Established in the US in 1888, Reznor has gone from strength to strength, eventually becoming the leading HVAC provider worldwide.
General Manager Europe of Reznor
Reznor is at the forefront of innovation, consistently developing new products that provide more efficient ways of creating comfortable environments.
Headquarted in the US, Reznor also has offices in the UK, Belgium and France, with a wide reach across Europe. Richard Leese, General Manager Europe of Reznor spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
What are your best-known products and services?
We are best known for our energy-efficient gas fired warm air unit heaters & overhead gas fired radiant heaters. We do also have a wide portfolio, which encompasses everything from air curtains to control systems, enabling us to provide complete HVAC solutions.
Which market sectors and countries are your customers in? Which ones are growing fastest?
We have a large presence in the UK, Benelux, France, Germany predominantly but we are also prevalent in most other European countries. The market sectors we work with most include: industrial/commercial, manufacturing, warehousing, retail, and transportation.
Who are your major customers and what do you do for them?
As a leading manufacturer of HVAC products, we supply into a vast number of key contractors in the UK whilst working alongside them to ensure collectively we are offering a total HVAC solution to the end user that will reduce their carbon footprint. Such customers include some of the biggest names on the UK high street, including fast food restaurants, car dealerships and even events venues.
What are your best-known products and services?
We are the leading provider in industrial and commercial HVAC solutions, providing innovative solutions and applications for a wide cross section of industry.
What new products/services will you be launching next year?
2020 will be an incredibly exciting year for us. Our new commercial Air Curtain will be available in January 2020. In the same month our new e-commerce site will be live and available. Our Spares DC will be up and running and we will be looking to grow our UK and Export businesses. Our teams are already igniting lots of change in the business to ensure we can meet and then exceed our customer expectations.
Tell us about your business highlights or a project you have recently completed?
2019 has been a year of transition. During the year we have opened our new product training room for use by customers, enhanced our technological capability with the introduction of new IT systems and delivered on some major projects.
What challenges will the business environment offer to your industry in the coming year? How will you turn these challenges into opportunities?
Alternative fuels, (such as Hydrogen) to carbon based ones are being explored, but gas will be with us for the foreseeable future. Our opportunity is to develop products which are more efficient and cleaner to run.
What industry sectors do you see offering you the most potential next year?
As a leading manufacturer of HVAC products, we supply into a vast number of market sectors in the UK, so highlighting specific sectors is rather difficult. We also work alongside contractors/installers to ensure collectively we are offering a total HVAC solution to the end user that will reduce their carbon footprint.
Are you investing in new premises over the next 12 months? What about recruitment, staff development and training?
We are opening a dedicated distribution center for our spares business which will sit alongside our new e-commerce site which will offer better availability, better ordering process and ability to order parts for next day delivery later into the working day.
We are seriously looking at apprentices for 2020, giving opportunity to younger people and developing the next generation of HVAC experts.
How do your products help businesses become cleaner, recycle more and reduce their carbon footprint?
We manufacture a wide range of industrial and commercial HVAC products in the European market. From gas fired air heaters to rooftop units and everything in between, Nortek Global HVAC is at the forefront of HVAC technology.
Our RHeco range for example, offers users ultra-high efficiency levels (up to 109% based upon net calorific value) whilst maintaining class 5 level of NOx emissions.
Our RTU range of roof top heating & cooling products are fully packaged units with heat pump technology offering users an alternative solution to providing clean & low cost heat.
Most importantly we are able to help businesses because we anticipate our customers’ needs and deliver innovative solutions that exceed expectations and offer high value.
Since it’s start, Nortek Global HVAC has been a company of problem solvers. We approach heating, ventilation and cooling not by looking at what’s been done but rather by what our customers need. Sometimes the answers are in the equipment itself but often the answers lie outside the box, literally.
You’ll find this fresh approach in how we make the equipment, how we do business and in how we support our customers – from purchase to install and for the life of the product.
How have business conditions changed and how have you reacted?
Its understandable that businesses have been more reserved in spending money during 2019. We have taken difficult decisions where necessary and really had to think hard about where to invest this year.
Are you involved in any major trade shows or other industry events next year?
We speak to at various events but tend not to show at trade shows. We focus on developing open and honest relationships with our customer base.
What recent changes/improvements have you made in customer service?
We have been delighted to welcome our new Customer Fulfilment Manager to the business following some significant changes to the way our Customer Service teams operate. With additional investment in training and some much-deserved internal promotions we have a customer service team who are ready, willing and able to work with any current any future customer. That said we work as one team across the business to support each other and all of our customers.
Do your solutions reduce manual handling and physical lifting?
We are more about keeping people comfortable in the workplace. We actively promote Health and Safety in the workplace and our Service and Sales teams are great ambassadors for our Live Safe values.
How do your solutions help customers increase the level of automation in their business?
Our control panels provide a simple but reliable way of controlling heat output.
How do you help customers make optimum use of their existing warehouse space?
Look upwards and our products are above you. They do not impact on much valued floor space, do not get in the way of FLT’s and heat the key areas of a warehouse.
How much do your solutions and products contribute to warehouse safety?
Its not just our products, its our people. We have a value known as ‘Live Safe’. When working with and for Reznor, not only do you get an organization committed to the safety our own people but also your own.
Our products will remove the issue of coldness allowing people to focus on their every day job in safe manner.
To what extent are you drivers of technological change?
As a market leader and established ‘experts’ within our industry, it is important that we as a business have a voice within the industry. We have members of our team on numerous UK & European trade and legislation committees.
How futureproof and flexible are your solutions as businesses change?
Like most organizations we need to maintain our R&D commitment, we have a great R&D team who are constantly coming up with innovations and new solutions. We are confident we have products and solutions which will meet and exceed customer expectations going forward. We have exciting ideas for future development, but we will keep them to ourselves for the time being!
What big news can our readers look forward to seeing in Warehouse & Logistics News from you in 2020?
You will see us go from strength to strength in all areas of our business, you will see us continue being that trusted partner for your HVAC needs. You will see us being actively involved in bigger projects during 2020. Where we find a problem we will own it and work with customers to identify the right solution.
And finally, if you had to sum up your company in a hashtag what would it be?
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REZNOR
01384 489700
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