Malco Tools, a prominent developer and manufacturer of tools for the HVAC industry, has announced the winners of its New Product Ideas Contest, a competition aimed at gathering innovative product ideas from professionals within the trade. The first-place honor was awarded to Aurelio "Cheekz" Godina from Nebraska for his concept of a new duct notcher.
"Malco’s tools have been a part of every stage of my career and life," stated Godina. "I am happy and thankful that there is a company like Malco that is changing the game with every new tool designed by their team." In recognition of his achievement, Godina was invited as a VIP guest at the 2024 AHR Expo in Chicago.
Innovation in HVAC Tools
Second place in the contest was granted to Randy Allender from Massachusetts, who proposed an idea for a light accessory to be added to Malco’s popular TurboShear line.
Allender, a self-described Malco “super fan,” has previously participated in Malco’s Head of the Class program, an initiative that acknowledges exceptional students in HVAC programs across the United States.
Supporting the Next Generation
In addition to his contest recognition, Allender actively supports the trades as an HVAC instructor at local trade schools.
Demonstrating his investment in education, he plans to allocate part of his prize winnings to acquiring Malco tools for classroom use, thereby enhancing the learning experience for future industry professionals.
Feedback and Innovation
Rebecca Talbot, Vice President of Marketing at Malco, expressed gratitude to both Godina and Allender for their contributions. "We thank both Aurelio and Randy for entering our New Product Ideas Contest," said Talbot. "At Malco, we highly value feedback and always encourage input from the field for innovative new high-quality tools that bring value to hard-working trade pros."
