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About Acute Heating & Cooling
Acute Heating & Cooling is a full-service, family-owned HVAC company based in Summerville, SC, serving Summerville and the surrounding areas.
Founded by Thomas Edwards (a licensed HVAC mechanical contractor) and managed behind the scenes by his wife Octavia, the company grew from a one-man shop to a thriving operation. They built their reputation on high standards of quality, integrity, and what they call the “Honest Thomas Approved” seal of trust.
As they scaled, their focus remained on hiring staff who value customer service, training rigorously, and ensuring customers are treated with respect and fairness. Their service offerings span residential and commercial HVAC installations, repairs, maintenance, indoor air quality solutions, and financing options.
The Challenge
Acute’s expansion introduced growing pains in their back end:
- They had to coordinate with multiple suppliers and maintain diverse product catalogs, straining their operational flow.
- These inefficiencies caused delays in meeting bid deadlines, bottlenecks in execution, and limited ability to optimize material costs.
- With internal capacity already near its maximum, any friction in processes hurt both throughput and margins.
As they themselves said: “time is money” and inefficiencies were dragging them down.
The Solution
When Acute joined forces with Ply, several key supports came into play:
- They were able to reduce bottlenecks and streamline operational processes.
- With more breathing room and structure, Acute could shop more intelligently, securing better pricing on materials.
- Ply’s team became an extension of Acute’s own operations, handling parts of inventory, supplier coordination, and process support.
- Beyond operations, Ply’s access to a line of credit gave Acute flexibility in cash flow management, an important tool in a capital-intensive business like HVAC.
The Results
Through the partnership with Ply, Acute achieved:
- Greater efficiency and fewer operational bottlenecks
- Stronger systems and structure driving consistency
- Lower material costs thanks to smarter procurement
- Improved cash flow via the flexibility of credit lines
- A positive impact on the bottom line, amplifying profitability
