A Century-Long Partnership   

Our publication has always been a family business, and it has always served a community of family businesses. F.M. Cockrell launched the company in 1926, and today, three of his great-grandsons help lead BNP Media, our parent company. That continuity mirrors the HVACR industry itself — built on generations of craftsmanship, pride, and service.  

Throughout these 100 years, ACHR NEWS has followed the industry wherever it has gone:  

We reported in 1928 when the U.S. Congress first received air conditioning in its chambers — granted, whether it improved productivity is still up for debate.  

We covered the surge of comfort cooling in the 1930s, as systems expanded from movie theaters into commercial buildings, retailers, and temperature-sensitive industries like candy-making and pharmaceuticals.  

We chronicled the introduction of R-22 and the many refrigerant transitions that followed.  

In 1962, as gas heat swept across the country, we added “heating” to our name and reported that 1.2 million U.S. homes had adopted the new technology.  

We’ve been there for every major efficiency standard, every regulatory change, and every turning point — from the Montreal Protocol to today’s push toward decarbonization and heat pump adoption.  

And in 1939, when the first all-industry expo was created by our own publisher, ACHR NEWS was right at the center of a movement that continues to shape this industry. Now, in 2026, we’re stepping back into the event arena with the HVAC Contractor Forum, bringing contractors together to talk business, innovation, and the road ahead.  

More Than A Magazine  

One hundred years is a rare milestone. But we don’t want this centennial to be about The ACHR NEWS. We want it to be about you — the contractors, engineers, manufacturers, distributors, instructors, and innovators who make HVACR the greatest industry on earth.  

Your work has shaped our pages for a century. Your challenges, successes, and breakthroughs have been our stories. And in 2026, we want to celebrate them.  

Here’s what we have planned:  

• An interactive HVACR centennial timeline, now live at achrnews.com  

• Centennial trivia and stories in each issue throughout the year — and we’d love to include old photos from your business archives. Have shots of your founders servicing equipment that now belongs in a museum? Send them to mariataylor@achrnews.com.  

• A special centennial issue in September, highlighting the people and innovations that transformed our industry  

• #ThrowbackThursday posts all year long on social media, showcasing memorable moments from our archives — along with a few reenactments of historic reporting  

• Special giveaways at the 2026 AHR Expo in Las Vegas. Stop by and see us at booth C2109.  

Help Us Tell The Next 100 Years Of HVACR  

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating this incredible milestone. Send us your stories, your history, your old photos, and your memories. How far back do your ACHR NEWS issues go? What headlines are still pinned to your shop’s bulletin board?  

For 100 years, our purpose has been simple: to help the HVACR industry grow, succeed, and tell its story. As we enter our second century, we’re honored to keep telling yours.