For HVAC pros interested in motors and drives, Tuesday afternoon at this year’s AHR Expo in Atlanta featured a good chance to give the feet a rest and focus on the mind for a while. Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) presented a three-phase session called VFDs: Method of Laboratory Test and a Case Study.

When Independence Day rolls around this year, many manufacturing leaders will fire up the grill with a sigh of relief. Not only will they have the day off, but they will enjoy the first day of freedom from what has been five years of preparations for the first national efficiency standards for furnace fans.

Judging by the emphasis in the AHR booth, Panasonic is working to differentiate itself by putting considerable emphasis on health and IAQ. Even though it is not scheduled to reach the U.S. market until early 2020, the offering getting the most attention this year was nanoe™X.

Nortek is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, but judging by the breadth of activity across its various operations, it’s moving like a company half its age. It is also using some perspective in an effort to position itself to make the most of facility trends.

A tour through METUS’ booth at AHR with Smith included multiple examples of how the company has looked for ways to make small adjustments, accommodations, and improvements through product lines to live up to that mission for contractors and their customers.

The manufacturer’s Multi V™ 5 air-source VRF system and its LGRED° technology were in the spotlight, designed to do away with the occasional perception that VRF is more suited for cooling than heating.

In Greek mythology, Argus was a son of Zeus. Having the king of the gods up on Mount Olympus for a dad probably raised the bar in terms of expectations. Fortunately, Tecumseh seemed comfortable with that kind of lofty namesake for its biggest launch at this year’s AHR Expo, the ARGUS condensing unit platform.

Exhibitors at the AHR Expo use a variety of enticements and tchotchkes to attract and keep attention, but the GE Appliances/Haier booth might have shown the most insight with what it decided to offer: a competition. The company brought its Haier ductless Easy Install Competition to the expo floor to support its belief that “installation is everything” for its contractor customers.

It is just the society we live in these days. There is a general lack of patience, and when anything goes wrong, people want their pound of flesh. It is your job as the leader of your business to prevent your employees from taking the bait.

NATE certification means something because it involves a commitment and reflects reliability and proficiency. According to NATE, around 34,000 technicians have reached that status, with over 5,300 contractors getting their own certifications.