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Safety is the expected norm in every functioning workplace no matter what the industry. Workers have the right to a safe working environment, which is why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, better known as OSHA, was created in 1971. While every company has a standard to meet, there are additional safety protocols that can aid a company in creating more productivity. Evaporative cooling company, Portacool, knows exactly how to implement that and wield beneficial results. What implementations can companies put in place to increase safety, and subsequently, productivity among their workers?For the latest episode of Keep Kuul, host Michelle Dawn Mooney interviewed Portacool's Safety Manager, Micah Fenton, on how safety improves work quality, and why implementing safety protocols in the workplace raises safety awareness. Mooney and Fenton further discussed …1. The link between employee safety and productivity2. Implementing safety methods in the workplace3. The importance of safety and prioritizing it among staff “Well, safety is just the right thing to do. So, if you have employee safety, that's just the right thing to do — to have for your employees. It's just the most quality thing that you can do for your employees. So, not only are you going to get quality product, you have quality employees because they actually want to be there. They want to be working, they want to be working in a safe environment. No one wants to go to work in a place where they don't feel like they're safe there … So, safety is a huge deal, so we always keep it in mind, keep it on the focus, keep it in the conversation,” said Fenton.Micah Fenton is the Safety Manager at Portacool. She's been with the company for over a year now and is a graduate of Texas State Technical College

The HVAC industry can expect to see some exciting changes this year after the 2023 AHR Expo concluded in Atlanta earlier this month. The three-day event, held from Feb. 6-8, featured over 1,800 participating companies and their displays, along with over 35,000 attendees. The promising direction that the HVAC industry is headed in will offer more options to companies looking to reduce spending without sacrificing efficiency. What is the outlook for the HVAC industry this year? And how will companies like Portacool and Kuul direct some of that change?For a new Keep Kuul episode, host Michelle Dawn Mooney sat down to talk with Portacool's National Accounts Manager, Shon Wainscott, and Kuul's Sales Manager, Cody Weeks, on the current trends within in the HVAC industry and what companies can look forward to.Mooney, Wainscott and Weeks talked about their experience at the Expo as well as …1. How cost-effective measures can be implemented to benefit both a company and their staff2. Portacool evaporative coolers and how they function with Kuul's technology cooling media3. Their perspectives on the current and forthcoming HVAC trends“From a trend standpoint, I would say sustainability is the one that really jumps out in front for me — whether that be energy consumption, water consumption, or just trying to increase efficiency of the cooling solutions. That's really the big one that stood out to me this year at AHR,” said Weeks. Wainscott detailed how he felt cost reduction was a major theme at the Expo. “With respect to trends, what we kind of see, at least on my side, is cost savings ... They're looking to do more with less, or to be able to provide cooling to employees in applications where they really necessarily can't afford to do a standard HVAC system,” said Wainscott.He added that the Portacool evaporative cooler doesn't use much electricity and operates on water, and said companies seeking to save money find advantages in savings and employee morale.“They can't afford to do a standard air conditioning cause it's just money going out the doors. So, that's really where they look to us, to what solutions can we help provide them — cool air to those employees, keep them cool, keep them safe … keep them productive, and then retention of employees as well. It's a real challenge nowadays so customers are always asking me, or at least explaining to us what the cost is to continually hire employees. So, we can help keep them a little bit cooler in that work area, we could help them retain that employee, and really cut that cost,” said Wainscott.Shon Wainscott is the National Accounts Manager at Portacool. He's been with the company for a decade and is a graduate of Excelsior University.Cody Weeks is the Sales Manager at Kuul, where he's been for five years now. He has a background in agriculture and is a graduate of Gadsden State Community College.

There is a growing demand for commercial cooling solutions, as indicated by the past two years. Industry experts say the evaporative cooling market hit $5.76 Billion in 2021, which they expect to reach $8.41 Billion by 2027. It's evident; the market isn't cooling off any time soon. Ben Wulf, President & CEO of Portacool, LLC, says awareness and adoption of the type of solution evaporative cooling provides is rising. He spoke with Keep Kuul host Bobby Brill about Portacool's successful past couple of years and why he believes 2023 will continue that trend.What's driving this widespread use of portable evaporative coolers from residential homes to commercial spaces? During their conversation, Brill and Wulf hit on several cooling trends, including:• A Growing work-from-home market needs evaporative coolers for comfort• The cost-effectiveness of portable evaporative cooling units• Increasing needs for cooling solutions in the industrial market• Working through supply chain challenges to meet the demand“We're seeing some manufacturing shift, a little bit of a pivot, as things are challenging over in Europe, for example,” Wulf said. “We're seeing some of those factories be idled, and so some of that demand is now coming back to the U.S. You parlay that with a very tight labor market, and it's putting more demand on getting product out here in the U.S., which is good for our economy, but as we take all that and aggregate that, it's a big challenge.”Ben Wulf has worked for Portacool for the past twenty-one years, leading the most dynamic and passionate group of professionals in the HVAC industry. Serving as Portacool's President & CEO since 2014, Wulf takes pride in shaping the strategy of Portacool's mission to bring global cooling solutions whenever or wherever needed.

In this episode, Tyler Kern talks with Heidi Hudson co-owner of Hudson Farms. They discuss the importance of climate control for poultry farmers in the hot state of Texas. Hudson's background is in poultry science, and her husband is a third-generation poultry farmer. They worked alongside his father for three years on his farm before taking over last year.“We're contract farmers. We house and take care of poultry for vertically integrated companies like Tyson, Pilgrim, and Sanderson Farms,” said Hudson. Hudson Farms takes care of the birds from the time they are in the facility until they are processed to end up in our kitchens. “We ensure they have proper ventilation, animal welfare standards, quality water, quality feed, and temperature control,” said Hudson. The birds are cared for between 35 and 70 days. The size of the bird you find in the store depends on its growth time.Regarding temperature control, poultry has to be raised in specific geographies. It can't get too hot or too cold. “Poultry can't sweat,” said Hudson, “there's a very fine point that we want to keep that temperature at or that water condition at to keep the poultry healthy and happy.”This can be challenging when you have a summer like the one we're having. It's always hot in Texas, but this summer is already setting records. From the farm to working at Portacool, Hudson knows cooling intimately. “[Kuul Media] is a superior product and extends the life expectancy. We use it every day to keep our birds cool,” said Hudson. There's a passion for poultry farming and a rich community of support. “We hope that if someone is in need that they give us a call. That community effort has been such a blessing for us.” Portacool offers a network of expertise across all industries of agriculture. “If there's additional aid that a customer needs, we get boots on the ground,” said Hudson, “don't be a stranger.”

In this episode, Tyler Kern talks with Heidi Hudson co-owner of Hudson Farms. They discuss the importance of climate control for poultry farmers in the hot state of Texas. Hudson's background is in poultry science, and her husband is a third-generation poultry farmer. They worked alongside his father for three years on his farm before taking over last year.“We're contract farmers. We house and take care of poultry for vertically integrated companies like Tyson, Pilgrim, and Sanderson Farms,” said Hudson. Hudson Farms takes care of the birds from the time they are in the facility until they are processed to end up in our kitchens. “We ensure they have proper ventilation, animal welfare standards, quality water, quality feed, and temperature control,” said Hudson. The birds are cared for between 35 and 70 days. The size of the bird you find in the store depends on its growth time.Regarding temperature control, poultry has to be raised in specific geographies. It can't get too hot or too cold. “Poultry can't sweat,” said Hudson, “there's a very fine point that we want to keep that temperature at or that water condition at to keep the poultry healthy and happy.”This can be challenging when you have a summer like the one we're having. It's always hot in Texas, but this summer is already setting records. From the farm to working at Portacool, Hudson knows cooling intimately. “[Kuul Media] is a superior product and extends the life expectancy. We use it every day to keep our birds cool,” said Hudson. There's a passion for poultry farming and a rich community of support. “We hope that if someone is in need that they give us a call. That community effort has been such a blessing for us.” Portacool offers a network of expertise across all industries of agriculture. “If there's additional aid that a customer needs, we get boots on the ground,” said Hudson, “don't be a stranger.”

Shon Wainscott, National Accounts Manager at Portacool, sees a direct correlation between keeping cool in the military and keeping cool on the job. Wainscott spent fifteen years serving in the Army, the bulk of that time in the infantry. He spoke about his experiences with Tyler Kern and why it's essential to have the proper temperature control to get the job done without heat stress or injury.Infantry duty is a demanding job that can mean carrying heavy gear on foot. “Carrying that amount of equipment, 70, 80, 90-pound rucksacks on your back, would generate a lot of heat,” Wainscott said. “And typically, out in the field when we'd be out on these exercises and maneuvers, we would have to travel miles and miles throughout the day.” And Wainscott's job didn't stop during the warm months. The heat could have a tremendous impact on the soldiers.For jobs where a hot environment is ever-present, a worker may need to find a different position or even employment without the proper temperature control solutions. “If someone were to go down with heat in a manufacturing facility, that doesn't mean their job isn't going to get done; it means that someone else is going to have to step up and take their place, or they are going to have to be cross-trained and do that position for them,” Wainscott said.

People in the U.S. know Portacool and their line of evaporative coolers, but Portacool is also a chilling force in 56 other countries. Ziad Ibrahim, Regional Sales Manager for Portacool's Middle East and North Africa Segments, dropped by to talk about the unique cooling needs of this region of the globe.The challenge for the Middle East and North Africa is no surprise—it's hot in these regions, and the summer months are some of the hottest anywhere on the planet. Cooling solutions are needed to make work conditions tolerable. Ibrahim said Portacool offers a range of cooling products that can cool areas from 900 to 5,625 square feet. These solutions work in places where traditional AC units won't fit or are too cost-prohibitive. “It is the perfect product for the perfect region,” Ibrahim said.Ibrahim works with a wide range of industries in the Middle East and North Africa. But manufacturing settings and the oil & gas industry are a few markets that rely on Portacool's solutions. “Steel fabrication, glass factories, paper factories, you name it,” Ibrahim said. “It's an endless list of places.”

Keeping employees safe, cool, and productive is essential in any work environment. The role heat stress plays was the topic of this episode of Keep Kuul with Portacool. Tyler Kern reached out to Klint Barton, Regional Manager for Automotive, Southeast Division at Portacool for his perspective.Barton understands the seriousness of heat stress because he has hyperhidrosis, which causes excessive sweating even without additional exposure to heat or exercise. “It was very hard, at times, to keep myself cool on hot days,” Barton said. “We're I'm at in Alabama, we deal with that issue quite regularly, during the summer especially.”Hyperhidrosis became a real issue for Barton when playing sports. “My body couldn't cool itself,” Barton explained. When the heat stress kicked in, Barton experienced dizziness to the point of blackouts. And Barton's issues continued in his work life, as he recalled his time working in a machine shop and experiencing heat stress. In one incident in the shop, while operating a saw in extreme heat conditions, Barton collapsed and split his chin open. He considers himself lucky that nothing worse occurred.

Keeping spaces cool is critical in many different environments. Traditional ways to do this, such as with AC fans can be expensive and inefficient. In looking at the markets that Portacool serves, these statements are true for the unique case of Mexico. Keep Kuul host Tyler Kern spoke with Leo Martinez, National Accounts Manager for Mexico, to discuss the potential for evaporative coolers in the country. “Mexico is an industrialized county and a key partner in global trade. There's also the tourism industry. Both need to keep areas comfortable,” Martinez described. Mexico is logistically in a key position for global trade with ports in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and the Pacific Ocean. In 2019, the nation ranked number seven in the world for tourism.

Evaporative cooling intersects with just about everyone in multiple ways each day, yet many don't recognize or know about this. Keep It Cool host Tyler Kern spoke with Cody Weeks, Sales Manager at Portacool, about the topic. “The simplest form of evaporative cooling is sweating, which we all do. It's the reduction of temperature resulting from the evaporation of liquid. It removes the latent heat from the surface where the evaporation takes place,” Weeks explained. This natural occurrence can also be produced to support a number of industries that have diverse cooling needs. First Weeks discussed its use in data centers. “We live in a digital age with data moving, storage, and transfer all taking place in data centers. About 60% of data centers use evaporative cooling to maximize cooling while minimizing power consumption.”Agriculture is another industry that uses the process and has been a big part of Portacool's user base. “It's hard to keep an environment consistent and comfortable in agriculture, but evaporative cooling can,” Weeks noted.The energy industry also uses evaporative cooling in gas turbines, which produce a substantial amount of electricity in the U.S. “It's an effective way to cool the air coming into the turbines, so they operate more efficiently and produce more power,” Weeks explained. Finally, evaporative cooling equipment can replace traditional AC units in climates with low humidity. “That climate allows you to use evaporative cooling over an AC. You get the same results and save money,” Weeks said.

Heat is a threat to many worksites across the country. While there's no way to eliminate it, companies can be proactive about keeping workers safe.That's exactly the mantra of Craig Williams, Safety and Security Manager at Omni Specialty Packaging, a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of lubricants and chemicals for the automotive and industrial sectors.He joined host Tyler Kern on Keep Kuul to discuss how they fight the heat.“Being based in Louisiana, we have temperatures over 100 degrees, plus humidity. It's difficult to work in this atmosphere, impacting breathing and energy levels. It's a lot of discomfort, which affects performance,” Williams said.Williams noted that heat-related illnesses can be deadly and lead to emergencies routinely. Because Omni places safety as a value, they sought to be proactive by employing cooling fans from Portacool.Williams was familiar with the product prior to his current role and implemented them in the plant and warehouses. “There were many hot spots with no ventilation or air circulation. A regular fan just blew hot air around. Implementing the cooling fans made a difference.”In describing what he appreciated about the products, he shared, “The automatic shutoff is key, because, without it, you can easily burn up a motor. They also changed the blades and pulleys, so it's smoother and covers a lot of square footage.”With the placement of these fans, Williams said it “sends a positive message to employees that we care about them.” He also emphasized the need to be pre-emptive in identifying hazards and coming up with corrective measures.

Fast cars and hot days and nights; that's how they do it at Texas Motor Speedway.Entertainment is the name of the game, but giving guests and fans a comfortable experience is the goal, no matter the event. Steven French, Senior Director of Business Development for Texas Motor Speedway, spoke to host Tyler Kern about the efforts to make a guest's experience at Texas Motor Speedway memorable and how strategic business partnerships support those efforts.Partnering with brands and sponsors that align with Texas Motor Speedway's fans is a large part of French's responsibilities. And Portacool is more than just an advertising billboard at the race; their products help keep fans cool in designated areas at the speedway.A lot of science goes into sports marketing and partnerships that French said provide opportunities for brands to make their mark at Texas Motor Speedway.“Our fan base is extraordinarily loyal,” French said. “The motorsports fan, in general, knows that, if they don't support their favorite driver, their favorite driver loses corporate backing.” That loyalty then trickles down to the brand.And, when brands consider partnerships with Texas Motor Speedway, understanding the number of events at the facility is a KPI that no one should overlook. In an average non-pandemic year, Texas Motor Speedway hosts over 900 different event days. While the pandemic may have curtailed those numbers a bit, the speedway is home to one of the largest vaccination sites in the area. “When you're one of the largest sporting venues in the world, which Texas Motor Speedway is, we're not your average highway billboard,” French said.The speedway is a 122,000-seat opportunity for businesses to engage with people.

As the weather across the country shifts to the warmer seasons, Todd Waldhauser, Director of Sales at Portacool, stopped by to talk to host Tyler Kern about keeping employees cool and comfortable when that thermometer begins to rise.And, as Waldhauser reminded Kern, temperature control is a year-round concern. Even if it's cool outside, the condition inside a work facility could be hot, so it is essential to provide employees with a comfortable climate every day. “Everybody thinks about cooling and [says], ‘What am I going to do when the temperature starts rising and you start hitting 85, 90, 100 degrees?',” Waldhauser said. “But you should be thinking about how to mitigate heat stress and heat in your facilities year-round.” Waldhauser mentioned that tremendous heat builds up in industrial settings, such as those found in manufacturing with lots of equipment inside a building. “I think a lot of customers don't realize that heat is with us 12 months out of the year,” Waldhauser said. “It's in different shapes, it's in different forms, but it's always out there.” Portacool's goal is to work with their customers on cooling strategies to get ahead of the heat. Comfort is king, and it is a crucial part of keeping employees satisfied inside a facility. Companies can ill afford to let heat stand in the way of that comfort.“You know, comfortable employees are going to be better employees,” Waldhauser said. “They're going to come to work on time. They are going to be more focused on their job. They're going to have fewer accidents. They are going to have better performance, and they're going to have better quality in a manufacturing type of facility. We live in a world where we have many things that have to get done with not as many people. So, how do we make sure that these employees are comfortable, safe and performing at their highest levels? When you're hot and you're stressed, your body is not performing there.”

Keeping cool is more than a matter of comfort. It's also key to staying safe from heat illness when working or socializing in hot environments.

They say 13 is an unlucky number but, for Kimberly McElroy, Director of Customer Service and Logistics at Portacool, that digit is no superstitious talisman. She will celebrate her 13th year with Portacool later in 2021. McElroy dropped by Keep Kuul to discuss customer service, logistics and enterprise resource planning.

Sunny South Florida is known for many things – nightlife, beaches, great food, and more – but it's also known for some at-times-overwhelming heat and humidity.d

A company's production processes must be the best to deliver best-in-class products. Joshua Sanford may be new to the Portacool family, but he knows work excellence when he sees it.

It's easy for companies to claim a commitment to culture, but how many of them actually practice and uphold their values in their day-to-day operations? And for the organizations that do, what are some ways to help ensure those values stick?Ben Wulf, the CEO of Portacool in east Texas, answers these questions and more in the first episode of the Keep Kuul podcast. Portacool was started in the small town of Center, Texas and, in the 30 years since its establishment, it's kept close ties with its community and its customers.However, Wulf doesn't just highlight the cooling company's entrepreneurial and innovative spirit -- he shines a light on its culture, as well.“Customer service embodies everything that we do as an organization, and that's where we flex our muscle and really shine in the marketplace,” Wulf said. “In everything from the time we answer the phone to the time we ship the product, we look for ways to make that experience easier, simpler and more efficient for our customer.”The Portacool CEO revealed that there was a time several years ago when the company culture wasn't where it is today. To turn that around, the leadership team made a renewed commitment to live, promote and advance it in the workplace.“Culture does not get a day off,” he said. “There has to be an unwavering commitment each and every day.”Subscribe to the Keep Kuul podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to get the newest pieces of Portacool content when they're released.