The gold award winner in the Contractor Services and Software category, TimeAnywhere model 2.0 from Data-Basics Inc., is a browser-based web portal for remote time entry and expense management. Its updated design offers a convenient dual-pane view of data-entry options, and touchscreen-friendly navigation helps contractors accurately track time, labor, and expenses.

As hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), hydrocarbons (HCs), and natural refrigerants are set to replace HFCs, their often-overlooked partners — lubricants — are rarely mentioned. As the industry prepares to adhere to mandated refrigerant transitions, a common question is: “Can I use my old lubricants with new refrigerants?”

The most commonly heard three-letter term in the ice machine business used to be “ice.” Now, it has been joined by “EPA” and “DOE,” which both are garnering as much attention as the actual end products.

Manufacturers of coolers and freezers are emerging from a regulation-driven innovation cycle and are ready and eager to return to one driven by their customers’ wish lists. 

At a recent International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) meeting, Mark S. Dreux, a partner and head of the OSHA group at the Washington, District of Columbia, law firm Arent Fox LLP, gave a presentation on how facility personnel can manage the biggest challenges associated with an OSHA inspection.

We all know that some of the new refrigerant options are highly flammable, some are mildly flammable, and some operate at very high pressures. But our industry is filled with smart people who know the hazards, and will train and adapt.

The divisiveness of the presidential campaign on top of what was already a difficult political climate in Washington means pushing through any kind of legislation this year will be highly unlikely, though that doesn’t necessarily mean the trends aren’t moving in the right direction for ammonia and other natural refrigerants.

How can you keep your people happy and motivated through the dog days of summer? Some of the best owners in the industry have successfully navigated dozens of busy seasons and offer the following tips.

Although I know the refrigeration business is a very tough one, I still think refrigeration contractors and technicians have it better on the “R” side of the business than do the guys on the HVAC side. 

As Alexander Pope said in his famous An Essay on Man, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” I think of that saying every year at the beginning of baseball season. Everybody has hope for their team on Opening Day. In business, however, an owner or manager doesn’t have the motivation of the playoffs and World Series.