Refrigeration co. has solid southern market

How locals’ gardens grow: Terrebonne iris farm known globally for commerce, education
April 11, 2012
New coach? No problem!: HLB makes playoff push
April 11, 2012
How locals’ gardens grow: Terrebonne iris farm known globally for commerce, education
April 11, 2012
New coach? No problem!: HLB makes playoff push
April 11, 2012

Mike Blanchard is a cool guy. He should be after having established a refrigeration business 32 years ago that now has him unable to accept new customers during peak hot-months of the year. “We just can’t handle more and offer the right kind of service during those two or three months,” he said.


The son of Allen Blanchard, late owner of the long-gone RGS supermarket chain, Mike Blanchard thought at an early age his future would be in the grocery business. When the family stores started being sold in the late 1970s, he realized he better make different plans.

“I always worked on the ice makers and refrigeration units in the grocery stores, so I decided to go into this business,” Blanchard said.


Today, more than 50 percent of Blanchard’s business is commercial and includes primarily restaurants and restaurant-supply companies. Products range from air conditioners, to walk-in coolers to ice makers.


“I can tell you, we sell and service more ice machines than anyone else in the state,” Blanchard said. “As far as air conditioning, we do quite a bit of commercial but a lot of residential too.”

Having himself performed every job in his company Blanchard is aware of skill levels demonstrated by his employees. In turn, he personally coordinates their daily assignments to match skills with customer needs.


“A typical day is trying to take care of every customer and getting to them as quickly as possible,” Blanchard said. “We are very fortunate that we have a large customer base, but by June we will quit taking new customers [for the summer].”


Blanchard said the market for air conditioning service and products has changed dramatically during the past three decades as consumers are more willing to invest ion higher-end air conditioning or refrigeration units than they were in the past.

Like almost everything else in the world, technology has improved the quality of air conditioning and refrigeration units, but it came with equipment life expectancy declining from 20-to 10 years. “Newer units are more efficient, but they don’t hold up as well,” Blanchard said.


Blanchard’s deals exclusively with American-made products. “We emphasize using U.S.A. products, not Chinese,” he said.


That manufacturer loyalty, along with locally available quality service, built this business to a size locally that Blanchard’s crews seldom go outside Terrebonne Parish because of service calls. “We don’t even do Thibodaux, but we do go to Grand Isle,” he said.

While refrigeration and air conditioning represent the high profile jobs, according to this cooling man, he remembers that ice machines are the foundation upon which his business was built.

“Ice machines are my strong point,” Blanchard said. “Back in 1977 ice makers were more complicated than they are today. So, I started working on ice machines because they were the hardest to service and went down to air conditioners because they were the easiest.

“Now, the technology on an ice maker is all computer controlled,” he added. “The last time I had an opportunity to work on an ice maker it was a learning game because of the technology. We probably work on 1,000 ice makers a year.”

With changes in technology and engineering, Blanchard and his crew undergo constant training and updating of skills. The secret for this business owner has been performing various tasks himself and making sure those working with him are state licensed and EPA certified.

“I can’t imagine running a business any other way,” he said. “We can go anywhere in the state and work. Realistically 10 percent of the companies out there are licensed. The bigger companies are licensed. Most of the the smaller ones are not. I’m glad we are.”

About 10 years ago, economic conditions got tight enough that Blanchard became concerned for the well-being of his employees. Rather the cut jobs, he added product lines and started renting utility trailers and motor homes to fill a market niche. Now, this segment of activity accounts for almost 25 percent of his business.

Reflecting back to when he started his business at the age of 23, Blanchard said the one thing he wish he had known was how he could have grown his business earlier by bring on others to carry the workload and expand operations. “I had a problem of letting go and trusting someone else,” he said.

During the past year, Blanchard’s Refrigeration posted 20 percent growth while the national economy stalled. Identifying himself as a laid back person, the entrepreneur who proclaims in this website address that he has the coolest customers is himself cool about his prospects.

“We enjoy what we are doing,” Blanchard said. “I’m excited about where we are heading.”

Blanchard Refrigeration owner Mike Blanchard says no matter how experienced he becomes on various pieces of cooling equipment he will always come back to ice machines where he got his start.

MIKE NIXON | TRI-PARISH TIMES