Our History

Twenty years ago Ivan Blanchard decided to leave a full-time job in St. John's and branch out on his own.

The native of Gillam's packed up and moved ot Corner Brook where he would start Blanchard's Refrigeration from the apartment he and his family called home.

Blanchard said it took a lot of hard work to get his refrigeration business off the ground as he wore the hat of salesperson, technician, and boss.

Looking back, he said starting his own business was never really something he had considered doing when he decided to go to school to study refrigeration plan operation at the old Fisheries College in St. John's.

He completed the course in 1984 and started to look for work.  He was getting ready to pack up and move to Halifax when he got a call about a job with a refrigeration company in St. John's.  He started working for them in 1985 and said the only thing on his mind then was getting his journeyman's certification.  That came in 1989.

He stayed at the refrigeration company for two more years and by then was convinced he wanted to branch out on his own and the he wanted to do it on the west coast.

He moved home in 1991 and started his own company that is still family owned and operated.

By 1993 he was able to hire an apprentice who still works with the company.  In 1995 came expansion with the purchase of George Dunphy Limited and moving into the location occupied by that business.  In 1996 Blanchard purchased the company's current location at 37 Brook Street.

The company changed its name to Blanchard's Heating & Cooling Ltd. in 2004 when Blanchard decided to expand into residential heating.  He then added a showroom to the operation and that was followed in 2006 with the addition of a full sheet metal and welding shop.

Blanchard expanded his business once again last December with the purchase of The Furnace Man.

Today Blanchard's Heating & Cooling Ltd. employs nine people at its Brook Street location, six of whom are technicians.

The company offers professional sales, maintenance, service and installation for commercial, supermarket, and industrial refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pumps, heat recovery ventilators as well as sheet metal and welding.

Blanchard's offers a 24-on-call-service for refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps.

Blanchard attributes the success of his business to his desire to supply a good service to customers.

He said it's important to be there when the customers need you and to provide them with a quality product and service.

Blanchard said he enjoys dealing with customers, and after almost 26 years still prefers to be out in the field.