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| HVAC
INDUSTRY NEWS |
Six Years and Millions of Dollars in Research Led to
HVAC/R Product Innovation at hilmor™.
Insights from HVAC/R Techs Help Bring 150 New
Products to the Industry.
 More
than six years ago, an idea was born to revolutionize
the HVAC/R tool industry and help technicians do their
jobs more efficiently and effectively. This year, that
inspiration became reality when hilmor – one of the most
extensively researched line of HVAC/R tools – introduced
more than 150 new products to the industry. hilmor
products are now available in HVAC/R distributor
locations across the country.
In-depth research confirmed that the HVAC/R tool
industry had been slow to innovate, so hilmor responded
with a methodical approach to build a new line of tools
based on fresh insights to meet the needs of the market.
Throughout the six-year, multimillion dollar R&D
process, hilmor worked alongside technicians – studying
their tools, how they used them and finding out how they
could be better. hilmor engineers, developers and
marketers visited 45 jobsites and rode alongside 80
contractors throughout the U.S. From drawings to
prototypes, engineers developed and tested more than 60
product concepts with thousands of HVAC/R technicians
and distributor employees in the field, as well as in
focus groups.
“These tools really are designed by and for HVAC/R
techs,” says Joe Houle, a former HVAC/R tech and current
R&D project leader for hilmor. “We simulated real-life
working conditions – dropping and banging the tools, and
using them in dark, tight spaces.”
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The
research has paid off, with technicians embracing the
new tools. Recently, Heating and Cooling Supply in
Orange, Calif. started carrying hilmor tools.
“I’ve used a lot of swaging tools in my 21 years in the
HVAC/R industry and the hilmor Compact Swage Tool by far
is the best one,” says Erick Keeme, territory manager
for Heating and Cooling Supply. “It’s compact,
well-built and versatile, and I like how it’s designed
so I can use it with one hand.”
hilmor continues to work hand-in-hand with HVAC/R techs
on products in the pipeline for 2014 and beyond.
“Technicians face a lot of challenges in the field – the
environments they work in are demanding and physically
challenging” says Mark Leichthammer, director of global
consumer insights for hilmor. “The hilmor line is
specifically developed to revolutionize the way
technicians work and get their jobs done.”
To find a hilmor distributor, visit
www.hilmor.com.
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About hilmor:
hilmor is revolutionizing the HVAC/R industry with
smarter, more effective tools and equipment. Backed by
one of the largest research investments in the history
of the HVAC/R industry, hilmor is dedicated to making
technicians’ jobs easier. Located in East Longmeadow,
Mass., hilmor is a part of the Newell Rubbermaid global
portfolio of leading brands. For more information, visit
hilmor.com or follow us on Twitter at @hilmortools and
on Facebook at facebook.com/hilmor.
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