October 2009

MDM Interview: Legal Shifts Challenge HARDI Members

Features, HVACR, Plumbing Products & PVF Distribution, Subscriber Only, Top Distributor Sectors / MDM Staff

David McIlwaine, president of HVAC Distributors Inc., Mount Joy, PA, and Chrissy Nardini, president of American Metals Supply Co. Inc., Fenton, MO, recently spoke with MDM as part of an MDM interview series featuring association presidents. Nardini will replace McIlwaine as president of Heating, Airconditioning, & Refrigeration Distributors International at the association’s annual conference, “Turning Up the Heat on Recovery,” Nov. 1-4 in Orlando, FL.

MDM: This has been an interesting year. What are some of the issues that HARDI members have been dealing with over the last year?

David McIlwaine: Other than the general economic malaise, many of our members are tied to residential new construction markets. And in many areas, those markets collapsed 50 percent or 60 percent or more. That definitely provided challenges to our members.

In general as an industry, we’re going through the phase-out of the R22 refrigerant …

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The Numbers Behind Wolseley’s Annual Loss

Building Materials/Construction, Companies, Subscriber Only, Top Distributor Sectors / Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier

After extensive streamlining across its global network in fiscal year 2009, UK-based Wolseley plc is shifting its focus towards improving operational performance in the remaining branches and business units. During the past year, Wolseley has eliminated nearly 10,000 positions were eliminated and closed 631 branches.

“There is little we can do to impact the market trajectory, but there is a lot we can do to improve our own performance, and that is absolutely what we’ve got the teams focused on right now,” CEO Ian Meakins said, speaking to investors about the company’s financial results for fiscal year 2009.

The international distributor of building materials and plumbing supplies posted a loss of £1.17 billion (US$1.86 billion) for fiscal year 2009. Losses from discontinued operations – including contributions from Stock Building Supply prior to its disposal in June – were £441 million (US$700.1 million).

“Our final results reflect the harsh impact …

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