Month: April 2023

Originally published on April 20, 2023

ALPHARETTA, Ga. /3BL Media/ – LG Electronics USA has officially launched the much-anticipated LG Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater, helping homeowners save money and reduce energy usage and their carbon footprint.

Designed for eco-conscious homeowners, LG’s ENERGY STAR® certified Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater delivers hot water with an impressive Uniform Energy Factor of 3.75 UEF, the industry standard for measuring water heater efficiency — a more efficient rating than conventional gas and electric resistance water heaters. With a robust set of high-performance features and trailblazing design, LG’s Inverter Heat Pump Water heater provides homeowners with impressive energy savings of up to 70 percent compared to conventional electric water heaters.

The Earth Week 2023 launch of LG’s advanced new all-electric heat-pump water heater coincides with the company joining the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a key initiative paving the way to America’s clean energy future. LG also is an active member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Manufacturers Action Council and participates in the Advanced Water Heater Initiative.

This new product minimizes the need for supplemental electric resistance heat, providing an additional opportunity for electrical consumption savings, due to its wide operating range (23°F to 120°F ambient temperatures). Complete with LG ThinQ® technology, Wi-Fi capability, and smartphone control for ease of scheduling and monitoring, the LG Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater is and unique and efficient option for homeowners.

The LG Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater entered the market as an energy-efficient alternative to electric resistance and gas water heaters. Along with the U.S. EPA’s latest standards on water heaters,1 the LG’s heat pump water heater was designed to meet the growing demand for electric solutions as part of the broader decarbonization movement. The groundbreaking ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade program encourages the use of ENERGY STAR-certified heat pump water heaters as a way for homeowners to move towards a clean energy future2.

According to the U.S. EPA, water heaters can use about 20 percent of a home’s energy,3 and switching to an energy efficient water heater is a way for homeowners to lower their home’s carbon footprint while reducing energy use and heating cost. As an ENERGY STAR-certified product, LG’s Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater is an energy efficient hot water solution with the benefits of inverter compressor technology, taking water heaters to the next level.

“More homeowners are switching to energy-efficient heat pump technology as the market’s movement towards electrification continues to grow, and LG is innovating the water heater category to deliver more eco-friendly options for consumers,” said LG Electronics USA Senior Vice President Steve Scarbrough. “With its unique design and outstanding performance, the LG Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater provides a new solution for residential water heating and a highly efficient alternative to electric resistance or gas water heaters. LG continues to advance the heat pump water heaters and HVAC categories, delivering the benefits of inverter compressor technology, such as quiet operation and intuitive control.”

Since it was previewed ahead of this month’s launch, LG’s Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater has garnered numerous awards for its high performance and innovation including accolades from the National Association of Home Builders, and media outlets such as Architizer magazine, Green Builder, The Architect’s Newspaper, Architectural Products, Residential Products and more.

To learn more about the LG Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater, visit LG’s HVAC site HERE. For more information about LG’s full portfolio of heating and cooling solutions and controls, visit lghvac.com.

1 https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/through-public-private-partnerships-epa-helps-advance-efficiency-and-reduce-emissions

2 https://www.energystar.gov/about/how_energy_star_protects_environment/clean_energy_future 

3 https://www.energystar.gov/products/energy_star_home_upgrade/super_efficient_water_heater

About LG Air Conditioning Technologies USA 

LG Electronics USA’s Air Conditioning Technologies business is based in Alpharetta, Ga. LG is a leading player in the global air conditioning market, manufacturing both commercial and residential air conditioners and building management solutions. From consumer and individual units to industrial and specialized air conditioning systems, LG provides a wide range of products for heating, ventilating and air conditioning. The company’s industry-leading variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology minimizes efficiency losses, provides sustainable energy savings and offers some of the lowest lifecycle costs compared to other systems on the market today. Ten-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year, LG Electronics USA (based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.), is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., a $68 billion global technology and manufacturing. For more information, please visit lghvac.com.

Media Contacts:

LG Electronics USA
John I. Taylor
+1 202 719 3490
john.taylor@lge.com

Kim Regillio
+1 815 355 0509
kim.regillio@lge.com

Brian Miseo
+1 862 485 1764
brian.miseo@lg-one.com

New Study of Hispanic Small Business Owners Shows a Push to Digital in Wake of Labor Shortages

Verizon Small Business Study finds a significant gap between Hispanic small business owners’ desire for private loans and grants, and the owners that have been able to apply

NEW YORK, April 26, 2023 /3BL Media/ – In celebration of National Small Business Week and Verizon Small Business Days, the company today announced the recipients of twenty five $10,000 grants totaling $250,000 to Hispanic small business owners across the country. The Hispanic small business grant recipients include entrepreneurs from cities such as Boston, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, and San Diego.

Through Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, a free online resource focused on helping small businesses achieve success in today’s digital economy, and in partnership with Next Street and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), these grants will allow businesses to invest in upgrading their technology, advancing their marketing, or supporting operational costs such as employee wages, rent, and more.

“Working full time as an oncology nurse, I was not sure I’d be able to fully bring my dream to life of also opening and operating my own restaurant. But having access to the grant from Verizon opened a new world of possibilities,” said Mia Thorn, co-founder of Cruz Kitchen & Taps, one of the grantee recipients. “Utilizing the platform and Digital Ready tools that Verizon offers allowed me to improve on both my marketing and financial management skills as well as accomplish my business goals during the heart of the pandemic.”

“Hispanic small business owners are continuously reinventing themselves through technology and the data from our study proves this,” said Aparna Khurjekar, Chief Revenue Officer, Business Markets & SaaS at Verizon Business. “Between the direct partnership with our customer-facing teams of digital experts in their community, the grants for these deserving businesses, and the access to information and mentorship we provide online through our Digital Ready program, we are thrilled to support their continued growth.”

Highlighting the priorities, opportunities, successes and challenges that Hispanic small businesses face, Verizon Business also released the findings of its latest study, Verizon Business’ Hispanic Small Business Report, conducted by Morning Consult. Polling five hundred Hispanic small business owners across the country, the research highlights the adoption of technology, desire for advice and assistance, and economic outlook of Hispanic small business owners.

Additionally, the study looked at differences among gender, industry, as well as those businesses who conduct business primarily in English versus those conducting via a combination of English and Spanish.

Technology Adoption

Nearly three out of four (74%) Hispanic small businesses have leveraged digital tools and technologies to make money over the past three yearsMore than one-third (41%) of respondents have implemented new technology to solve for worker shortageOver the past year, nearly half (47%) have transitioned to a digital first operationNearly two-thirds (65%) are concerned about ensuring the security of online and digital transactionsHispanic small businesses who conducted business through a combination of Spanish and English are leveraging digital tools to change the customer experience and make money to a greater extent (77%) versus those who conduct business primarily in English (69%)

Advice and Assistance

In the past year, only 32% have applied for a private loan or grant, but 78% reported wanting assistance in the form of finding private loan options and how to applyNearly three out of four (71%) say they need external support for implementation of new systems or technology to ensure securityMore than three out of four (78%) would find it helpful to speak with IT experts to advice on remote work infrastructure and using newer technologies, such as 5GTwo out of three (67%) would find it necessary to have external support in helping their business provide new technology to employees to retain and attract new talent

Community and Culture 

Almost two-thirds of Hispanic small business owners (64%) say they have family members working for their business in a paid capacity, and about half (53%) say they have family members volunteering their unpaid time to help with the businessHalf (48%) say that their business has created new job opportunitiesMore than 62% are trying to develop strategies to drive customers back to face-to-face interactions

Business Outlook

Nearly half (48%) have begun preparing for a possible recessionNearly two in three (64%) Hispanic small business owners worry about needing to tap into their personal savings to finance their businessHowever two out of three (65%) say their business is better now than it was this time last year and 74% believe their business will be better a year from now than it is today

Verizon Small Business Days Kicks off April 27-May 3

Verizon Small Business days start tomorrow, April 27 through May 3. During this time, small businesses are invited to talk with a Verizon Business’ small business specialist and tap into great offers and solutions to drive business forward.

All small businesses can receive a free tech check to see if their current solutions meet the needs of their business. Additionally, businesses can get a free 5G phone when signing up for a new line with a Business Unlimited Plus or Business Unlimited Pro plan. No trade-in required.

Providing Small Businesses with Digital Ready Resources

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, a free online resource, was created with and for small businesses, with a specific focus on helping diverse and under-resourced business owners. Small business owners can benefit from access to personalized learning through over 40 courses, mentorship, peer networking, 1:1 expert coaching, and incentives such as grant funding.

Beyond the $250,000 in grant funding provided to Hispanic-owned small businesses announced today, Verizon is offering another round of grant funding available to small business owners from all backgrounds through Verizon Small Business Digital Ready. Now through May 12, 2023, small businesses can unlock an application for the new round of grant funding by registering for Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, and completing at least two of the following, in any combination: courses, live coaching, or community events. A selection of small businesses that complete the application will be chosen to receive a $10,000 grant.

Verizon also recently launched new Spanish language course offerings, coaching from experts, community events, and personalized mentorship available on Small Business Digital Ready.

This initiative is part of Verizon’s goal to help support 1M small businesses by 2030 with the resources to thrive in the digital economy, as part of its responsible business plan: Citizen Verizon.

Beyond Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, Verizon offers other free tools for small businesses to take advantage of including the recently announced BlueJeans Basic, the free version of BlueJeans by Verizon. This allows small businesses to meet for as long as they want, one-on-one or in groups of up to 25 people.

For more information on Verizon Business and the offerings available for small business, visit www.verizon.com/business.

Media contact(s)
Sarah Heinz
sarah.heinz@verizon.com
Bernadette Brijlall
bernadette.brijlall@verizon.com