An acquisition that brings together two of the world's
strongest players in the global HVAC marketplace - exactly what does that mean?
During the press conference held by Takeshi Ebisu, Daikin senior executive
officer, and Dave Swift, Goodman Global Group Inc. president and CEO, the
answer was simple.
Even though the recession was technically over several years ago, and some economic indicators point to a modest recovery, HVAC contractors remain cautious, as evidenced by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)'s December Contractor Comfort Index (CCI), which measured 53. Weighted and averaged into one number, a CCI of 50 or above reflects anticipated growth. The number for December 2011 was lower than 12 months earlier, when the CCI was 61.
Tax credits and their effect on the HVACR distribution industry were at one time an increasingly hot topic. Concerns about tax credit expiration and what that would mean for the industry kept CEOs and business owners busy. While the industry did have to adjust to a drastically reduced federal tax credit in 2011, one source of funding to promote energy-efficient HVAC systems did not decline: rebates offered by energy-efficiency programs. A study commissioned by the HARDI Foundation and conducted by the Vermont Energy Investment Corp. (VEIC) found that HVAC distributors can play an extremely important role in the support of those programs.