ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — At the 2002 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Expo, Emerson (St. Louis, MO) introduced the formation of Emerson Technologies (Sidney, OH), uniting 13 divisions under a single brand to serve customers worldwide.

“By bringing together products, services, and expertise from across our individual businesses, we are creating a single, worldwide resource for the climate control needs of our customers that is more capable of supporting their success than any one Emerson business or brand was alone,” said Tom Bettcher, business leader of the new group and executive vice president for Emerson.

The 13 divisions are Air Com-fort Products Division (St. Louis, MO), Alco Controls (St. Louis), Computer Process Controls (Kennesaw, GA), Copeland Corp. (Sidney, OH), Design Services Network (Sidney), Emerson Air Moving Motors (St. Louis), Emerson Hermetic Motors (St. Louis), Emerson Power Transmission (St. Louis), Emerson Retail Services (Kennesaw, GA), Emerson Ventilation Products (Lenexa, KS), Fusite (Cincinnati, OH), Therm-O-Disc (Mansfield, OH), and White-Rodgers (St. Louis).

Bettcher pointed out that the individual businesses that make up Emerson Climate Technologies have earned positions of trust and leadership in their industries.

“By coming together, we can offer customers the benefits of our combined strengths in technology and engineering, in product innovation, in services, and in the knowledge gained during more than a century in the marketplace,” he said. “Collectively, we have the resources to deliver truly integrated product and service solutions for all of our customers.

Bettcher listed a number of examples of what Emerson Climate Technologies can offer:

  • Integrated sales and marketing, and a single logistics capability with simpler ordering, shorter lead times, and more efficient shipping;
  • Engineering, design, and testing capabilities to support the system needs of its customers;
  • A comprehensive educational services resource for training and technical information for all of its customers; and
  • A single website that will put one face in front of the marketplace and provide one place for customers to turn for online ordering, pricing, and credit information, and ensure faster delivery of timely technical information.
Joe Niemann, vice president of eBusiness, stated, “We think this adds so much value. The information is real-time.”

DISTRIBUTION SERVICES

Emerson Climate Technologies also announced the launch of Distribution Services (Sidney), a new service focused on aftermarket distribution and support for hvacr customers. According to Mark Gibson, vice president and general manager for Emerson Climate Technologies’ Distribu-tion Services, the new service consolidates the sales, marketing, and logistics for hvacr aftermarket customers, supplying wholesalers and distributors with Emerson products and services that previously had been managed by individual Emerson divisions.

Initially, Distribution Services will serve customers who represent Copeland, Emerson Motors, or Alco products.

“Working closely with the industry’s leading distributors, we’ve learned that many of these companies value a single source to support their business,” said Gibson. “For years, wholesalers have relied on individual Emerson divisions to provide them with quality products, logistics, training, and technical support their customers demand. Now, under Emerson Climate Technologies, we have organized our aftermarket products and services in a single business to serve wholesalers and distributors more efficiently and effectively.

“While most of the changes will be transparent to the aftermarket customers, the benefits should be quite apparent.”

According to Gibson, one aftermarket sales representative, rather than several representatives, can now call on the wholesaler, initially representing Cope-land, Emerson Motors, and Alco. Aftermarket product needs for Copeland, Emerson Motors, and Alco will be fulfilled by a central distribution point. Gibson said Emerson’s distribution centers in Fishers, IN, uses a sophisticated warehouse management system that ensures a high degree of inventory and shipping accuracy, as well as better efficiency.

With expanded e-business capabilities, Gibson also said wholesalers will now be able to order product, check pricing, and obtain delivery status 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through a single website. The e-business portal, which is linked directly to the advanced distribution system, also makes the ordering process simpler and helps shorten lead times, said Gibson.

Other benefits for the creation of Business Services include offering a full range of marketing support, including in-store merchandising and buying programs for distributors.

“This gives the wholesaler the ability to do business easier,” said Bob Labbett, vice president of Marketing, Distribution Services. “It’s going to give us strength in distribution.”

Aftermarket training and technical support that was previously available through several divisions also will be consolidated under Distribution Services.

Publication date: 02/04/2002