Unico Inc., maker of small-duct central heating and air conditioning systems, has announced a series of initiatives to help its distributors and installing contractors for the remainder of the year and beyond. The SDHV manufacturer has introduced quarterly video conferences with its top distributors and installers, signed exclusive distribution agreements with a maker of complementary products, created a new sales and support division to assist its partners serving the custom home market, and created a value-added compendium of federal and state offerings of rebates and other incentives for the purchase and installation of energy efficient HVAC equipment.

"We've always maintained that we have the best distributors and installing contractors in the HVAC industry," said Ashton Gavelek, Unico brand marketing manager. "And we are committed to providing them with everything they need to continue Unico's success in the marketplace."

Chief among these initiatives are the newly instituted quarterly video conferences with the manufacturer's distributor and contractor councils. Historically, Unico hosted representatives from its top-selling wholesalers and veteran installing contractors at their factory for an annual meeting of these two key groups. With the pandemic and rise of remote meeting technology, Unico has opted to expand these consultations with remote conferences held each calendar quarter.

The Unico Distributor Council is comprised of the manufacturer's most active distributor partners who participate in training, joint dealer calls, advertising, and stock placement in their distribution centers and branches. These council members advise and work with Unico Management on subjects such as advertising, product enhancements, correct timing for new product releases, pricing, regulatory issues, territory rebate inclusions, and many more items.  

Similarly, the Unico Dealer Council consists of long-term installer partners who have made Unico a cornerstone of their business. In the main, these partners register 20 or more projects a year and desire continued education on the small duct high velocity (SDHV) business and Unico products.

Noted Shannon Intagliata, Unico's national sales manager, "These are our installing partners who field test all new products and features and provide meaningful feedback so that we continue to put out the best product offering in the industry. They understand that the better we are as a company, the more they can sell."

A result of past council meetings has led Unico to add a complementary outdoor product to its offerings through an exclusive partnership with Chiltrix for its air-to-water heat pump line in North American markets, available for order through Unico on August 1, 2023. "Bringing on top-notch outdoor units from Chiltrix is a direct response to input from our leading partners in the field," adds Intagliata. "We're confident this product addition will provide both our distributors and installers even more solutions for their customers."

Additionally, Unico has created a new sales and support division specifically tailored to its distribution and contracting partners who service the custom home industry. 

Leading this new division are Ken Ware, custom home sales manager, and Maura Intagliata, custom home coordinator. Ms. Gavelek also provides support overseeing all manner of marketing activities, communications, and outreach to the custom homebuilding community and ensuring they harmonize with Unico's larger branding efforts.

"As their name implies, custom homes occupy their own specialized niche in the residential homebuilding industry, and we feel this requires a specialized team of professionals familiar with the wants and needs of this market's key players," Gavelek said. "After decades of being the go-to HVAC system for thousands of custom home designers, builders, subcontractors, and owners we're very excited to create a business division completely dedicated to this unique market."

Rounding out the manufacturer's new initiatives, Unico has created a webpage listing the various rebates, tax relief, loan programs, and other federal and local incentives available to end users and homeowners who install energy efficient HVAC products. Listed by state, this resource provides Unico's contractor base with a powerful value-added tool for their customers.           

"All of these efforts demonstrate our commitment to providing our partners with the very best in resources for extending The Unico System's brand reach and adoption," said Gavelek. "When you have the very best selling and installing your products, they deserve the very best sales and customer support we can provide."