Although we were all hoping to leave the pandemic behind this year, we saw great improvements in 2021, and at Computrols, we continued to push forward and have a great year despite some challenges.

Continuing…Virtually

One of the things we’ve missed the most the past couple of years is in-person events. Throughout 2021, we continued to host our CBAS Level I & II training courses virtually. We also held our Branch Manager and Distribution Partner Summits all online. We are hopeful that 2022 will bring many of you back to our headquarters for training, networking, and fun.

New Distributors

We continued to add to our distributor network this year with four new, amazing partners across the country:

1. Premier Energy Controls (Rigby, ID)
2. Mechanical Temperature (Detroit, MI)
3. Geostar Mechanical (Rockford, IL)
4. P1 Group (Kansas City, KS)

BTL Listing + Protocol Routing on LX

Just when you thought the LX could not be a more dynamic device, we added two incredible features. First, we completed testing and met all of the requirements of BACnet International to achieve BTL Certification. Then, we added a new protocol routing feature that enables the LX to take legacy RS-485 protocols and expose them as BACnet IP points. Although Computrols has long been known for its ability to integrate with proprietary systems, this feature promises to be a valuable tool for many other system integrators as well.

[Add protocol routing image from lightbox design – cut down or rearrange competitor names to fit properly]

Small Business of the Year

While Computrols plays on a national (and at times international) stage, we are extremely proud of where we come from, and what we are able to accomplish in our local community. This year, Computrols received the Small Business of the Year Award from the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Foundation recognizing the company’s investment in the local area and agility to pivot during multiple crises over the last couple of years.

New Employees + Interns and Anniversaries

As Computrols’ footprint continues to grow, this year we added 2 employees Robert Anderson and Matthew Einstein as technicians. We also got help from the next generation of Computrols employees in the form of interns on our Accounting, Engineering, and R&D teams.

In 2021, we had # employees celebrate over 10 years with the company. Congratulations and thank you to all of you for your hard work and dedication!

Bradley Blackwell – Building Automation Technician (Washington D.C.) – 11 Years

Travis Core, Research & Development (HQ) – 24 Years

Thomas Bordenave, Research & Development (HQ) – 21 Years

Mike Daigle, Manufacturing (HQ) – 15 Years

Mike Donlon, Research & Development (HQ) – 32 Years

Gerry Freking – Building Automation Technician (Washington D.C.) – 12 Years

Bonnie Frey, Secretary & Treasurer (HQ) – 30 Years

Morgan Gregoire – Business Development (HQ) – 30 Years

Bob Hand – Branch Manager (Washington D.C.) – 17 Years

Jamie Hardouin – Business Development (HQ) – 12 Years

Mike Harper – Programmer (HQ) – 25 Years

Jay Heine – IT/Manufacturing (HQ) – 19 Years

George Hingle – Tech Support (HQ) – 20 Years

Kevin Lynch – Vice President (HQ) – 36 Years

Roy Lynch – President (HQ) – 38 Years

Vincent Medina – Building Automation Technician (Houston) – 13 Years

Drew Mire – CEO (HQ) – 13 Years

Shawn Neyrey – Project Management (HQ) – 26 Years

Ed Rodriguez – Branch Manager (San Antonio) – 28 Years

Bobby Rodriguez – Application Engineering – 19 Years

Johnny Sanchez – Building Automation Technician (San Antonio) – 10 Years

Ramon Torres – Branch Manager (Houston) – 26 Years

Cuc Tran – Manufacturing (HQ) – 16 Years

Arthur Wilamowski – Building Automation Technician (HQ) – 22 Years

Dealing with the Challenges of 2021

Beyond the pandemic, Computrols navigated its way through a global chip shortage, supply chain issues, and a category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Ida

The category 4 hurricane known as Ida made landfall in Southeast Louisiana on August 26th and left a wake of destruction in its path until it finally dissipated in the Northeastern United States 10 days later. All things considered, Computrols and its employees fared well throughout the storm, despite having to deal with power and internet outages in some areas for nearly a month. Most company and personal property were spared while sustaining the 150 mph winds.

Computrols employees throughout the country contributed in various ways to keep our business running smoothly and ensure our customers continued to receive the top-tier support that Computrols is known for.

Chip Shortage + Supply Chain

As manufacturers around the world have struggled with supply chain issues over the past year, we are very proud to have maintained same-day shipping to our distribution partners on all Computrols parts. Our procurement, design, and manufacturing teams continue to work together closely to avoid delays in the production of our controllers.

Looking Forward

As this year winds down, we look forward to new beginnings and big plans for 2022. Keep an eye out for the Computrols booth at the AHR Expo in Las Vegas and other conferences as we hope to get back to more in-person events. You’ll also likely be hearing about the latest developments in our wireless ecosystem and the newest features coming out in CBAS 22.

Thank you to everyone who has made this year a success. We look forward to doing the same with you again next year!