Industry News

Ann Arbor, Mich. — As of January 1, 2010, new lead content requirements in California (commonly known as AB 1953) will mandate a maximum weighted average lead content of ≤ 0.25 percent for plumbing products. Wilkins, a Zurn Company, is the first backflow preventer manufacturer certified by NSF International to NSF/ANSI Standard 61: Drinking Water System Components — Health Effects and Annex G low-lead requirements, developed to help protect the public from exposure to lead.
Backflow preventers are mechanical plumbing devices that protect against pollution and contamination by preventing unsafe water from flowing back into the public water supply.
Manufacturers of backflow preventers for potable water service, faucets, valves, water fittings, and other products that come in contact with drinking water must meet the new lead requirements, as set forth in the California Health and Safety Code, by January 1, 2010. After this date, any pipe, fitting, or fixture intended to convey or dispense water for drinking or cooking must meet a weighted average lead content of ≤ 0.25 percent.
The lead content requirements of Section 116875 of the California Health and Safety Code (also known as AB1953) were incorporated as an annex into the American National Standard for health effects of drinking water system components NSF/ANSI Standard 61: Annex G – Weighted Average Lead Content Evaluation Procedure to a 0.25 Percent Lead Requirement.
To obtain certification, Wilkins demonstrated compliance with all of NSF/ANSI Standard 61, Annex G requirements.

Practical Solar Heating Design Guidelines for Professional Installers
October 1 – 2, 2009
☼ with Supplemental Courses September 30th & October 3rd
Registration Deadline: September 23

Bristol Stickney, author of Solar Solutions, and Cedar Mountain Solar are presenting a Solar Thermal Training Intensive in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which will include a focus on innovative control methods and their applications. Get ahead of the curve, gaining knowledge and know-how from an expert in research, development and design of solar hydronic heating. By the end of the Solar Training Intensive courses, you will be able to understand the principles of good solar hydronic design and be able to create designs that include basic controls for solar thermal systems with multiple heating sources, for multiple heating loads.

There is a need in this country for professionals with a clear understanding of effective Solar Thermal design, and correct information on applications and energy-efficient controls. Bristol’s courses provide a synthesis of his knowledge and applied research and development. In only a short time of taking Bristol’s courses, you’ll have an understanding and knowledge base that will allow you to add new revenue streams to your business, and create reliable system designs for your clients’ applications.

These courses will continue in 2010, and are offered to industry/trade professionals, Mechanical Engineers, ME faculty and graduate students and skilled technicians with backgrounds in solar and plumbing applications. A Course in the Fundamentals of Solar Hydronic Heating is provided on Sept 30th for those who need the “basic training” prerequisite to the Intensive. An Advanced Class will be provided on October 3rd.

For more information, the Registration Form and accommodation assistance, click on “Bristol Stickney’s Solar Thermal Training Event” banner at the top of this PE Web Page ― or go to: cedarmountainsolar.com, “Workshop Bulletin” (at top of home page) and click on “October 1-2, 2009.”

Ambler, Pa. — Bradford White Water Heaters recently unveiled its new intelligent control valve, The Bradford White ICON System™. This next generation gas control valve will be standard equipment on virtually every Bradford White residential and light duty commercial product* with no additional cost.
Developed in collaboration with Honeywell®, the new valve features advanced temperature control, exclusive performance software, intelligent diagnostics, pilot-on-indication, millivolt powered operation, separate immersed thermowell, and an integrated Piezo igniter.
“The development of the Bradford White ICON™ System has taken over four years of hard work on the part of Bradford White and Honeywell. The result is a sophisticated yet simple control valve with energy and time saving features that benefit contractors, wholesalers and consumers alike,” says Bradford White’s Mike Gordon, VP Engineering.
For more on the Bradford White ICON™ System, visit www.bradfordwhite.com.

Rockville, Md. — As part of its ongoing commitment to safety excellence, the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, Inc. (MCAA) released a safety training kit titled Twenty More Top Hazards: Recognition and Protection – Part 2. The kit covers 20 more of the top mechanical construction industry hazards that the association began to address in its 2007 safety training kit, Twenty Top Hazards: Recognition and Protection.

The 14-minute DVD provides worker training in the identification of 20 of the most common injury-causing hazards in mechanical construction, including how workers should protect themselves from these hazards while performing their jobs. The following hazards are addressed:
• Fires from hot work;
• Flammable liquids;
• Flammable gases;
• Compressed gas cylinders;
• Pressure testing;
• Line breaking;
• Stored electrical energy;
• Power lines;
• Welding and cutting fumes;
• Asbestos;
• Lead-based paint;
• Silica;
• Bloodborne pathogens;
• Excessive noise;
• Heat issues such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion;
• Cold issues such as hypothermia and frostbite;
• Inadequate lighting;
• Unprotected stairways;
• Falls with scaffolds; and
• Falls from scaffolds.

A set of 20 pocket guides and a training documentation system are included in the kit to help facilitate training. A 20-question multiple choice test is available as part of MCAA’s Safety Training Kit—Test Series.

MCAA members will receive a free copy of the Twenty More Top Hazards: Recognition and Protection – Part 2 safety training kit as a benefit of membership. Members also receive free access to the MCAA’s Safety Training Kit—Test Series.

Those who would like to purchase copies of either the Twenty More Top Hazards: Recognition and Protection – Part 2 safety training kit or its predecessor, Twenty Top Hazards: Recognition and Protection may visit the MCAA online store at www.mcaa.org/store. The cost for each kit is $85 for MCAA members or $255 for non-members, plus shipping. MCAA’s Safety Training Kit—Test Series is also available in the online store for immediate download. The publication is free for MCAA members or $120 for non-members.

Oxford, Conn. — Eemax is introducing the HomeAdvantage Series, a full line of premium electric tankless water heaters for the whole house. HomeAdvantage Series offers a digital micro processing fingertip temperature control with LED display and patented eco smart staged heating module technology.

The HomeAdvantage Series provides consumers with an endless supply of safe hot water and ensures efficiency, using only the exact amount of energy needed. Eemax packages this patented technology and intelligence in a compact sleek, durable stainless steel body.

Flow activates the powerful heating elements in stages based on hot water demand. The HomeAdvantage Series advanced design maximizes energy and water usage, rated 99% efficient and conveniently mounts on any wall for faster delivery of hot water. The HomeAdvantage Series offers products ranging from 12kW for warmer climate zones to 38kW for larger capacities up to six gallon per minute for colder climate zones.

Ruggedly constructed to last for decades, conserve water and save energy, space and money, the Home Advantage Series offers a full line of “Green” friendly electric tankless water heaters (2.4kw point of use to 126kw) ideal for commercial, industrial and residential applications.

Utica, N.Y. — ECR International announced its support of the legislation, signed into law Aug. 27 by Governor Paterson, which expands New York State’s current net metering law to include residential micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP). Micro-CHP technologies, like ECR’s freewatt system, combine an ENERGY STAR-rated, high-efficiency natural gas or propane furnace or boiler with a Honda co-generator to produce heat and electricity for homes.

“The inclusion of micro-CHP as an eligible technology in New York State’s net metering law is extremely significant,” said Michael Paparone, president and CEO of ECR International. “Net metering will allow micro-CHP homeowners to offset the cost of electricity they purchase from a utility by selling any excess power they generate back to the utility. We estimate this will save New York State homeowners approximately $1,000 per year.”
The previous law permitted net energy metering for residential solar, farm waste, non-residential solar and residential and/or farm service wind electric generating systems. The amended law also requires electric corporations to permit net energy metering for micro-CHP generating equipment and to provide for the interconnection to the electric system of micro-CHP systems in the same manner as other eligible technologies.

“I am very pleased that this new law will encourage economic investment in skilled New York jobs, which includes our local residents who work at ECR International in Utica as well as those New Yorkers who work at the facility in Dunkirk,” Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito (D/WF-Rome) explained. “ECR International has already invested $10 million in upgrading its Utica and Dunkirk facilities retaining and creating 35-40 jobs, with approximately another $5 million in planned further investments that will add 300 more jobs in the next few years as a result of the enactment of this very important measure.”

The amended law takes effect immediately, but allows New York electric utilities three months to prepare for the appropriate changes. ECR International will be working with the utilities to help establish the procedures required to comply with the new law.

“New York State and its residents face significant energy and climate change challenges,” said Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida, who introduced the bill to the Senate on April 15, 2009. “Energy efficiency continues to be the most cost-effective and the most immediate way to reduce the burden of rising energy and environmental costs, as well as our energy-related carbon footprint.”

Micro-CHP has been identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as one of its 2009 Climate Choice technologies. According to the EPA, Climate Choice is a new partnership program that recognizes emerging technologies that have the potential to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions once they are more widely adopted.

For more information on freewatt, visit www.freewatt.com.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — eTailer CableOrganizer.com , among the world’s foremost providers of cable, wire and equipment management-related products for use in business and at home, today announced that it has increased the number of Milwaukee ® heavy duty, portable electric power tools and accessories available from its award-winning online catalog located at http://CableOrganizer.com/milwaukee-tools, having recently added more than a dozen Milwaukee SKUs.

Since its founding in 1924, Milwaukee has focused on a single vision: To produce the best heavy-duty electric power tools and accessories available to the professional user. Today, the Milwaukee name stands for the highest quality, durable and reliable professional tools money can buy. The company continues to set industry standards, targeting professional tool users of all types with a comprehensive line of tools and accessories. Throughout its history Milwaukee’s commitment to quality has remained steadfast. Today, quality is designed into the company’s products using state-of-the-art technologies and sophisticated manufacturing techniques.

Sparks, Nev. — CADdetails is the only online library that fully integrates CAD drawings, CSI-formatted specifications, 3-D models, and product photographs and provides this information to specifiers free of charge on their website.

Through the use of CADdetails, Haws Corporation will be best situated to take advantage of the explosive growth of the web as a tool used by industrial specifiers as a source of information on products and services. Specifiers will be able to immediately find the products for their application and download scalable 3-D drawings immediately for inclusion into their specifications free of charge.

For more information on CADdetails visit www.caddetails.com.

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West Fargo, N.D. — Bobcat Co. announced that it is transferring all North American machinery production to its original manufacturing facility in Gwinner, N.D. This will result in discontinuing production at Bobcat’s Bismarck, N.D., plant by the end of 2009.

Currently, Bobcat mini excavators, the ToolcatTM utility work machine, the S70 skid-steer loader and mini
track loaders are made in Bismarck, while all other Bobcat skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, and
all-wheel steer loaders are manufactured in Gwinner.

With the consolidation, all machines — including the only mini excavators made in North America —
will move to Gwinner, home of the first production three-wheeled loader (the precursor to the skid-steer
loader) in 1958.

“This was a difficult decision because Bismarck has been a vital part of the Bobcat story for more than 30
years,” said Rich Goldsbury, president of Bobcat Americas. “But, good companies adapt to change, and
this is a realignment that will best enable us to serve our dealers and customers moving forward.”

Over the next three months, 475 production positions will be phased out of Bismarck, but as many as
390 jobs will remain in North Dakota to accommodate the consolidation. Bismarck will retain 150
positions across Product Engineering, Finance, Accounts Payable and Aftermarket Parts — areas
unaffected by the move. The Bobcat Manufacturing Support Center will also remain in Bismarck.

Bobcat began producing machines in Bismarck as Melroe Manufacturing Company in 1974 after the
company acquired Bismarck-based Kirschmann Manufacturing, maker of the Spra-Coupe crop sprayer
(AGCO acquired the Spra-Coupe line in 1998 from Ingersoll-Rand — Bobcat’s parent company at the
time). The Bismarck facility began producing mini excavators in 1989, and the ToolcatTM utility work
machine was launched in 2003.