ACCA's Commercial Manufacturer Leadership Forum Shares Insight on Industry Post-Pandemic

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) held a Virtual Commercial Manufacturer Leadership Forum on May 6, 2021.

Mark Bills, vice president and general manager at Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions, Philip Smyth, executive director of commercial product management at Johnson Controls, and Elliott Zimmer, executive vice president and COO of Lennox North America Commercial Heating & Cooling spoke on a variety of issues facing the Commercial HVACR industry.

"ACCA is proud to have leaders like Mark Bills, Philip Smyth, and Elliott Zimmer as part of our membership," said Barton James, ACCA president and CEO. "The knowledge and insights shared in the forum are highly valuable to commercial contractors across the nation."

The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the topics discussed, with the panelists emphasizing the volatility it caused in the industry. Despite this, the panelists were confident that the industry will bounce back due to its adaptability. The reality of this is shown by the lack of office usage due to working from home being countered by the need for ecommerce warehouses.

When asked about future industry opportunities, the panelists suggested that contractors capitalize on providing services for grow houses in states where marijuana is legalized.

The panelists also encouraged contractors to be aware of private equity money being used for consolidation of businesses. They also discussed the importance of focusing on sustainable, high energy solutions, and emerging technologies.

When preparing for the future, the panelists suggested working towards longer range forecasts, understanding what jobs are out there, scheduling jobs earlier, and communicating with customers more often.

“I really enjoyed learning from some of the leading manufacturers in our industry about how they feel about some hot topics in our HVAC world," said Michael Rosenberg, President and owner of Rosenberg Indoor Comfort in San Antonio, TX. "The information shared on commercial market volatility, changes in refrigerants, and planning for the future was very useful."