The year 1905 represented a major tipping point for the heating and cooling industry. Households were quickly abandoning their coal-fired stoves in favor of the comforts of central heating. Frank Heckler’s grandfather and four great-uncles were in the retail hardware business back then, but they had the vision to recognize how dramatically the demand for central heating could transform their market. In the course of time, they manufactured and sold more than 30,000 central heating systems in the Pittsburgh area.
“It was as big a change as the start of the computer industry,” according to Heckler. The vision of the five men created a foundation for the company that is CSI today. Even then, they didn’t simply buy parts off the shelf and install them. They combined standard products with custom made components to give homeowners the best value for their central heating investment.
When Heckler left Pittsburgh to study mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois, he took an open mind with him. The University was at the forefront of heating and cooling research. His training and subsequent experience in selling highly-engineered heating and cooling systems provided a foundation for CSI’s forward-looking approach to the HVACR business.
“I was in the heavily engineered specified business for 25 years,” Frank recalls. “All we have done is translate it into a wholesaler distribution type of business. The difference between us and our competitors is that they sell products, but we know how to provide specification and installation support.”
Grown from two employees to twelve and serve both the light commercial and residential markets.
Today, we are at the leading the way in a number of new technologies, including green building. “We are familiar with pioneering products, Dave Heckler notes. “We can deliver the new technology relatively quickly to the market. Wee are able to help our customers in geothermal, radiant heat, in-floor heat, snow melt and energy recovery, to name just a few.
In order to deliver the most relevant technology, we depend on a family environment and a strong team. “We have hired people with outstanding technical abilities and provide lots of training,” Dave notes.
Comfort Supply has been recognized twice as the Comfortmaker Distributor of the Year Award winner among 350 distributors nation wide and was honored as the Mitsubishi “Mr. Slim” Distributor of the Year Award winner in 1992 and 1994. This is a national award given to only one firm annually.
Our corporate purpose is to provide quality products at a reasonable price, offer design expertise and maintain hands-on management to benefit its customers.
We look forward to sustained growth and increased distribution through the next millennium.
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