News

Honoring Our Industry’s Experts: David Bienvenu

I recently had the honor to preside over the induction of one of the most admired members of the NARSA/IDEA community. David Bienvenu has been a fixture of the NARSA community for more than 30 years now. I first met David at a NARSA event at his shop in 2009. It was one of the most successful Ed-Techs to that point, and it opened my eyes to a whole other branch of the heat transfer industry.

by NARSA/IDEA June 21, 2022June 21, 2022

Maximizing Your Bandwidth in NARSA/IDEA

We live in an age where we are more connected than ever and yet paradoxically, it is also easier than ever to exist in cultural and professional silos where everyone thinks like us. While this may be comforting, it usually does not promote learning new ideas. It is precisely that exchange with others who may look at something from a different perspective that helps you grow.

by NARSA/IDEA April 27, 2022June 21, 2022

How NARSA/IDEA Helps with Your Return on Investment (ROI)

NARSA/IDEA is still the only trade association that represents engine heat transfer for transportation and stationary engines along with the diesel particulate filter systems industries. Our members are service/repair facilities, distributors and manufacturers. The board still believes in creating the one idea, the one opportunity, and the one connection which will allow your business to be more profitable.

by NARSA/IDEA April 18, 2022April 27, 2022

Welcome to 2022! Did you learn anything?

2021 left us with a lot of questions:
With the fragility of our supply chain exposed, will there be any long term changes? Has partnering with countries who have a different governing philosophy made us vulnerable? Will small businesses who are struggling with their labor forces ever fully recover?

by NARSA/IDEA February 10, 2022February 10, 2022

Becoming a Podcaster

I have been a podcast addict for at least eight years now and thought it would be an interesting platform for our niche audience. For those of you not familiar with a podcast, it is on-demand radio. And since podcasts are produced digitally and distributed on the internet, there are much lower barriers to entry than traditional terrestrial radio. As a result, there are over two million podcasts on every niche topic imaginable. Into bow hunting? A quick search yielded at least eight podcasts dedicated to bowhunting. Want to listen to a show about welding? There are at least 15 just in English. This ability to cost effectively produce a program geared to a super niche audience is something that simply was not possible to do before.

by NARSA/IDEA February 7, 2022February 7, 2022

2021: Year in Review

This is the final magazine of 2021, and it is appropriate to recap the past year and give account of where we have been, what we have learned and where we are going. It is also necessary to thank all who have played a part in moving this association forward. Almost everyone has heard or said, “When you are given lemons, make lemonade” or another favorite “When you get thrown off that horse, get back on it” and finally “You can’t change the hand you have been dealt, just the way you play them.” All of these adages are relevant to the general atmosphere of doing business in 2021. 

by NARSA/IDEA December 8, 2021December 13, 2021

How NARSA/IDEA Connects Fathers & Sons

Our President Bobby Duran recently had the privilege of hosting two NARSA/IDEA members at his plant in Puerto Rico. They spent the day touring the plant. Read more about how their friendships have grown thanks to their fathers and through NARSA/IDEA.

by NARSA/IDEA December 7, 2021December 20, 2021

Technician Shortage is a Priority

The skilled blue collar worker shortage is not new, but it should be a very large concern for any service business who wants to stay relevant for the future. Baby Boomers are retiring at a fast pace and leaving a void of qualified technicians/craftsmen in every occupation. Many baby boomers who worked in the trades for the last four decades have persuaded their children to pursue college degrees to have a perceived better career fulfillment, better pay, better working conditions, and cleaner working environments.

by NARSA/IDEA October 26, 2021December 8, 2021

The Kids Are Still Alright

At a meeting a few months ago with my management team, I asked why they thought we were having trouble finding people to fill our production positions. I constantly heard about the unemployment benefits being the main reason. While everyone had various reasons for staying home, I realized that those that did want to work and were actively seeking employment were the types of employees who did not feel content to stay home and felt motivated to work. They were not thinking about the short-term gain but longer-term opportunities. This is precisely the type of people we want at our company.

by NARSA/IDEA October 26, 2021October 26, 2021

Weathering the Pandemic Together

NARSA/IDEA has weathered the COVID storm with you, which since the founding of NARSA in 1954 has probably been the most serious threat to the viability of your association. The Board of Directors had the foresight to plan for an economic atmosphere where we could sustain a financial downturn. I am proud to report the membership in your association is the same as it was at the end of last year. Through all of the hardships and uncertain times our members have chosen to support their association. We have lost some members, but have had new members take their place. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to be part of the custodial effort in ensuring the future of NARSA/IDEA. 

by Mark Taylor August 12, 2021December 8, 2021

It’s the End of the Supply Chain As We Know it (And I Feel Fine)

Not a day goes by when I do not read cataclysmic stories on how the supply chain is completely broken. From massive shipping delays to shortages of microchips, the supply chain up and down the line has been dramatically affected. I speak with members every day who tell me stories of unreliable shipping and long lead times on parts. There are simply parts that are just not available for the foreseeable future.

by Duran, Bobby August 5, 2021August 5, 2021

Why Social Media is Vital to Our Industry

The greatest advantage to social media has been our ability to communicate and engage with cooling systems and emission service facilities around the world. This year, we have added members in South America, Africa, and France. Social media is the tool which has given us an opportunity to expand our footprint beyond U.S. borders. Canada and Mexico have always been and continue to be important to the success of NARSA/IDEA, but now we are truly the international organization.

by Mark Taylor June 27, 2021June 27, 2021

A Change is Gonna Come

As I’m sure many of our readers find themselves doing, I often ponder the future of my business. Over the last two years, we have formalized our planning for the future with quarterly, yearly, three year and ten year plans. This process aligned our team in our goals for the future. We stand at the cusp of a seismic shift. How will the world be generating energy and powering the next generation of vehicles? Like it or not, things are changing, and we need to be prepared for a time when the internal combustion engine will no longer be the dominant technology to transport people and goods. While this may seem intimidating and scary, the radiator industry has been here before.

by Duran, Bobby June 21, 2021June 21, 2021

Are Business Meetings a Waste of Time?

What I learned late in life was meetings actually increased our productivity and most importantly improved the employee and customer experience. How can so many businesses and managers of companies be so far off without realizing the detriment of bad meetings?

by Mark Taylor April 19, 2021April 12, 2021

The Cemeteries are Filled with Indispensable People

The pandemic has shown us that people are  adaptable and can adjust to world changing events. Letting go and empowering people may be difficult at first, but the long-term effects are really what being in business is all about. Working together as a team has transformed our organization. The less I’m needed, the more successful we’ve become. 

by Duran, Bobby April 14, 2021April 12, 2021

A Vision for 2021

Whether your business is down or it is booming, one thing is for sure; It is necessary to set the direction for your company at the beginning of the year. If your business is slow, now is the time to think about your vision for your company and how you can turn your vision into reality. If you are busy, you must still plan for the new year because perhaps you have been blessed, and now you need to plan for expansion which is another type of vision.

by Mark Taylor February 19, 2021April 12, 2021

My Investment in NARSA/IDEA

What is your investment worth?

This question led me to a conundrum that I had experienced recently. A former member reached out to the home office with a very specific question that only a few people in the industry would know.

by Duran, Bobby February 15, 2021April 12, 2021

2020 in Review

NARSA/IDEA has been impacted just like a lot of other businesses. All of our in-person events this year were canceled and future events are on hold to see what the beginning of 2021 looks like. This doesn’t mean we don’t have reasons to give thanks.

by Mark Taylor December 29, 2020December 23, 2020

Coming Out as a Stronger Association

While a picture is worth a thousand words and I thoroughly enjoy talking shop with fellow members, the most interesting tales to me are the backstories of how people started their careers and arrived at where they are today. We are fortunate to have business owners from remarkably diverse backgrounds in our industry. Since there is no radiator or emissions school that serves as a pipeline into our industry, our members come from a multitude of backgrounds.

by Duran, Bobby December 23, 2020January 8, 2021

How NARSA/IDEA Has Evolved

Our Executive Director Mark Taylor looks back on his early days in NARSA and reflects on how the association has changed and adapted over the past 30 years.

by Mark Taylor December 9, 2020

Pricing Processes: Business Success is Driven by an Organization, Not One Person

All dealerships, whether automobile, truck or equipment have service writers. The owners of these businesses are not at the service desks pricing the jobs, so how do the service writers or service managers price the repair jobs? NARSA/IDEA’s Executive Director Mark Taylor breaks down his pricing strategy.

by Mark Taylor November 4, 2020November 4, 2020