COLUMBUS, Ohio — Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) announced the HARDI Foundation will be hosting its second annual Texas A&M School of Industrial Distribution research consortium workshop titled Optimizing Distributor Growth and Market Share, Sept. 12-13, at the Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport.

Led by Dr. Barry Lawrence and the other researchers on this project, this one and one-half day workshop is designed specifically for the HVACR industry and provides a valuable opportunity for HARDI members to gain key business insights drawn from these research efforts.

The workshop is the outcome of a year-long research effort designed to identify and quantify best practices and processes for distributor growth strategies including, but not limited to, adding new lines or products, expanding into new territories, and mergers and acquisitions. Organized by Texas A&M University’s Industrial Distribution Program, this project was designed specifically to guide distributors to better manage and plan resource allocation to strategically and sustainably grow market share for themselves and their key strategic vendor partners. The HARDI Foundation selected from a host of applicants three member companies — Century A/C Supply, Houston; G.W. Berkheimer Co., Indianapolis; and Standard Supply, Dallas — to be part of this year’s research consortium. Each of the companies will receive a complimentary seat in the workshop.

HARDI Foundation trustees voted unanimously to continue support of the consortium model after the success of last year’s oversold Sales and Marketing Optimization Research and subsequent workshop. “The interest, participation, and feedback we received from our distributor members exceeded our expectations,” said Don Frendberg, HARDI chairman. “We believe the outcomes of the School of Industrial Distributions Research initiatives provide invaluable resources to those who participate.”

“As a supporting member of these various Texas A&M research consortia (Sales and Marketing Optimization last year and Optimizing Distributor Growth and Market Share this year), the HARDI Foundation is able to produce HVACR-specific outcomes focused on best practices most applicable to the two-step, contractor-focused sales channel, making HARDI Foundation-produced workshops and other consortia deliverables unique and unmatched in value for HVACR distributors and their manufacturer partners,” said Talbot Gee, HARDI’s executive vice president.

Space is limited to 50 employees of HARDI wholesale-distributor member companies.

For more information, visit www.hardinet.org/events.

Publication date: 08/29/2011