KEEPING A CLIMATE OF FAMILY
Diversification Leads to Longevity for Pittsburgh HVAC Specialist Climatech Inc.
It’s no fluke that Climatech Inc. has weathered the ups and downs of the construction industry throughout its 45-year history. Founded by Mitchell Taback in 1972, his son Brad Taback took over the commercial HVAC company’s service-oriented traditions, diversifying the business into multiple service lines as well as into manufacturing. Climatech, based in Pittsburgh, Pa., has grown from three to 160 employees and serves the greater Pittsburgh region and southwest Florida.
“We’re a family business, but we’re also not a family business,” the younger Taback, Brad, says with some irony. “After graduating from college and spending time working for a mechanical contractor in Chicago, I joined the firm in 1996 and worked my way through the organization, learning all aspects of what we do, before I became President in 2005. My father has since retired and, at this point, I’m really the only family left. Mom was actively involved until she passed away a few years ago.”
“Our Vice President, Joe Saltmar, has been here for 45 years, joining the firm just six months after my father started the company. His level of dedication and devotion to one company, in this day and age, is kind of amazing,” he adds. “One of the things I can honestly say is that we’ve tried to keep the family atmosphere in the company.”
Taback has known some of his co-workers since he was a child; there are employees who have been with the company for the last 30 years. He says Climatech is a tight-knit organization where they treat each other as family by looking out for one another, but adds that the bigger the company gets, the harder it is to get to know everyone on such a personal level.
Diversification = Longevity
Climatech started as a residential HVAC contractor before expanding into the commercial arena. Taback says expanding into various markets has been one of the keys to the company’s longevity and success.
“We don’t have all of our eggs in one basket,” he says, “and this philosophy allows us to weather different periods. If the commercial market is not active or if the school market dries up, or if the residential home building market were to decline, we’re safe because we’re spread out. We were fortunate to keep chugging along during the recession without too many issues because of our diversification in many different markets.”
“We’ve been looking for a way to give back to our community. Through the creation of Climatech Cares and our participation in the Heat for Heroes campaign, we’re able to give back to our active military and veterans who live right in our service area.” Brad Taback, President and CEO, Climatech Inc.The mechanical contractor specializes in commercial HVAC—about 85% of its business—with residential HVAC making up the other 15%. Commercial work ranges from office to industrial, restaurant to manufacturing. There’s also retail and some institutional work, both academic and religious.
“We get involved in everything. Over the last several years there have been a lot of multifamily developments here in Pittsburgh. Our city has seen a complete resurgence and the transformation has created a lot of opportunities in the construction and service markets,” Taback says.
Fabrication & Service
In the early 1980s, as the company grew and started taking on larger commercial projects, Climatech began fabricating all of its own duct work. Taback points out that adding full fabrication was a significant investment in the business, allowing the company to control production timing as well as to maintain control over the quality of duct work.
The organic growth of the company also led to the incorporation of more sophisticated technology, he adds. For instance, Climatech employs a handheld device equipped with software called TechANYWHERE. This technology helps field technicians more quickly identify and resolve problems with equipment and reduces the amount of time they are on site, which reduces customer costs in the long run.
“All of our service calls are dispatched through this software to the handheld devices, which keeps customer information, including service history, at technicians’ fingertips,” says Taback. “They can also download manufacturer information and write purchase orders to more quickly obtain parts.”
Climatech also has a weekly apprenticeship training program for its younger service mechanics. Offered both online and in the office, the program utilizes a professional outside instructor as well as ongoing training with manufacturers. This professional development initiative keeps employees up to speed on the latest industry developments and new products on the market. Plus, developing highly trained mechanics has always been at the forefront of the company’s priorities, Taback adds.
Another aspect that sets Climatech apart from its competitors is its LEED expertise. “LEED is changing the way we think about how buildings and communities are planned, constructed, maintained and operated,” Taback says. Jeff Miller, Climatech’s Construction Division Vice President, is a LEED-credentialed professional who actively stays on top of updates and changes to the green building movement. With jobs specifying the need for green building expertise, LEED credentialing shows a clear commitment to professional growth, while underscoring the value to LEED project teams and sustainability-focused organizations.
Climatech Cares about Community
In addition to supporting the growth and development of its staff, Climatech also contributes to multiple local charities. Under the firm’s community outreach initiative, Climatech Cares, the company partners with a variety of local nonprofit organizations and donates equipment, installation services, and more.
Most recently, Climatech has been working with Heroes Supporting Heroes (HSH), a nonprofit organization that supports stable and safe housing for military members and their families, senior citizens, and others in need in the Pittsburgh area.
Through HSH’s Heat for Heroes campaign, between the months of November and February, Climatech contributes its services to install forced-air gas furnaces donated by Lennox, performs emergency service calls and repairs, and provides furnace inspections.
“We’ve been looking for a way to give back to our community. Through the creation of Climatech Cares and our participation in the Heat for Heroes campaign, we’re able to give back to our active military and veterans who live right in our service area,” Taback says.
As another Climatech Cares initiative, Climatech recently donated a high-efficiency gas furnace to Austin’s Place, a nonprofit that specializes in one-on-one training for mentally disabled young adults who graduate from traditional school systems. Along with the furnace, Climatech’s installation crew donated a portion of their time to perform the installation. The company also volunteers in other ways, including supporting Allegheny Valley School and the YMCA of Pittsburgh.
Climatech may not be the “Taback family” business today that it once was, but for more than 45 years the firm has provided more than just HVAC services—it is a partner with the community it serves.