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When an air-conditioning system goes on the fritz in an office
building or in a home, it can quickly become a major inconvenience for
all those affected. But when a misfiring system affects a service or
application that requires a preset cool temperature — a computer server
room or a specialized assembly line, for example — it becomes more than
an inconvenience — the business is at stake.
That's where a company like TEMP-AIR can save the day - and potentially save a business from losing lots of money. The Burnsville, Minn., company is one of the leading providers of temporary heating, cooling, dehumidifying and air-filtration services, and it has solutions for every application. For HVACR distributors, TEMP-AIR manufactures its TOPAZ line of portable air conditioners, which are designed for portability and convenience. TEMP-AIR also has two other areas of business: its rental operation, run through its 12 locations in the United States, and its Thermal Remediation division for pest control.
TEMP-AIR
was started in 1965 as Rupp Industries, and it remained a family-run
operation until a group of investors purchased it. In September 2007,
they changed its name to TEMP-AIR. “The primary things that attracted
my interest in TEMP-AIR were the quality of the people, the quality of
the products they manufacture and the exceptional service that TEMP-AIR
provides,” said TEMP-AIR CEO Jim Korn at the time that the investors
purchased the company. “It is my hope to build upon the tradition at
TEMP-AIR of attracting quality people, manufacturing quality products
and giving our customers outstanding service.”
TEMP-AIR's
TOPAZ air-cooled and water-cooled air portable air conditioners
represent a product line that can help to set apart HVACR wholesalers
from the pack. Building managers and contractors who have worked with
commercial buildings have found it helpful to have a TEMP-AIR dealer
that they can count on when they need portable air-conditioning
equipment for a job.
Building on its success in the
rental industry, TEMP-AIR started the Topaz product line in 1999. It
was poised for success with TOPAZ because of TEMP-AIR's roots in HVACR
rental equipment. “We build our equipment around the rental industry,”
notes Dan Grinols, TEMP-AIR's vice president of engineering. “We have a
strong background in dealing with the equipment on a temporary or
portable basis. That's one of the things that separates us from some of
the other companies out there.” The company manufactures the equipment
in the United States.
While
other companies may retrofit HVACR equipment to be portable, TEMP-AIR
actually designs its equipment for how technicians will use it in the
field. “We build durability and toughness into it,” Grinols says.
TEMP-AIR also makes the equipment easy on the ears. Unlike other
portable air- conditioning models that are loud, the TOPAZ units cool
quietly at the lowest decibel level for portable air conditioners while
delivering full performance at a wide range of temperatures and
altitudes with a thermostatic expansion valve. This valve automatically
adjusts to the environment, functioning day after day, year after year,
regardless of the conditions. The units can be set through a mechanical
thermostat or through a seven-day, 24-hour programmable temperature
control.
Smaller equipment — one- to five-ton units — primarily make up the
TOPAZ line. The equipment's size makes it very user-friendly and easy
to move units around a building or from one application to another. In
fact, it can fit through doorways as small as 32 inches wide.
There are six different models in the Topaz product line. While some
may consider that a small product line, the mix and range of models
make it just right for dealers. “Although we have had some inquiries
regarding additional unit sizes, the BTU/hr range that we offer meets
the needs of most portable applications,” says Jessica Mulinix,
TEMP-AIR marketing manager. In fact, most of the TOPAZ units actually
provide more BTUs/hr than their ratings indicate — a selling point for
distributors, she adds. “For example, a unit that is rated at three
tons of cooling is actually capable of about 3½ tons of cooling,”
Mulinix says.
The simplicity of these portable air-conditioning units is also one of
their key selling features, Mulinix offers. Distributors and
contractors easily understand how the system works. There's very little
installation necessary for a TOPAZ unit. It can be set up in minutes
and rolled easily from one application in a building to another. “It's
a very user-friendly product,” she adds. “For the smaller units, you
can plug them into a standard outlet, turn them on and go,” she says.
Knowing that a strong dealer network is the best way to reach
customers, TEMP-AIR has worked diligently to build a list of
distributors who are committed to HVACR and to the benefits of selling
portable air-conditioning equipment. From the initial launch of the
TOPAZ product line, TEMP-AIR has worked to build its distributor
network. “Distributors are a critical part of our business,” says Scott
Brainard, TEMP-AIR vice president of product development. “We depend on
both our current distributors and locating new distributors for the
current and future growth of our business.”
Because TEMP-AIR built its business on the rental side, it developed a
strong foundation of customer service — a legacy that benefits its
wholesaler distributors. “When somebody calls, we're here to help them
with whatever they need at that point in time,” Brainard says. “There's
a lot of resources that are available through TEMP-AIR for the
distributor and the end-user. Distributors like working with us because
our customer service to them reflects how important they are to our
business.”
While dealers need very little technical training, TEMP-AIR does
provide technical support as well as sales training. Technical training
usually occurs at TEMP-AIR's Minnesota headquarters. Brainard says they
encourage distributors to visit their operations so they can develop
firsthand knowledge of how TOPAZ units work, and they develop
relationships with the TEMP-AIR service team.
TEMP-AIR
will take sales training on the road, going directly to the
distributors. “We provide a classroom-type training session with
extensive information regarding the features and benefits of our
product as well as information regarding the different markets and
selling opportunities that our products offer,” Brainard says.
TEMP-AIR has well-established relationships with building managers,
engineers and contractors across the country, and the company markets
its TOPAZ product line directly to them as a way to drive traffic to
the distributors. Advertising in industry publications and on the Web
and having a strong presence at trade shows also help to build brand
awareness for TEMP-AIR and the TOPAZ product line. In fact, TOPAZ air
conditioners received a 2008 Reader's Choice Award from Building Operating Management magazine, recognizing its products as among the most popular among readers.
TEMP-AIR
also works with the distributors to help them market the products,
providing them with product catalogs and reimbursing them for a certain
amount of their annual marketing program. TEMP-AIR's 12 regional
offices are separate from its network of independent distributors.
While they are two different markets, the offices complement the
independent distributors. “That's what makes the distributors so
important,” says Grinols.
Brainard
points out that when an end-user needs products, “time is of the
essence.” Failing to get products to a customer can mean the loss of a
sale. “Having distributors with product throughout the country is
critical in increasing awareness and meeting customers' needs,” he
says. “Because of the nature of our business, we encourage our
distributors to carry inventory. If the distributor does not have a
specific product on hand, it may be available through one of TEMP-AIR's
12 regional offices and shipped the same day, Brainard adds.
TEMP-AIR
may be about products that provide temporary air-conditioning
solutions, but the company says they establish permanent relationships
with their distributors. The company understands the importance of the
distributor who is on the ground and knows his market. “We recognize
that we need those partnerships in order to grow our business and reach
out to customers throughout the United States,” Brainard says. “We are
always looking for new distributors and are willing to talk to anyone
who is interested in supplying our product, regardless of how big or
small a company they are.”
Michael
Maynard is a business writer based in Providence, R.I. He writes
frequently on HVACR, construction and architecture issues. Contact him
at michael.maynard@lycos.com
Best Practice
TEMP-AIR provides their customers with custom-engineered solutions for their unique air-management needs.
Definition and Example:
Because TEMP-AIR specializes in temporary HVACR, each project brings
its own set of unique challenges. From being the leading supplier of
temporary heat for the U.S. construction industry to providing
supplemental cooling for national TV broadcast suites at the 2008
Republican National Convention, to custom manufacturing equipment for
overseas military applications, TEMP-AIR can provide a solution for any
application.
Significance:
With more than 40 years in business, TEMP-AIR uses their experience to
design each project for maximum effectiveness. TEMP-AIR is flexible
with a wide variety of equipment types and sizes, and multiple fuel
options including natural gas, propane, electric, steam and hot water.
Benefits:
When costs of equipment, fuel consumption and electrical usage are all
taken into consideration, TEMP-AIR systems can provide their customers
with the most efficient and economical results.
Procedure:
For each application, TEMP-AIR supplies their customers with an
accurate estimation of heat loss, humidity levels and fuel consumption
to size the project. Certified service technicians provide equipment
delivery, installation, routine site inspections, adjustments and
preventive maintenance. Emergency service is available 24/7/365.
People involved: Sales, Engineering, Product Management, Production & Service.
Timing: 24/7/365
Cost: Dependent on the project.
Contact: Jessica Mulinix, Marketing Manager, Direct: 952/707-5166, Toll-Free: 800/836-7432, e-mail: jmulinix@TEMP-AIR.com
