Phc News Blog

North Andover, Mass. — Watts Water Technologies announced that Jim Erhardt has joined Watts in the position of national market manager for its line of hydronic heating products.

Jim’s responsibilities will include: new product development & management, technical product training and coordination of marketing activities of hydronic and specialty products. Jim most recently was the sales & marketing manager for Slant Fin where he managed national sales for radiant heating and PEX plumbing products, as well as administering the company’s contractor training program.

Loveland, Colo. — The 2008 Radiant Expo (REX) and Radiant Panel Association’s Annual Conference, held on August 13-15 in Schaumburg, IL, was deemed by the RPA Board to be a great success, but the attendees say it best.

REX is back! The facilities were great and the seminars were packed. A pat on the back for all involved with putting this together. – Dan Foley, Foley Mechanical

(REX) was a great time for sure. Huge turnout compared to last year especially! Time flies when you’re chatting radiant with the likes of Siggy and the Bean for sure. – Rob Brown, Northeast Radiant Technology

REX was a top-notch event. Hats off to you and your team for a job well done. – Dave Yates, F.W. Behler, Inc.

The crowds were not overwhelming, and the seminars were nothing short of fantastic. Thanks for making it the BEST REX on my personal record – Mark Eatherton, Mark Eatherton and Associates

Great convention. I really enjoyed the programs and seminars. – Steve Guy, Energy Management Systems

My compliments to the RPA for dramatically increasing the quantity of attendees as compared to previous REX. – Jake Gregory, Sponge Cushion

Our staff enjoyed the show very much. – Jenni Matts, Insulation Solutions

Thank you to all the RPA team. – Monica Irgens, Electro Plastics

Thanks again to you and your team for a great show. – Mark Evans, Viega

The theme of “Green Heat” was expanded upon by a group of industry experts dubbed the “RPA Green Team.” John Siegenthaler and Robert Bean were the official team co-captains, “Siggy and The Bean.” A superhero alter-ego life size cutout of the duo stood in the REX show floor where attendees could get their picture taken with these team captains.

Almost one thousand attendees showed up for the three-day event, which consisted of the revised Radiant Precision School taught by John Siegenthaler on Wednesday, seminars on a number of green topics and the REX tradeshow on Thursday, and more industry seminars and tradeshow on Friday. Seminars on solar and geothermal by Peter Biondo and Jeff Persons were packed to the walls and flowing out the doors. Dave Yates, Mark Eatherton, Bob ‘Hot Rod’ Rohr, and George Royce spoke to filled rooms on condensing boilers, keeping out of trouble, operating tips, and electric solutions.

Of course John Siegenthaler and Robert Bean’s green seminars were well attended as was the General Session were they teamed up to bring a message on the importance of energy efficiency and how the radiant heating industry can contribute.

There were seventy-three exhibiting companies on the REX show floor including a number that had never before exhibited at an RPA event. At the center of the show floor was a new product exhibit with equipment that was being introduced or had been introduced within the last year to the industry. Over twenty new and innovative approaches where displayed, such as GrafTech International’s graphite fabric that can be used for heat transfer in many applications such as under floor staple up. Other new products ranged from Zurn’s injection pump manifold mixing system to GeoComfort’s combination hydronic and air heat pump.

Sarasota, Fla. — Readers of The Boerne Star in Kendall County, Texas, chose Benjamin Franklin Plumbing as Best of the Best in the plumbing category for 2008.

“At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, we are focused on providing quality customer service, and we appreciate that consumers in our area have noticed our efforts,” said Larry Neidig, owner of the Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise serving the Boerne community.

About Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is one of the fastest growing plumbing franchises in the United States. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing ranked #249 on the 2008 Entrepreneur Franchise 500® list and #36 on the 2007 Franchise Times® “Fast 55” list. A customer’s time is the No. 1 priority for Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. The franchise offers customers on-time service, replacement and repairs done right the first time with courtesy, convenience, cleanliness, competence and character.

FRANKLIN PARK, IL – The Board of Directors of Sloan Valve Company
has voted Kirk Allen, James C. Allen, and Graham C. Allen into the
newly created Office of the President. Charles S. Allen, who was
President and CEO, has been elected to the position of Executive
Chairman. The announcement was made by John Aykroyd, Vice President
of Business Development.

“These are the leaders of organizational changes taking place at
Sloan,” Aykroyd said. “A high-velocity executive team is being
created that will fuel growth for years to come. Kirk, Jim and Graham
bring extraordinary qualities to this position in the succession of
their father, Chuck Allen.”

“The company is in good hands,” said Chuck Allen after the
announcement. “Kirk, Jim and Graham will lead Sloan with the
passion of a start-up. . . the aggressiveness of a turnaround . . .
the creativity of a realignment . . . and the responsibility of
sustaining our success. I am a lucky father to have such capable
sons.”

Chuck Allen, who served as President and CEO of Sloan for the past
31 years, took Sloan from a position as the premier manual flush
valve company in the United States, to a global leader in electronic
plumbing and sustainable products. He brought Sloan employees
together for a company meeting to make the announcement about the
transition, pointing out that his sons have already made significant
contributions to Sloan’s continued growth. Kirk Allen has led the
Sloan Optima Electronic Flushometer and Faucet line, in which Sloan
now has the dominant position in the market; and, Jim Allen and
Graham Allen attained LEED accreditation, making Sloan the first
plumbing company to have such Professionals at the highest level
of the company.

“Leadership transitions in private companies can be challenging,”
Aykroyd said. “That is clearly not the case at Sloan. Our team,
under the leadership of the Allens, is committed to having the
company continue in the tradition of success.”

Wichita, Kan. — Viega announced Dan Schmierer, who has served as CEO of Viega North America since 2000, will stay at the helm until 2012.

When Schmierer joined Viega, the company had more than 100 years of history as a plumbing
and heating manufacturer in Germany, but no presence in North America. It became
Schmierer’s job to introduce this “new” company to America, and he has done just that.

During Schmierer’s tenure, Viega has changed dramatically. The company has grown from
simple beginnings in a small office in Chelmsford, Mass., into a thriving organization, 542
people strong, based in Wichita, Kan. Almost 200 of these employees are sales representatives
spread throughout the country; Viega also has a training facility and manufacturing and logistics
facilities throughout the United States.

Schmierer’s goals for the next four years are simple, 1. Aggressively grow sales in North
America. 2. Continue establishing the Viega brand in the U.S. by growing established product
lines (ProPress®, PureFlow® and ProRadiantTM). 3. Work to “Americanize” new product lines
from Germany and successfully introduce these in the U.S.

Charlotte, N.C. — Charlotte Pipe and Foundry hosted its first “College of Plumbing Knowledge” class for plumbing engineers on June 23 – 24, 2008. Held at Charlotte Pipe’s new, state-of-the-art 9,000- sq.-ft. training facility in Charlotte, N.C., the class offered engineers a refresher course on the basics of designing plumbing and domestic water systems. The course was developed and taught by Ron George, CIPE, CPD, president of Ron George Design & Consulting Services, with assistance from Brian Connor and Charlotte Pipe and Foundry’s Technical Services Department. Attendees received a certificate and continuing education credits for completing the two-day class.

Kinston, N.C. — Field Controls, a venting solutions company, has developed a new 16-page guide to venting oil-fired appliances. The guide discusses the basic principles of venting and the evolution of venting technology…from the chimney through power and direct venting. While serving as an information guide for the newcomer to venting, it also details product options that the veteran will appreciate. In depth information on how to choose the right venting method, how to size and locate a power venter, clearance to combustibles and more. System setup, routine service and maintenance are also included.

“This guide is the ultimate venting resource for contractors specializing in oil-fired products,” said Steve Guzorek, chief engineer at Field Controls. “It can be used as a teaching tool as well as an installation and maintenance guide.”

For more information, visit www.fieldcontrols.com or call 252.522.3031.

Heat Transfer Products (HTP), in conjunction with Rocky Mountain Integrated Solutions, Inc., is currently conducting a summer series of 20 product-training sessions, targeting plumbing and HVAC contractors west of the Mississippi River. The two-day educational events, which focus on HTP boiler and water heating products, including solar thermal systems, are being held at Rocky Mountain Integrated Solutions’ newly refurbished showroom and training facility, located inside company headquarters in Bluffdale, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. 

The remodeled showroom-sales and contractor-training facility offers an assortment of new heating equipment furnished by Heat Transfer Products, including HTP’s latest innovation: a pair of 80-inch x 86.4-inch solar collectors. Both are operational, meeting a portion of the building’s space-heating requirements and all of its domestic hot water needs.

Developed and presented by HTP Western Regional Dale Townsend, with assistance from Rocky Mountain Integrated Solutions personnel, each training session will accommodate from eight to 10 attendees. Six other independent reps for HTP throughout the 10-state Western region will also help recruit contractors for the series, which runs through August. Classes will also be held throughout the winter heating season, but on a less-frequent basis. For more info, www.htproducts.com.

“Americans waste 900 billion gallons of water a year by flushing old, inefficient toilets,” Kevin Tindall, a member of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC), told a Congressional committee exploring green technologies’ impact on economic growth on July 10.

Emphasizing the PHCC’s 125-year history of protecting the health and safety of the public, Tindall asked Congress and the federal government to consider the expertise and opinions of PHCC members as new green technologies are evaluated and implemented. Plumbing contractors play a major role in the nation’s effort to conserve both water and energy, according to Tindall, who is owner of Tindall & Ranson Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning in Princeton, N.J. He also is chairman of PHCC’s Green Plumbing and Water Conservation Task Force.

During his testimony before a House Small Business Committee on “The Role of Green Technologies in Spurring Economic Growth,” Tindall highlighted PHCC’s water conservation efforts, including the 2008 Summer Water Conservation Initiative . In addition, PHCC’s partnerships with organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program and Green Plumbers USA are an integral part of the overall effort to promote the use of green technologies, which help stimulate economic growth for America’s small plumbing companies.

“As the (Small Business) Committee reviews options for how the federal government can help further advance the role of green technologies, it is important to consider the efforts and impacts on small businesses in the plumbing industry and how they are helping drive momentum in ways that are already positively impacting the economy,” he said.

“Because PHCC members are involved in the actual installation and maintenance of water devices and systems, they offer a direct experience perspective and expertise that is very helpful during discussions,” he said.

On behalf of PHCC, Tindall added that further testing and analysis be performed to evaluate the compatibility of the existing water and sewer infrastructure. “At this time there are concerns that America’s existing infrastructure cannot handle the water-efficient products being considered,” he said. “Testing and analysis should be performed for both residential and commercial systems before mandates for high- efficiency toilets or other ultra-low water consumption products are adopted. The impact of these low water consumption products on the entire plumbing system must be considered.”

Tindall also urged Congress to provide adequate funding for water-related legislative initiatives like the annual EPA appropriations measures, the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act. Monies should also be dedicated toward research into recycled water technology and toward improvements in water and sewer infrastructure, he said. In closing Tindall, emphasized the important role the plumbing industry has in the effort to conserve our nation’s most precious resource, water.

Woodridge, Ill. — During 2007, Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC celebrated its 75th anniversary by launching a national search for plumbing contracting firms that had reached or exceeded the same 75-year milestone. Now, Gerber proudly announces Warriner Smith Utilities Inc. of Nanuet, NY as the grand prize winning plumbing contractor for the “75 years of Professional Performance” campaign.
Randomly selected from an impressive group of more than 100 eligible plumbing contracting firms from across the country that entered the promotion, Warriner Smith Utilities Inc. is the recipient of $2,500 in Gerber product to be selected from a Gerber wholesaler.
Established in 1908 by John Warriner Smith, Warriner Smith Utilities Inc. is located in Nanuet, NY, where the family-owned business has been thriving for more than 100 years. Living up to the company motto of “Warriner Smith Will Make it Fly,” the twenty four employees pride themselves on setting a quick and efficient pace as a production shop and working in partnership with other companies within the community to get the job done right every time.
“Every year in this business is an achievement and we at Warriner Smith Utilities have our community, employees, friends and family to thank for nearly 100 years of success,” stated Greg Smith, great grandson of John Warriner Smith. “We also appreciate all of Gerber’s efforts to generously celebrate the trades during the midst of their 75 year anniversary — it is truly a significant milestone, cheers to many more,” continued Smith.
Greg Smith and his father, William Smith, continue to run the business and are currently preparing for their 100 year anniversary celebration.