LGCC, under director Jez Smith, is a long-standing VRF expert that has been successfully partnering LG since 2005. Based in the Midlands, the independent distributor has a proven track record in the design and supply of air conditioning solutions.

Mr Smith says: “We are the only company which solely distributes LG air conditioning systems in the UK and we know all the stuff worth knowing about the range. That makes us really good at applying it and a really reliable source.”

He explains how the role of an independent distributor goes far beyond merely supplying product: “Anyone can shift a box. However, an independent company like LGCC comes into its own through the service it offers its customers.

“Not only do we specify, design and source product, we are committed to going that extra mile. Increasingly, it is this fact that defines us and has earned us our loyal customer base.”

Smith has a realistic view of the current marketplace: “Right now everybody is looking at costs and we find we have to put a lot more effort into landing projects that would have been in the bag automatically just a few years ago. Clients and contractors want a well-engineered product to help win projects in a market that will continue to be tough for some time.

“For example, budgets are so tight that some jobs are deemed to be worth less today than a couple of years ago because of brutal market conditions. Some prices have been slashed in order to keep market share.

“It is a fact that almost everything comes down to price at the moment, but in reality price-slashing is not doing anyone any favours, not in the long run. Losses may well be carried for a while, but in the end they will do nothing for the market except put smaller installer companies out of business,” he added.

“We offer a complete design and installation service using our preferred installation partners that we have carefully selected nationwide. These are contractors who we have worked with closely over several years.”

On the subject of refrigeration gas and the drive to reduce carbon emissions, controversially Smith believes there was no need to ditch R22 gas to be more environmentally friendly. “In this case, legislation was driven by the refrigeration industry. The truth is money and resources would have been better spent in legislation to prevent people from installing work badly.

“At some point another wonder gas will make an appearance and it will be all change again. Now you cannot use R22 any more, this will of course drive sales in the replacement market but will do nothing to improve the quality of installations.”

It is not unknown for Mr Smith to jump into his car on a Saturday morning to deliver a part from stock to a customer having problems on site. “Only an independent can offer service like that. We do what we have to do to keep everybody happy. We haven’t invented a new way to distribute air, we just stick to the principles of what you should expect an air conditioning equipment distributor to do and we do it very well.”