A look at the long-standing partnership between Gerber Plumbing

Transcription

APRIL 2009
VOL. 64, NO. 4
News of Plumbing • Heating • Cooling • Industrial Piping Distribution
We’ll see you at K• BIS!
F.W. Webb to
distribute
Acadia system
in Northeast
B anGor , m aIne — energy-minded
homeowners and businesses in the
northeast now have easier access to
the acadia: combined heating and
cooling System from hallowell
International with the new distribution
partnership with F.W. Webb company,
the largest distributor of hvac products
(Turn to ‘Revolutionary’... page 41.)
Cregger Co.
opens, acquires
new locations
KITCHEN/BATH INDUSTRY SHOW
& CONFERENCE
colUmBIa, S.c. — cregger company
announced several new recent branch
openings, and made an acquisition.
a new 17,000-square-foot branch in
Showrooms at plumbing wholesalers bear little resemblance to the rather utilitarian approach they took
years ago. Today’s showrooms are often luxurious, with a vast selection of product on hand, along with working displays, TV and video monitors, children’s playrooms, lighting, appliances and much more. Decorative
manufacturers will be showcasing their wares May 1-3 at the World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Brunswick, Ga., distributes both plumbing and hvac equipment and supplies.
local industry veterans Scott Gainous
(branch manager) and Greg Yancey (out(Turn to New locations... page 66.)
Loyalty at work
A look at the long-standing partnership
between Gerber Plumbing Fixtures, Coburn’s
BY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
I
n any relationship — whether it be business or
personal — loyalty is among the most desired
traits anyone could want in a partner. By definition,
loyalty implies a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. It ranks right up
there with characteristics such as honesty and
integrity. But while loyalty might be simple to define
and proclaim, it is not always easy to live it on a
daily basis.
Up and down the phcp channel, companies boast
of their loyalty to their trading partners. The relationship between coburn Supply company and
(Turn to Coburn’s, Gerber... page 42.)
IN STYLE
IN STOCK
IN NO TIME
At The Distribution Point, we are dedicated in
providing wholesalers with the industry’s leading
faucet and fixture brands. We are where you
can find collections that are top of the line and
hard to find. Whether it’s favorites like American
Standard and Toto or a famous brand that
delivers a
BOLD LOOK, you can find
what you need under our roof.
CHICAGO
FAUCETS
So, if you’re still wondering where to go for your
wholesale needs, give us a call today or visit
our website. We look forward to serving you!
®
Phone: 866-837-2550 &AXs4HE$ISTRIBUTION0OINTCOM
6ISIT4HE$ISTRIBUTION0OINTCOMTOVIEWOURLATESTSPECIALSANDOFFERS
See contact information on page 70
The perfect industrial fit.
Matco-Norca’s industrial products are made to industry specifications in order to meet all your
requirements. Our extensive inventory makes us your most reliable source, and our longstanding global partnerships ensure consistent quality and availability. You’ll find we’re the perfect
fit for high volume, high pressure industrial applications. Call Matco-Norca to learn how we
can fit into your business.
Global sourcing. National compliance. Local service.
Brewster NY P: 800-431-2082 F: 800-640-2252 Houston TX P: 800-935-5456 F: 800-683-4247
La Palma CA P: 866-532-8306 F: 866-532-8307 Americus GA P: 800-433-7526 F: 800-533-5134
www.matco-norca.com • [email protected]
SMALLER
EASIER
BETTER
UP TO
21-SEER
WISER
Fujitsu, the WISER choice in comfort.
W
ARRANTY INDOOR AIR SIZE
Our ductless miniHave peace of mind
with a 2-year parts
warranty and a
6-year compressor
warranty.
QUALITY
Air that’s clean and
free of pollutants.
Our electronic
plasma filtration
absorbs odors and
collects dust, cigarette
smoke and pollen.
splits are packed with
features but are up to
39% smaller than prior
models. Cool spaces
without compromising
aesthetics.
T H E
E
FFICIENCY R410A
Save your customers Used in all our
money! Fujitsu’s new
systems are up to
110% more efficient
than prior models.
P O S S I B I L I T I E S
A R E
For more information visit fujitsugeneral.com
I N F I N I T E
systems, this
environmentally
friendly refrigerant
prevents the
depletion of the
ozone layer.
6•
•THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2009
IN THIS ISSUE
The Front Page
It’s Kitchen/Bath Industry
Show time again, and this
year participants will flock
to Atlanta for the latest in
faucets, sinks, tubs, toilets
and all manner of new,
innovative and decorative
products for every K/B job.
In the News
ASA to descend on Washington . . . . .10
ceco maintains quality . . . . . . . . . .12
Distribution Point bases success
on strong relationships . . . . . . . . . .16
Symmons enlarges premium line . . .22
torrington hosts collections seminar
for the trades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
PeRc tackles drainline transport . . .32
Ground-loop systems = tax break . . .62
Grundfos issues scam alert . . . . . . . .65
Geothermal to aid recovery . . . . . . .66
lochinvar gets tV gig . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Peter Schor’s kitchen/bath product
showcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 – 55
Beschloss Beat
Ironbound Supply
Morris Beschloss interviews Howard
Kent, president of Ironbound Supply
of Newark, N.J. Kent describes Ironbound’s
strategy of providing prompt service and specialty items to become a trusted supplier . . .36
Columns
RIcH ScHMItt: Keep a clear head and thrive
in tough economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
teRRy BRocK: A great attitude goes far . . . .28
DAN HoloHAN: Now that’s service! . . . . . . .46
PeteR ScHoR: K/BIS advice . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
MoRRIS BeScHloSS: Predictions verified . . . .50
Next Month
Watch for the Wholesaler’s 2009 PVF Hall of Fame!
8•
• THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2009
SMART MANAGEMENT
Making the best out of a
difficult business climate
B
efore i get into the column, i
want to discuss the attitudes that
i am encountering within our
industry as i talk with people at many
levels. There are people who are viewing the glass as 3/4 empty and others
who are viewing it as 1/4 full. Some are
bemoaning the business they no longer
have and others have set about adjusting
to the new reality of the world. if i were
betting, i would bet on the ones who are
determined to survive and make money
in the 1/4-full market. Many people are
moping around like Eeyore from Winnie
the Pooh. They have lost their personal
energy and will probably infect the rest
of their team. Make no mistake, doom
and gloom is highly contagious to the
rest of the team.
Part of the formula for making the
best of the situation is a clear understanding of your situation. Last month i
discussed the importance of first-hand
customer/market contact as one part in
gaining a clear vision of your situation.
When your vision is blurry, based on
second and third-hand reports, it can
lead to all sorts of inaccurate perceptions
and bad decisions. in a flourishing market, you can recover from a lot of mistakes based on the volume. in a tough
market, you don’t have as much business to cushion you from a hard fall.
The next area of clarity should be
operating with clear management
reports. in our industry, there are a
remarkable number of wholesalers who
manage their companies with very little
data and even less information. (in my
book the difference between data and
information relates to the actions it supports.) Data is often the raw material
used to create information but it requires
additional work and energy to convert
that data into useable decision-producing information. Just like steel, many
tons of iron ore and other raw materials
data as well as other data that can be
analyzed further. in many cases, there is
a lot of raw data but it is not being
“mined” and converted into anything
useful. in my view, this is due to:
• Programmers have mastered the
process of capturing data but do not
know what information is needed to run
a business. This is understandable since
their training and skills are probably
technical in nature and might not be
In a flourishing market, you can recover
from a lot of mistakes based on the volume.
In a tough market, you don’t have as
much business to cushion you from a hard fall.
go into the production of a single ton of
steel. You can create very little with the
basic raw ore but you can make many
things with the resultant steel.
Most of the information systems of
the last decade capture and store massive amounts of data but very few actually help transform that data into actionable information. Many of the systems
created long ago, and still in use today,
were designed when hard disk space was
very expensive and sold at a very high
premium. These systems often captured
only the absolute minimum data
required for accounting and basic business management. More current systems
capture the accounting and operating
strong in business management and
analysis. Frankly, it’s management’s job
to determine the company’s information
needs and get the programmers to provide the needed information.
• Managers and other system users
don’t know what to request from their
programmers or system provider. Often
the creation of new reports and data
views requires a detailed understanding
of the request and the system’s complex
data structure. Sometimes the managers
must describe their needs in such excruciating detail that they surrender long
before there is useable output from the
process. They might also fear their
request will involve a huge programming bill, so they don’t ask for what
they really need.
• Lack of focus by the system providers. System providers invest their
programming efforts broadly so they can
attract the broadest group of customers.
investing in specific industries or segments of industries is riskier and has a
smaller potential return so the software
remains somewhat generalized. it is far
easier to sell a pile of lumber and nails
than build a complete house. Many systems provide a great “kit,” plenty of
lumber/nails and some even provide the
tools to process the data, but the actual
information produced is often left up to
the user. Though many users will have
similar needs, they expect each of their
users to reinvent the reports and extracts
needed to run the users’ businesses.
• The sheer quantity of data makes
analysis difficult. While the latest version of Excel can handle much larger
quantities of data than ever before, it is
still not particularly good at the process
without substantial effort. The skills
required often approach those of a programmer. in other words, this is not
within the skill-set of the average administrative person or manager in the
company. (You don’t learn this kind of
BY RICH SCHMITT
Management specialist
stuff in the three-hour Excel class the
company offers.) Very small companies
can probably still use general purpose
tools but medium and large companies
need tools that were designed for the
purpose so they can effectively handle
the quantity of data and do it quickly.
• The iT department cannot move
beyond fire-fighting. Data mining might
be important but there are more pressing
things to do with their time. Sometimes
the work to keep all the terminals and
printers working at the same time is a
massive effort. And when branch 2’s
communications line is down, data
analysis is certainly the “wrong-work”
for the iT team.
• The iT department has more interesting things to do with their time. Most iT
people’s background is rooted in network administration, system administration, hardware maintenance as opposed
(Turn to Even if your... page 41.)
Presents:
Industry events
for 2009
APRIL
30-May 3 — Kitchen & Bath Industry
Show, Atlanta. www.kbis.com
MAY
6-9 — Association of Independent
Manufacturers Representatives, Dallas,
www.aimr.net
17-21 — Nat’l Assn. of Oil Heat Service
Managers
Show,
Hershey,
Pa.
www.naohsm.org
JUNE
15-16 — North Central Wholesalers
Assn., Ypsilanti, Mich. www.asa4.org
28-30 — Southern Wholesalers
Association Convention, Hilton Head,
S.C. www.southernwholesalers.org
SEPTEMBER
11 — WIT Meeting, Denver, Colo.
www.wit-co.com
OCTOBER
14-17 — American Supply Association
Annual Convention, Washington, D.C.,
ww.asa.net
31-Nov. 3 — Heating Airconditioning &
Refrigeration Distributors International
Convention, Orlando, Fla.,
www.hardinet.org
®
F
ormerly K
nown as G
erlin,, Inc.
Inc.
Formerly
Known
Gerlin,
Piping Solutions That Fit
TM
t5IFHSPXJOHOFFETPGPVSDVTUPNFST
t5IFFWFSDIBOHJOHHMPCBMNBSLFUQMBDF
t5IFRVBMJUZFYQFDUBUJPOTPGUIFFOEVTFS
Offering weld fitting and flange solutions for stainless and alloy piping systems through various brands
TM
Picor ®
Tube Line Stainless
Tube Tec
weld fittings
stainless and alloy
pipe flanges
stainless and alloy
large diameter weld fittings
stainless and alloy
weld fittings and flanges
stainless and alloy
Superior Quality.
Exceptional Quality.
Excellent Quality.
Trusted Quality. Best Value.
Domestically produced, Picor weld
fittings are known for first-class
performance in critical applications.
Manufactured in a variety of
configurations, Picor offers more
than just the standard commodities.
Custom fittings can be designed to
meet or exceed specific needs in
process industries such as:
Domestically produced,
Tube Line stainless and
alloy pipe flanges are
produced to exceed
industry standards.
With state-of-the-art
machining capabilities
various dimensions or
tolerances are easily
accommodated. From
standard to custom
orders, excellence is
delivered.
Domestically produced,
Tube Tec large diameter
stainless & alloy weld
fittings best serve
applications such as
wastewater, pulp and paper, bio fuels, and
grain processing.
Globally produced, Brite
Line provides customers
a value brand of stainless
and alloy weld fittings and
flanges. These products
are manufactured to Core
Pipe standards using joint
venture facilities or
approved global partners.
In the competitive global
marketplace, Brite Line
gives customers the
confidence of knowing
quality is never
compromised.
BREWERY QUALITY (BQ) –
beverage industry precision
tolerances for wall thickness,
roundness and finish.
Brite Line ®
TM
CHEM/PHARM –
pharmaceutical and chemical
industry requirements for inside
surfaces to perfectly match up
for precise weld penetration.
LONG TANGENT/BELLED END –
various industries such as pulp and
paper, emergency and tanker trucks
and other applications requiring
special fittings or economical fillet
welding techniques.
MARINE marine industry requirements for
specialized fittings in a variety of
materials suited for marine
applications.
®
1 7 0 T U B E WAY
W AY D R I V E / C A R O L S T R E A M , I L 6 0 1 8 8 / 6 3 0 . 6 9 0 . 7 0 0 0 / W W W
W.. C O R E P I P E . C O M
®
10 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
ASA schedules joint
Legislative Fly-In for April
WASHiNgTON, D.C. — LiFO. Card Check
legislation. Family Medical Leave Act.
Water infrastructure. Asbestos liability.
Copper theft. These are just a few of the
high-priority issues on the 2009 legislative agenda for the American Supply
Association. ASA has a long-standing
government & Public Affairs Committee that has become increasingly
active in recent years, putting forth a significant effort with legislators and regulatory agencies to represent the interests
of PHCP and PVF wholesale distributors
and manufacturers.
A keystone to that effort is the joint
Legislative Fly-in, where ASA members
travel to Washington, D.C. to personally
meet face-to-face with congressional
representatives, senators and agency
officials to promote the association’s
legislative agenda. “Chances are at least
one of the issues we are addressing is
causing any number of our members to
lose some sleep,” shared Mike Adelizzi,
executive vice president of ASA. “These
are issues currently receiving a great
deal of attention in Washington, D.C.
that have the potential to make a significant impact on all ASA members, as well
as companies in related industries.
That’s why we’ve partnered with PHCC,
HARDi and ACCA. The impact we can
make is significant, the effects of which
can be far-reaching.”
The chairman of ASA’s government
& Public Affairs Committee, Don
Robertson of the Western Suppliers
Association, is encouraged by the new
energy ASA members are contributing
to legislative efforts. “By combining
our efforts through an association, the
unified voice makes a more powerful
statement than if each individual company acted on its own,” said
Robertson. “The individuals who participated in last year’s fly-in have
remained active. Dennis goode from
M. Cooper Supply testified before a
congressional committee on copper
theft. Jeff New from Mid-City Supply
Rep. Joe Donnelly, Rex Martin of NIBCO
and Jeff New of Mid-City Supply.
Mike Adelizzi of ASA, John Mills of WHCI
Plumbing and Domenic Messina of
Peabody Supply after an issues briefing.
Co. and Joe Poehling of First Supply
hosted their congressional representatives at their businesses.
Hundreds of others have taken an
active role in contacting their elected
officials on issues that will impact their
ability to compete and be successful.
Once someone experiences the briefings
and the visits that are part of the fly-in
program, it becomes evident that one
person can make a difference, can have
an impact, can speak up and be heard,
and that has a lasting effect that changes
behavior. We’ve seen it time and time
again, and we know participation does
make a difference.”
The Legislative Fly-in provides a
unique opportunity to develop and foster
relationships with members of Congress
and their staffs. Participants will take
part in personal meetings with their
elected officials where they can discuss
issues and urge these officials to make
decisions in the best interests of their
businesses and the industry as a whole.
ASA will provide participants with
complete briefs on all the issues that will
be discussed with the elected. Each person will receive an issue packet prepared
in advance and briefed on what to expect
in the meetings. issues scheduled to be
addressed include LiFO repeal, card
check legislation, accelerated depreciation, and lead in plumbing products.
The agenda includes an issues briefing on Capitol Hill, a welcome dinner
with invited speaker Bill Kristol, editor
of The Weekly Standard and one of the
nation’s leading political analysts and
commentators, a breakfast with members of Congress and scheduled appointments on Capitol Hill.
Some of ASA’s regional affiliates,
including WANE, MWDA and WSA, have a
rebate program in place for their members who participate in the Fly-in.
Members are encouraged to contact their
regional headquarters directly for
details. For complete registration information, visit www.asa.net or contact
Chris Murin at 312/464-0090, ext. 205
or [email protected].
PEACHTREE CiTY, gA. — The Fashion
Bath Plumbing Wholesale Division of
Lifetime Brands inc. was acquired
by family-owned, privately held
USE Bath Fixtures LLC on
January 21, 2009. USE is a wholesaler supplier-partner with many purchasing companies, specialty stores,
home improvement retailers, bath/lighting showrooms and is specified and
placed at most hospitality venues.
The USE management team relocated
from Long island, N.Y., to Peachtree
City, ga. The distribution center, logis-
tics, supply-chain and operations were
relocated from York, Pa., to a much larger 85,000-square-foot, state-ofthe-art facility in Davenport,
iowa. USE also has a location in
the Los Angeles area.
Mike Velsmid, USE president and
owner said, “Our new diversified platform for growth will give our hospitality partners shorter lead times and very
competitive prices for premium decorative accessories from our multi-geographical locations.”
For details, visit www.usehome.com.
George T. Sanders hosts
3rd Annual Field Marketing Summit USE Bath Fixtures acquires
Lifetime Brands division
WHEAT RiDgE, COLO. — Friday, February
13th was far from superstitious for those
attending george T. Sanders’ 3rd annual
Field Marketing Summit. instead it was
a day filled with looking into the future
and of high hopes amidst all the economic turmoil. gTS employees gathered with
local representatives from 12 Affiliated
Distributor vendors at the Sheraton
Denver Tech Center Hotel in greenwood
Village, Colo., to plan a year full of exciting new sales goals and events.
A-D is a nationally known buying and
marketing group that serves independent
distributors of plumbing, PVF, HVAC, electrical and general line industrial supplies.
george T. Sanders Company has been a
member since 2001 and expects to stay
an active member in the years to come.
it is important to members of A-D to
stay involved through events like the Field
Shown in back: Derek Bell, VP-sales
and marketing and Scott Horner, VP and
COO; front row, Thomas Tooley, president and Ted Batchelder, CFO.
Marketing Summit because it allows relationships to be built, strengthened and
continued between supplier and distributor. it has also been proven to increase
sales for both parties and benefit consumers. it is a win-win situation for all,
which is why A-D strongly encourages distributors to host this event every year.
The Field Marketing Summit is similar to the North American Meeting hosted by A-D every year only on a smaller
and more local scale. it is beneficial to
have everyone gathered in the same
place for an entire day to organize the
best course of action for each market.
Suppliers meet with gTS branch managers and salespeople for 20 minutes
each to discuss plans for the coming
year, which may include but are not limited to employee training, end-user training, sales incentives, open houses,
counter days, joint sales calls etc.
george T. Sanders is excited about the
opportunities the Field Marketing
Summit will provide as 2009 unfolds,
especially with their new stores in
Casper and Cody, Wyo. Houston Supply
in Wyoming, now a Division of george
T. Sanders Company, will also be able to
participate in events with the A-D suppliers. And with 14 locations, george T.
Sanders can now better serve the markets in Colorado and Wyoming.
george T. Sanders and Houston
Supply have been proudly servicing the
needs of the professional plumbing and
heating trades for over 50 years. Contact
the main office at 303/426-9660 or visit
www.gtsanders.com.
Northeastern Supply’s Leonardtown, Md.,
store moves to new, ‘more convenient’ location
BALTiMORE — Northeastern Supply
inc.’s new Leonardtown, Md., store,
located at 26731 Radio Station Way,
opened on January 12. Leonardtown
manager Tim Yates said, “The new store
is only five minutes away from our old
location, but it is much more convenient
for our customers.”
The new building houses some 15,000
square feet of interior space, and the
ample outdoor storage space allows the
company to stock more products than
ever. The larger quarters allow the entire
inventory to fit under one roof. Better
parking and docks or drive-in loading
are now available.
Companies and individuals interested
in obtaining products or services from
the new Leonardtown branch can contact Tim Yates from 7 a.m to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday.
The address is Northeastern Supply,
26731 Radio Station Way, Leonardtown,
MD 20650, phone 301/475-2828, fax
301/475-9163. For additional information, visit www.northeastern.com.
TECHNOLOGY
PEOPLE
RESULTS
“APR Supply has maintained its competitive
12 •
SUPPLIER NEWS
advantage by leveraging the industry features,
benefits, and companion products offered
by Activant.”
– Scott M. Weaver,
President & CEO, APR Supply
Q&A with Matthew Hurray
CECO capitalizes on high-quality
production to grow business
BY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
N
Activant designs business software especially
for plumbing wholesalers and invests a significant
portion of its annual revenue in research and
development. Our distribution-savvy employees
dedicate themselves to ensuring you maximize
the return on your technology investment.
More than 4,200 distributors rely on Activant’s
superior technology solutions and knowledgeable
people to achieve proven results.
ow in its fourth generation of
Hurray family ownership, CECO
has been producing high-quality
porcelain enameled cast iron plumbing
fixtures since 1928. Originally known
as the Commercial Enameling
Company, CECO was founded by
Michael Hurray in Los Angeles, Calif..
Upon his death in the late 1940s, his son
Edward took over. CECO was passed on
to Edward’s son Michael Hurray in the
early 1990s and then to Michael’s sons
Mark and Matthew Hurray in 2003.
in its early years, CECO produced plumbing fixtures,
and during World War ii
they also produced bomb
casings for the U.S. Military.
Today, CECO’s core competencies
include an established, high-quality
manufacturing process, the ability to
quickly deliver product to its customers
and an established distribution network
on the wholesale level.
Thanks to its extensive experience
and desire to remain a privately owned
operation, CECO has developed a reputation for its ability to efficiently produce
and deliver high-quality plumbing fixtures. Over the years, CECO has produced
products for a large number of American
plumbing fixture manufacturers.
The company’s headquarters and
main distribution center are in Huntington Park, Calif. They also have regional
distribution centers scattered around the
country in Northern California, Arizona,
Colorado, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma,
georgia, Florida, North Carolina,
Maryland and New Jersey.
in addition to the Hurray brothers,
CECO is fortunate to have the talents of
several other key executives:
• Chief financial officer Bob Col clough, who is assisted by Shana Leang
• Miguel Cervantes is coordinator of
inside sales and customer service
• Tim Cencak is national sales director
• Victor Corro is the warehouse and
distribution.acti vant.com/results
80 0.776.7438
© 2009, Activant Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. Activant and the Activant logo are registered trademarks of Activant Solutions Inc.
All other company or product names are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
The CECO management team includes
(from left): Matthew Hurray, Miguel
Cervantes, Shana Leang, Bob
Colclough, Tim Cencak, Victor Corro
and Mark Hurray.
logistics coordinator.
Recently, Matthew Hurray talked with
editorial director Mary Jo Martin about
their plans for continuing CECO’s great
tradition in the marketplace.
MJM: You are now in the fourth generation of your family to own this business. Why has it been so important to
maintain CECO as a family business, and
how has that direct owner involvement
shaped the way you do business?
Hurray: The major advantage of
being a small family owned business is
the ability to make decisions — whether
big or small — in a timely fashion. With
the speed at which business is conducted
today, it is important for companies to make decisions
quickly — and Mark,
Robert and i can get in
touch with each other via
phone, e-mail, or in person and make
decisions quickly. This is something that
larger companies have difficulty with
because of a longer chain of command.
MJM: Do you have a factory sales
force or use independent reps, and why
do you prefer your chosen method of
going to market?
Hurray: CECO uses both factory
salespeople and manufacturers’ reps.
Tim Cencak, who has more than 13
years of experience at CECO, along with
Mark and i, spearhead our sales efforts
across the U.S. We work closely with
our manufacturer’s reps throughout the
country. This combined effort is essential to our success, in that our wholesale
base has many different ways to contact
us for product information, inventory
updates, technical support and more in a
timely fashion.
MJM: What have been the best ways
you’ve found to market your products,
build relationships and expand your customer base?
Hurray: The best way we have found
to market our products is through various
trade shows and buying group exposure.
A lot of our business is based on relationships, and that is where we see the
biggest benefit from our manufacturer’s
reps. good reps usually have strong relationships with a large customer base in
their territories, which opens the door for
smaller companies like CECO. We are very
fortunate to have a superb group of manufacturer’s reps across the country that are
able to do exactly that.
Our number one priority every year is
to increase our customer base. During
economic times like these, this is a major
component for success. in the last year,
we have had a competitor completely
abandon their wholesale distribution.
Even though these are trying times for
(Turn to CECO, page 14.)
LOWER INVENTORY. INCREASED TURNS.
GREATER PROFITS.
At a time when everyone is focused on reducing costs, supplier performance has never
been more important. Everyone promises you great products, great service, at a great
price. At Legend Valve, it isn’t a promise... it's a guarantee. While others are reducing
their commitments to customers, we're increasing ours.
• Shipment
within 24 hours, so you keep
inventories lower and profits higher
• Industry-high
• Error-free
99%+ fill rate
transactions
• No
restocking fees
• No
minimum orders
Guaranteed.
QUALITY AT EVERY TURN™
1-800-752-2082 www.legendvalve.com
© 2008, Legend Valve & Fitting, Inc. All rights reserved. Downstream Thinking is a registered
trademark of Legend Valve. It’s All About Performance is a trademark of Legend Valve.
14 •
SUPPLIER NEWS
CECO
(Continued from page 12.)
everyone, this is a tremendous opportunity for CECO to help provide quality
products to wholesalers that have lost a
source for cast iron fixtures. We can help
them continue to meet the needs of their
customers, while at the same time
increasing our customer base.
MJM: Describe the importance of
wholesalers to your sales and distribution efforts?
Hurray: CECO has always relied heavily on plumbing wholesalers throughout
the country for the distribution and sales
of our products. in fact, it is wholesalers
that have made our company what it is
today — and that is something we recognize and are quite proud of.
Many of our competitors supply products to the Big Box retailers on both
commodity and showroom fixtures,
whereas we depend on the wholesalers
to distribute our products through the
supply chain. You will not find our prod-
ucts at The Home Depot or Lowe’s.
MJM: What are you doing to further
solidify your supply chain partnership
with your wholesalers and contractor
customers?
Hurray: One aspect of our products
that has helped solidify our relationship
with all of our customers throughout the
supply chain is the reality that CECO
sinks are green products. Over 90% of
every CECO cast iron fixture is made
from recycled material.
MJM: Please describe your manufacturing operations?
Hurray: One of the major decisions
that we made as a company going into
the last two years was to increase our
inventory levels on all the products we
manufacture. The reasoning behind a
larger investment in inventory was simple: Make sure we have the products
when customers call. We feel this has
been very advantageous in helping us
achieve our goal of increasing our customer base — especially when we get
calls from “new” accounts.
This investment has also been very
advantageous to our curproducts, at valued pricing, with
rent customer base.
many different styles to
Our larger cuschoose from. We are a comtomers
realize
pany that stands behind those
that we have
products.
the inventory, More than
MJM:
Are
you
and this helps 90% of every CECO
involved with industry
them create cast iron fixture, such as
trade associations, buybetter turns this sink, is made from recycled material. ing groups, trade shows,
within their
etc., and if so, how does
specific systems. The smaller wholethis help your business?
salers realize that they don’t necessarily
Hurray: CECO has been a participant
need to tie up their dollars by carrying
in the K/BiS show for a number of years
large quantities of product because we
now and we are looking forward to the
are already doing that for them.
show in Atlanta this year. We invite
MJM: What have been some of your
wholesalers to visit us at our Booth,
most recent product launches?
number B3706 KHB).
Hurray: Our most recent product
The exposure that this show provides
launch was the introduction of our new
not only to our customers, but also to
Designer Select kitchen fixture series to
their customers, has been a tremendous
the market. There are five new models
aid to the growth of our company.
currently available with two new Farm
MJM: What sets you apart from your
Sinks on the way. These fixtures have an
competition?
attractive designer ledge around the top
Hurray: The main thing that sets us
of each bowl, extra deep bowls for supeapart from our competition is that we are
rior usability, and have been very well
a small company that is very easy to do
received by the wholesalers, builders
business with, and we have genuine interand showrooms.
est in the well being of our valued cusMJM: What products are you best
tomers throughout the supply chain. ■
known for?
Hurray: CECO plumbing fixtures are
For additional information, visit
known to our customers as top-quality
www.cecosinks.com.
SANIFLO Macerator
The original plumbing solution
SINCE 1958
Install a complete bathroom anywhere!
e!
t 3 inlets (toilet, shower/bath and sink)
t Check valves included
t Vertical plumbing, up to 15ft
t Horizontal pumping up to 150ft
t'VMMSBOHFPGNPEFMTUPTVJUZPVSTQFDJmDOFFET
tyear warranty
1-800-571-8191 | www.saniflo.com
Saniflo…all you need is water and an electrical
power supply, get the job done in a day !
Saniflo systems are installed above the floor.
All units are pre assembled and suitable for :
Garages
Under the stairs
Basements
Bedrooms
¾”
discharge
pipe
WHAT DOES EQUITY HAVE ON TAP FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
Equity Plumbing is a new Marketing Group that offers marketing
services and sales support to a network of independent Wholesale
Plumbing Distributors. Equity provides Distributors and Manufacturers
access to a powerful national membership network, proprietary
marketing plans, special promotional materials, and advertising
opportunities. What does Equity have on tap for your business?...
ANNUAL MEETING
Our Annual Meeting offers valuable opportunities for Manufacturer
and Distributor Member networking through:
t
One-on-One meetings
t
Peer networking sessions
t
Educational industry meetings
t
Drive sales with exclusive “Show Only” promotions
t
Speaking and event sponsorship opportunities
MARKETING SUPPORT
SUPPLYLINES is a professionally designed, full-color newsletter that is
individually customized by each participating Distributor with content
that is provided by approved Manufacturers. SUPPLYLINES enables
Distributor Members to effectively promote our Manufacturers’ products
to Contractors/End users.
THE ADVOCATE, our group’s featured publication, is a showcase for
Manufacturers and their products with a circulation to reach industrial
purchasing and sales managers. This publication includes messages from
Equity executives as well as news and industry-related educational articles.
With
sales exceeding
MARKETING PROGRAMS
AIM - Strengthens Manufacturer relationships through marketing
and educational activities supported by local sales reps.
$6.2 billion in combined
plumbing and electrical products,
VOLUME PLUS - Provides Manufacturers with a conduit to
offer incremental growth plans, which establish individual
sales goals for participating Members.
Equity provides marketing services and
sales support to a network of independent
PROFIT POWER - Provides Members with a significant financial
incentive for converting business from non-approved Manufacturers
to approved Manufacturers.
wholesale distributors that services
nearly every primary and secondary
market in the United States.
THAT is power that flows to
INCENTIVE TRAVEL - Provides Members with a way to drive sales
by offering cost-effective travel incentives to their customers.
PROMOTIONS - Each month Members receive several promotions
that are exclusive to the Equity Plumbing Membership. Equity
Plumbing offers a promotional development and delivery service,
at no cost to all Manufacturers.
your bottom line.
LET THE PROFITS BEGIN TO FLOW
CALL BOB SNYDER TODAY TO GET STARTED
(888) 433-2342 X234
WWW.EQUITYPLUMBING.COM
J O I N T O D A Y A N D W A T C H T H E P RO F I T S F L O W T O Y O U R B O T T O M L I N E
16 •
MASTER DISTRIBUTION
Service and availability
keys to success for
The Distribution Point
BY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
H
is 10+ years on the management
team at Fort Worth, Texas-based
Morrison supply provided
Ranson Roussel with extensive experience and knowledge of the plumbing
distribution industry. From that vantage
point, Roussel quickly recognized the
tremendous opportunity to enter master
distribution as Home Depot announced
its purchase of yoW in 2001.
The Distribution point was formed
by Roussel as an independent u.s. master distributor with the primary focus of
supplying the wholesale plumbing
community.
Based in Moody, Ala., The Distribution point stocks 21 vendors,
including kohler, American standard
and Toto, and supplies 3,000 customers
from its call center and warehouse
operations.
“We work very hard on developing
strong relationships with our vendors as
understanding product (new and existing) and the supply chain is crucial for a
master distributor,” Roussel noted.
“These partnerships are key for our
overall success and growth rate.
“Basically, the lines we carry are
based on our customer demand. We
track and monitor all lost sales and once
a pre-determined threshhold is hit, we
then begin the process of adding a line,
product grouping, sku, etc.
The analysis of our customers’ demand is the biggest
indicator in this process —
we always want to have
ample supply in stock to meet
their needs.”
Currently, TDp is primarily
focused on residential product, but they do service commercial orders. strong in customer service, Roussel noted
that they are capable of working with customers on job Shown in the TDP warehouse photo are (from left) Mequotes, and are constantly gan Graves, Lee Anne Holsomback, Melissa Glidewell,
looking for opportunities to Jennifer Ho, Mollie Donohue and Alishia Ho.
grow and expand their customer base.
Roussel is extraordinary,” said DonThe Distribution point’s 35 employohue. “ He applies an open door policy
ees are led by a management team that
along with an approach of ‘asking for
includes:
forgiveness rather than permission.’ He
• president Ranson Roussel
employs smart, ambitious and outgoing
• Vice president-operations Rusty Baker
individuals and provides them the
• Director of Marketing Mollie Donohue
framework to grow and expand their
• Director of purchasing Barbara Quinn
wings, allowing them the ability to make
• Director of Inside sales Joan Wood.
decisions on their own. He pushes us all
“The leadership headed by Ranson
(Turn to The Distribution... page 18.)
18 •
MASTER DISTRIBUTION
The Distribution Point: Forging
strong links in the chain
to strive to give him 100% every day. I
have found it rare not to have a ‘micromanager’ as a boss — but Ranson’s philosophy is one that empowers his
employees through decision-making and
team-building exercises. It really adds to
the success of the organization as it challenges us all to ‘think’ and think outside
the box. This, coupled with the incredible atmosphere he has created, makes
coming to work incredibly enjoyable.”
Roussel also stresses employee training — especially for TDp’s customer
service reps - to ensure that they are able
to best serve customers and answer
questions that might arise. TDp currently has one outside sales rep who calls on
customers, but the majority of its sales
are provided through its inside customer
service representatives.
“our CsRs continually receive training
and product reviews from our vendors.”
Roussel noted. “Technical knowledge is
not as important for a master distributor
as cross selling and product substitutions. For the most part, when a customer calls, they are in search of a particular product. As a result, our sales
staff is challenged with recommending
additional products the customer might
not have considered, or recommending
an alternative product if needed.”
Roussel’s background at Morrison
allowed him to “walk in his customers’
shoes,” so he can strongly identify with
their needs. This has given him a unique
perspective on recruiting new business
and building strong relationships with
customers.
“In comparison to traditional wholesaling firms, we have more of an opportunity to develop strong relationships
with our customers due to the frequency
Members of TDP’s sales team are (from row, from left): Megan Graves, Jennifer Ho,
Stephine Jennings, (back row) Wendy Cascio, Shari Watkins, Candace Davies, Lee
Anne Holsomback and Alishia Ho.
of calls and the amount of repetitive
business we strive to capture,” he
explained. “Many of our CsRs have
developed a strong rapport with their
customers as they are speaking to them
several times a week. I would say the
biggest difference between our business
and a typical wholesaler is the frequency
of the calls verses the frequency of visits
(Turn to Alabama ... page 20.)
Through these doors are greater profits
and peace of mind.
To relieve the stress of orders that don’t arrive on time,
we give you the industry’s fastest lead time on any configuration, size or color of shower enclosure.
And if you think that’s fast, we have a 24 hour turn-around time on all stock doors..
POaQ]aV]eS`R]]`Q][j&#"!'!&
20 •
MASTER
DISTRIBUTION
Alabama master distributor
builds strong relationships
of inventory to keep on hand, without tying up too
a customer makes to a showroom. our CsRs have the
much cash in product that might not turn quickly.
opportunity to speak to the same showroom represen“We closely monitor demand rates and lost opportative multiple times a week — which is why relatunities,” Roussel explained. “We continually monitor
tionship building is so key to our business model. our
vendor led times, fill rates and supply chain issues. We
CsRs work very hard at
forming relationships with
our customers and want to
ensure that they are meeting
all of their needs.”
According to Donohue,
The Distribution point has
found that the best ways to
market itself and target new
business is through advertising in national industry
publications such as The
Wholesaler, along with putting together direct mail
pieces and e-mail campaigns.
In addition, TDp relies on
referrals from its customers
and vendors, which is why
service is such a key element
of their business.
To streamline the order- The management team at The Distribution Point includes (from left): President,
ing process both for TDp and Ranson Roussel; Director of Purchasing, Barbara Quinn; Vice-President of
its channel partners, they Operations; Rusty Baker, Director of Inside Sales; Joan Wood and Director of
have invested in a new Marketing, Mollie Donohue.
mainframe computer system, and when launched summer of 2009 will be capawant to ensure we have a large depth of skus, but we
ble of eDI. However, Roussel noted that at this time,
also have to ensure we are turning product and not
“we are not yet convinced that online ordering will aid
becoming overstocked by items that will just gather
in the facilitation of the timeliness of an order. This is
dust. It basically comes down to a team of individuals
a function that we are monitoring closely and if we
who continually analyze and monitor our inventory,
believe it would be of greater benefit to our customers,
constantly making additions and deletions and adjustwe will implement it.”
ing quantity on hand. It is an on-going process that is
“our CsRs can process an order in less than two
continually tweaked and re-defined.”
minutes — from the start to the end of a call. When
It is also critical that TDp can ship product in the
analyzing the time it would take to access an online
most economical way possible to keep costs down,
site, search through the thousands
while still ensuring accurate and
of skus available and place an
timely delivery. There are 15 fullorder, the time needed would
time warehouse employees who
more than exceed our two-minute
are strategically segmented into
call time. We are constantly lookreceiving, shipping and stocking.
ing for new and innovative ways
“shipping is, of course, a corto expedite our ordering process,
nerstone to our business model,”
but want to ensure that at the end
Roussel noted. “We ship all
of the day, it will benefit the servorders same day to ensure that our
customers receive their product
ice capabilities offered to our cusnot only as quickly but as cost
tomers.”
effectively as possible. We have
The traffic on TDp’s website has
been consistently strong and the
developed great relationships
company continually updates its
with our carriers and shipping
home page as a way to promote its
providers, and they perform outvendors and their products. They
standing services for us.
have also experimented with
“our warehouse is a well-oiled
some exclusive offers through the
machine and are staff is crosswebsite. Currently, they are running a panasonic protrained so that individuals can shift on an as-needed
motion of a free WhisperGreen™ display and product
basis if demand is stemming from one particular area.
These guys are incredibly efficient. They are the ones
training with the purchase of any four WhisperGreen
who are owed the credit for our same-day shipping
or WhisperGreen-Lite™ ventilation fans (see
guarantee as they are the members of our team who
www.thedistributionpoint.com for details).
ensure this happens.”
product availability and shipping reliability are key
As the number of master distributors grows and the
to any master distributor’s success. It becomes a delicate balancing act to ensure the right amount and type
(Turn to The Distribution Point, page 22.)
Product lines:
See contact information
on page 70
American Standard
Kohler
TOTO
Delta
Brizo
Moen
ShowHouse
Brasstech
Grohe
Hansgrohe
Danze
Price Pfister
Mr. Steam
Kaldewei
Chicago Faucets
Panasonic
Elkay
Alsons
InSinkErator
Newport Brass
Creative Specialties
Axor
Install a Bathroom
Almost Anywhere
Zoeller Pump Company's Qwik Jon® Ultima is the smart solution
for all sewage removal needs when gravity flow is a problem.
6LPSOHHQRXJKIRUUHVLGHQWLDOUREXVWHQRXJKIRUFRPPHUFLDO
1REUHDNLQJRUEXLOGXSRIIORRUVQHFHVVDU\
*ULQGHUSXPSWDQNFDQEHLQVWDOOHGIUHHVWDQGLQJRUEHKLQGZDOO
5HDUIOXVKWRLOHWLVFRPIRUWKHLJKW$'$FRPSOLDQWDQGIHDWXUHVHORQJDWHGERZO
0RGHOFRPSOHWHZLWKUHDUIOXVKWRLOHWDQGJULQGHUSXPSWDQN
0RGHOVWDQGDUGUHDUIOXVKWRLOHWVROGVHSDUDWHO\
For more information on the Qwik Jon® Ultima, and other Zoeller
Pump Company products, please visit www.zoeller.com.
EDWKURRPV
EDVHPHQWV
FDELQV
WRROVKHGV
YDFDWLRQKRPHV
NN
IVERSAR
Y
A
2VBMJUZt4FSWJDFt*OOPWBUJPO
SI
N C E 1 93 9
.PEFM
.PEFM
ϯϲϰϵĂŶĞZƵŶZĚ͘ͻ>ŽƵŝƐǀŝůůĞ͕<zϰϬϮϭϭͻǁǁǁ͘ǌŽĞůůĞƌ͘ĐŽŵͻϱϬϮͲϳϳϴͲϮϳϯϭͻϭͲϴϬϬͲϵϮϴͲϳϴϲϳͻ&yϱϬϮͲϳϳϰͲϯϲϮϰ
22 •
SUPPLIER NEWS
Symmons Industries expands
line of premium bathroom suites
BRAINTRee, MAss. — symmons
Industries is a premier manufacturer of
commercial and residential plumbing
products, setting the standard for quality
in plumbing fittings since 1939.
Building on the reputation of its pioneering pressure-balancing shower
valve and its wide range of exceptional
products for the kitchen and bath,
symmons recently expanded its premium product line to include a variety of
bold, beautiful bathroom suites. From
contemporary to traditional, symmons
offers a complete suite to enhance any
bathroom décor.
each premium suite includes lavatory
and Roman tub faucets, tub/
shower systems and a variety
of complementary bath acces• Reminiscent of the classic architecture of sories. The components of
oxford, the geometric lines of the oxford suite each suite can be configured
evoke a sense of being among england’s ornate to accommodate the specific
towers and steeples. Boasting a bold and stately needs of each project. All
design, the refined, distinct look of the oxford suite tub/shower systems feature
is appropriate for a range of décor options from tra- the symmons anti-scald, pressure-balancing mixing valve,
ditional to contemporary.
• Featuring fresh, clean lines, the Naru suite offers which puts an end to “shower
a chic, contemporary design inspired by the Japanese shock.” Constructed from
verb “Naru,” meaning to become, to be, or to grow. solid brass, bronze and stainIdeal for achieving a spa-like atmosphere, the Naru less steel, symmons shower
valves ensure a safe, comfortsuite offers a soothing waterfall flow.
• The simple, sophisticated elegance of the able shower every time.
Also, homeowners can
Ballina Collection seamlessly blends classical
styling with modern splendor. The graceful, flow- enjoy the benefit of an easy,
ing lines of the design are inspired by the strong, non-invasive shower upgrade
yet beautiful movements of modern ballet. While by choosing symmons trim
showing its poise, the Ballina Collection comple- replacement. With a symmons
Temptrol® shower valve behind
ments a transitional or contemporary setting.
• evoking the antique cottage charm of an english the wall, simply replace the
country estate, the Winslet Collection embodies nos- trim components in front of the
talgic elements of colonial décor. The bold, arched wall with any symmons premicurves and simple lines combine to provide an old um trim design to quickly and
inexpensively refresh the look
world feel for today’s modern bathroom.
of the bathroom.
suited for a variety of residential and
commercial applications, symmons premium products are crafted from the
highest quality materials and built to
innovate within the industry. In addition
to expanding its premium product line,
symmons revolutionized the custom fittings category with The Design
studio™, the only service to provide
custom-designed bathroom fittings for
luxury hospitality and condominium
projects. As symmons reaches its 70th
year in business, the company maintains
an unrivaled commitment to quality
materials, superior engineering and solid
The Oxford Suite
Ballina Collection
The Naru Suite
The Winslet Collection
New Symmons suites
The Distribution Point
market becomes more competitive, it is
the economy,” Roussel noted. “As
crucial for any company to stand out.
wholesalers are looking to refine invenThe Distribution point does this through
tories and run as lean as possible, we are
their outstanding service record, of
finding the items we need to have in
which Roussel is exceedingly proud.
stock are shifting a bit. We are constant“service is our biggest competitive
ly analyzing our inventory and cusadvantage, coupled with being an indetomers’ demands as we want to ensure
pendent distributor,” he said. “By not
that we can support the wholesale combeing tied to a retail or wholesale chanmunity with the products moving in the
nel, we are not positioned to compete
market place.
with our customer base. We also con“A master distributor runs counterstantly monitor our call volumes and
cyclical to the economy. When the housrates as we want to ensure zero hold
ing market is booming, our support
times and the guarantee that a customer
comes in the form of special orders, hard
will speak to a live person without
to find skus and high-dollar items,
phone menus, hold times or transfers.”
which are costly to stock. As the econoIn that vein, Roussel noted that he has
my downtrends, we are finding that our
seen some changes in customers’ expecinventory is changing, and we are stocktations during his years in the industry,
ing more of the day-in-day-out items. By
and is always looking for ways for The
having large quantities of these items on
Distribution point to adapt to those
hand, we enable our customers to still
changing needs and wants. But currentsupply and sell their basics while allevily, his customers’ biggest concerns
ating and reducing their own inventory
revolve around surviving the downturn
spending.”
■
in construction.
“The biggest changes we are seeing
right now are stemming from the state of
www.thedistributionpoint.com.
stand the test of time. With a reputation
for manufacturing durable, long-lasting
products, symmons offers a lifetime
guarantee on all premium products used
in residential applications.
Now a third generation, familyowned company, symmons continues to
workmanship. pairing reliable behind
the wall technology with stylish and
durable design in front of the wall,
symmons is truly the smart choice in
plumbing products.
■
For additional information, visit www
.symmons.com.
PACE Supply opens three branches
sANTA RosA, CALIF. — pACe supply
Corporation, a santa Rosa-based wholesale plumbing distributor, announced the
opening of three new branch locations.
The 32,000-square-foot santa Clara
location opened in March. The 39,000square-foot oakland location and the
42,000-square-foot san Francisco location will open in April.
At a time when many companies in
the construction sector are cutting jobs,
pACe is hiring workers, adding about 90
employees, including warehouse workers, truck drivers and sales staff, bringing its head count to 365.
pACe is looking to diversify by entering new markets in the Bay Area’s urban
core. It’s a new direction for the company, which, until now, focused on
Northern California’s suburban and rural
construction markets. With the expansion, pACe will be selling equipment for
high-rise office buildings and other large
commercial projects.
Along with the expansion of its commercial division, pACe has brought on
board a team of people whose expertise
is commercial hydronics — a business
that has close ties to the mechanical contractors in the Bay Area.
Online training for hearth dealers from Selkirk
RICHARDsoN, TexAs — selkirk
Corporation announced superpro usA
product knowledge 101, its newest
online course at selkirk university. The
new superpro usA course addresses
usA specific content designed for the
hearth market. The course is hosted
through selkirk u’s usA Campus/
superpro usA faculty. Additional courses are continually in development. This
leading edge online training tool is
another example of selkirk’s commitment to provide training and education
to customers.
superpro usA product knowledge
101 takes the student through three separate 30-minute segments:
• Basic knowledge
• sales and system Design
• Installation Basics.
At the end of the course a multiple
choice final exam tests the student’s
overall knowledge in a way that is meant
to maximize educational value; students
may retake the test until they achieve a
score that is satisfactory to them.
Visit www.selkirkuniversity.com to
learn more.
Better for the environment. Safer for drinking water.
Navigator Thermostatic Mixing Valves comply with
all new lead-free requirements while maintaining
the quality you have come to expect from Bradley.
The Navigator unique single valve design, ease of
installation and reliability haven’t changed, Bradley
just got the lead out. Get the lead out of your projects,
specify Bradley’s Navigator thermostatic mixing valves.
>:C;07<547FBC@3AjE/A6@==;/113AA=@73A
:3<=F:=193@Aj;7::A>/@B7B7=<A
0@/2:3G1=@>1=;
&0@/2:3Gj eeePÒRZSgQ]`^Q][^`]RcQbab[d
% ! # ! '
CA AB 1953 defines lead-free
as less than 0.25%
24 •
SMART BUSINESS
Educating contractors
Torrington Supply hosts
seminar on collections management
BY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
I
n an effort to strengthen its customers’ business practices, the
Torrington Supply Company sponsored a seminar on collections management for hvAC and general contractors,
builders and remodelers, plumbers, and
electrical engineers. The seminar — cosponsored by A.O. Smith Water
Products — focused on preventing collection issues along with handling and
recovering from a debt should one arise.
Waterbury, Conn.-based Torrington
sponsored a similar course several years
The dinner event drew 65 contractors and provided useful information about avoiding common problems that contractors encounter with customers who pose a risk of
non-payment; what contractors can do when, despite utilizing preventive measures
and engaging in best practices, their customers default on payment; and relevant topics of the federal bankruptcy laws.
A.O. Smith Water Products co-sponsored the event. Brian McBride, sales
manager for Emerson Swan/A.O. Smith,
spoke about two new products — tankless water heaters and a high efficiency
water heater.
ago, and it was well-received at the time.
According to credit manager Cheryl
McPhail, many of Torrington’s customers are experiencing unprecedented
problems with collections and the company felt it was the right time to step in
with some added support. “Collection
issues are seriously affecting our customer base,” she said. “Many of them
have never had to deal with collecting
on bad checks, filing mechanics liens,
filing small claims or just making col-
lection calls. In light of that, and considering the current economic and credit
environment, we wanted to provide our
customers with the knowledge and tools
to assist them in protecting their businesses.”
Director of sales Christopher Fasano
added, “We looked at the two areas
where our customer base is feeling the
pain right now — generating sales and
collecting for their services. We focused
on collections immediately because
The Bootz Collection.
The beauty of porcelain.
The strength of steel.
Bootz brings together the
industry’s most complete line
of “porcelain-on-steel” plumbing
fixtures for the kitchen and bath.
Attractive, lightweight, durable…
Bootz Industries is always your
assurance of exceptional quality
and value.
Call us today at 812-423-5401.
Bootz Industries
1400 Park Street • P.O. Box 18010
Evansville, IN 47719-1010
(812) 423-5401 • Fax (812) 429-2254
http://www.bootz.com
E-mail: [email protected]
when our customers get paid, our customers’ business’ remain strong.
“Our customer base is having a difficult time right now. Their customers are
facing tough situations — some lose
their jobs after their projects have started, others have basic plumbing and heating needs that they just cannot afford.
When these situations arise, it puts our
customers at risk for bad debt.”
Unfortunately, a similar scenario is
playing out in many other parts of the
country. When these issues arise, and
contractors are not fully knowledgeable
about ways to protect themselves, it not
only affects their ability to be profitable,
but can put their businesses in jeopardy.
“Our customers have seen just a drastic change in payment patterns, and so
quickly that many of them are unprepared to weather the storm,” McPhail
noted. “They are not getting paid for the
work and services that they provide, and
at the same time the credit environment
has tightened so drastically that getting a
line of credit at the bank is not a viable
option.”
Fasano added, “The most difficult
consequence is that when contractors
cannot collect for their services, they can
no longer afford to pay their employees
and their suppliers. It becomes a huge
mess. We just want to be there to support
them in their efforts.”
Critical advice for contractors
The dinner event, which drew 65 customers, was held at John J. Sullivan’s
restaurant in Ansonia, Conn. There was
no charge to attend.
Among the members of the
Torrington team on hand were Fasano,
McPhail, director of marketing Manny
Salinas, COO and president Barry Wolff,
director of corporate operations Mitchell
Miller, CFO David Petitti, regional
branch manager Eric Weyler, branch
manager Mike Crane and outside sales
team members Pat Kennedy, Tony
Brown and MaryAnn Parizo, who
accompanied their customers. Wolff formally welcomed all attendees and introduced the presenters for the seminar,
Tom Sansone and Jason Gagnon.
Sansone and Gagnon are attorneys
with one of the leading Connecticut law
firms, Carmody & Torrance. They
worked closely with Torrington’s
McPhail and Dave Petitti to craft an
agenda that would provide a lot of useful
information in a relatively short period
of time — as well as one that promoted
interaction between attendees and the
presenters. Many attendees took advantage of the opportunity to ask questions
during the presentation.
“We strove to avoid discussing a lot of
complex legal concepts and theory, and
tried to confine our presentation’s elements to practical, common sense points
that the attendees would find useful in
their own day-to-day business activities,” Sansone explained.
The agenda was divided into four
(Turn to Contractors... page 26.)
713.466.1644
1.877.996.9911
A successful company is judged by the clients it keeps. Once you come aboard, you’ll stay.
www.candcvalve.com
26 •
SMART BUSINESS
Contractors find value in
collections management seminar
components:
• Preventive measures to avoid some
of the common problems that contrac-
Cheryl McPhail (center) credit manager
at Torrington Supply is joined by two
members of her department — Grace
Jimenez (left) and Liz Gempka (right).
tors encounter with customers who pose
a genuine risk of nonpayment for the
services provided.
• how to manage the relationship
with customers by utilizing “best practices” when providing service to them.
• What contractors can do in those situations where, despite utilizing appropriate preventive measures and engaging
in best practices, their customers nevertheless default on payment arrangements. In particular, the use of mechanic’s liens, claims under bonds for public
projects, conventional lawsuits and
small claims proceedings.
• Relevant topics of the federal bankruptcy laws, emphasizing how best to
protect one’s rights when a customer
files for bankruptcy protection.
According to Sansone, “There was a
lot of interest in the use of web-based
*':063&
-00,*/(
'0353&/%:
From left are Barry Wolff, president and COO at Torrington Supply; Jason Gagnon
and Thomas Sansone of Carmody & Torrance; and Chris Fasano, director of sales at
Torrington Supply.
search engines as a means of checking
on the financial health of prospective
and existing customers. The attendees
were also very interested in the steps for
properly recording a mechanic’s lien on
a nonpaying customer’s real estate.
And, of course, bankruptcy is always a
hot topic these days, given the current
economic climate.”
Among the attendees were Frank
Russo from Ralph Russo Plumbing &
heating and Emilio Espejo, vice president-sales & project management from
M&O Corporation. Both agreed the session was a very valuable experience and
covered every basic aspect of the collec-
tion process.
“I found the collections seminar
informative, interesting and easy to
understand. It’s nice to know we have a
supplier that cares and offers the help we
need to survive in a poor market,” noted
Russo.
Espejo walked away with a new
knowledge of what is important in running a contracting business: “As contractors, we tend to believe that selling is
more important than collecting. In reality, it is the other way around. A smart
contractor needs to be educated on “selfhelp” remedies like the ones presented at
(Turn to Collections, page 28.)
The best ways for contractors
to navigate bad debt situations
T
,&&10/-00,*/(
We don’t chase trends. Over the last 117 years we’ve seen a lot of mediocre ideas catch
fire then burn out. As a company, we’ve endured because the ideas of service and value
never go out of style. Our combination of quality products, high fill rates and quick shipping
gives you the ability to turn your inventory and create repeat business. If that’s what
you’re looking for… Union Brass has exactly what you need. Visit us at unionbrass.com
or call 877.454.8858.
IT JUST WORKS.
©2009 Union Brass Manufacturing Company
o give contractors a fighting chance
to get through the current economic downturn — and associated financial
challenges that are threatening their
livelihoods — attorneys Tom Sansone
and Jason Gagnon of the Carmody &
Torrance law firm outlined specific
suggestions for contractors to best deal
with collections situations.
Following were some of the highlights:
• The best way to deal with a bad
debt situation is to avoid bad customers. They provided a lot of information about how to screen potential
customers to avoid entering into projects with bad credit risks. This included
on-line investigations through the State
of Connecticut Judicial Department,
the Connecticut Secretary of State, and
the Better Business Bureau’s websites,
as well as the value of using good credit application forms and checking a
potential customer’s credit references.
• It is important to use good, clear
contracts that spell out the contractor
and the customer’s respective rights and
responsibilities. Sansone and Gagnon
emphasized that, in many instances, the
reason a customer defaults on payment
obligations is attributable to the contractor’s inability to manage the cus-
tomer’s expectations appropriately.
They stressed the value of adhering to
the work schedule, showing up on time,
not exceeding the estimate and utilizing
written change orders when the scope
of work has been modified.
• Even when a customer “checks
out” fine, there may still be a problem
down the road with getting paid for the
work one does. So, Sansone and
Gagnon provided some legal tools for
protecting one’s rights: filing mechanic’s liens, making bond claims under
publicly-funded projects, obtaining
guaranties and other forms of security
for payment, using the Small Claims
Court for unpaid debts of $5,000 or
less, and performing the cost-benefit
analysis to determine if it is worthwhile
to hire a lawyer to collect a larger debt.
• During the seminar, Sansone and
Gagnon distributed a booklet with 17
pages of information, written in “plain
English,” that summarized the topics
they covered during their presentations.
In addition, there was an appendix in
the booklet that contained sample forms
for credit applications, customer questionnaires, mechanic’s liens, demand
letters for payment on publicly-funded
projects and Small Claims Court complaints and instruction forms.
All the hot water heaters in the world with PVC venting that are 98% efficient.
Condensing 98 Tankless Water Heater
Where technology meets ecology.
800.519.8794 s NavienAmerica.com
28 •
TECHNOLOGY TODAY
Business benefits of being nice
I
recently received an e-mail from
someone I admire greatly. he has a
best-selling book and has demonstrated lots of integrity in his message
and in his life. he related the story of
how he had recently received a letter
from the lawyer of a firm he mentioned
in his best-selling book. Most firms
would be grateful to be positively mentioned in a best-selling book. This firm,
however, took a different approach.
The lawyer letter was robot-like (as
lawyer letters are prone to be), cold and
demanding. It stated that the author is
responsible for too many people contacting this lawyer’s client and asking about
their services (can you believe that?). I
went to the website of the firm that was
recommended by the best-selling author
and the words seemed really nice. They
had a nice phrase (even with the SM —
Service Mark symbol) on their home page
about how they help customers. This
seems like a classic case of “words = nice;
reality = They don’t really practice this.”
Being successful in relationship marketing means that you have to be genuine to the core. You know what I’m
talking about. The ad on Tv says the firm
“really cares for you.” When you go
there you’re treated like dirt and abused.
The disconnect is painful.
Many firms demonstrate a lack of
plain old-fashioned graciousness, even
though their marketing ad copy says,
“We really care about you.” It is easy to
become cynical today. At a time when
business is tougher, being kind seems to
be the bare minimum as a requirement
for success. I wonder how this so-called
“marketing firm” treats paying customers once they have their money. That
“We really care about you” trite phrase
evaporates in reality when it isn’t real
and is only a thin veneer covering the
ugly attitude underneath. Watch how
politicians react after the election in the
January-June timeframe when they are
not up for re-election. Many people will
be shocked (how about that!) that politicians say one thing to get elected but
demonstrate a completely different attitude once securely in office.
Relationship marketing has to be
based on being genuine or, like a house
of cards, it crumbles under a strong wind.
Witness the problems with the financial
system in the United States, and you’ll
see that, if a system is not based on sound
principles, this nasty thing called reality
will force it to crumble.
So, how can you “become genuine?”
how can you communicate the importance
of being “real” to your associates, your customers, your suppliers and elsewhere?
It starts with an attitude of trying to
help others. See issues from their point
of view. Too much of our society has
grown callous and uncivil in tone.
vehement arguing and yelling are not
appropriate in civil interchange.
You can tell a lot about people by the
way they treat the waitstaff at a restaurant. I recently had breakfast with a
well-known celebrity who was speaking
at the same conference as I was. We got
together to catch up and chat. I found it
very revealing that this celebrity treated
the server in a very disrespectful way,
deriding him because one minor request
(out of several initially blurted out) was
omitted. Then he bragged to another person how he was able to “set straight” this
poor, hard-working server. Yet, when the
celebrity is on Tv, he is all smiles and
Collections
the seminar in order to minimize costs
incurred in professional legal counsel.”
Along with the discussion on collections management, Brian McBride, sales
manager for Emerson Swan/A.O. Smith,
spoke about two new products — tankless water heaters and a high efficiency
water heater (96% efficient).
“Our customers need these kinds of
products to help them sustain their businesses because at some point, it all
becomes about price,” Fasano noted.
“With innovative products, contractors
can differentiate themselves and rise
above the price criteria.”
This is one in a series of seminars
Torrington Supply Company is developing for its customers. The company
hopes to partner with other vendors on
future seminars. “Our customers gave us
excellent feedback on this event,” said
Salinas. “We will be using other topics
suggested by our customers for future
seminars.” Salinas thanked A.O. Smith
for co-sponsoring this event.
McPhail added, “Torrington Supply
strongly believes that anything we can
BY TERRY BROCK
Technology/marketing specialist
niceness. People who only see him on Tv
think he is kind and caring.
The day before yesterday I met someone at a social dinner. She related that
she had had the opportunity through her
job to interview two former U.S. presidents. One treated her graciously, asked
about her, invited her to meet the members of his family and even let her use
his wife’s golf clubs. The other former
president delayed her and others, was
rude, his voice was abrupt, and he was
very demanding. I’m purposely not
mentioning which presidents these were
because, in a hot political season, people
would claim it is politically motivated.
This is not political. This is about
basic human decency and treating people with care and respect — whomever
they are and whatever position they
hold. My personal belief is that if someone is working and trying to make an
honest living, they deserve respect. They
have to demonstrate deficiencies before
I think less of them.
As you adopt an attitude of wanting to
help others in a genuine, real way, it permeates to your business. It becomes a part
of who you are at the core, and this reflects
on the bottom line. We’ve lost a lot of that
genuine care in our society today. Perhaps a
slow-down is a good time to stop, examine
(Turn to Brock, page 30.)
do to assist our customers with their
businesses strengthens our relationship.
We received tremendous feedback of
appreciation that we would offer such an
event.”
■
Carmody & Torrance, a firm with 65
lawyers and offices in Waterbury, New
Haven and Southbury, has been in existence for over 100 years. Torrington
Supply Company has had a long and
productive relationship with Carmody
over the years. Sansone has been a
partner at the firm since 1993 and was
recently recognized by Connecticut
Magazine as one of the top business litigation attorneys in the state. Gagnon is
quickly on his way to establishing himself as a skillful commercial litigator.
Torrington Supply Company is a
Connecticut-based, privately held
wholesale-distributor of residential,
commercial and industrial plumbing,
HvAC, pumps and industrial piping supplies serving contractor, industry and
institutions. They operate from eight
locations throughout the state, including
a 72,000-square-foot headquarters,
showroom, and distribution center in
Waterbury. For additional information,
visit www.torringtonsupply.com.
ALL THE GAS CONNECTORS
YOUR CUSTOMERS NEED FOR ALL THE
GAS INSTALLATIONS THEY DO.
Large Demand
ProCoat ®Connectors
Specifically engineered for
gas appliances with large
BTU requirements (up to
290,000 BTU/hour). Ideal
for tankless water heaters
ProCoat ® Black
Virtually invisible, perfect for gas
fireplaces and decorative hearths
ProCoat ® Stainless Steel Gas Connectors
The connector’s proprietary polymer coating
provides complete corrosion resistance
Safety+PLUS ADVANTAGE ®
Combines a ProCoat ® connector with an excess flow valve
for the safest connector on the market
When it comes to gas products, whatever you need, BrassCraft’s got it. Including the industry’s most
reliable line of coated gas connectors. BrassCraft has connectors for low, moderate and large-demand
applications. Each features ProCoat ®, a polymer coating that provides corrosion resistance against harsh
chemicals, UV rays, and salt.
Better selection. Greater strength and flexibility. Advanced corrosion resistance. Performance you’ve come
to expect from BrassCraft – the brand that sets the standard for quality and innovation. Ask for it by name.
Committed to Quality, Driven by Innovation.
To see the full line of BrassCraft gas products visit: www.brasscraft.com
©2009 Brass-Craft Mfg.
GAS CONNECTORS
G A S B A L L VA LV E S
W AT E R S T O P S
WAT E R C O N N E C T O R S
30 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
ERP ownership eased for
Lawson Software customers
ST. PAUL, MINN. — Lawson Software
provided an update on customer adoption of Lawson Managed Services,
which includes Lawson Application
Management and Lawson Managed
hosting. These services are designed to
help companies and organizations minimize or eliminate the infrastructure or
administrative costs of owning enterprise applications.
As organizations across industries
today are seeking efficient, flexible and
more cost effective means of deploying
their enterprise software systems,
Lawson said that more than 85 of its customers worldwide are now using
Lawson Managed Services for their
enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications. These customers represent companies and organizations across many of
the specific markets Lawson serves,
including healthcare, public sector, food,
fashion, manufacturing, distribution and
equipment service management.
Lawson Application Management is
designed for customers who want to
control their information but don’t want
to manage their software. It’s a tailored
suite of services that includes application modification maintenance, performance tuning, patch management and support desk capabilities, all provided by
Lawson Professional Services.
Lawson Managed hosting provides
companies and organizations the choice
of hosting their applications with
Lawson and the ability to access them
for a single monthly fee. It includes
application maintenance and critical
incident support and is for customers
who want a simplified ownership experience within a traditional licensing
model and with lower long-term cost of
ownership, and it gives customers a less
expensive option than hosting their business applications themselves. This frees
information technology resources for
other initiatives and reduces the staff
required to manage the system. In addition, Lawson Managed hosting helps
give customers service-level and pricing
predictability, measurable return on
investment and reliability with contractually committed service levels.
Lawson Managed Services provides
service level agreement-based managed
services that best align with the customer’s cost structure and in-house
expertise. With Lawson Application
Management, organizations and companies can adjust the program to their
needs and requirements as they evolve
over time.
Lawson Professional Services provides a full range of services to help customers prepare, implement and educate
employees on Lawson applications.
Lawson employs consultants who have
thorough software and industry-specific
knowledge to provide customers information on business and software best
practices. Lawson also provides comprehensive implementation, learning
and software management services.
For details, visit www.lawson.com.
Brock
how you treat others, particularly those
who are serving you, and ask about how
much genuine care is being communicated.
Relationship marketing is about kindness. Yes, this is simple, but it is not always
easy. Take time to think about how others
are being treated. No, you don’t let people
walk all over you, but a tough-minded attitude of kindness towards all is good training for real bottom-line business.
There’s an old saying on the street. I’ll
clean it up a bit since this is a family
publication: “Money talks. Other stuff
walks.” Cling to what is real. Treating
people with kindness and integrity is the
right thing to do. It also improves the
bottom line in business.
■
Terry Brock is a marketing coach who
helps business owners market more
effectively, leveraging technology. He
shows busy professionals how to squeeze
more out of their busy days using the
right rules and tools. Brock can be
reached at 407/363-0505, by e-mail at
[email protected] or through his
website at www.terrybrock.com.
L ike steak and lobster,
some things go great together.
Stainless and Carbon
are no different!
Unlimited Resources...Endless Possibilities Whatever it Takes
“Your supplier of choice, for every dimension of our name.”
The only master
distributor
with these
product grades
under one roof!
Global Stainless Supply
t Pipe (304L, 316L, 304H, 310, 317L, 321H, Duplex,
Aluminum, 400, 600, 625, 800H/HT, 825 & C276)
t Fittings (304L, 316L, 317L, 321H, Alloy 20,
Aluminum & Duplex)
t Flanges (304L, 316L, F51 & 6061 T6)
t Forged Steel (304L, 316L & Alloy 20)
t Valves & Components (304L & 316L)
Forgings, Flanges & Fittings, LLC.
t
t
t
t
Rough Forgings (A105/LF2)
Flanges (A105, A105N/LF2/F5, F9 & F11)
Fittings (WPB/WPL6/WP5, WP9 & WP11)
Forged Steel (A105N/LF2/F5, F9 & F11)
www.OneStopPVF.com
45"*/-&44r$"3#0/r/*$,&-"--0:r-085&.1r"-6.*/6.r$)30.&
Houston, TX - Corporate
8900 Railwood Dr.
Suite A (GSS) - Suite B (FFF)
Houston, TX 77078
GSS Phone: 713.980.5089
GSS Fax: 713.980.5099
FFF Phone: 713.695.5400
FFF Fax: 713.695.4016
Richmond, VA
4111 Carolina Ave.
Bldg. A
Richmond, VA 23222
Phone: 804.228.8901
Fax: 804.228.8905
Indianapolis, IN
3333 North Pagosa Ct.
Indianapolis, IN 46226
Phone: 317.898.0331
Fax: 317.898.0502
Atlanta, GA
255 Racetrack Road
Suite 20
McDonough, GA 30253
Phone: 770.305.7002
Fax: 770.305.7788
34 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
PERC identifies drainline
transport as first joint project
ChICAGo — The newly named Plumbing
Efficiency Research Coalition (PERC),
formed through a Memorandum of
Understanding, has identified drainline
transport as its first research project. The
Coalition is comprised of five industry
organizations seeking to conduct muchneeded research in a number of areas.
Representing the Coalition on the
initial conference call to establish the
first project were: Mary Ann
Dickinson, Alliance for Water Efficiency; Pete De Marco, International
Association of Plumbing & Mechanical
officials; Jay Peters, International
Code Council; Ike Casey, Plumbingheating-Cooling Con tractors Asso ciation and Barbara higgens, Plumbing
Manufacturers Institute.
IAPMo’s DeMarco will serve as project coordinator for this inaugural
research study and will also chair the
technical committee assigned to the
project. Each of the five member associations of PERC has named a representative to this committee. The first order of
business is to define the parameters of
the project.
With the enactment of the Energy
Policy Act of 1992, all water closets
(toilets) manufactured in or imported
into the U.S. were required to flush no
more than a maximum average of 1.6
U.S. gallons, effective January 1, 1994,
for residential models and January 1,
1997, for all models. At that time, concern for drainline transport efficacy
was voiced by many in the plumbing
trade and those in various professional
associations. In response to significant
consumer complaints about poor flush
performance, early reporting and
research on 1.6-gallon-per-flush water
closet models focused primarily on the
flush efficacy of the various models on
the market. Intermittent and anecdotal
complaints of drainline transport problems were not thoroughly researched
and were largely attributed to older or
faulty sanitary drainlines. Since then,
water closet manufacturers have made
great strides in improving flushing
performance.
Recently, the need to find additional
efficiencies on water-consuming plumbing fixtures has resulted in the creation
of voluntary specifications that eliminate another 20% from the flush discharge volume of water closets, bringing
consumption down to a maximum average of 1.28 gpf. These toilets are known
as high efficiency toilets. Some water
closet manufacturers are now voluntarily offering models that flush at 1.0 gpf.
This activity has rightfully raised the
debate of drainline carry efficacy anew.
Many plumbing experts are concerned
that we are at or approaching a “tipping
point,” where a significant number of
sanitary waste systems will be affected
by drainline transport problems, espe-
cially in larger commercial systems that
have long horizontal runs to the sewer.
Drainline transport problems have
recently been reported in Europe and
Australia, further raising concerns.
Looking forward, newer technologies,
such as non-water consuming and high
efficiency urinals, lower flow rate
faucets and increasingly efficient water
consuming appliances will further
reduce the amount of water discharged
into sanitary waste systems. Greywater
reuse systems — systems that collect
discharged water from lavatory basins,
clothes washers, bathtubs and shower
fixtures for reuse, usually for irrigation
purposes — is another emerging technology that significantly reduces wastewater in residential sanitary drainage
systems. Yet, to date, an extensive
research project of sufficient scope to be
able to determine whether significant
problems could arise regarding drainline
transport has yet to be conducted.
The Plumbing Efficiency Research
Coalition was founded to develop
research projects that will support the
development of water efficiency and
sustainable plumbing products, systems
and practices. Projects will be financed
through government grants, foundations
and private financing.
Laundry Room Countertops
Island Dine Unique Countertops
Contact Us For a Free Brochure:
Call Toll Free 866-799-0106
WOW THEM with Stainless Steel Island Countertops
www.alinebyadvancetabco.com
™
Built to be the Best
www.bradfordwhite.com
800.523.2931
©2009, Bradford White Corporation. All rights reserved.
36 •
BESCHLOSS BEAT
Q&A with Howard Kent
Ironbound Supply expands in Greater Newark
MORRIS R. BESCHLOSS
PVF and economic analyst
I
ronbound Supply was incorporated
in New Jersey in March 1964. This
PvF distributor was originally formed
by a mechanical contractor in Newark,
N.J., as a way of purchasing and warehousing raw material at a discount price.
President howard Kent’s father-in-law
was the owner and president of this contracting company. Kent joined Ironbound in 1965, when he was 25.
At the time Kent accepted the position
at Ironbound Supply Co., his plumbing
product knowledge was minuscule. With
Howard Kent, president,
Ironbound Supply
his financial background, he learned the
industry, its products and terminology
along the way. he started with no discernable identity, customers or major
product lines. Ironbound only stocked
the standard PvF items required by the
local mechanical contractor. As time
passed, Ironbound acquired new customers for these standard PvF items.
When these new customers started
inquiring about specialty non-stock
items, he realized that if customers were
looking for specialty items, this could be
a primary focal point. This was the initial start of Ironbound’s growth.
Ironbound Supply occupied a 5,000square-foot building with an indoor
loading dock. Since space was at a premium, the company stocked only the
most commonly requested PvF for its
commercial and industrial customers.
Square footage limitations dictated that
they only carry up to 4" PvF, as larger
items were out of the question. These
limitations also prevented Ironbound
from pursuing entry into the residential
plumbing supply business, as the physical size of the fixtures, soil pipe and
required showroom were prohibitive.
The available space dilemma was further complicated by the lack of available
manufacturers. Most manufacturers
already had agreements with existing
supply houses in the area. There were 15
competing supply houses in Newark
alone. This unfortunate fact prevented
Ironbound from having direct access to
many desirable product lines at the time.
After weighing their options, Kent and
Associates decided to pursue mechanical and refrigeration contractors. A
major factor in this decision was that
Ironbound already stocked many items
that these contractors used on a daily
basis. The major stumbling block was
the original connection with Kent’s
father-in-law’s contracting business.
This fact fomented distrust with competing contractors that Ironbound wanted to
do business with. Through strict confidentiality and excellent service, Kent
earned the trust of many of these reluctant contractors.
Kent also stressed prompt same-day
service for stock items, with back orders
delivered the next business day.
Ironbound also created goodwill by
accepting returned material with no
restocking charges and assisted contractors in locating oddball items. This service was invaluable to the average contractor, as they needed specialty material on the job quickly but didn’t have the
time to research it thoroughly. The subsequent increase in business and capital
allowed Ironbound to increase its square
footage to 13,500 square feet in 1986.
hydronic and steam specialty products are now the main core of
Ironbound’s business, especially since
many industrial and manufacturing
facilities are leaving New Jersey at an
alarming rate. That’s why Ironbound is
now focusing more heavily on commercial and institutional accounts. The standard piping items keep their customers
in touch with them on a daily basis, but
it’s the specialties that enable Ironbound
to strengthen their profit margins.
Ironbound has been selling the exact
same steel, PvC, copper and brass PvF for
more than 45 years. There have been no
significant changes in the base materials
being utilized, only in the way that the
commodities are brought to the marketplace. originally, most of their inquiries
came via telephone and fax, but these
inquiries have been replaced by ones
channeled through their website and
individual e-mail addresses.
Ironbound looks for product lines that
have limited distributors and that provide solid profit margins. These products must also require a minimum of
warehouse space.
Ironbound valve Actuation is Nibco’s
valve actuation facility. The actuation of
ball and butterfly valves with electric or
pneumatic actuators allows Ironbound to
pervade a national market with the help
of their website (www.ironbound.com).
They can actuate 1/2" to 24" valves with
any necessary accessory for virtually all
commercial and industrial applications.
Their most commonly sold specialty
items are steam traps, heat exchangers,
steam and water coil replacements, pressure reducing valves, motorized valves,
back-flow preventers and stainless sanitary fittings.
Not all specialty items bring a high
selling price. however, some of these
commodity items can be re-packaged or
modified to sell significantly higher than
standard. one example is the 1/4" brass
ball valve that is sold at a competitive
market price. however, when they swap
the standard lever handle with a small thandle it is re-marketed as a “pressure
gauge ball valve.” This simple modification allows them to sell essentially the
same valve at a higher price.
one of their key specialty product
lines is Zurn acid waste pipe and fittings.
Although Ironbound is not a plumbing
supply house, many of their mechanical
contractors do process piping in school
laboratories and scientific institutions.
Most newly constructed schools require
polypropylene piping on all waste lines.
Zurn was looking for a stocking distributor in New Jersey and, after some
thorough research, Ironbound considered it a good fit. This product line consists basically of pipe valves and fittings
11/2" to 6". Ironbound is only required to
stock a moderate quantity of this material, which keeps shelves and computer
system unburdened. The lightweight
pipe is stocked in 10-foot lengths and is
sized well-financed industry distributors
occupy an enviable position. Are you in
that particular category?
Kent: We are well positioned financially and can weather the type of
adverse market conditions that we see
around the world today. We also have
diverse and varied product lines that
allow us to be flexible and meet the
changing needs of our customers.
Beschloss: As a highly respected, 45year-old distributor in an intense metropolitan market, focused on a commercial
and institutional customer base, are
there any expansion opportunities in the
greater Newark area or beyond?
Kent: For the time being, our expansion opportunities are focused on growing our current location. Being that new
construction is dwindling, we are
focused on selling our current customers
more of our many products. The contractors performing repair and retrofit
work remain busy, and we have tailored
our stock to suit them. our actuation
website transcends geographic limitations, so it remains a source of expansion as well.
Beschloss: What is the extent of your
employment personnel group, industry
inside and outside salesman? Could you
elaborate please?
Kent: our inside and outside sales
personnel offer more than 100 years of
industrial and commercial sales experience. Two of our salesmen have experi-
I believe that all types of industrial automation companies will
benefit from [an economic] resurgence. We are poised and ready to
meet the industrial and commercial valve needs for these customers.
impervious to weather, meaning that it
can be stored in a small elevated area.
This product line has met their goals of
creating substantial revenue with a modicum of required inventory space. This
new venture has opened doors to a new
niche of customers and increased sales
to existing customer bases.
Beschloss: In these turbulent times
when credit is key to survival and
mandatory for orderly expansion, could
you comment on your overall financial
situation? Are you self-financed or supported by a solid bank with a gilt-edged
credit line?
Kent: We are self-financed and have
not borrowed from our bank in more
than seven years. We are confident that
our bank would respond to our credit
needs if called upon to do so. We have a
long-term relationship with this bank,
and I am a former member of their board
of directors. our current asset to liability ratio is 5.5 to 1.
Beschloss: With some of the largest
phCp distributors either owned by deeply
indebted parent companies, the medium-
ence in field and office work for local
mechanical contractors.
Beschloss: Since you are obviously a
pvf specialist with valve actuation facilities, are there growth opportunities
within that product framework?
Kent: The true potential of our actuation facility has yet to be fully realized.
once industry returns to prominence in
our country, it will have to do more with
fewer employees. I believe that all types
of industrial automation companies will
benefit from this resurgence. We are
poised and ready to meet the industrial
and commercial valve needs for these
customers. our interactive website can
be found at www.ironbound.com.
Beschloss: Since you have had solid
growth since 1964, are you expecting the
same revenue growth under today’s turbulent conditions? Are any specific
product groups more given to upward
expansion than others?
Kent: The global economic slowdown has compelled us to control all
expenses, monitor profit margins on all
(Turn to 45 years... page 38.)
38 •
BESCHLOSS BEAT
45 years of solid service keep
Ironbound Supply in the forefront
product lines and enlist the help of our
vendors, if available. We have been
keeping in close contact with our existing customers so that we will be aware
of any upcoming projects. We have seen
recent sales growth on products that
allow our contractors to reduce their
required material installation time. Any
contractor realizes that the cost of
plumbing supplies pales in comparison
to the cost of labor payroll. Two product
lines showing brisk growth are copper
grooved and copper press. These pipe
joining methods are not only efficient
but can be used where an open flame is
not an option.
Beschloss: Despite the severe recession impacting the U.S. economy in general, do you find that your sector of marketing opportunities is well positioned for
additional opportunities in the future?
Kent: We feel that we are taking the
appropriate steps to deal with the current
situation and become more efficient.
Because of this, we will emerge even
stronger than before during the economic recovery.
Beschloss: Since you are a “family
company,” are any other family members active in the business? please tell
us their executive positions with
Ironbound, if this is applicable?
Kent: My son-in-law Stephen
Kaiteris has more than 17 years industry
experience with expertise in steam and
water specialty items. Steve is in the
process of acquiring control of
Ironbound Supply Company. he is well
respected, and I feel that his product
knowledge and amiable personality
make him a natural for leading our com-
pany into the new millennium.
Beschloss: Despite the lessened
opportunities for selling businesses in
today’s market, do you have in mind selling your business some day?
Kent: As mentioned in the last question, a sale agreement is in progress to
my son-in-law Stephen Kaiteris. This
agreement will be accomplished through
a sale and gifting of stock.
Beschloss: What is your outlook for
the phCp industry in general and the pvf
sector specifically?
Kent: The PhCP industry is suffering
along with most industry sectors in our
economy right now. When vigorous construction does return, PvF must be
included in the project. PvF is the
lifeblood of any edifice, as it transports
steam, air and water; it should remain a
timeless necessity because of the simple
physics of the task that it performs. It is
a product that boasts constant demand
and very little change or obsolescence.
Beschloss: With the current financial
clouds hanging over all forms of distributors, what is your advice to young people that are getting started in our industry today? Do you advise hanging in
there, or would you advise looking in
other areas of endeavors?
Kent: Before purchasing any business, carefully weigh all advantages and
disadvantages. Make sure to estimate all
expenses and estimate what profit margin is required to break even. Failure to
take all expenses into account could
only lead to disaster if your financial
funding is insufficient. This industry can
be very financially rewarding and will
always be required. If you plan your
work and work your plan, success
should follow close behind.
■
Morris R. Beschloss, a 52-year veteran
of the pipe, valves and fittings industry,
serves as pvf and economic analyst for
The WholeSAleR.
WHEN THE PRESSURE'S ON,
WE DO THE HEAVY LIFTING.
Your customers rely on you to get them the stainless steel pipe, fittings
and flanges they need fast. So rely on Summit Stainless. We’ve re-entered
this market in a big way, by adding extensive stainless steel seamless and
welded pipe, fittings and flanges to our eight service centers nationwide.
Best of all, we bring you the same commitment we’ve kept for 40 years
to sell only through you, and never to your customers. So you can trust us
to ship direct. And that will save you time and fuel.
Protect your profits: call Summit Stainless at 800.742.7605.
Corporate Headquarters:
2001 Elizabeth Street
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
PH: 800.742.7605 • 732.297.9505
FX: 732.422.1370
www.summitstainless.com
ROUND • SQUARE & HEX • ANGLE • FLAT • STRUCTURALS
TREAD PLATE • ORNAMENTAL TUBING
WELDED & SEAMLESS PIPE • PIPE FITTINGS & FLANGES
YOU CAN NOW BUY FROM SUMMIT STAINLESS STEEL ONLINE!
TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT US AT
www.summitstainless.com/ecommerce
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2009•
• 41
INDUSTRY NEWS
‘Revolutionary’ Arcadia heating and
cooling system comes to F.W. Webb
(Continued from F.W. Webb, page 1.)
in the region.
The Acadia is a revolutionary new green technology
for heating and cooling a home, while at the same time
helping consumers and businesses save money. Acadia
outperforms conventional fossil-fuel-based heating systems such as oil-powered furnaces, the most common
system in the Northeast, by up to 300%.
F.W. Webb has long been a partner with Hallowell
International in the development of the Acadia, providing components to manufacture the system. The enriched
partnership provides Hallowell with an expanded distribution network with increased training facilities and customer support through the 70 F.W. Webb facilities across
New England and Upstate New York.
The Acadia is a single system engineered to comfortably heat and cool homes no matter what the weather outside, and it is both economical and environmentally friendly. The engineers at Hallowell created the
Acadia using revolutionary boosted compression tech-
nology, enabling this clean technology to run effectively and efficiently in temperatures as low as -30°F.
For additionl information, visit www.fwwebb.com
or www.HallowellInternational.com.
Even if your glass is 1/4 full, you
can thrive in a tough market
to actual programming. Even fewer IT people understand business analysis. So their work often concentrates on their areas of expertise and interest regardless of where the high-value tasks are.
• There is no internal champion for the effort. One
of our client’s success in revamping their pricing happened because one guy saw the potential and stub-
...Normal employees will feel
uncomfortable rolling the dice on their
career without some pretty good data.
bornly harangued senior management and the IT
department to make it happen. When he got frustrated,
he used to tell me, “I could understand the resistance
if I was doing something weird but I’m just trying to
make the company more money. I can understand that
IT thinks I’m a pain but you’d think senior management would be happy that I am doing this.”
• Delays in getting reports or extracts sap the energy and enthusiasm of the managers. If every question
requiring data consumes hours, days or weeks to get
an answer, most managers can’t remember what the
question was by the time they finally get an answer.
The pace of life in wholesaling is fast and furious so
by tomorrow the answer may be irrelevant or the
question may have changed. I think most non-decisions are due to the time and effort required to get
actionable information.
Much of our analysis experience is in price management and inventory management. Each decision to
change stocking levels or pricing requires information. Of course the president can always make sweeping gut-based changes but normal employees will feel
uncomfortable rolling the dice on their career without
some pretty good data.
Most coaching fails due to lack of data. When the
pricing manager tells a branch manager or sales guy
that he needs to change his pricing, he better have data
to back his recommendation. Without data, the branch
manager or sales guy pulls out his tried and true, “I
know the customer” trump card and the changes are
effectively stopped dead in their tracks. Frankly, when
there is no data, I side with the guy closest to the customer too since he is at least involved in the process.
When the pricing manager can say, “I know you
sold this product to seven customers at 20 different
prices in the same week. And by the way you sold the
same customer at three different prices on the same
day,” there is some basis for getting the pricing and
inventory under control even when he plays his trump
card or throws a “lay-on-his-back, kicking” tantrum.
For too many companies so much time is spent digging for information, they never get around to the
actual business decisions and changes that will make
them more successful. As part of our consulting we
have developed software tools that help quickly
extract and organize data into “decisionable” information. They are designed to work with millions of transactions so they can help small to large wholesalers
effectively use the data in their computer systems. The
magic is that 80% of the users’ time can be focused on
making meaningful decisions while only spending
20% of their time spent accessing the information
needed for those decisions.
With a clear market vision and distilled, accurate
information, your decisions will improve and be more
timely. For more information on data analysis and
pricing tools, e-mail me at [email protected].
■
Rich Schmitt is president of Schmitt Consulting
Group Inc., a management consulting firm
focused on improving the profitability of distribution and manufacturing clients.
www.go-scg.com
Rich is also the co-owner of Schmitt ProfitTools Inc.
(SPI), a business producing print, CD-ROM, web
and palm-based catalogs as well as pricing management and analysis software for wholesalers.
www.go-spi.com
42 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Coburn’s, Gerber build long relationship
(Continued from A look at, page 1.)
Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC beautifully illustrates loyalty at work. The two
companies have done business together
since at least the 1950s, and in many
ways are very similar.
Both are family owned (Gerber was
long owned by the Gerber family and
now is under the direction of Globe
Union, Inc. and Michael Werner who
successfully led his family’s company
for years; while Coburn’s has been
owned by the Maloney family since its
founding in 1934). Employee turnover is
minimal and it is not unusual
to find employees who have
spent decades with either
organization — or to have
multiple generations of the
same family at all levels of
the companies. Much of the
reason for this is the active
leadership and hands-on family atmosphere that is evident
from the top of the management team on down. Both
“Gerber is really easy to work with; I they are part of a large company that
businesses approach the mar- Bill Dickens of Coburn Supply Co. points out the feacouldn’t ask for a better rep than Chuck does things very well. That’s important
ket, and their employees, in tures on some Gerber faucets to showroom customers.
Barbot of Barbot-Woolf-Canale. He to customers - to know that it’s a relimuch the same way — with
makes sure we have all the information able company been around for a while,
open communication and respect.
local manufacturer’s representatives
and part of a large organization.
we need.
Coburn’s, based in Beaumont, Texas,
(Barbot-Woolf-Canale in Louisiana and
“Customers who are interested in
“Our showroom staff has to be very
has nearly 50 branches in Texas,
Proline Marketing in South Texas).
familiar with all the product technology Gerber run across all levels of our cusLouisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee,
“We know we have sold Gerber for
so we are able to explain the benefits to tomer base. Gerber’s best-selling prodand has a history of catering to small city
more than 56 years because one of our
our customers. They want a stylish look uct for us is the Avalanche toilet, with
markets. Its 27 showrooms, each of
current vP/general managers, Clodile
at an affordable price. Gerber is very its good flushing technology and low
which is unique and reflects the market
Romero, has been working here that
price competitive and has very good water consumption. That’s a really big
it is in and the personalities of its branch
long and stated we had Gerber when he
selling point. They’ve invested a lot into
design and finish selection.”
management, range between 1,500 to
started as a truck driver,” Atchetee said.
— Jennifer Robitaille, Slidell, La. their design and are becoming known
5,000 square feet.
“When you have a relationship with a
for their style.
The majority of Coburn’s showroom
national plumbing vendor like Gerber
“Having a dependable rep agency
“As for Gerber, I’ve always liked
sales are residential. Most of their home
and you are describing a situation you’re
their products. I really appreciate the and good company that supports you
builder customers are small to medium
facing, you know that they truly underchanges in their style; they’ve gone makes it easy to work hand in hand all
sized - putting up less than 60 homes
stand your needs. It gives you a level of
from utilitarian to high style. Of course the way around. Good stock and good
annually. The company’s long-term relacomfort because you feel you can put
you want product to be highly function- availability is a necessity. Gerber is
tionship with manufacturers such as
your cards on the table. They know
al and work well, but you also want it to
very good at having their product in
Gerber is beneficial because of the peryou’re telling them the truth and that
be attractive. Their products today are a stock and ready to ship right away. You
sonal service, flexibility and understandyou’re not embellishing. It helps get the
mix of style and performance. And the have to have that open line so you all
problems resolved right away.
ing they provide.
price point is very attractive.”
know what to expect of each other. I sell
“The showroom business is like anyRussell Atchetee, a 31-year Coburn’s
— Mark Jacobs, Hammond, La. by my reps, it plays a big part in how
thing else. You want to do your best for
veteran as well as a licensed plumber, is
much of their product I show and the
your vendors and your reps, especially
the Kitchen and Bath manager. He over“We really try to educate the con- placement.”
when you have a good relationship with
sees all of Coburn’s showrooms, and
— Karen Jackson, Harvey, La.
sumer on the benefits of Gerber and that
them. We’ll really go to the mat for vendeals closely with Gerber national sales
dors like Gerber to get results.”
manager Tommy Price, as well as their
According to Price, Coburn’s is
“always receptive to any ideas that
Gerber has about going to market.
Coburn’s keeps the lines of communication open. We have meetings on a reguPRESSURE BALANCE
lar basis with open and candid conversations on how we can strategically grow
THERMOSTATIC PROTECTION
this business together. We have a mutual
for
trust with Coburn’s and continue to
www.pppinc.net SHOWER , LAV, and TUB
work hard to grow the line with them. It
has always helped us find middle
HIGH LIMIT STOP FEATURES...
ground. Gerber is also fortunate to have
“MAKE
THE
CONNECTION”
great reps working that territory who
O
O
HIGH LIMIT 120 F (49 C) SCALD
ensure that we understand and support
PROTECTION
Coburn’s needs.”
FITS ALL SHOWER HEADS &
In the rapidly changing world of
SHOWER HOSES
showroom design, Coburn’s especially
SCREWS IN PLACE IN SECONDS
appreciates Gerber’s packaged showNO TOOLS OR ADJUSTMENTS
room display suites. By having a packNECESSARY
age that includes both product and disAUTOMATIC RESET FEATURE
play, it enables Coburn’s to get it into
A FLOW RATE OF 4 GPM at 40
their showrooms quickly — which
PSI
1066
means it is in front of their customers
SOLID BRASS WITH POLISHED
quickly and can start generating sales.
CHROME FINISH
“Gerber has updated and upgraded
their suites and come up with a stylish
PRECISION PLUMBING PRODUCTS
look,” said Atchetee. “The new suites
Division of JL industries, inc.
are very timely, well done and stylish,
Airport Business Center • 6807 N.E. 79th Court Suite E
Made in the U.S.A.
with a display already constructed that
Portland, Oregon 97218 • (503) 256-4010 • FAX: (503) 253-8165
Rev 02/06
We do not Export Jobs.
was ready to show. In a showroom environment, you don’t have a lot of down
(Turn to Loyalty... page 46.)
Here’s what some of Coburn’s
showroom managers had to say:
TEMPERA-THERM
TEMPERATURE
HIGH LIMIT STOP
MAX-120OF
1062
SHOWER
HEAD
MIXING
VALVE
USE WITH SINGLE
OR DOUBLE HANDLE
SHOWER MIXING
VALVE ASSEMBLIES
COLD
HOT
TEMPERATURE
HIGH LIMIT
STOP
MAX-120OF
1062
PRESSURE BALANCING
VALVE
1066
N
BU IL DI N G
CO
U NCIL
U. S . G R E E
1062
US
GBC
1016
®
THERMOSTATIC
MIXING VALVE
)FDIBTFEHJSMT%VHVQSPDLT'PVOECFFUMFTPOFPGXIJDIJTXBJUJOH
JOIJTTIJSUQPDLFUGPSKVTUUIFSJHIUNPNFOUJOSFBEJOHDJSDMF
+VNQFEPõ
UIFTXJOHTUJNFT*OUPUIFNVE"OEOPXIFTCFFOPSEFSFEUPXBTIVQ
JOUIFCBUISPPNCFGPSFIFEBSFTTFUGPPUCBDLJO.ST4BOEFSTSEHSBEF
DMBTTSPPN5JNNZEPFTOUDBSFUIBUZPVWFJOTUBMMFE54
GBVDFUT5IBUUIFZWFCFFOGBJMVSFUFTUFEUPDZDMFT
5IBUMJLFBMM54QSPEVDUTUIFZSFNBEFPVUPGOFBSMZ
JOEFTUSVDUJCMFDPNQPOFOUT5IBUZPVDBOHFUSFQMBDFNFOU
QBSUTPWFSOJHIUPOUIFFYUSFNFMZSBSFDIBODFZPVTIPVMEFWFS
FWFOOFFEBSFQMBDFNFOUQBSU
'SBOLMZ5JNNZ
EPFTOUFWFODBSFXIFUIFSPSOPUZPVS54
GBVDFUTXPSL#VUZPVDBSFUIBOLTUPBMMUIF
5JNNZTPVUUIFSF:FTJOEFFECPZTXJMM
CFCPZT*OTUBMM54
X X X U T C S B T T D P N t DPOUSJCVUJOH
UP-&&%
DFSUJmDBUJPO
$ '! ,(
$ '!
*+
%*
&
%
&$
)*'
&%&$+
)
% &'" '
$ ()!
##+
'& * )(
46 •
TALKIN’ RADIANT
Jason, Rocky and Bullwinkle
N
ot long ago, a wholesaler asked a
question on the Wall, which is
HeatingHelp.com’s
bulletin
board. I thought it was a great question
because it showed that the wholesaler
really wanted to get into the heads of his
contractor customers and figure out what
was most important to them. Listen:
“I am a wholesaler trying to promote
my company, myself, and my products
in a new territory. I am thinking about
designing a brochure to hand out to contractors to show them what I have to
offer. What would catch your eye, and
make you consider using a different supplier. Job pictures, product pictures,
pricing?”
Good stuff, right? And as you can
imagine, the contractors weren’t shy
about answering this guy. They focused
on customer service and having the
products that you sell in stock for them.
It’s also important to them that the
counter people understand the products,
and that a real person answer the phone
so the contractor doesn’t have to ride the
voicemail merry-go-round. Then one of
the guys told this story about above-andbeyond customer service.
“It was a large radiant order that had
run late (from the manufacturer, not the
supply house). As the old saw goes, it
was a dark and stormy night. Literally!
There was a driving rain and the temperature was in the 40s. It was a night
not fit for man or beast, and we had
beasts to spare on that mountaintop
jobsite. No lions, or tigers, but regular
visits by bears, raccoons, porcupines
and wild turkeys.
“The materials arrived at the supply
house late in the week, and my wholesaler knew we needed them ASAP.
Imagine our surprise when the owner of
the supply house and his wife arrived, in
the dark and in the pouring rain, to deliver the goods. The Mrs. got out of that
comfortable box-truck cab and got just
as wet and muddy as the rest of us did.
This was way above and beyond the call
of duty, and that was just one example of
their dedication to exceptional service.
Their attitude filters down to all of their
employees.”
Would you do that? Would your wife
or husband go along for the ride, and
then get out of the truck to help? I think
this wholesaler has a customer for life. If
you were a contractor, reading a new
guy’s brochure, would a story such as
this one sway you? Hey, who doesn’t
want this sort of service? But how many
are willing to offer it. I think there’s
much to learn in other people’s stories.
Loyalty cements 50-year bond
between manufacturer, distributor
time to design something to fit. So this
new display package helps get product
on the floor really fast. Gerber’s reps are
very active in making sure the displays
get put up. It really aids the process and
speeds things up.”
Gerber has long had a solid reputation
in the market for its quality products,
and especially its loyalty to the trade.
However, it had often been thought of as
more of a utilitarian line, than one of
high style. That has begun to change in
recent years.
“Gerber was acquired about five years
ago by Globe Union and we totally
revamped our product offering,” Price
explained. “Since that time, we have
created new products to the tune of
about 800 SKUs. We’ve redesigned the
look of our faucets, as well as developed
new toilet technology. Gerber has taken
a different approach in the market. It has
allowed us to penetrate commercial,
hospitality and residential markets. By
diversifying our business in that way, we
have been able to overcome the ups and
downs that varying segments of the mar-
In recent years, Gerber has updated and upgraded their suites for a stylish look. A display package quickly gets product on the floor with active help from Gerber’s reps to
ensure the displays are put up.
Which brings me to Jason, Rocky and
Bullwinkle. Rocky is a regular contributor to the Wall bulletin board at
HeatingHelp.com. He works out of
Fairbanks, Alaska, and each winter,
while people from the Lower-48 are
bitching and moaning about their working conditions, Rocky sets us straight.
Someone will ask how cold it is up there
and Rocky will mention that it’s, oh,
about 50° below zero, and has been for
days and days. Which really doesn’t register on the human mind, does it? I
mean, unless you’ve worked in these
BY DAN HOLOHAN
Wet head
his wholesaler’s salesman. You might
want to put on a sweater before you read
any further. Here’s Rocky:
“I, too, have a story of a wholesaler
going above and beyond. We had to
install two Buderus boilers in a remote
Alaskan village at the confluence of the
Yukon and Tanana Rivers. My wholesaler
who sold me the supplies for this job told
Imagine our surprise when the owner of the
supply house and his wife arrived, in the dark
and in the pouring rain, to deliver the goods.
The Mrs. got out of that comfortable box-truck cab
and got just as wet and muddy as the rest of us did.
conditions. To help us understand,
Rocky tells us that if you toss a cup of
steaming hot coffee into air that cold,
not a drop of coffee will hit the ground.
“The whole thing just vaporizes,” he
says. Rocky’s stories always make me
want to run and turn up the thermostat,
so I wasn’t that surprised when he
shared this one with us. It’s about Jason,
me he wanted to help me install this system so he could get a better understanding of how all these components worked
as a system — to better understand why I
needed the things I needed. He drove
with me in my pickup for four hours out
of Fairbanks, the last two hours over a
horrendous, non-maintained gravel road,
(Turn to Going above... page 48.)
ket experience.
“You have to sell your product to get
good floor space. Gerber tries to position
ourselves with our competitors in terms
of price points but our products are just
as stylish and functional. That really
counts with consumers.”
Atchetee was especially complimentary of the performance of Gerber’s
products. “Performance wise, Gerber’s
products do real well,” he noted. “Their
lower end expensive products have been
made to function extremely well, which
further helps us sell their upper end
product. Gerber’s reps provide us with
training on their high-performance products like the Avalanche and viper toilets.
In the toilet part of the business, the performance is what consumers and
plumbers are most interested in.”
Despite the fact that the U.S. economy in general, and the housing market in
particular, have been suffering a serious
decline, the partnership between Gerber
and Coburn’s has helped both companies weather the storm.
“Right now you hear that the market
is off on average about 25% to 40%,”
commented Price.“But we actually
showed growth on the positive side last
year and we’ve started off well this year.
We’ve been in the right place at the right
time and I think our product line and our
partnership with the independent wholesalers like Coburn’s has really helped us.
We’re also working with our buying
group affiliations.”
Price reiterated Gerber’s commitment
to wholesale-only distribution, saying
that the company continues to believe it
is the best way to go to market. “Selling
through big boxes would be an easy
avenue to get a quick sale, but our loyalty to the trade and wholesalers has been
real and has sustained us over all these
years,” he noted. “We all work hard
within our industry, and the long-term
strategy and decisions we make today
will affect us years from now. It could be
damaging to us if we ended up over-distributing our products. Instead, we continue to support those people and companies who have supported us. Coburn’s
is prime example of that.
“As a manufacturer, it is a joy to work
with a company like Coburn’s. Their
approach to the marketplace is one of
humility and graciousness. They believe
in hard work and they are loyal to those
who go to bat for them. They let their
vendors and customers know they really
appreciate doing business with them.
That attitude has served them very well.
“On a business side, they are very
smart. Coburn’s runs a tight ship and
make decisions based on feedback and
good communication. Gerber is proud
to be a partner with Coburn’s and looks
forward to many more solid, sales
years ahead.”
■
www.coburns.com or www.gerberonline.com.
Labl8hg^8bl8[b`
J^Zeer8
J^Zeer8
:b`
Gnk8eZm^lm8abà¦^_y8\b^g\r8fh]neZmbg`¥
\hg]^glbg`8mZgde^ll8pZm^k8a^Zm^k8bl8Zee8
Z[hnm8[b`8gnf[^kl8[b`8^_y8\b^g\r8[b`8
hnminm8[b`8pZkkZgmr8Zg]8h_8\hnkl^8ma^8
[b`8hiihkmngbmr8h_8[hma8Z8k^lb]^gmbZe8
fh]ê8Zg]8Z8\hff^k\bZe8fh]ê8\ZiZ[e^8
h_8]êbo^kbg`8·>8pZm^k8
OaZm8p^8]hgÁm8f^Zg8bl8[b`8lbs^8La^88
=K8fh]êl8Zk^8ma^8lZf^8]bf^glbhgl8Zl8
hnk8hma^k8abà¦hnminm8fh]êl89g]8ebd^8
Zee8:hl\a8mZgde^ll8pZm^k8a^Zm^kl8ma^rÁk^8
^g`bg^^k^]8_hk8kêbZ[bebmr8Zg]8]^lb`g^]8
_hk8^Zlr8l^kob\^
9KE=
Certified
@bà¦Gnminm8
;hg]^glbg`8
Obma88:hma8
J^lb]^gmbZe8®8
;hff^k\bZe
Eh]êl8
9oZbeZ[e^
:hl\a8HkhLZgde^ll½8
?O@8;88=K
8`Ze¥fbg8µ8Ð>8kbl^
Ë8ma^kfZe8^_y8\b^g\r8
X
X
Dhp8FGq8^fbmm^k
8:LM¥@k8fZq8bginm8
8:LM¥@k8fbg8bginm
X9embmn]^8m^lm^]8mh8³
X
X
8o^gmbg`8ienl8
\hg\^gmkb\8himbhgl
X:nbem8_hk8]nkZ[bebmr8
Zg]8l^kob\^Z[bebmr
XHN;
>bg]8mZq8\k^]bm8bg_hkfZmbhg8hg8
mabl8ikh]n\m8Zg]8Zee8êb`b[e^8:hl\a8
ikh]n\ml8Zm8ppp:hl\aLZq;k^]bm\hf
TAX
CREDI T
:hl\a8La^kfhm^\agheh`r8;hki
8O^gmphkma89o^gn^
Dhg]hg]^kkr8F@8
¦¦¦
ppp[hl\aikh\hf
2009
48 •
TALKIN’ RADIANT
Going above and beyond
towing my river boat behind us all the
way, to a remote village at the end of
the road system. We launched my boat
with all my tools, food, spare gas, etc.
at this village and drove the boat 85
miles downstream in a raging snowstorm to the confluence of the Yukon.
We started in on the Buderuses
(Buderi?) at the Tanana Village elder’s
home. This is an old-folk’s home for
the native elders of all the Yukon’s
many villages. My salesman worked
right along with us for two-and-a-half
straight days, ripping out old monster
boilers and piping and installing the
Buderi, Caleffi hydros-separators,
pumps, piping, and everything else.
“The first night we were there, I
noticed a skinned moose skull sitting on
the table in the small kitchen they use to
make food for the residents. It still had
the eyes, brains, tongue; you name it —
just no hide. It was still there on the second night, just sitting on the table in this
75° room. Apparently, they were going
to have a potlatch for one of the elders
the next day, and they wanted to let the
moose skull ‘ripen’ a little to make a
good moose-head soup. Yummie!
“After the job was finished, I sent the
rest of my crew home on a single-engine
Cessna, while Jason and I saddled up the
river boat and headed back upstream, 85
miles to my truck. Then four hours back
to Fairbanks. Jason did all of this without pay, just so he could ‘understand my
business’ a little better. Do you reckon
he gets about 95% of all my business?
When I started in the business in 1970,
working for a manufacturer’s rep, I was
20 years old and had zero experience in
the field. They sent me out on the road a
few years later to call on fuel-oil dealers
in and around New York City. My head
was filled with books, but there was no
dirt under my fingernails. So when I’d
call on an oil dealer, I’d ask if I could
work with their best technician for a day
or two. I’d carry the tools and do whatev-
er they told me to do. The oil dealers took
me up on my offer and the technicians
beat the snot out of me, and this is how I
began my real education in this business.
I did this over and over again until I
understood what their lives are like, what
they need and want, and what it’s like to
do this every day. I did this until I learned,
and until I appreciated it all.
Oh, we did ask Rocky about the
Bullwinkle soup. Here’s what he told us:
“I conveniently found some other
place to be when they served up the
soup. ‘Oh, darn, you already served the
soup? I was so wanting a big, heaping,
steaming bowl of those fermented
moose brains.’
“Some of the things the traditional elders eat in these villages are just a wee bit
different from what you and I eat, but the
folks were just as nice as they could be,
and very appreciative of our work. All
fuel has to be barged in during the summer, while the Yukon is open. Needless
to say, we have no reason to complain
about our fuel-oil prices. They are paying
about eight dollars a gallon. The two
Buderi, a 100-gallon indirect, and an outdoor-reset staging control, along with
proper piping and pumps, made a difference. We cut their fuel bill in half, and
gave them better comfort and more hot
Supplying Venting Products with a Competitive Edge
With solutions for every venting
need, Simpson Dura-Vent saves
time and money.
Simpson Dura-Vent, the
competitive advantage for a
successful business.
One supplier;
Complete Venting Solutions.
ProTech Division
Simpson Dura-Vent is a division of Simpson Manufacturing Company. NYSE:SSD. Made in the USA. 800-835-4429 www.duravent.com
Dan Holohan began his love affair
with heating systems in 1970 by going to
work for a New York-based manufacturers representative that was deeply
involved in the steam and hot-water
heating business. He studied hard,
prowled many basements and attics with
seasoned old-timers, and paid close
attention to what they had to say. Today,
Holohan operates the popular website,
www.HeatingHelp.com. He has written
hundreds of columns for a number of
trade magazines, as well as 15 books on
subjects ranging from steam and hot
water heating, to teaching technicians.
His degree is in Sociology, which
Holohan believes is the perfect preparation for a career in heating. Holohan has
taught over 200,000 people at his seminars. He is well known for his entertaining, anecdotal style of speaking.
Holohan lives on Long Island with his
wife, The Lovely Marianne. They have
four incredible daughters, all out in the
world and doing wonderful things.
Simpson Dura-Vent
Quality, Choices.
Service, Solutions.
water at the same time. It’s good to be the
hero sometimes!
It is good to be the hero. And I think
that’s what these two wholesalers have
become to their contractor customers.
Heroes.
■
8 0 0 - 5 4 3 - 2 5 5 0
Copyright © Liberty Pumps, Inc. 2008 All rights reserved.
w w w. l i b e r t y p u m p s . c o m
One of Americas fastest growing,
privately owned companies.
50 •
ON THE PVF PULSE
Best-selling energy economist, author
Economides verifies our predictions
B
efore the largest industry assemblage to ever attend the PVF
Roundtable at the Hess Club in
Houston on February 8, this admixture
of manufacturers, distributors, industrial
maintenance and project engineers,
specifiers and turnkey contractors were
riveted by the most comprehensive energy outlook ever, encompassing current
status as well as future development.
I had the distinct pleasure to be privy
...New discoveries of oil will be
progressively more difficult and
costlier to find. As demand soars
in China and India, especially,
this will effectively close
the cost-price gap by the third
quarter 2010, at the latest.
to the presenter, Michael J. Economides,
a professor of economics at the
University of Houston, who was the
focal point of my admiration. The fact
that both his statistics and conclusions
dovetailed my own, played only a minor
role in my enthusiastic response.
Since I normally precede the main
speaker at these quarter-year meetings, I
was amused by his twitting my comments regarding the morose state of oil
and natural gas pricing, and its longterm impact on future development. I
had also warned the group that credit
would be the make-or-break standard for
survival throughout 2009 and 2010.
The following are Economides’ most
cogent points:
• Although admittedly a Democrat,
Economides debunked the role of
renewable energy. He emphasized that
coal, natural gas and oil have been and
will continue to provide the empower-
ing natural resource for 87% of the
world’s energy needs for at least the
next 50 years.
• Like myself, he labeled ethanol a
scam whose impossible-to-reach mandated level was the result of an unholy
alliance between 20 Midwest Senators,
agricultural giants Archer-DanielsMidland, Cargill, and other agribusinesses, bent on forcing this cost ineffective blend down the throats of the
American public.
• The learned Professor accused Al
Gore and such cohorts as Robert F.
Kennedy Jr. of misleading the American
public in their fight to ‘outlaw’ coal, and
de-industrialize America to sell the
“inconvenient truth” of their unproven
climatic theories.
• Economides also took a shot at T.
Boone Pickens for exaggerating the positive impact of solar and wind energy
producers. He further claims that
BY MORRIS R. BESCHLOSS
PVF and economic analyst
Pickens knows these will only produce
1% of energy needs, but is bent on promoting major investments that Pickens
has accumulated.
• Echoing a sentiment that I have
often repeated, Economides expects a
major price rebound in both oil and natural gas within 18 months. With a purported breakeven around $75 a barrel,
the Houston professor expects that level
to be reached by the end of this year, but
then spike over $100 in 2010.
He concluded by reaffirming my
point of view that new discoveries of oil
will be progressively more difficult and
costlier to find. As demand soars in
China and India, especially, this will
effectively close the cost-price gap by
the third quarter 2010, at the latest.
Nationalization fear rocks financial institutions
Nationalization has been a synonym
for government take-over throughout the
last century. Over the years, it was normally associated with tin-horn dictatorships like Italy’s Benito Mussolini,
Cuba’s Fidel Castro and now
Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.
But the most egregious example of all
was the imposition of nationalization in
the United Kingdom, ushered in in 1945,
after Britain’s legendary lion, Winston
Churchill, was ousted in favor of a ramshackle labor government, headed up by
Prime Minister Clement Atlee and
Foreign Secretary Ernie Bevin. They not
only proceeded to nationalize all major
aspects of Britain’s industry and commerce, but ended that illustrious nation’s
position as a world power, and pauperized a greater segment of the population
than it uplifted. Despite a short respite
under Premier Margaret Thatcher, the
U.K. has now fallen into permanent disarray, with its banking system leading
the downward spiral.
There are similar signs that elements
in the current Administration are
attempting to lead the American institutions into a point of no return, starting with the U.S.’s disintegrating leading banks.
With Bank of America, Citigroup,
Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp, and even
JPMorgan Chase selling at prices that
weren’t even imagined a year ago. Only
the infusion of TARP cash seems to be
propping up these institutions. It’s the
ultimate irony that the governmentsponsored absorption of failing
Countrywide Financial, Merrill Lynch,
Wachovia and Bear Stearns had a lot to
do with these once grand Wall Street
champions dangling at the edge of the
survival precipice.
But despite U.S. government protesta(Turn to Beschloss, page 66.)
The Best Products, The Best Service...
Service Metal Gives You:
As a master distributor of industrial
Knowledgeable sales staff
H Large inventory of
multiple product lines
H Superior service
H Competitive prices
H Fast turn-around on orders
H Any size order welcome
– no minimums
H Machine shop capabilities
H Mill test reports available
H
valves, flanges and fittings for over
50 years, Service Metal has the
comprehensive inventory necessary
to fulfill your stock orders and
everyday needs.
CS Weld Fittings & Flanges • FS Fittings & Outlets • CI Flanged Fittings • MI Pipe Fittings
Merchant Steel Couplings • Pipe Nipples • Bolt Paks • Crane & Williams CS Valves • Crane & Fortune CI Valves
Crane Bronze Valves • Smith FS Valves • Fortune Ball Valves • Center Line & ST&H Butterfly Valves
Flowseal High Performance Butterfly Valves • Duo-Chek Valves • Titan Y-Strainers
®
®
®
®
®
®
®
®
®
®
Service Metal Products Co.
Service Metal of the Carolinas
Serving the Midwest & Western U.S.
Serving the Eastern U.S.
Toll Free: 800-325-7820
Toll Free: 800-438-6946
Fax: 314-231-1821
Fax: 704-331-0646
www.servicemetal.net
ONE CALL GETS IT ALL
For reliability...
buy PricePfister OEM
genuine parts from Tapco.
Tapco
has one of the
largest inventories of
PricePfister OEM
genuine replacement
parts.
No extra handling charge
for same day shipment
on PricePfister orders
received by noon eastern time.
Tapco will ship your order of
packaged PricePfister parts
within 24 hours.
Tapco acknowledges FAX orders
promptly by return FAX,
complete with your prices.
Tapco
P. O. Box 2812
Pittsburgh, PA 15230
412-782-4300
PARTS CENTER©
FAX
GENUINE
• 53
SCHOR’S K/BIS PICKS
Seamless stainless sinks
This line of kitchen sinks has a seamless
sink bottom. A beautiful and stunning
effect is created by eliminating the customary seams and flanges found around
the drain. This revolutionary vision for
sinks reduces installation time to 20-60
minutes, increases space and provides a
more sanitary environment for food
preparation. Strainer baskets match the
sink for a uniform (seamless) look. You
can also throw away the black plastic
plug because the strainer plugs both the
disposer side and drain side of the sink.
Affluence.
Waterless urinal
Handmade copper bath
The H2Zero waterless urinal is designed
for environments desiring extreme water
savings. Utilizes
breakthrough
technology to
use no water for
optimum performance and
water conservation. Vitreous
china urinal addresses key challenges including
performance,
operation, odor management, durability
and waste build-up. Unique technology
uses a Bio Fresh block, a Bio Seal and a
cartridge tool to maximize performance.
Caroma.
The Atocha is a striking copper handcrafted bath. Double-walled bath is constructed with 4" copper strips; each strip
is hand-welded producing a one-of-akind fixture that has “functional art”
written all over it. Inside bathing well
has the ideal slope to embrace and cradle
the shoulders, ensuring an unforgettable
stress-free soak. Custom dimensions/
projects welcome. Diamond Spas.
www.diamondspas.com
www.caromausa.com
Quartz surfaces
Luxurious vessels
This K/B manufacturer offers a stylish
product line that delights demanding
customers. By bringing distinct and
The Silestone® Platinum Collection features some of the most advanced colors
available in the quartz surfacing market.
www.aquacleana.com
Ergonomic showerhead
www.seamlesssink.com
High efficiency toilet
The Avalanche 1.28 is this manufacturer’s latest high efficiency toilet (HET). 3"
flush
valve,
Fluidmaster
f i l l
valve,
uniquely
designed
jet feed, rim
structure
and
trapway configuration contribute
to performance.
Large
water
surface helps with
cleaning and maintenance; slimline tank
includes a color-matched side-mounted
trip lever. Offered in comfortable
ErgoHeight model. Gerber Plumbing
Fixtures LLC.
Ceramic toilet/bidet
This patent pending ceramic toilet and
bidet washes front and rear with blow
dry features, eliminating toilet paper.
With optional front entry seating, wheelchair users no longer have to pivot 180°
to mount the bidet and trust that it is
clean. This feature helps caregivers who
are outsized by their patients restore
confidence, dignity and independence
for their aging patients. This bidet has a
12" rough-in; IAPMO code approval is
pending. Aquacleana.
innovative concepts to unique sizes and
shapes, they offer product designs that
embody luxury at an affordable price.
Vessels are available in glass, stainless
steel, copper, nickel, ceramic, marble,
granite and wood.Coordinate beautifully
with traditional elegance or contemporary styles. Cantrio Koncepts.
Collection consists of 4 unique colors
with distinctive metallic accents and the
exclusive performance of Silestone natural quartz. Offers beautifully innovative products with advanced quartz surfaces. Cosentino.
www.silestoneusa.com
www.cantrio.ca
Backlit mirrors
Vivid and luminescent, the Integrity
backlit vanity mirror provides an ideal
balance of high fashion with functional-
The ergonomically designed IN2ITION
shower delivers
an enhanced
level
of
comfort,
convenience
and versatility by
combining a hand-held
shower and a fixed
shower head with an extra
wide spray. The 2-in-1 system gives consumers the
option to use either the handheld shower or shower head
separately or together for a fullbody shower experience.
Available with 4-5 spray functions, including 3 massage
options and an aerated champagne spray. The ergonomic, soft grip
handle and dial allow for maximum
comfort. Alson Showers.
www.alsons.com
Modern door lever
The new Apollo lever encompasses classic geometric shapes and offers a modern twist with a sleek aesthetic that com-
www.gerberonline.com
Lever faucets
The Ovaline Lever Collection was
designed for those looking for a more
sophisticated, softer
minimalist
style
than
a
typical square or
round faucet. Line is
fully coordinated with
matching lavatory, tub/shower, thermostatic valves and bath accessories; is
available in 13 decorative finishes.
Shown is single-control, wall-mounted
lavatory faucet. May be installed with or
without back plate, for an even more
minimalist look. Cascade Faucets.
www.cascadefaucets.com
Shower enclosures
ity. Seamlessly integrating light and
glass, the Integrity is a unique lighting
station created to replicate natural light,
eliminate shadows and provide the perfect environment while preparing for the
day or evening. Using a minimalist
design concept, the mirrors add sleek
luxury to any modern bathroom.
Electric Mirror Co.
Preceria shower enclosures feature an
elliptical-shaped header suspended
above thick glass. Oversized curved pull
handle and decorative hardware complement overall product design. Glass-toglass hinges offer choice of swinging the
door panel in and out, and of either a
curved or straight door. Frame finish
options include silver, brushed nickel or
9 powdered-coated finishes. Clear glass
showcases tile and emphasizes an open
feel; Silk glass is a beautiful effect offering more privacy. Basco.
plements a variety of decors. This interior door series is available in 4 functions
– privacy, passage, single dummy and
full dummy. Lever has a 4.375" length
and is shown with a Round Rose base
measuring 2 3/8" dia. Available in a variety of finishes; shown here in polished
chrome. It features concealed screws on
both sides. Ashley Norton.
www.electricmirror.com
www.bascoshowerdoor.com
www.ashleynorton.com
54 •
Grab bars
The award-winning designs of ADAcompliant WAVE decorative safety grab
bars are complemented by exceptional
mounting kits. Matching bath accessories include shower and tub wire baskets, matching metal-finish soap dispensers and more. All products have
been treated with the SANIGUARD antimicrobial product protection process.
Products are available in a wide variety
of decorative finishes. Great Grabz.
LED vanity mirror
Illuminated showering
The latest LED technology allows applying this attractive minimalist design to a
lighted vanity mirror with 3x magnification. In addition to this mirror
being aesthetically
appealing, the LED
technology projects better light and
is virtually maintenance free. Each of
its 32 LEDs lasts
past 50,000 hours
and uses only a
fraction of the
power that traditional bulbs do. This
environmentally conscious mirror is
available in chrome and brushed nickel.
Kimball & Young.
Magic Showerhead’s patented technology transforms an ordinary shower into
an illuminated waterfall. The LED inside
the showerhead illuminates water jet;
www.kimballyoung.com
users can choose from a variety of color
combinations, single color or fading colors. From the temperature indication
model, users will know if their shower
temperature is safe based on the color of
the water. Safety, convenience, energy
saving and green technology are all part
of its design. A truly environmentally
friendly product; needs no batteries or
electricity. Memowell Corp.
www.greatgrabz.com
Square patterned sinks
www.magicshowerhead.com
Minimalist sophistication
New shapes and patterns enhance this
line of bronze sinks. These sinks are
spun cast by hand of bronze one at a
Advanced towel warmers
This manufacturer’s Zero Collection
was inspired by those consumers who are looking
for a true minimalist style,
with a slightly more
sophisticated, softer
look than is
typically
found in a
traditional
square or round faucet.
This line is fully coordinated with matching lavatory,
tub/shower, thermostatic
valves and bath accessories; available in all 13 decorative finishes. Shown at left is the single control
lavatory faucet, which is also available
in a vessel height model.
La Torre Faucets.
www.italyfaucets.com/schede/latorre
Horizontal shower panel
Raindance Rainfall is a horizontal,
multi-functional shower panel with a
torrent spray mode. The extremely flat,
time for more uniformity to the finished
sinks. New for 2009 is the addition of
square shaped sinks, available in a variety of patterns including botanical,
wing, and brocade. Available in two
color types: antique bronze and white
bronze. Pictured is the square bronze
sink with an antique bronze finish featuring the botanical pattern. Linkasink.
www.linkasink.com
Glass tiles
This comprehensive glass tile product
line consists of JewelStone glass
mosaics, braided glass mosaics, stained
The CR527P soaking bath, designed by
Shawn-Ian Bruce, is crafted from this
manufacturer’s proprietary Carrera™
composite material in Matte White.
This 60" x 32" x 24" rectangular
pedestal features exclusive ergonomic
design; has the look and feel of natural
stone; and is easy to clean with no grout
lines or seams, stain resistant and renewable with consistent color throughout.
The floor drain assembly is included.
Jason International.
www.jasoninternational.com
Multi-sensory bath
The 200 Series is comprised of 4 wallmounted models featuring all-welded
steel construction and advanced heat
technology. Each has a stainless steel
heating element, UL-listed temperature
control and high limit control for precise
heating and exemplary product performance. Collection is available in 4 designer finishes — polished chrome, satin
nickel, oil rubbed bronze and white.
Also offered are accessories including
an aromatherapy oil well, robe hook,
single bar towel rack and triple bar towel
rack. Backed by a consumer-friendly
limited warranty. Mr. Steam.
Sound vibration and ergonomic design
come together in the Fountainhead
VibrAcoustic bath. Multi-sensory envi-
ronment synchronizes music, vibration
and light with water. Massaging beat
adds physical vibration that can be
adjusted to the desired level of intensity.
As bathers’ breathing slows and deepens,
they can’t help but relax physically.
Kohler.
www.us.kohler.com
Medicine cabinets
This collection of architecturally
inspired medicine cabinets were
designed for style and practicality. The
manufacturer, an old mill company, still
ww.mrsteam.com
Stone tubs and basins
Inspired by Italian design, these luxury
composite stone tubs and basins are
made in South Africa and have sales
rectangular panel projects into the space
and offers 3 spray modes. Concentrated
Rain Splash torrent spray gushes out of
the showerhead like a deluge in the great
outdoors; aerated shower’s distance
from the wall guarantees freedom of
movement, allowing the downpour
effect to be savored. 4 rotating whirlmassage sprays swivel forward to massage the body when activated and swing
back inside the shower’s surface when
another function is used. Hansgrohe.
glass, Murano Vena glass, signature
series, dazzling green glass mosaics and
panel collections. Add tile to your showroom to make it a one-stop shop. This
highly profitable line has a great display
program. Hirsch Glass.
worldwide. Available in colors including
Limestone White, Kalahari Sands,
Balinese Brown, Terra Red, Zen Black,
or metallic finishes like Bronze, Copper
and Aluminum. Palazzo Baths.
believes in traditional values of starting
with the best materials and applying
detailed workmanship. Classic medicine
cabinets are meticulously crafted by a
few select craftsmen who still practice
the fine art of millwork, using only real
wood panel and solid wood mouldings.
Mann’s Manufacturing.
www.hansgrohe-usa.com
www.hirschglasscorp.com
www.palazzobaths.com
www.medicinechests.com
• 55
Efficient flushing system
Base and shower pans
Flushmate® Pressure Assist Technology
is a flushing system designed for performance and conservation. The high
Line includes single curb shower bases,
bathtub replacement shower pans, and
ADA-compliant and barrier-free shower
pans. Shower pans are one-piece units
Apron-front sink
The Fiesta apron-front sink has a curve
thrown in, injecting an eye-catching note
of circular geometry that extends
beyond a counter’s edge. Dimensions
are ample, at 16" across (inside diameter) and 7.5" deep. Flat bottom makes it
ideal for holding glasses and bottles
when used as a bar sink. Available in
Antique and Brushed Nickel; both
reveal thousands of hammer hits that
add textural interest as well as an artisan
element. Native Trails.
www.nativetrails.net
Bamboo vessel
efficiency model flushes 1.0 gpf. This
manufacturer has 25 years of proven
reliability, performance and maximum
water savings; offers a 10-year warranty.
Sloan Valve Co.
with fully integrated drains, integrated
6" splash walls, integrated curbs or barrier-free entrances, and integrated pitch
1/4" per ft to the drain. Leak-proof
mold-free shower pans are ready to
accept tile, marble or stone. Tile Redi.
www.tileredi.com
www.flushmate.com
Mini tankless
Complete bath/kitchen collection
Series 4 apartment water heater is one of
a line of U.S.-made electric tankless and
mini tank water heaters for industrial,
The Rivers Collection offers a complete
line of unique stone lavatories, vessels,
pedestal lavatories, vanity systems,
www.us.kohler.com
Futuristic faucet
With its organic good looks and ecofriendly pedigree, this solid bamboo vessel sink adds unexpected elegance and a
natural warmth to any bath design.
Exceptionally beautiful but durable and
easily withstands the rigors of daily use.
Each sink is professionally sealed with a
waterproof polyurethane to create a
maintenance-free finish that carries a
10-year guarantee. The sink measures a
generous 17" high by 6" deep with a
13/8" thickness. Totally Bamboo.
www.totallybamboo.com
Leaf lavs
The contemporary Leaf Vessels lavatory
offers homeowners a new choice for
today’s modern bathroom, with a unique
twist on the typical bowl-shaped vessels.
This vitreous china, above-counter lav
coordinates with the company’s existing
modern furniture and fixture offerings to
create a stylish and functional bathroom
space. Provides simple elegance for a
grooming station, and creates a real
focal point in the bathroom. Kohler.
bathtubs, kitchen and bar sinks in a variety of colors. Collection has a variety of
wrought iron vessel stands that allow a
showroom to use the different types of
materials in sinks from this line and
numerous other manufacturers. This
leads to a mix and match look designed
to produce much higher gross profit
margins. The Stock Market.
commercial and residential applications.
Flow capacities range from 0.5 gpm
(2.5kw) to 25 gpm (126kw) for 99%
energy efficiency. Ruggedly constructed; compact and reliable. Eemax.
www.eemaxinc.com
Bath storage options
This manufacturer introduces a line of
bath storage options for environmentally
conscious consumers featuring eco-
www.the-stockmarket.com
The Distinctive Series LVH 1200 accessory water faucet features futuristic lines
with a modern
look; makes a
design statement in
modern kitchens or a stunning
accent to eclectic ones. Uses twin
levers that flank the base of its barrel-tipped spout. Spout features a
generous 6" reach and stands 7"
above the countertop; allows for the
easy filling of cups, pots and pitchers. Available in Chrome, Satin
Nickel and Oil Rubbed
Bronze. Lead-free faucet has a
built-in aerator and ceramic disc valves to
ensure long-term operation. Water, Inc.
ww.waterinc.com
Natural bath basins
Innovative steam therapy
These bathroom basins are made with
natural materials such as stone and copper. A new line of vanities are the perfect
The ChromaSteam System spa package
provides enhanced relaxation including
the mental, physical and emotional bene-
Direct vent fireplace
The RHFE 750 ETR Gas Modulated
Fireplace maintains energy efficiency
and beauty using a gas flame in a direct
vent fireplace. State-of-the-art digital
electronic controls include dual timers, a
thermostat or a manual control option,
and a child lock. A fully functional
remote control gives the consumer total
control of the heat output; 3-speed fan
allows even heat distribution yielding an
increased level of comfort. Rinnai.
compliment to these stylish basins.
Contemporary design and hand-carved
features of Kangyur vanities combine
harmoniously with the natural sinks to
create a beautiful example of style and
taste for the bathroom. 5 different styles
and sizes are constructed of Shesham, a
durable wood from the foothills of
northern India. Vanity doors are hand
carved with a rainfall-style design and
have rich espresso finish. Terra Acqua.
friendly products. These exciting
designs are loaded with customizable
storage options. This manufacturer is
offering them in materials that minimize
pollution, and is making use of sustainable woods like Plyboo and Lyptus,that
conserve energy and reduce waste. The
New Avalon design in Plyboo features a
medicine cabinet with soft closing popup door and is semi-recessed.
Vanity Flair.
fits associated with Steamtherapy™.
Complete with AromaSteam™, ChromaSteam™ and in-shower Musictherapy™
speakers. Integrates light with steam
selection of colors ranging from blue to
red. Features low voltage, high performance LED light modules. AromaSteam
releases aromatherapy essences electronically into the steamroom. Moistureresistant Musictherapy speakers deliver
70 watts peak performance from almost
any audio source. Mr. Steam.
www.rinnai.us
www.terracqua.net
www.vanityflair.net
ww.mrsteam.com
56 •
SHOWROOM STYLE
Navigating K/BIS 2009
A deep look at getting better show results!
BY PETER SCHOR
Showroom specialist
T
here is no doubt that 2009 is a
challenging year for all of us in
the showroom industry. I am
hoping that you read my December 2008
column, which had some guidelines on
what you can do during these times. The
January 2009 showroom column had
My advice through these tough
economic times: Cut down on the
amount of negative news...stay
current, adopt a positive attitude,
and keep a solution-oriented
mind. Your clients deserve this.
some positive insights taken from the
negative happenings. Furthermore, there
are many answers for today’s economic
problems in the archives of The
Wholesaler (www.thewholesaler.com).
The September 2006 to current showroom articles are available and easy to
print in pDF format!
Kitchen and bath industry
In early December, Ed S. pell, master
market researcher for the k&b industry,
who has 35 years of experience in the
market segment, said, “For all the scare
headlines, 2008 turned out to be a decent
year for kitchen and bath remodeling.
kitchen remodeling declined about 6%,
to 7.1 million jobs, but high-end project
returned causing spending to increase
more than 255 to over $121 billion. bath
remodeling jobs dipped nearly 7% to
just over 10 million units, but spending
on those jobs was up slightly less than
1% to $71 billion.”
Yes, I know the economy has turned
dramatically downward since that date,
but presently things are more positive.
Hotel industry
Have you wondered why there was
not a single nickel in the “bail-out” for
the hotel, travel and tourism industry?
The reason is that the hotel industry,
specifically, is doing well. In fact, construction is still booming. Most hotel
projects in progress are fully funded
through early 2010 and there is great
demand for bath/plumbing products. Do
you want to receive “juicy” information
for your company about how to cash in
on the hotel industry? Look in the
December issue of The Wholesaler on
page 67, under the heading “Industry
News.” Many people in our industry
were grateful for the information.
As you know, I am the proverbial
optimist. When it gets tough out there, I
become very creative and work
“smarter” with my clientele. My advice
through these tough economic times:
Cut down on the amount of negative,
toxic, repetitive news you watch on television and read in the newspapers.
Fifteen minutes a day will give you all
you need to stay current, adopt a positive
attitude, and keep a solution-oriented
mind. Your clients deserve this. Reduce
stress by reading my February 2009
showroom column: “Stress reduction in
these tough economic times.”
General overview of K/BIS 2009 —
Slim pickin’s require smart choices
This year, k/bIS 2009 (www
.kbis.com), will be held at the World
(Turn to Making the most... page 58.)
INSTALL GRATIFICATION
TEMPRA© SERIES TANKLESS ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS
• Unlimited Supply of Hot Water
SAVE
• Sleek Design Saves Space
ENERGY
WATER
MONEY
• Saves Energy and Reduces Your Electric Bills
• Proven Reliability Backed by a Three Year Warranty
Simply the Best
TOLL FREE
800.582.8423
www.stiebel-eltron-usa.com
58 •
SHOWROOM STYLE
Making the most of K/BIS
Congress Center in Atlanta. Next year
k/bIS 2010 will be held on April 16-18 at
McCormick place in Chicago. Atlanta is
a great place to have the convention and,
for most, a welcome change for those in
the South and Northeast regions. The
show hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and on
Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The show will have about 700 exhibitors
and will cover about 400,000 square feet
of exhibit space. There are three exhibit halls (A, b, and C). There are also
three specialty pavilions at k/bIS to help
you focus on industry segments:
• Decorative Hardware (new) in b Hall
• Natural Stone and Tile in C Hall
• Cabinets also in C Hall.
The NkbA bookstore always has some
good books available on bath design and
sales skills. Many of these books can be
put on display in your own showroom
library. There is also the NkbA Center
Stage, which has CEU Credit presentations
that will be open to all attendees. The
schedule will be available at k/bIS 2009.
a new product be best: IApMO Code
approval, mechanical reliability, shipping on time, and perhaps will be in
business next year!
The cost for non-exhibiting manufacturers to walk the floor is $250! The purpose of the policy is to protect the manufacturers exhibiting at k/bIS and main-
I am sad to say that k/bIS 2009 is
becoming even more of a “kitchen and
bath dealer and design-oriented” show,
leaving out the balance of the showroom
industry attendees: product sellers,
plumbing wholesalers and DpHA-type
showrooms, and the manufacturers and
reps that serve them. There are very few
educational programs for our segments.
In my knowledgeable industry experience opinion, the NkbA, the educational
arm of k/bIS, is starting to reverse itself.
The New product pavilion, now
called “best of k/bIS 2009,” has had
some improvements going from one
kitchen and one bath product award to
10 categories in kitchen and nine categories in bath. The 17 judges are all
from the NkbA. I think to improve upon
“The best of New products” the judging
should be done by independent designers, architects, or a voting ballot from
the attendees. How about have some of
the great plumbing wholesaler and DpH
showroom product gurus; people like
Jeff burton, Joe passero, Sam Rose and
numerous others, who know what makes
costs and room numbers of the events.
please read the titles and descriptions of
the seminars and make your own decisions whether or not the seminars fit
your needs.
One of the greatest perks of the k/bIS
Convention is getting the magazines and
free subscriptions. Most of the maga-
When you look for manufacturers from China, be sure
that they have the “ISO Quality Certification,”
and have an understanding of how we do business in the U.S.
tain the integrity of the show. Last year
it seemed that some non-exhibiting manufacturers wore inappropriate clothing,
which made them look like walking billboards rather than industry professionals. I still think they might have arrived
at a better solution. I know a dozen manufacturers from many parts of the world
that are coming to walk the show to see
if they should exhibit in the future. They
might come away a little disappointed.
Things to watch for at K/BIS 2009
Check your k/bIS Show Directory
website, www.kbis.com, click on
“Conference” for detailed descriptions,
ICC-ES PMG Listing Service
Look For the Mark…
on Plumbing Products that Comply with Codes and Standards
FOR DETAILS: www.icc-es.org/pmg
Most Widely Accepted and Trusted
09-01563
zines are not assigned a booth until the
middle of April or closer to show time. I
would go to (www.kbis.com under
“Exhibitor List” and look under
“publication — business to business”
and “publications — Consumer.” Last
year, I counted 23 magazine booths. If
you come to their booth with a complete
contact list of your other showrooms,
you can subscribe as a group with the
completion of one subscription card.
You will note that many magazines
might not be exhibiting in 2009, but you
can still find the magazines in bins located outside the convention hall.
Make sure you stop by the TMb
publications booth where The
Wholesaler, phC News and plumbing
Engineer magazines are located! Make
sure your staff has subscribed to The
Wholesaler so you can read my monthly
showroom column. Many associations
utilize booths as a way of getting closer
to the show, so check this out.
There are many more manufacturers
this year from China. Additionally, there
are more new American companies
importing products from China under
American type names.
When you look for manufacturers
from China, be sure that they have the
“ISO Quality Certification”, and have an
understanding of how we do business in
the U.S.
Due to the date of the k/bIS 2009
Convention, and the magazine deadlines, I will be writing about “New and
Hot bath products and Trends” in the
May, June and July monthly columns of
the magazine. please see the New
product Showcase in this month’s magazine for some of the hottest products
and product lines of the year.
■
peter Schor, president of Dynamic
Results Inc., is an educator, motivational speaker, consultant, coach and writer
in our industry and many diverse others.
For the past 17 years, he has conducted
100 educational programs yearly,
including 34 industry conventions.
Schor has great expertise in the field of
showrooms and has won many industry
awards. he also works with manufacturers in the field of sales, marketing and
public relations. Schor can be reached
at 1491 Ivy Arbor, Lincoln, CA 95648,
phone 916/408-5346, fax 916/408-5899,
e-mail [email protected]
or visit his website at www.dynamicresultsonline.com.
HOT WATER HERO
When it came to replacing the antiquated multi-tank system at
the Paul R. Ruth fire station in Henderson, Nevada, Eternal
was the water heater for the job. Ease of installation with PVC
venting, the self-cleaning reservoir, and standard piping
methods with recirculation won city planners over. They are so
happy with the efficiency and long warranty that Eternals are
planned in many more applications throughout the city.
See our stories at www.hybridstories.com
60 •
MOVING UP
CONGRATS!
The air-Conditioning, Heating and
Refrigeration Institute has restructured
its staff responsibilities:
• CEO Jack Klimp will retire June 1
• Stephen R. Yurek will continue to
serve as president
• Joe Mattingly continues as general
counsel and corporate secretary
• Stephanie Murphy is responsible
for finance, membership and office
Brian peelver
Stacie Weaver
operations
• Bill Tritsis will handle certification
programs
• henry hwong is responsible for
standards, product section services and
statistical programs
• Francis Dietz is responsible for
public affairs, meetings and education
• David Calabrese will have overall
responsibility for government, regulatory and international affairs, assisted by
Karim Amrane with regard to regulatory
activities, Don Davis with regard to government affairs and Jim Walters with
regard to international affairs.
The senior staff positions of executive
vice president and senior vice president,
public affairs, were eliminated in the
restructuring.
Cascade Faucets and their La Torre
brand have appointed Andrew Schor
sales director, for the U.S. and Canadian
The Push-Fit Solution For Plumbing and Heating Systems
AB1953
Of course not.
Years ago no one knew the AB1953 Legislation was coming.
But we’ve always been in compliance, by keeping lead out of
virtually all of our plumbing products
Can your fittings supplier say the same?
pw rfh
IAPMO UNIFORM
PLUMBING CODE
ASTM F 877
CSA B137.5
ASSE 1061
NSF 14
NSF 61
For a complete listing of our lead-free products
contact us toll free at 1-800 94-JG USA or via
email at [email protected].
Andrew Schor
Jeremy Olberding
regions. Schor brings 23 years experience in faucet manufacturing, plumbing
and the DpH industry.
Jim Fuller of Coburn Supply
Company was named chairman of the
aSa
Warehouse & Operations
Council. Fuller is a vice president at
Coburn’s and a key member of their
executive management team.
Chicago Tube and Iron Company
welcomed Steve Olson to their
Wisconsin division as outside sales representative for the southwestern
Wisconsin territory. Olson has more
than 10 years experience in the tool steel
market, working in inside sales, outside
sales and the warehouse.
Colmac Coil Manufacturing promoted Jeremy Olberding to sales manager. Olberding will supervise factory
sales personnel and oversee the Colmac
Heat Transfer, Industrial Refrigeration,
and Heat pump Water Heater product
groups. He joined the Colmac team in
2005 as an applications sales engineer
and also served as R&D engineer and
R&D engineering manager.
Eastern Industrial Supplies Inc.
promoted two key branch managers:
• paul Thompkins is now regional
manager of West Georgia. Thompkins
began his career in the pvF industry at
the young age of 15. He was hired by
Eastern as the warehouse manager in
LaGrange, Ga., in 1998, and was later
promoted to counter and inside sales,
soon to be followed with a transition
into outside sales. Thompkins was promoted to branch manager in 2006.
• Michael “Scat” Scaturro was promoted to regional manager of Coastal
Carolina. Scaturro has been working in
this industry for over 24 years. Thirteen
years ago, Eastern hired Scaturro to
spearhead the development of Eastern in
the Coastal regions of South Carolina.
David Dauberman, area sales manager for Emerson Climate Technologies,
received the 2008 Walter b. Stopera, CM,
Speaker of the Year Award. This award
recognizes an individual who consistently presents outstanding educational programs at all levels of RSES meetings and
conferences.
Brian peelver was promoted to general manager of Ferguson’s Evansville,
Ind. branch. peelver began his career
with Ferguson in 1999 as a management
trainee in Naples, Fla., and was promoted to a variety of positions in the Florida
market, including outside sales associate, branch manager and sales manager.
First Supply promoted Stacie Weaver
paul Thompkins
Michael Scaturro
to general manager for its seven southeastern Wisconsin facilities, with
responsibility for day-to-day operations.
Weaver joined First Supply in 2004 and
has been counter sales rep, branch supervisor of the West bend and brookfield,
Wis., facilities and, most recently, operations manager for the southeastern
Wisconsin locations.
Flowserve Corporation named Lars
E. Rosene chief sustainability officer, in
addition to his role as vice president of
public affairs. Rosene will drive the
implementation and management of the
company’s sustainability and social
responsibility efforts, while continuing
to maintain oversight of the company’s
internal communications, global reputation, government affairs and corporate
brand management initiatives.
Lawson Software named peter
Quinn chief customer officer. Quinn,
who has more than 20 years of experience in business software and business
management, heads Lawson’s new
Customer Experience Office and leads a
team that will be the customers’ advocate at Lawson, keeping customer concerns at the forefront of all levels and all
departments. Quinn joined Lawson in
2006 and has served as vice presidentmarketing operations since 2007.
Mestek Inc. appointed John Looes
Mid-Atlantic regional sales manager for
distributor products. Looes will oversee
the company’s sales efforts for
Hydrotherm, RbI, Smith, Ray, Sterling
and beacon Morris. previously a member of Mestek’s commercial sales team,
Looes rejoins Mestek following eight
years experience with a manufacturer’s
rep organization.
Mitsubishi Electric HvaC advanced
Products Division created four new
regional commercial sales positions:
• Ronald Young, Northeast commercial sales manager, has almost 30 years
of experience in HvAC sales and nearly
20 years of experience in application
engineering and sales team management. He began his career with Carrier
Corporation, before moving to York
International/Johnson Controls in their
applied products division.
• Southern commercial sales manager
Dennis Cobb has more than 25 years of
HvAC applications experience. before
joining Mitsubishi in 2004 as the
Southern regional manager, Cobb spent
five years with Carrier Corporation as
one of their territory managers.
• Jim Benville, Western commercial
sales manager, was the regional manag-
• 61
INDUSTRY NEWS
er for Mitsubishi Electric HvAC’s pacific
Northwest area for five years.
previously, benville was a project engineer/project manager for pAE Consulting
Engineers.
• Central commercial sales manager
Will Scott has been with Mitsubishi for
three years and previously worked with
sales teams at Carrier.
Nancy Leo was named national
accounts manager for Moisture Control
Services, a division of Munters Ab. Leo,
who has nearly 30 years experience in
the field of property loss restoration, will
be responsible for directing MCS’s marketing and sales initiatives, with a focus
on the disaster recovery market.
The Conduit Division of Robroy
Industries welcomed Jesse Fowler as
production supervisor. Fowler has more
John Looes
Nancy Leo
than six years of plant supervision experience. His knowledge of lean manufacturing techniques such as value stream
mapping and his 20 years experience at
an Eaton/Aeroquip tube bending unit
will be valuable assets to the company.
Stiebel Eltron has appointed two new
regional sales managers:
• Doug Belden was named Western
regional sales manager. He was formerly with Ferguson Enterprises and has
over 15 years experience in the plumb-
ing/HvAC mechanical arena.
• Glenn Issac is the Eastern regional
sales manager. He was formerly with
bosch as national account manager and
Eastern regional sales manager, and has
over 20 years of tankless water heater
experience.
Jerry hughes, a well-respected 20year industry veteran, has joined
Systematic Selling to help bolster the
firm’s comprehensive consultation and
training services offered to wholesalers
and their customers. As founder and
owner of his privately held rapidgrowth, three-location, multi-million
dollar HvACR wholesale firm, he and his
company were consistently recognized
for their leadership and innovation on
local and national levels. As a member
of Johnstone Supply Inc.’s board of
Doug Belden
law January 1, 2011 if enacted.
perhaps some of the motivation
behind the Maryland legislature’s
actions is the bad press nearby
Washington, D.C., has recently received
over possible health affects on some of
its children due to excessive lead levels
found in their water system years prior.
The D.C. story continues to play out
very publicly — and emotionally —
through local media outlets and the
internet.
For updates on the Maryland lead-free
initiative as well as other pertinent leadrelated initiatives, visit www.weareleadfree.com.
TeleNotes releases Document Share
SANDY, UTAH — Telenotes’ new
Document Share feature allows users to
upload and save any type of document to
an account in their TeleNotes database.
These documents can then be accessed
by other users within the company via
the internet. This new feature allows
field sales representatives or field service technicians to have access to important documents, specifications, quotes,
bids or other files in a central location.
The TeleNotes Sales productivity
System is a web-based, full feature database system designed for companies
with outside sales representatives and
field service technicians to act as a full
time personal administrative assistant
and contact management solution. The
unique system allows sales reps and
service techs to remain in the field, interacting with prospects and customers,
instead of sitting in the office doing data
entry or administrative reports.
TeleNotes SpS Inc., a Utah-based corporation, services sales teams and service
companies from those with as few as several individual representatives to those
with large national corporate sales teams.
TeleNotes can be reached at
www.telenotes.net or at 866/835-3668.
Glenn Issac
directors, he provided inspiration and
direction on multiple strategic issues.
Webstone Company Inc. appointed
Grant Dow Western regional sales manager. Dow is responsible for all western
U.S. and western provinces of Canada.
His duties include sales enhancement,
training, new product launches and representative management. Dow has
extensive industry experience in sales
management and is a licensed plumbing
contractor and a member of IApMO. ■
Weather hits cold-climate distributors
COLUMbUS, OHIO — In its monthly targeted and regional economic news for
distribution strategies (TRENDS) report,
Heating,
Air-conditioning
and
Refrigeration Distributors International
announced that national HvACR distributor sales for the month of December
2008 were (at median) just -0.3% below
December 2007.
The HARDI Central region posted the
best sales gain at +7.0%, with Canada
not far behind at +5.2%. The Great
Lakes region failed to benefit from the
onset of winter and experienced a -3.7%
sales decline from December last year.
The Southwestern region reported the
poorest performance, with a sales
decline of -13.7% at median. The West,
Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions
experienced sales declines when compared to the same month last year.
Median days sales outstanding (DSO)
stood at 46.85, down almost two days
from November 2008.
For information about HARDI’s monthly TRENDS reports, including access to the
complete reports and quarterly TRENDS
forecasts, visit www.hardinet.org.
Is Maryland looking to go lead free?
NORTH ANDOvER, MASS. — Legislation
is being presented in Maryland that
would dramatically reduce the allowable
lead content in piping and fittings that
deliver water for human consumption.
Hot on the heels of the State of
California’s low lead legislation
(Ab1953), Maryland’s House of
Representatives has drafted House bill
357, a lead-free facsimile of the
California statute.
Entitled “business Occupations and
professions – plumbers – Lead-Free
Material,” the draft legislation requires
piping and fittings for portable water
delivery to be “Lead-Free”, which is
defined as containing no more than
0.25% lead, as calculated by a weighted
average of those surfaces that come in
contact with water. The bill will go into
62 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Recovery Act offers more perks
for alternative energy investment
LEESbURG, vA. — REHAU announced
that its RAUGEO™ ground loop heat
exchange system qualifies for use under
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,
signed into law on
February 17 by
president barack
Obama. The $787-billion plan, which
aims to create 3.5 million American
jobs, while also improving the nation’s
infrastructure and services, includes the
use of $288 billion for tax relief, $144
billion for state and local support and
approximately $111 billion for infrastructure and scientific development.
The Act contains long-term tax incentives to encourage the use of high-efficiency HvAC and renewable energy technologies, including systems like
RAUGEO, in both residential and commercial applications. It follows last
October’s
Emergency
Economic
Stabilization Act of 2008, H.R. 1424,
which also includes both commercial
and residential incentives for high-efficiency HvAC and renewable energy technology use. Along with the Emergency
Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, it
provides an uncapped credit through
2016 for residential investments in geothermal heat pumps, as well as an
uncapped 10% investment tax credit for
commercial installations through 2016.
by including geothermal heat pump systems within the definition of “energy
property,” the Economic Stabilization
Act also allows for a five-year depreciation period for commercial systems
placed in service after October 3, 2008.
“REHAU is a company dedicated to
innovating for the advancement of both
industry and society, and we are enthusiastic about the potential these two Acts
afford in relation to our role in advancing
renewable energy technology adoption in
the U.S.,” said Scott Emery, business unit
manager, civil engineering and infrastructure at REHAU. “We have recently
launched our unique RAUGEO system in
North America, which is based on a
European design that incorporates RAUpEx® cross-linked polyethylene (pExa)
pipe, the EvERLOC® fitting system and pRObALANCE® manifolds for individual circuit
balancing and purging. We look forward
to the benefits these Acts will have on the
adoption momentum of REHAU’s RAUGEO
heat exchange system in the U.S., as well
as its positive effects in underscoring the
importance of overall renewable energy
technology implementation.”
The Economic Stabilization Act created the first significant U.S. tax incentives for geothermal heat pumps since
1980 and, for the first time, classified
them under federal renewable energy
provisions, alongside solar and wind
technologies. The positive impact these
systems have on energy independence,
the environment and national security
has already led to additional financial,
regulatory and utility incentives at the
local and state levels (a comprehensive
list of incentives by state is available at
www.dsireusa.org). Along with many
others, sales and property tax exemptions, loans, rebates and grants represent
the types of varying state-specific programs available for investors, projects
and homeowners.
In addition to tax incentives for renewable energy use, the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act earmarks $2 billion for energy efficiency and renewable
energy research, development, demonstration and deployment activities,
including a specific $400 million allocation for geothermal technologies.
“According to the U.S. Environmental
protection Agency, geothermal is ‘the
most energy-efficient, environmentally
clean and cost-effective space conditioning system for most locations in the
U.S.,’” Emery said. “Recognizing geothermal as part of this core group of
renewable energy technologies for which
further development and adoption is
imperative signifies a strong step forward
for systems like RAUGEO and for the overall energy policy of this country.”
For additional information, call
800/247-9445, e-mail rehau.mailbox@
rehau.com or visit www.rehau.com.
• 63
INDUSTRY NEWS
Regal Beloit’s new brand, identity
communicate innovation, vision
bELOIT, WIS. - Regal beloit recently
announced the rebranding of its GE branded businesses under the name Genteq™,
for markets that include residential and
commercial HvAC equipment and electrical applications that utilize capacitors.
When Regal beloit acquired General
Electric’s Commercial and HvACR
motors and capacitors businesses in
2004, it also acquired the rights to use
the GE brand through 2009. With this
company’s reputation for innovation and
speaks to the future. “We want to assure
customers that this rebranding is an exciting, progressive step,” he said. “Genteq
will continue providing unparalleled service and developing the progressive, inno-
vative HvACR solutions for which this
company has always been known.”
The name Genteq combines the root
“gen,” referencing new beginnings (genesis) and ingenuity, with “teq,” showing
a continued passion for the newest technology and a unique, innovative
“...This rebranding reflects
the company’s reputation for
innovation and speaks to the future.”
rebranding, the Genteq logo will take the
place of GE ECM, GE Commercial Motors
and GE Capacitors logos on all branded
products, sales and marketing materials,
websites, communications documents,
signage and other related items beginning immediately, with complete phasein to be completed by December 31,
2009. Some aftermarket products will
phase in over the next few years.
According to paul Selking, HvAC industry leader, this rebranding reflects the
CEE announces
water heater
industry group
NASHvILLE, TENN. — The Consortium
for Energy Efficiency (CEE) is a nonprofit, public benefits corporation that promotes the manufacture and purchase of
energy-efficient products and services.
At a press conference held at the bASF
Corporation booth during the 2009
International builders’ Show® and
NExTbUILD, CEE announced the formation of the Coalition for ENERGY STAR®
Water Heaters. Water heaters that qualify for the ENERGY STAR label were introduced to the market on January 1, 2009.
The Coalition is comprised of industry associations, utility providers and
leading water heater manufacturers.
Representatives from the Department of
Energy, ENERGY STAR, CEE and the
Coalition discussed the importance of
this initiative and were available for a
networking opportunity with attendees.
Spokespersons from manufacturers A.O.
Smith, bradford White, Rheem, bASF
and Rinnai were also in attendance.
Through consistent messaging by
industry stakeholders, including manufacturers, utilities, retailers, environmental groups and government agencies, CEE and the Coalition for ENERGY
STAR Water Heaters aim to encourage the
support of increased development and
use of ENERGY STAR residential water
heaters by the industry’s supply chain
and consumers.
approach to problem solving. The contemporary Genteq logotype is accompanied by a distinctive blue logo that displays converging paths, giving it a technical look. The strong left to right direction of the paths reflects a flow of air and
energy. The paths converge to represent
Genteq’s commitment to forming a
strong relationship with every customer.
For more information, visit www.
jointhegeneration.com.
64 •
THE CHANNEL
REP RAP
cascade Faucets has appointed the
following territory manufacturer rep
agencies:
• Levitt associates, New England
• Gotham Sales, New York, New
Jersey
• klein & associates, Florida
• J.D. Sales, Texas, Oklahoma,
Arkansas, Louisiana
• Pahl & associates, Southern
California
• Ron Heil, Las Vegas
• RkH Sales, Ohio
• One Source Manufacturer Reps,
Illinois and Wisconsin
• Pac West Sales, Pacific Northwest
• attersall Marketing, Calgary &
Ontario
• JSa Sales, British Columbia.
cooper B-Line, a division of cooper
Industries, recently honored PMI Sales
and Marketing with its 2008 Rep of the
Year award. The award honors the manufacturer’s choice of “Best in Class” for
a regional sales agency. PMI, based in
Houston, was a top-performing agency
for Cooper B-Line in 2008, converting
several new STAFDA accounts, which
generated significant incremental volume. As a Cooper B-Line consignment
partner, PMI provides operational and
logistical support for the company.
Heat Transfer Products recently
announced the following lineup of independent sales agents in Canada:
• The Morgan Group will be responsible for the province of Ontario.
• kvc Industries corp. will be
responsible for the provinces of Alberta,
Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
• Nova West Hydro Thermal Sales
will be responsible for the provinces in
Atlantic Canada, including Prince
Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick.
HTP is also actively searching for
sales representation in other Canadian
provinces, including Quebec.
Jaclo held their annual sales meeting
at their 65,000-square-foot facility in
Cranford, N.J., on February 3-4. Sales
representatives from around the country
flew in to see the company’s new, stateof-the-art education center, tour the factory, learn about new product introductions and undergo a training seminar on
jaclo’s plating techniques, new shower
technology and designs.
David Schlocker of DRS & associates
gave a presentation on Jaclo’s brand
building efforts, public relations and
marketing strategies for 2009, with a
recap of 2008. Ken Goren of Designer
Hardware presented a testimonial
(from a dealer’s perspective) to communicate to the reps the value and profitability of jaclo as a vendor partner.
To celebrate a successful 2008, Jaclo
CEO Larry Brodey and national sales
manager T.J. Mullaly presented seven
awards for outstanding results to their
independent sales representative organizations. amorello Sales, Nov-ell Sales
and Martin L. kornstein received
awards for being a part of the $1,000,000
Club, which represents the more than $1
million they made during 2008 in Jaclo
sales. The Weinstein Group, GTS Sales
&(&2
7KH
&RPPH
U
F
L
DO
(QDPH
O
L
QJ
&RPSDQ\
&D
V
W
,
U
RQ
6L
QNV
\RX
F
D
Q
F
RXQW
RQ
3U
RYL
GL
QJ
W
RS
TXD
O
L
W
\
SU
RGXF
W
V
D
QG
V
H
U
YL
F
H
W
R
W
KH
:KRO
H
V
D
O
H
U
V
RI
$PH
U
L
F
D
V
L
QF
H
0RV
W
L
W
H
PV
V
KL
S
ZL
W
KL
Q
KRXU
V
3KRQH
(
PD
L
O
F
H
F
RPD
W
W
#KRW
PD
L
O
F
RP
ZZZ
F
H
F
RV
L
QNV
F
RP
PMI Sales and Marketing won 2008 Rep of the Year award from Cooper B-Line, a
division of Cooper Industries. The award honors the manufacturer’s choice of “Best
in Class” for a regional sales agency.
and Heritage Marketing of Texas were
the recipients of the $500,000 Club
award for the half million dollars of Jaclo
sales they achieved last year. Lastly,
k&a Sales was honored as the Rep
Agency of the Year for going above and
beyond the call of the duty by creating
solid relationships with customers, having an enhanced knowledge of the industry and keeping Jaclo primed on current
market trends.
Dectron Internationale Inc. named
manufacturer’s representative, qaT
(Total air quality), Laval, Quebec, as
its “Rep of the Year — 2008.” Some of
QAT’s larger 2008 projects included:
• A variety of data centers for
Canadian telecommunications firms that
received Ecosaire® by Dectron high-efficiency, precision air conditioning equipment
• Air filtration gear from Dectron’s
Circul-Aire® gas phase air purification
subsidiary for the City of Hudson,
Quebec
• 10 indoor community pools and two
indoor waterparks throughout the
greater Montreal area, which all
received Dectron DRY-O-TRON® heat
recovery dehumidifiers.
kindred has appointed the following
representative agencies:
• Smith and Stevenson co.,
Charlotte, N.C. — North and South
Carolina
• Suncoast Sales, Tampa, Fla. —
Florida (excluding Panhandle)
• Will & Pierce, Daphne, Ala. —
Alabama, Mississippi and Florida
Panhandle
• Mountain West
Marketing,
Pleasant View, Utah — Utah and
Southern Idaho
• SFE Enterprises, Nashville, Tenn.
—Tennessee
• Gentry & assoc., Kennesaw, Ga.
—Georgia
• Signature Specialties Inc., Fraser,
Mich. — Michigan
• Lines of Design, Denver, Colo. —
Colorado
Master-Bilt has recognized several
team members for their excellent work
in helping the company go above and
beyond its 2008 sales goals. The 2009
Achievement Awards were given out at
the national sales meeting held during
the NAFEM show on February 5 in
Orlando, Fla. The winners of the 2009
sales awards were:
• Most Improved Territory of the Year
(sales representative) — Bill Smith
Marketing Ltd., Calgary, Alberta
• Top Sales Volume (sales representative): First Source Marketing Inc.,
Lake Kiowa, Texas
• Group of the Year (sales representative): Heartland Reps LLc, Kearney,
Mo.
• Master-Bilt Regional Manager of
the Year: Rick Blinson
• Extra Miler Award (given to MasterBilt personnel in recognition of outstanding service to customers and fellow
employees): Cathy King, customer service representative
• Special Award-Rising to the
Challenge: Trillium Sales and
Marketing, Ancaster, Ontario
• Special Award-For new products
sales (sales representative): Rooker
Marketing, New Albany, Miss.
• Robert Seta of Trademark Equipment, based in Ashland, Mass., was
announced the winner of Master-Bilt’s
contest to name their new equipment
line. Seta submitted Endura™, to represent Master-Bilt’s most durable and complete line of foodservice equipment that
includes reach-ins, pass-thrus, roll-thrus,
prep tables and undercounter cabinets.
Mestek Inc. announced a sales partnership with the Sweeney-Rogers
corporation,
headquartered
in
Raynham, Mass. Under this new partnership, Sweeney-Rogers will become
the manufacturer’s representative for
Smith Cast Iron Boilers residential and
commercial products and also the Petite,
Kompak, Suntemp and Heatrim hydronic baseboard radiation offerings. Their
representative territory includes Maine,
Vermont, New Hampshire, Massa chusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and
upstate New York.
■
QAT of Laval, Quebec was named Rep
of the Year — 2008 by Dectron
Internationale Inc.
• 65
Frank Webb’s Bath & Lighting
Center opens in Concord, N.H.
BEDFORD, MASS. — Frank Webb’s Bath
& Lighting Center recently opened at 46
Henniker Street in Concord, N.H. This is
the 27th showroom location for this
growing chain and the fourth to showcase lighting for the home.
“We’re pleased to continue our expansion,” said Jeff Pope, president of F.W.
Webb Company, the parent corporation
of Frank Webb’s Bath Centers. “In this
economy, homeowners are looking for
solid remodeling information to help
them make the right choices. We offer a
real alternative when planning a bath or
kitchen renovation. Unlike big home
improvement stores, we provide personal service and love it when customers
ask questions.
“Our showroom staff is not on commission, which is a real difference. This
removes any hidden agenda and allows
our team to really listen to the customer
and provide the best product guidance
for their project.”
According to Toni Michaud, manager
of the new center, while the bathroom is
often the smallest room in the home, it
typically takes the most effort to plan,
build or remodel, especially these days,
Grundfos advisory
regarding fraudulent
credit card scam
OLATHE, KAN. — Over the past few
months, Grundfos Pumps has seen
increased instances of credit card fraud
and, in order to minimize the cost and
exposure to distributors, encouraged
them to take proactive steps to verify
any credit cards as payment.
Grundfos issued the following notice
to all its partners:
Be aware when a customer requests a
quote via e-mail or fax for SQE, SQ and
SQ Flex product. The most common
requests ask for all of these product
types at once. Each case has been very
similar: an order comes into a partner
using a credit card for purchase, and the
initial run of the credit card comes back
approved. However, once the customer’s
credit card is run for the full amount
(after shipment), the card is declined,
because it has been stolen. If someone
you don’t know is purchasing a large
amount of product using a credit card,
make sure you validate the credit card
by calling the credit card company
and/or running the credit card for the full
amount before the product ships.
Grundfos Pumps works diligently to
contact partners when an order is
received that may reflect fraudulent
activity, especially when the particular
partner does not normally order
Groundwater, but they are not always
able to catch this fraudulent activity. It
should also be of particular concern
given that, per agreed shipping terms,
distributors are responsible for product
as soon as it leaves the manufacturing
facility.
www.Grundfos.us.
when the product choices can seem
overwhelming. Frank Webb’s Bath
Center offers working displays that
allow customers to actually experience
how water will cascade from a faucet or
how a steam shower looks and feels or
how a whirlpool tub with air jets differs
from one with water jets.
According to F.W. Webb management, Frank Webb’s Bath Centers has
carefully considered what customers
are looking for and designed this
unique retail chain to address those
needs. The showroom displays a wide
array of quality brands, including TOTO,
American Standard, Grohe, Jacuzzi,
Murray Feiss and many others.
Customers will find everything from
the toilet and tub to the towel bars, as
well as vanities, lighting, mirrors and
accessories. Homeowners also find
kitchen sinks, faucets and whirlpool
products at every location.
If a customer doesn’t have an
installer, the showroom staff will put
them in touch with quality resources in
the area of their project. Homeowners
will be treated with the same care,
whether they are purchasing a replacement toilet or faucet or building a new
home with luxury kitchens and baths.
INDUSTRY NEWS
While Frank Webb’s invites local contractors and designers to come learn
about new products and to use the showrooms as an extension of their firms,
homeowners are welcome to walk in and
browse, research and purchase in any of
the showrooms. Michaud explained that
the company’s new website offers tips
on how to start your project and what to
bring as far as project measurements to
make the most out of your first visit.
“Many times the product options
available will be impacted by the space
you are working in,” she explained.
“When you are trying to replace fixtures,
it is important to communicate what is
now in place so that we can give you
every option available to maximize your
space and budget.”
To learn more about Frank Webb’s
Bath Center in Concord, call 603/7173085 or visit www.frankwebb.com.
CIPH applauds proposed
home renovation tax credit
TORONTO — On February 6, the Canadian
Institute of Plumbing and Heating wrote
Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty to
express its support of the proposed home
renovation tax credit (HRTC). The new initiative is expected to stimulate the home
renovation market in 2009.
At the same time, it has been noticed
that in preliminary literature related to
the proposed HRTC, boilers have not been
referenced along with other heating
appliances, such as furnaces and hot
water heaters. CIPH addressed this con-
cern in their letter to Flaherty, reminding
him that boilers should be afforded the
same consideration for tax credits as any
other heating appliance.
CIPH requested that a complied list of
eligible product under the HRTC be sent
to the association prior to finalization of
the proposed tax credit so that CIPH may
review it for accuracy before the program is finalized. This precautionary
action will ensure that CIPH members’
products are accounted for in the proposed new initiative.
66 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Geothermal technology poised
to support economic recovery
and long-term energy goals
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The federal economic stimulus package is intended to
create and save 3.6 million jobs and to
jumpstart the economy with economic
recovery tax cuts and targeted investments. In addition to putting money back
in the pockets of consumers and businesses, the package also includes provisions that will help achieve long-term
goals, such as improving energy efficiency in both the public and private sectors.
Among those provisions, the plan
calls for a disbursement of $6.9 billion
to state and local governments for energy efficiency upgrades and the reduction
of carbon emissions, which amounts to
an average of $100 million to each state.
By investing a portion of this $100 million in rebates or low interest loans to
homeowners who replace their old fossil
fuel or electric furnaces with geothermal
heat pumps, the country would make
progress toward the goals of the stimulus package. States that have invested in
similar programs were able to create
hundreds of “green collar” jobs while
significantly increasing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
An additional state $2,000 rebate on
the purchase of a geothermal heat pump
— or the availability of low interest loans
— could generate 200 heat pump sales
every month in a typical state, or 2,400
geothermal heat pump unit sales at the
end of the first year. Further, every 18
heat pump installations can create one
new job. This means that, by the end of
the first year, 133 new green collar jobs
can be created (2,400 units divided by 18
installations per job). At $2,000 per unit,
the total cost of a job creation/energy efficiency rebate program would be $4.8 million over the course of a year.
Every geothermal heat pump requires
24 hours of manufacturing labor and 32
hours of installation labor. Small businesses involved in the installation
include heating and air-conditioning
contractors, electricians, plumbers,
excavators and drilling machine operators. These businesses have the capacity
and technical skills to begin installing
green geothermal technology in more
homes immediately.
Reduced carbon footprint. In addition
to creating jobs, a rebate program and
the ensuing installation of geothermal
heat pumps would cut an average four
metric tons of carbon emissions per year
per unit, due to the high energy-efficiency of geothermal heat pump technology.
This means that, for the average unit life
of 24.4 years, 97.6 metric tons of emissions could be eliminated over the lifetime of each unit and 234,240 tons over
the lifetime of every 2,400 units sold
through a state rebate program.
A recent paper published by Oak
Ridge National Laboratory estimated
that aggressive deployment of geothermal heat pumps could achieve 35% to
40% of a recommended carbon reduction path for the U.S. building sector.
If every state takes at least 5% of the
funding available through the energy
New locations for Cregger
(Continued from Cregger, page 1.)
side sales) anchor the Brunswick team.
The Brunswick branch is located at
165 Key Circle Drive. The phone number is 912/717-0920.
Cregger Company’s Charlotte, N.C.,
Exclusive from Dormont...
a complete tankless water heater
connection kit.
Everything you need in one kit!
Greater productivity!
Fewer components simplify installation
No field threading or cutting needed
Fewer leak points!
Reduces or eliminates the need for pipe nipples,
90s and elbows
Simplifies maintenance!
To place an order or for more information:
Call: 1-800-DORMONT
www.dormont.com
Visit us at AHR, ‘09 – Booth #5068
A Subsidiary of Watts Water Technologies, Inc.
efficiency portion of the stimulus package and invests it in a geothermal heat
pump incentive, there couldn’t be a
more cost effective, greener way to put
people back to work, save fossil fuel,
reduce carbon emissions and save homeowners thousands of dollars per year for
the next 24 years. It’s the stimulus that
keeps on stimulating.
The stimulus package funding is critical to a U.S. heating and air-conditioning industry that has been hit hard by the
recession. The collapse of the residential
new construction market and the lack of
consumer financing have slammed the
industry over the past two years, and
heating system sales were down to levels not seen since 1970.
Geothermal heat pumps are built by
manufacturers in the U.S. at domestic
plants in nine states, and geothermal systems are operating and saving energy in
all 50 states and are being exported
around the globe.
To learn more, call the Geothermal
Heat Pump Consortium at 888/255-4436
or visit www.GeoExchange.org.
branch was relocated this past year into a
much larger downtown compound. The
new facility includes considerable paved
outdoor storage, much of it covered, as
well as a 30,000-square-foot warehouse.
The additional storage space will accommodate the company’s move into HVAC
equipment and supplies. The new branch
is located at 4700-B North Tryon Street in
Charlotte. The phone number is 704/5377711. Farrell Petty is branch manager.
The Greenville, S.C., branch of
Cregger Company was also relocated
into a larger facility in Simpsonville,
S.C. The new 30,000-square-foot location will provide local contractors with
plumbing and HVAC equipment and supplies. The branch, managed by Jay
Kimbel, is located at 307 Standing
Springs Court in Simpsonville. The
phone number is 704/537-7711.
Cregger Company is also completing
construction of the organization’s fifth
Design On Tap offsite decorative plumbing showroom. Design On Tap in
Greenville, S.C., will be located in
McBee Station at 400 East McBee
Avenue in downtown Greenville. The
3800-square-foot showroom will house
significant displays from a myriad of
upscale manufacturers, including
Kallista, TOTO, Porcher, American
Standard, Rocky Mountain Hardware,
Rohl, Hansgrohe, Bain Ultra and more.
A grand opening is slated for late April.
In related news, in February Cregger
Company acquired the assets of the
Lexington, Ky., branch of Kenny Pipe
and Supply. A Cregger Company
spokesman commented “We’re very
excited to have the associates of Kenny
Pipe’s Lexington branch join the Cregger
Company family. This group has tremendous industry experience and strong ties
to the local and surrounding markets. We
feel very fortunate to have such excellent
representation in the region.”
The 20,000-square-foot facility at
1209 Industry Road in Lexington is
managed by Kevin Shearer and can be
reached at 859/255-1066.
• 67
INDUSTRY NEWS
Lochinvar featured on national
home-renovation TV program
includes the redesign of the
home’s boiler room. To determine the airdate and local listings in various regions of the
country, interested viewers
can visit www.pbs.org and
search Episode #2824.
Throughout this season,
the show’s experts are converting a 104-year-old rowhouse in Brooklyn’s historic
Brothers Randy & Erik Gitli of Aladdin Plumbing Prospect Heights neighborCorp. stand in the modernized boiler room of the hood from a nine-room
Brooklyn Brownstone project house.
boarding house to a threefamily home, while preservLEBANON, TENN. — The industry’s most
ing and restoring period detail wherever
advanced residential condensing heating
possible. In this particular episode, they
boiler, the KNIGHT® Heating Boiler from
choose to install two KNIGHT Boilers to
Lochinvar® Corporation, made its nationefficiently provide heat for the home’s
al television debut on an episode of This
cast iron radiators, radiant floor heating
Old House. The episode, which aired for
and domestic hot water. In addition to its
the first time in some markets on March
ability to keep heating costs to an
12, documents a portion of the renovation
absolute minimum, the KNIGHT is also an
of a neglected 1904 Renaissance Revival
ideal choice for this project as it features
brownstone in Brooklyn, N.Y., and
5:1 turndown, allowing the boiler to
Beschloss
tions decrying nationalization as a viable
banking alternative, that is exactly
where the orifice of our nation’s financial system will be ending up.
However, don’t expect that this march
toward government takeover will stop
with the banks. America’s massive coal
industry is in jeopardy because the environmentalists, who have been significantly empowered by this Administration, will put penalties on new and
existing utilities using coal, making the
U.S.’s largest natural resource potential
out of bounds for future development.
Next will come the domestic automotive sector, which can only be saved by
downsizing under government direction
or bankruptcy. Within the next four
years, the tentacles of government control will have become so impenetrable,
as to make their removal virtually
impossible.
Keep your eye on current developments in Western Europe and you will
see its parallel to what will be going on
in the U.S. Both the transition and its
outcome possibilities are frightening.
The stock market, touching 1997 lows
earlier recently, hasn’t become demoralized by accident.
Deleveraging spreads its tentacles globally
As the continuing surge of recessionary statistics arrive from all corners of
the world, no region, nor nation, is left
unscathed from this global attrition.
Only China, which is making a prodigious effort to encompass a much larger
slice of its world-leading population into
the modern era, has both the monetary
strength as well as the demand power to
move its global economy forward this
year.
Although Beijing is also suffering
from an export retraction, China’s hefty
$600-billion stimulus cache (the equivalent to America’s $2.57 trillion) has the
heft to overcome the shrinkage of major
commodities, like oil and a wide range
of other imported products to reverse the
current global implosion.
Preliminary evidence indicates that
China is on a major campaign to nail
down oil contracts and production facilities all over the world with an eye
toward the middle of this century when
the present low prices and ready availability will seem like a distant memory.
Touted as the world’s leading growth
economy this year, even at a ‘modest’
six percent, China has both the surplus
cash and the will to move forward
aggressively this year. Already in a position to surpass tottering Japan as the
world’s No. 2 economy in 2009, the
‘middle empire’ may be moving ever
closer to the global leadership position
far sooner than first anticipated.
This could come about as America’s
discretionary consumer sector deflates at
lightning speed, while China grows its
internal expansion with a real currency
surplus, not debt-laden monopoly paper.
Look for China’s comeback to be the
uplifting economic surprise for 2009. ■
Morris R. Beschloss, a 53-year veteran of the pipe, valve and fitting industry,
is Pvf and economic analyst for THE
WHOLESALER.
generate the precise amount of heat for
consistent indoor comfort based on the
outdoor temperature.
With up to 98% efficiency, the Energy
Star-qualified KNIGHT Heating Boiler can
literally cut heating costs in half.
Engineered with Lochinvar’s exclusive
SMART SYSTEM™ control, the KNIGHT
offers unequalled control and monitoring
functions that are easy to understand and
use. The two-line, 16-character LCD display uses words instead of potentially
confusing codes to communicate with the
technician. In addition, the SMART SYSTEM
includes a built-in cascading sequencer
for the installation of up to eight boilers.
With seven floor-standing models and
five wall-mount units, Lochinvar offers
the industry’s broadest selection of fully
modulating, condensing heating boilers.
...The show’s experts are
converting a 104-year-old
rowhouse in Brooklyn... They
choose to install two KNIGHT
Boilers to efficiently provide
heat for the home’s cast iron
radiators, radiant floor heating
and domestic hot water.
The sealed-combustion direct-vent
design of the KNIGHT offers unmatched
flexibility for placement within a building, permitting air intake and exhaust
runs up to 100 equivalent feet using PVC
or CPVC pipe.
For more information, call 615/8898900 or visit www.Lochinvar.com.
Master Distributors offers current
sensors from Tamura Corporation
SANTA MONICA, CALIF. — Master
Distributors, a leading distributor of
electro-mechanical, interconnect and
passive components, offers Tamura
Corporation’s line of closed loop hall
effect current sensors, including the
newest addition to the line: the S23P
Series. An ideal solution for the global
industrial and power electronics marketplace, the S23P series delivers fast
response, galvanic isolation and zero
insertion loss.
“We’re excited to offer the industry’s
leading closed loop current sensors,”
said Master Distributors president Ike
Nizam. “These products provide our
customers with a cost-effective method
for attaining wide power bandwidth and
superior accuracy.”
Pcb mount current sensors, the
Tamura S23P series features an integrated primary conductor designed to the
industry-standard package and pin-out.
The S23P is rated for operation in the
industrial temperature range (-40°C to
+85°C) with industry-standard performance. The series includes the
S23P50/100D15 (K = 1:2000) and the
S23P50/100D15M1 (K = 1:1000), both
of which operate from ±12VDC to
±15VDC PS. Samples for evaluation are
available upon request.
www.masterdistributors.com.
Generac launches new brand
strategy, celebrates anniversary
WAUKESHA, WIS. — Generac Power
Systems Inc., a leading manufacturer of
standby and portable power generation
equipment, announced a new corporate
brand strategy that builds on its commitment to customer satisfaction and bestin-class products, while continuing to
deliver customer peace of mind and a
superior product experience.
Generac has developed a new logo
that reflects its commitment to delivering superior products that enhance consumer experience. The new logo is
reflective of Generac’s current business
strategy — dependable, confident,
straightforward and streamlined. The
logo will be on nearly all of Generac’s
product packaging to help make shopping easier and to build better long-term
brand equity.
In other news, on February 6, Generac
hosted its official kick-off 50th anniversary celebration. A cake-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate and to thank all
employees for their tireless efforts. Bob
and Brian, from the “Bob and Brian
Morning Show,” the top-rated morning
show in Milwaukee, on WHQG, 102.9 FM,
helped the company celebrate.
Unlike its competitors, Generac is
focused solely on generators, providing
a broad line of diverse offerings. For 50
years, Generac has offered home and
business owners the options they need to
protect their families, businesses and
valuables during power outages.
www.generac.com or call 888/generac.
68 •
CLASSIFIED ADS
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
REPS WANTED
SALES REPS WANTED
Major pipe supplier and pipe converter
serving the Plumbing, HVAC, and Sprinkler
Industries is looking for manufacturers reps
in New England, Upstate NY, Virginia, and
Maryland. Reply to Larry Greenberg at
[email protected].
SALES MANAGER WANTED
As the recognized leader in the design,
development and manufacture of commercial plumbing fixtures and washroom accessories, our successes and continuing
growth mean excellent opportunities for
people like you. So, join the Bradley team
and get the tools you need to achieve your
goals in our dynamic, performance-oriented
environment. Now, that’s exciting!
SALES MANAGER
Reporting to the Director of Plumbing
Wholesale Channel Sales, this individual will
oversee and facilitate sales activities to
achieve performance goals. This position is
located outside of Chicago at Bradley’s Riddile,
Illinois office. Staff includes inside sales support and an outside sales team. Specific functions include, but are not limited to:
• Developing and implementing strategic
sales plans
• Directing sales forecasting and channel
development activities, as well as personnel
staffing, training and evaluations; assigning
sales territories to representatives; and acting as an advisor and resource to dealers,
distributors and clients
• Perform sales statistics and division
expenditure analysis
• Direct product simplification and standardization
• Interact with key clients and help your
sales representatives maintain relationships and negotiate/close deals.
The candidate we seek is an outgoing, selfmotivated professional with demonstrated
business acumen and high ethical standards. This position requires:
• Bachelor’s degree (master’s preferred)
plus 4-10 years’ related experience
• Demonstrated supervisory, personnel
management, decision-making and problem-solving capabilities
• Initiative, professionalism and highly successful sales skills
• A real commitment to customer service,
teamwork, change management and visionary team leadership
We support your success at work and in life
with solid pay and excellent benefits. Learn
about the rewards of a Bradley career and
apply online at:
www.bradleycorp.com. EOE
INDEPENDENT REPS WANTED!
Build your own business with residual
income! Join our team selling our sales
productivity system to manufacturers and
wholesalers.
Send your resumé to:
[email protected]
FOR SALE
BUSINESS FOR SALE
HVAC Business — Includes
shop, home, on 14.5 acres.
Shop/Home built in 2007. All
equipment in shop included.
Business grossing $775,000 to
$1,200,000 Family operation.
Located in central Oregon
$360,000. For details contact:
[email protected]
Phone (541) 385-5500
POWER ON DEMAND
BRANCH MANAGER
Career Opportunity for a highly energetic
self-starter to join a leading fabricator and
sprinkler distributor in the Northeast. Long
Island Pipe Fabrication and Supply is looking for a branch manager for its expansion
into Northern New Jersey. Experience in the
Fire Sprinkler Industry is a definite plus. Fax
resumé to 516-222-9234 or email to
[email protected]
WANT TO BUY
WANTED TO BUY
Contractors! Wholesalers!
Sell us your surplus or overstock plumbing
materials. Black, Galv., PVC, Groove, NoHub, Copper, Brass, Weld Flg's & Fittings,
Valves, SS316 & 304, etc.
Excess Plumbing, Inc.
[email protected]
Ph. 602-252-1280 • Fax. 602-252-1668
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
WANTED TO BUY
We are a growing plumbing supply company on the East Coast looking to continue
our expansion mode. If you are a plumbing
supply company with annual sales of $5
million or more and are interested in selling,
we are interested in meeting you.
Contact us via email at:
[email protected]
INVENTORY LIQUIDATORS
INVOICING SERVICE
Smart Invoicing Services Group provides a
fully automated document delivery service of
invoices, monthly statements and past due
letters; all sent first class at "presort" rates 10
to 20% less than standard mail. Alternatively,
documents can be faxed or emailed to your
customers who accept them in this manner!
• Let us do the work for YOU!
• No more stuffing envelopes
• No more trips to the post office
• No more address labels
• No more hassle!
All of this while REDUCING your current
cost outlay for document delivery and saving
valuable manpower expenses! Call today for a
quote or simply email us at [email protected].
www.smartinvoicing.com
office (913) 362-8994
fax
(913) 362-0609
The Wholesaler classified advertisements
are your marketplace for buying
and selling, finding employees
or finding a new postition!
• 69
CLASSIFIED ADS
SUPPLIERS
JUST FAUCETS
AS SEEN ON WILD CHICAGO
• ALL BRANDS •
☞
TOILET TANK LIDS
BACK TO THE 1920’s
☞
—BRING SaMPLE PaRTS—
• FAUCET PARTS • TOILET PARTS •
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM
Mon - Fri: 9:00-5:30 • Saturday: 9:30-3:00
Showroom: 1-847-255-0421 • 1-800-331-0421
Fax:1-847-255-7850
540 S. Arthur Ave.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
www.justfaucets.com
Managing Editor
James Schaible
www.thewholesaler.com
associate Editor
Publisher
Editorial Director
John Mesenbrink
Tom M. Brown Jr.
Mary Jo Martin
administrative assistant
Production Manager PvF & Economic analyst
Morris R. Beschloss
Debbie Newberg
Cate C. Brown
Editorial Offices: 1838 Techny Court, Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847/564-1127, Fax: 847/564-1264, e-mail: [email protected]
Direct subscription inquiries to: Cynthia Lewis, Creative Data Services;
519 E. Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook, IL 60440; [email protected];
Phone: 630-739-0900 ext 203, Fax: 630-739-7648
Sales Offices
Midwest, Southeast, E. canada
David Schulte
1838 Techny Court
Northbrook, IL 60062
847/564-1127
Fax: 847/564-1264
East (Indiana; W. Mich.)
Brad Burnside
1838 Techny Court
Northbrook, IL 60062
847/564-1127
Fax: 847/564-1264
West, Texas
Diane Spangler
P.O. Box 9802
Fountain Valley, CA 92728
714/839-6700
Fax:714/839-6777
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
classified ad sales
Debbie Newberg: 847-564-1127
Watch the May issue of
The Wholesaler
for the 2009
PVF Hall of Fame!
®
TMB Publications, Inc.
Tom M. Brown Jr., President
The Wholesaler
(publication number USPS 351-650 ISSN 0032-1680) is a trademark of TMB Publications, Inc. The
®
Wholesaler is published monthly by TMB Publications, Inc., 1838 Techny Ct. Northbrook, IL 60062; tel. 847/564-1127; fax
847/564-1264. Copyright 2009 by TMB Publications, Inc. All rights reserved under the United States, International and PanAmerican Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any
means, mechanical,®photocopying, electronic recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of TMB Publications,
Inc. The Wholesaler is delivered free of charge to qualified subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. Others: U.S., U.S. Poss. and
Canada, $100/yr.; two-year annual subscription rate U.S. and Canada, $155; other countries, $200/yr. or $300 for two year
(U.S. funds) plus $20 surface postage. Single copies, $15.
Second class postage paid at Northbrook, IL and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wholesaler, Creative Data Services, 519 E. Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook, IL
60440. [email protected]
Publications mail agreement No. 41499518: Return undeliverable Canadian adresses to PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver
Creek, Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6
70 •
VIEWPOINT
The economy’s depressing but no Depression yet
BY JIM SCHAIBLE
Managing editor
T
his is one of my favorite photographs, a picture of
my dad playing with his pet bear cub, Muddy, in
1937. He got the cub because its mother was shot
raiding chicken coops and someone thought he would like
a bear. For a 14-year-old lad staying with relatives in Michigan, it was was a grand
idea. Some of Dad’s fondest memories are of the summer he and Muddy shared.
The merits of keeping wild animals as pets notwithstanding, Dad traveled from
home in Illinois to Michigan two summers for a good reason — to reduce the burden
on the family, still struggling through the Great Depression. In a family with six children, one less hungry mouth to feed made a big difference.
An idyllic summer with a pet bear was a bright light in an otherwise grim decade the nation endured during the 1930s. Dad’s family was typical, and stories abound about the suffering as well as the
small triumphs Americans experienced during the Depression. We
face a difficult economy now, but it is small stuff compared to those
dreadful years between the stock-market crash in October 1929 and
the country’s involvement in World War II beginning around 1938.
The statistics still are staggering. Fully 25% of the work force —
more than 11 million! — had no jobs, and among those still working, a great many suffered underemployment. Nearly everyone felt
the anxiety of losing jobs, and because there were few social safety
nets then, a lost job meant serious hardship. My grandfather never lost work because he
operated the big steam engine that powered the local paper mill, but sometimes his hours
were cut. The mill reduced his wages, which never were quite enough. My grandmother also worked in the mill but at less than a man’s pay, and often faced layoffs.
Families survived as well as they could. Leisure pastimes such as gardening, fishing and hunting became necessities to put food on the table. Innumerable off-thebooks businesses sprang up, from backyard auto repair to basement tailor shops.
Illegal moonshine stills dotted the country. Everyone made do with what they had;
my grandfather used a tool to cut treads in bald tires for a few more miles of driving.
Dad collected scrap metal to convert into cash, which he used to buy things like tires
for the bicycle he assembled from parts scavenged out of junk piles.
The Depression was world-wide. My mother’s family in England faced equal challenges. My British grandfather, a skilled tradesman, always had work but never sufficient take-home pay. He became adept at re-soling shoes and rolling cigarettes. My
mother, with her brothers and sisters, went “scrumping” — stealing apples from local
orchards. When the war began they had German bombs to worry about as well.
The Depression generation learned to bargain for almost everything, making deals
that involved cash and barter. They took that talent to war and returned with managerial skills learned in the military, becoming the legions of successful business owners that drove America’s economy during the post-war years.
Despite the peoples’ resiliency, they faced constant hardship. Many Americans,
especially in the hardest-hit rural areas, faced outright starvation. Knawing fear lurked
in nearly everyone’s mind and they never forgot the Depression’s harsh lessons.
History books recount the story of the Hoover administration’s relative inactivity,
the Roosevelt administration’s controversial New Deal, and how finally it was
wartime spending that injected astounding amounts of capital into the system, lifting
the nation out of the Depression after ten long, cruel years.
Here are the numbers: After the war, the nation’s 1946 budget deficit stood at $269
billion — nearly $3 trillion in 2009 dollars — which equaled
about 120% of the gross domestic product. That was the kind of
spending required to raise the country out of the Great
Depression. Today’s national debt of some $11 trillion represents
“only” about 80% of GDp, and might have to rise higher to stave
off another, even worse depression.
Fierce arguments about government intrusion into business and
finance continue. But parents with hungry, sick children aren’t
interested in economic theory. The Depression generation learned
that self-reliance wasn’t enough, that a big nation with a big economy needs government involvement to keep things running more
or less smoothly. An unregulated financial sector — and also individuals — will succumb to irresponsibility and greed and build an economic house of
cards, as we saw in 1929 and have seen in the sub-prime mortgage debacle.
Like it or not, only governments can impose regulations and restrictions to keep
that greed in line. Financial markets won’t regulate themselves, and become so bloated and unsustainable that the built-in “natural” regulatory mechanisms can’t work.
The resulting boom-and-bust cycle generates periodic chaos and chronic instability.
Regulations that rein in the markets’ lower impulses, but generally leave them alone
to operate responsibly, can foster an environment in which everyone benefits. It
worked for the better part of 50 years while this nation built the strongest economy
in history. Then deregulation removed the safeties, and instability began to return.
The Obama administration has stumbled in places but finally is finding its footing
and has begun to set an economic course the financial markets can live with.
Detractors abound and the jury is still out. But a worldwide financial collapse would
be an unprecedented disaster, and doing nothing seems like a sure road to catastrophe. Few remain who remember the Great Depression of 1930-40. My parents
described that time. I’ll gladly not have to remember Great Depression II.
■
ADVERTISERS INDEX / CONTACT INFORMATION
Activant Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
www.activant.com
Advance Tabco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
www.advancetabco.com
American Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
www.h20stop.com
Anderson Metals Corp. . . . . . . . . . . .6
www.andersonmetals.com
Arrow Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
www.arrowindustries.com
BASCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
www.bascoshowerdoor.com
Bootz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
www.bootz.com
Bradford White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
www.bradfordwhite.com
Bradley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
www.bradleycorp.com
Brass Craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
www.brasscraft.com
Briggs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
www.briggsplumbing.com
Bosch Thermotechnology . . . . . . . .47
www.bosch.us
C&C Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
www.candcvalve.com
Ceco-Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
www.cecosinks.com
Core pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
www.corepipe.com
The Distribution point . . . . . . . . . . . .2
www.thedistributionpoint.com
Dormont Mfg. Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
www.dormont.com
Eemax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
www.eemaxinc.com
Eternal Hybrid Water Heater . . . . . .59
www.eternalwaterheater.com
Equity plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
www.equityplumbing.com
Forgings, Flanges
and Fittings, LLC . . . . . . . . .32, 33
www.onestoppvf.com
Fujitsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
www.fujitsugeneral.com
General pipe Cleaners, a div of
General Wire Spring . . . . . . .11, 65
www.drainbrain.com
Global Stainless Supply . . . . . . . . .32
www.onestoppvf.com
Heatinghelp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
www.heatinghelp.com
ICC-ES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
www.icc-es.org
John Guest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
www.johnguest.com
J&M Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
www.smartinvoicing.com
JMF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
www.jmfcompany.com
Lavelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
www.lavelle.com
Legend Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
www.legendvalve.com
Liberty pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
www.libertypumps.com
Matco-Norca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
www.matco-norca.com
Navien . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
www.navienamerica.com
Noritz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
www.noritz.com
North American Safety Valve . . . . .31
www.nasvi.com
pleasantville
Urban Enterprise Zone . . . . . . . .30
www.downtownnj.org/ourmembers/pleasantville-urbanenterprise-zone110.php
precision plumbing products . . . . .42
www.pppinc.net
QC Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
www.qcvalve.com
Saniflo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
www.saniflo.com
Schmitt profitools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
www.go-spi.com
Service Metal products . . . . . . . . . .51
www.servicemetal.net
Simpson Dura-Vent . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
www.duravent.com
Smith-Cooper International . . . . . . . .5
www.smithcooper.com
Stiebel Eltron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
www.stiebel-eltron.com
Summit Stainless Steel . . . . . . . . . .39
www.summitstainless.com
T & S Brass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
www.tsbrass.com
Ta Chen Intl Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
www.tachen.com
Tapco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40, 41, 52, 56
www.tapcogenuinepartscenter.com
Union Brass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
www.unionbrass.com
Valfit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
www.valfit.com
Warren Alloy Valve & Fitting Co. . .7
www.warrenalloy.com
Webstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
www.webstonevalves.com
Weldbend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44, 45
www.weldbend.com
Westbrook Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
www.westbrookmfg.com
Zoeller pump Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
www.zoeller.com

A look at the long-standing partnership between Gerber Plumbing

Transcription

Similar documents

Blackman Plumbing Supply`s new Bay Shore, NY branch is now open!

La Centerra at Cinco Ranch

COMPANY SNAPSHOT

Go Fish - Cloudinary

American Society

VANNAS ISTABA VISINTĪMĀKĀ VISBĪSTAMĀKĀ

Ferguson Enterprises - Olaf Anderson Construction

PAUL EVERT`S RV COUNTRY

Amedore NEW - Amedore Homes