May 2025 Newsletter
A Word from our President
by – Kenneth Baty-Reddi Industries
Well we have made it to May… Graduations happening, school is out for the summer and the temperatures are going up. Speaking of schools, our May meeting will be hald at the WSU Tech campus. Located on Grove street next to East High in the D building. Come out for a FREE lunch and learn about the HVAC/R program we have. Tour the labs and see the equipment and tools the students are using. Have an opportunity to ask questions and give feedback to help us to transform our classes to reflect what you need as the students graduate and enter the workforce. PLEASE make sure to RSVP so we can make sure to have the right amount of food for you all!
We had a great turn out for the 2 general meetings last month when we had Tom Roberts and Stoney in and collected our code CEU hours. Thank you for all who came…sorry you missed out for those that didn’t make it.
Summer is upon us… this next month we will have a speaker from CE to share some information with us that we should be able to get non code CEU credit for then we will be off in JULY as we will all be busy, hopefully making that $$. August we will have our new president Ron taking the helm for our planning meeting.
Again…. May 20th will be at the WSU Tech campus on Grove in the D building for a FREE lunch… hope to see you all there!
Please feel free to email or call Kenneth at (316)-491-5111 or KennethB@reddi.com with any concerns or questions.
Be on the lookout for FALL 2025 continuing education classes soon!
Click here to get the latest updates on Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing changes to code.
2024/2025 Meetings
2 more meetings for 2024/2025 year, 1 is a FREE lunch and the other is a non-code CEU.
Reminder to RSVP on website @ kccaks.com
This list is subject to change due to speakers not able to make the date we have selected for them.
April’s General Meeting
Thank you to Tom Roberts & Stoney for coming and presenting. Tom talked in depth about HVAC and how the teriffs affect our business and what to be looking for coming in the next year. Stoney talked about significant changes going from the 2021 to the 2024 International Mechanical/Residential Codes. Congratulations to Jason Foulk and Darrell Green for winning $100 cash.
Remember to bring your business cards to every meeting for a chance to win cash!
Hope to see you @ future meetings!! All general meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday, except no meeting in July or December.
SKILLS USA 2025
SkillsUSA is the #1 workforce development organization for students. We empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members.
Overview
Representing 442,372 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. Our mission is accomplished through the SkillsUSA Framework of Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics, which is integrated into classroom curriculum.
Through the Framework, SkillsUSA students hone their hands-on skills against current industry standards in more than 130 occupational areas, from 3D Animation to Welding and nearly everything in between. At the same time, they develop the transformative career-readiness skills — teamwork, communication, professionalism, leadership and more — that fuel career and life success.
A vital solution to the ongoing skills gap, where more highly skilled jobs are available than skilled professionals ready to fill them, SkillsUSA has served over 15 million diverse, difference-making members since 1965.
Mission
SkillsUSA is America’s proud champion of the skilled trades. Our mission is to empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members.
Vision
SkillsUSA’s vision is to produce the most highly skilled workforce in the world, providing every member the opportunity for career success.
Competitions
Throughout the year, SkillsUSA students sharpen their skills through competitions on the local, regional and state levels, competitions created and judged by industry. The SkillsUSA Championships is the national pinnacle of those competitions, where more than 6,000 state champions compete in well over 100 skilled and leadership events. Learn more about America’s premier skilled trades showcase here along with information on other competitive opportunities within SkillsUSA.
Honeywell Announces 42% Surcharge on R-454B
More bad news for contractors already bracing for a shortage of the new A2L refrigerant
Last month, The NEWS reported that R-454B is increasingly hard to find, primarily due to a shortage of refrigerant cylinders. Contractors now have another concern to contend with: price. On April 11, Honeywell notified customers of a 42% surcharge for R-454B, citing rising raw material costs and anticipated tariffs. This follows a 15% increase the company implemented on the A2L refrigerant in February and an additional 8% hike in March.
The latest announcement comes at a time when many contractors are struggling to secure enough cylinders of R-454B, which is a widely used A2L replacement for R-410A. With lead times already stretching to months and the busy summer season fast approaching, the combination of limited availability and rising costs is creating serious challenges across the HVACR industry.
Unwelcome News In the April announcement, Honeywell explained that the sharp price increase for R-454B is due to “unprecedented demand” that domestic production alone cannot meet. The company added that rising costs have also reached a tipping point, stating, “We have reached a point where the cumulative effect of increased costs of raw materials needed to meet demand for 454B is no longer sustainable without affecting reliability and the services we provide.”To help bridge the supply gap, the company plans to source a significant portion of its R-454B from international markets to meet North American demand — a move that will subject it to tariffs recently imposed by the Trump administration.As a result, Honeywell will apply a 42% surcharge on all R-454B orders placed on or after February 15, 2025, to offset rising costs associated with the recent tariff announcements. In addition, the company stated it would increase the price of R-454B by $4 per pound for all new orders beginning April 9, 2025 — with the 42% surcharge applied to the new, higher price.Honeywell added that pricing for other Solstice® HFO products will increase by 10%, and pricing for Genetron® products will increase by 5%, as of April 9, 2025, in order to offset rising raw material costs.When asked whether Chemours planned to raise the price on R-454B in response to Honeywell’s increase, the refrigerant manufacturer replied, “All industries and products are facing cost increases and uncertainty due to tariffs on steel and other critical materials—refrigerants are not excluded. R-454B cylinder and valve availability are a short-term issue, which we are actively working to address and anticipate relief by June.” Chemours did not say whether it intends to raise the price of R-454B.
Contractor Response Not surprisingly, HVAC professionals on social media are voicing significant concerns about the ongoing R-454B shortage, with many expressing frustration over the lack of preparedness and communication from manufacturers, especially with the busy summer season approaching. They are also concerned about price, with most saying they’re already paying upwards of $500 for a cylinder of R-454B – if they can get it at all.In a Facebook group, several HVAC contractors complained that their local supply houses were only selling cylinders of R-454B to those who purchased a complete HVAC system. One contractor said he contacted eight different suppliers, and all of them told him the same thing: either buy a full system to get a cylinder, or get on a waiting list and wait for a call when it becomes available. He added, “But they’re backed up 12 weeks on their original order, and they already have people claiming those jugs.”On a Reddit thread, some contractors blame the refrigerant manufacturers for failing to anticipate the demand, leading to inadequate production and supply. As one commenter noted, “They didn’t expect the industry to start selling R-454B units until the second or third quarter.”Some believe the real issue behind the shortage isn’t the refrigerant itself but, as noted earlier, the limited availability of the cylinders required to store and transport A2Ls. As one distributor put it, “It’s 100% the tanks,” pointing to the scarcity of pressure relief disks and specialized valve stems required for A2L-rated cylinders.However, other contractors are skeptical of that explanation, pointing out that if A2L cylinders are truly in short supply, it doesn’t explain why R-32 — another A2L refrigerant — is easy to find. As one contractor noted, he could get R-32 “all day” in Fort Worth, Texas, speculating it might be because the refrigerant has been in the market longer than R-454B.Several other commenters pointed out that R-32 currently costs roughly half as much as R-454B, prompting some discussion about whether it’s possible to blend R-454B in the field, since it’s a mixture of R-32 and R-1234yf. It is important to note that attempting to create R-454B manually is absolutely not recommended and could result in serious safety and performance issues.For the most part, however, contractors on social media seem resigned to the fact that for the near future, R-454B will be both hard to find and costly.
Funny Photos
The Choice is Yours to Prevent Distracted Driving
Each time your employee drivers get behind the wheel, their choices make a difference. On one hand, they can safely reach their intended destination, but if they are distracted they could face catastrophic consequences. Staying focused, alert, and aware isn’t just a responsibility — it’s a life-saving choice.
Distractions are Deadly
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 29% of all traffic-related deaths are caused by driver distractions.1
When your drivers don’t focus entirely on driving, it can leave them open to near misses. Examples include almost swerving into another vehicle or slamming on the brakes to stop in time at an intersection. These near misses can stem from dangerous distractions, including2 :
• Texting or using your phone
• Entering GPS directions
• Eating or drinking
• Adjusting the music or radio
• Taking phone calls
Make the Choice to Prevent Distractions
Ultimately it’s up to you to work with your employees and provide training to help them make safe choices. Encourage them to plan ahead by:
• Silencing phone notifications
• Entering GPS directions and checking traffic conditions before driving
• Notifying others of departure and expected arrival time
• Planning rest stops for long trips to handle calls, eat, or take breaks safely
• Pulling over to a safe location if something urgent arises
Near misses can be frightening, and should serve as reminders to avoid distractions. Help break the cycle of risky habits and choose to fully focus on the road. Reach out to your local Federated Insurance marketing representative today for more information.
1. U.S. Department of Transportation. “2024 Progress Report on the National Roadway Safety Strategy.” Accessed 2/21/25 https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2024-02/2024%20NRSS%20Progress%20Report.pdf.
2. National Safety Council. Understanding Distracted Driving and Inattention Blindness. Accessed 2/21/25. https://www.nsc.org/getmedia/b4a03bd9-6eb8-4d31-bef1-4c10ca361ac3/st-distracted-driving-inattention-blindness.pdf