded locations, the Noland Co., Carr Supply, Security Plumbing & Heating Supply, APCO, and other regional suppliers. The companies distribute supplies and materials for the HVACR, plumbing, electrical, waterworks, and other industries.