My inaugural HVACR industry predictions for 2019 and beyond

Here are a few predictions that I believe we will see shortly in the HVACR industry:

Refrigerants. Refrigerants that are both low ODS (ozone depleting substances) and low-GWP (global warming potential). This usage will increase as formerly approved refrigerants disappear from the marketplace.

DIY. Self-install units (plumbing or HVAC). Even my mechanically challenged friend, Jethro, just might take a stab at it. (I would suggest contractors offer some marketing that says, “When you’ve screwed up, we’re here”). But the DIY market will grow because the products WILL be easier to install.

Instant Ordering. One click ordering from your phone or Alexa-guided ordering. Almost instantaneous and convenient, too.

Just Show Me. Use of FaceTime to troubleshoot job sites. A true story: A carpenter was on his cellphone working high up in an office building. The top union carpenter official for several states saw him, walked over and unobtrusively and privately suggested that he shouldn’t be on the phone during working hours. The carpenter didn’t say a word. He turned his phone around, and it showed some instructions relating to the problem the carpenter was facing. The executive walked away with a better appreciation for modern technology. We will too.

A New M&A Story (again). Record midsize acquisitions. It happened on the wholesale HVACR side around 2000, and it’s about to happen again potentially to wholesalers and contractors, too.

Incentives for Finding Trade Jobs? Workforce development finds greater support from industry and legislators. Expect action here.

The Last Mercury Thermostat Recycled. It will happen in the next 10 years. Should I freshen up my resume? After I tell people what I do for a living, they always ask: “Doesn’t that put you out of a job?” “It will indeed, and that means TRC has met its goal,” I reply. And that’s not bad.

Trade Schools Become Hot. Record number of college (or higher ed) degree holders who start trade businesses. The lure to be your own boss, even when it doesn’t make sense, is a fragrance that some just can’t ignore. Entrants will join an industry with depleting numbers of technicians and more opportunity (even with self-install).

Autonomous Trucking For Shipping. The trucking industry is in a crunch for drivers. Indeed, they are clawing and stealing from each other. That issue will decrease as driverless trucking becomes a reality.

Use Your Uber App. Uber for deliveries signals no more (or fewer) vans or trucks. If you’re a parts and pieces kind of wholesaler, you’re going to love it. Much lower cost, and easier to deliver both locally and regionally.

Expert Status. TRC has committed itself to a simple proposition regarding the placement of information and content. If the question of thermostat arises, particularly if it relates to a thermostat containing mercury, we intend to be the expert source.

The Marketing View. Our marketing efforts will maintain a focus on HVAC education, especially in the tech school sector. Expect growing acceptance of the mantra that college for everyone will not apply to all young people. We believe that many of those students will head toward technical schools, and our goal is to lure them into the HVAC industry, where they can find a fulfilling and well-paying occupation.