April 2012 - The Wholesaler

Transcription

tw04_12_pgs_01_05_Layout 1 3/23/12 12:49 PM Page 1
APRIL 2012
VOL 67, NO. 4
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News of Plumbing • Heating • Cooling • Industrial Piping Distribution
NKBA reveals
K/B trends
for 2012
HaCkeTTSTown, n.J. — More than
350 national kitchen & Bath association member designers took part in the
2012 nkBa Design Trends Survey to
cite the materials, product types and
styles that they’ve incorporated into
their kitchen and bath designs over the
final three months of 2011. while
broad trends won’t be evident in every
local market, the following are 10 overall trends for kitchens and baths across
the United States and Canada.
(Turn to Kitchen-bath... page 78.)
Conbraco adds
to Apollo brand
The Ardente brothers — (from left) Mark, Evan, Paul and Bruce — are shown in the stunning WaterSpot showroom in Natick, Mass. The Ardente family has built a very successful business in the Northeast, with five wholesale
locations and four showrooms. Members of the second, third and fourth generation of the family are currently
involved with Ardente Supply and the WaterSpot showrooms. Read much more on page 62.
MaTTHewS, n.C. — Conbraco industries inc. introduces the most recent
addition to its apollo® brand: apollo®
Fire Protection System Solutions
(FPSS). The fire protection fittings
were previously sold through elkhart
Products Corporation. Both Conbraco industries inc. and elkhart
Products Corporation are aalberts industries companies.
(Turn to Apollo... page 55.)
‘Top management team in their industry’
HD Supply sells Industrial PVF business
San Diego — HD Supply announced
March 12 that it entered into a definitive
agreement to sell its industrial PVF business
to Shale-inland Holdings LLC, an affiliate
of investment firms TowerBrook Capital
Partners LP and The Stephens group, LLC.
The transaction closed last
month, subject to obtaining
customary approvals.
Scan with your
smart phone or
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“after careful evaluation, we determined
that divesting our industrial PVF business is
in the best interests of our company as we
seek to continue strengthening our industryleading businesses,” said Joe Deangelo,
Ceo of HD Supply. “The industrial PVF
team, with the expertise of its many seasoned
industry veterans, has done a tremendous job
and they can be proud that this new chapter
is the result of the momentum they have built
and the success of their initiatives.”
(Turn to Shale-Inland... page 55.)
tw04_12_pgs_01_05_Layout 1 3/26/12 11:22 AM Page 2
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APRIL
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Change Your
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The Front Page
The ardente family, proprietors of
ardente Supply and the WaterSpot
showrooms, have built a dynamic business with five wholesale locations and
four showrooms in the Northeast.
Members of the second, third and
fourth generations of the family are
currently involved in the business. See
page 62.
Request your copy of
the new catalog at:
[email protected]
Can help earn
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In the News
urban council: Kudos to Davis & Warshow............10
Karl larson passes away at 80 .................................14
Photo essay: lPG Showplace ...................................16
NKBa: optimism on the rise.....................................18
liNDa JENNiNGS: What rhymes with orange?
Your home!.............................................................38
Distributor loving new market in Basco
upscale shower doors ............................................48
Bootz industries at 75 ...............................................58
Taco learning & training center on track .................60
Special panel of showroom leaders gather to explore
future challenges and solutions ............................68
Survey: Homeowners lack water-heater info ............78
oasis, Philips partner for clean water......................83
are you attuned to women customers?......................86
Product review ..................................................72 – 76
Mary Jo Martin Q&A
Huntington Brass
Editorial Director Mary Jo Martin
interviews Kevin Thiha, president of Huntington
Brass, which is reintroducing itself as a one-stop
manufacturer of plumbing fixtures, doing 100%
of its business via the channel........................50
Columns
RicH ScHMiTT: Your people are your biggest
resource. Here’s how to find and keep them.........8
MoRRiS BEScHloSS: conservative economist
electrifies PVF Roundtable ................................32
DaVE KaHlE: Get those appointments!...................40
PETER ScHoR: Enjoy K/BiS; it’s YouR show! ..........42
Next Month
Watch our May issue for the annual PVF Hall of Fame!
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8•
SMART MANAGEMENT
•THE WHOLESALER® —APRIL 2012
People...people who need people
I
try to talk about people every
year. It is so easy to forget how
important they are in the hustle
and bustle of trying to survive the
economy, taxes, competition, customers, children, customers who act
like children and, also as a side job,
operating a wholesaling business.
Some of you may even be considering, maybe, possibly actually hiring
someone since, as I write this, the
economy sucks less.
This month, here are some quick
and dirty bullet points on people:
People are critically important to
your business.
• For most wholesalers, people are
the heart of your business.
• Your team makes or breaks the
bond you have with customers.
• They enhance the relationship
you have with suppliers.
• For the independent wholesaler
people are often the single most important differentiator from larger, better-funded regional and national
competition.
• Do you pay enough
attention to your most
valuable resource?
• Finding and keeping
top-quailty personnel
• Generational
generalties
• Former military people
are a good bet
• When it isn’t working
Technology often increases the
need for good people — Some companies have implemented technology
in their business attempting to reduce
the need for highly skilled people
only to find that it actually increased
the need for good people. Sometimes
fewer people; sometimes more people but in many cases, better people
than they now have.
Most people come to work to do a
good job — Not everyone but most.
The company’s challenge is to define
what a “good job” is. This is not a
one-time announcement, this is defining it, describing it to your team,
training it, demonstrating it, living it,
measuring it, coaching it and rewarding it…and repeating it until you can
do it in your sleep:
• Define it simply: Most companies take pages, so in the end, their
people are confused or uninspired. It
takes more time and effort to simplify
and distill the message but it is worth
the extra effort.
• Describe what you want in ways
that your team will understand it and
relate to it: Examples and stories always get more traction than corporate
directives.
• Training can be formal, informal
or on-the-job but it must be done and
it must be repeated over and over
again: Years ago, an industry friend
told me that their training process
was a guy named Butch. If you went
to work for their company you started
out working with Butch. For those of
you who remember The Lion King, it
was Butch taking young Simbas out
and teaching them the ways of the
world, wholesaling and that company. As I remember the story, Butch
was part father, part drill instructor
and part mother to the new people but
the result was a good company team
member or a wash-out.
• Demonstrating and living it
means the whole team, including
owners, family and managers, walking the talk.
• Short cycle coaching is critical:
Yearly performance reviews are good
but their impact is short-lived and
probably mostly lost in the stress of
the process. The best coaching is
often by on-the-field coaches delivered throughout the work day in
small digestible bites that can shape
performance.
• Rewarding is where you show
appreciation: Certainly this is critically important when someone has
exceeded expectations but it’s often
good to simply acknowledge some-
tive hires. These are NOT the only
factors but are added to interviews,
reference checks and resume/application reviews that are standard.
• Hiring is a 50/50 deal if you really work hard at it. Said another way,
if you end up with more than half of
the people you hire, you are probably
kidding yourself, don’t grade hard
enough or have a fairy godmother. Of
course, you shouldn’t be looking to
remove half of the new hires. Most
companies set the bar for new hires
so low that anyone can get hired, they
Hiring is a 50/50 deal if you really work hard at it.
Said another way, if you end up with more than half of
the people you hire, you are probably kidding yourself,
don’t grade hard enough or have a fairy godmother.
one’s contributions by saying,
“Thanks, we appreciate what you
do.” Appreciation is personally saying thank you, writing an e-mail, texting a “great job”, writing a thank you
note (today a handwritten thank you
is rare and may be considered especially noteworthy.) Public acknowledgements often have unhappy side
effects when others feel they were
missed or underappreciated.
I think compensation is a mediocre
impersonal way to show appreciation. Compensation is, of course, important for paying competitively and
to make sure that top performers get
paid more that crappy performers.
Take time to hire and fire
With my normal disclaimer to
check with your labor attorney. Your
company needs a well-tuned way to
find, test and hire the best and brightest and to identify and remove the
ones that are not performing.
• Your team will appreciate the
time you spend adding team members who can pull their weight and removing those who cannot.
• Where allowed, use pre-employment testing (intellect – always,
drug – as legal, physicals – as appropriate and personality – in critical
roles of management and outside
sales) to gain insights into prospec-
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
BY RICH SCHMITT
Management specialist
don’t get washed out even when their
performance is horrible and after
some period of time, depending upon
the company as little as a year, they
are lifers. As a non-performing lifer,
they get moved from job to job within
the company looking for some task
that they will not FUBAR (Foul Up
Beyond All Recognition.) I think
FUBAR is originally a military term
so some of you who have served our
country can confirm that I got the
words right. ;-)
• I like probationary periods,
where your labor laws allow them, to
have a person be hired for a 30, 60 or
90 day period, wherein their employment can be ended without obligation
if it just isn’t working. For a probationary process to work, you must
diligently review the individual’s performance along the way, then take actions to get them on track or gone.
Y or Y-not
The Gen Y folks are getting lots of
press these days as being unprepared
for life, undereducated due to falling
educational standards, feeling entitled
to six-figure compensation, having
poor social skills with people, thinking that playing Mortal Combat with
their computer is a social skill and
being generally lazy.
(Turn to Pay attention... page 81.)
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SHIPPING
10 •
I NDUSTRY N EWS
Davis & Warshow honored
by Urban Green Council
At left, David Finkel, D&W president and COO, accepts an award for its sustainablility efforts from Russell Unger, president of the Urban Green Council.
‘A great example and a role model’
New York — THE urBaN GrEEN
Council, New York’s chapter of the
usGBC, honored Davis & Warshow
at the organization’s recent annual
urban Green Gala. in presenting the
award to D&W’s president and Coo
David Finkel, russell unger, president of the Council, credited him for
leading his company’s sustainability
initiative, an aggressive yet pragmatic
series of steps scaled to the modest
size (300 employees, eight sales
showrooms and four distribution centers) of the 87-year-old wholesaler.
Moreover, unger noted, Davis &
Warshow has set a great example and
become a role model for other smaller
businesses that want to do their share
in “going green,” including the installation of a solar array at its Maspeth,
Queens, headquarters that qualifies as
one of the largest private-sector installations in New York City.
Davis & Warshow announced its
AD launches new public website
WaYNE, Pa. — affiliated Distributors recently launched their new public website at www.aDHQ.com.
according to aD chairman and
CEo Bill Weisberg, “aD has a very
transparent and inclusive culture;
clude the use of videos to tell the
story of aD and its market leading
independents, industry specific
blogs and the integration of social
media throughout the site. Bill
Weisberg also has his own blog to
share his thoughts and opinions
throughout the year.
“one of the areas of the site that i am
most excited about is the Giving Back
section of our blog,” Weisberg shared.
“Practically Green” sustainability
manifesto in 2008, and began focusing
on daily activities and operations.
Those included: improving its recycling program and making sure it used
recycled materials only for printing
needs; developing a carpool program;
obtaining lEED accreditation for two
of its associates and working with
manufacturers to get educated about
the latest and best low flow fixtures
and heating equipment.
in his acceptance speech, Finkel
also told of implementing a 20 mpgcity minimum on any auto driven by
sales associates using a company fuel
card. “This action has cut our fuel
consumption by more than 40% and
is now saving us almost 18,000 gallons of fuel a year, which, given
today’s fuel prices, will add up to a
savings of $67,000 this year alone.”
Finkel also made a point of the financial prudence of sustainability. He
explained that, between New York
state tax incentives and abatements
accorded for energy-savings improvement represented by the solar installation, the array will pay for itself in four
years. “Even better,” he said, “it will
produce 269,000 kwH annually, no
small return on our initial investment.”
Following is Finkel’s speech to the
group:
ou’re probably wondering
how a business without millions of sq. ft. of office or residential
space or the ability to shape public
policy can have a measurable impact
on the greening of New York City.
But before i explain how Davis &
Warshow is trying to be the kind of
business that makes our city a greener
place to live, i want to tell you about
“Here we will be able to highlight the
work that aD independents and manufacturers are doing to make their
communities a better place to live. our
members and our vendors recognize
how fortunate we all are and that it’s
our responsibility to help others.”
affiliated Distributors worked with
a local and independent, Philadelphia
based creative design agency, king
Design llC, who translated the mission of aD into a state-of-the-art and
accessible website.
LA-CO®
rewards visitors
at AHR Expo
Fairmont Supply relocates Midwest
warehouse, expands in East region
our new public website engages the
100,000 plus member, supplier and
rep employees within our community without the need for log-in passwords. our new website contains a
wealth of information about aD, dispels some of the false notions out
there about us and connects and promotes our market leading distributors and manufacturers and reps all
year long.”
New elements of aDHQ.com in-
CaNoNsBurG, Pa. — Fairmont supply
Company announced two changes to
its facilities. The company relocated its
Evansville, ind., customer service center to a larger facility in Princeton, ind.,
and opened a new oil and gas service
center in Jane lew, W.va.
Growth and additional customer
base within the mining industry led to
relocation of the warehouse. The new
45,000-square-foot facility in Princeton significantly increases stocking
capabilities for the region.
a walk-up storefront counter will
be available at the 20,000-square-foot
service center in Jane lew. it’s 9-acre
site offers plenty of room for inven-
tory to support oil and gas drilling,
production and gathering operations
(safety, pipe, valves, fittings, rig supplies, tanks, containments, tools, hose
products, drilling/production chemicals, production equipment, etc.).
Visit www.fairmontsupply.com.
“Y
“Once ‘green’ became
a cause instead of a
color, we knew that
it was where we
wanted to take D&W.”
the magic of wholesale distribution.
“i’m not talking about the magic of
having tens of thousands of items on
our shelves and being able to deliver
them in the traffic congested streets
of New York every day.
“i’m talking about the magic of
taking every dollar our customers
give us and turning that dollar into 2
cents. 2% profit, and that’s a good
wholesaler.
(Turn to Urban Green... page 78.)
Elk GrovE villaGE, ill. — la-Co
industries inc., awarded three aHr
Expo visitors, one each day, with a
DeWalt 18 volt 1/2" cordless drill and
driver set. To enter the daily drawing,
trade show attendees simply had to
stop by the la-Co booth and scan
their badges.
la-Co’s booth also provided visitors with the opportunity to learn
about two new product offerings. The
company’s newest product kit, aBC
Tools, contains all the instruments a
plumber uses in day-to-day applications, including abrasives, brushes and
cutting tools. The Element Wrench enables plumbers to install or remove
water heater elements with ease.
The three winners of the la-Co
promotion were Charles Wilson Jr.,
Midwest Technical institute, Peoria,
ill.; Felix veksler, Customcool,
Bronz, N.Y. and Pedro Machain,
american Chillers, Tlaquepaque,
Jalisco, Mexico.
Visit www.laco.com.
12 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Eemax collaborates with
congressman to achieve goals
OxFORd, CONN. — For nearly a quarter
century, Eemax Inc. has grown both
physically and in terms of sales. With
further expansion anticipated, the company has outgrown its Oxford, Conn.
headquarters and is searching locally
for larger facilities, with hopes of moving by this September.
U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (d-Conn.,
4th district) recently paid a visit to
the Eemax headquarters. Himes aggressively works to connect small
businesses with government resources and strives to ensure that
local businesses have access to the
capital they need to invest in their operations. “Small businesses are the
heart of our economy,” said Himes.
“They create almost all of our new
jobs and provide a daily demonstration of the entrepreneurial spirit.”
“Eemax exhibits true American
spirit by manufacturing innovative
‘green’ products that save energy,
water, time, space and money,” said
Congressman Himes. “Their high
quality products create jobs because
they are manufactured right here in
our own backyard.”
The congressman’s visit also
brought forth the push towards introducing a bill into the House of Representatives that will increase the
regulated capacity of electric tankless
water heaters. For Eemax, the bill is
the future, allowing for new developments and innovations. In addition to
the bill, Eemax continues to pursue
ENERGY STAR® certification and is
collaborating with U.S. Rep. Himes
to achieve that goal.
Visit www.eemax.com.
Above: Stopping by Eemax, U.S. Rep.
Jim Himes (right) shared his views on
supporting local businesses in order to
revive the economy. He was joined by
Eemax’s Jeff Hankins, VP of operations and technology, and Kevin Ruppelt, president and CEO. Right: Himes
(left) and Ruppelt look forward to a
strong future building energy efficient
green products in Connecticut.
14 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Distributors expand their ‘3-in-1’
brand into Northeast Pennsylvania
SCRAntOn, PA. — Schaedler Yesco Distribution
Inc. (SYD), APR Supply Company (APR) and
Industrial Piping Systems (IPS) plan to expand
their “3 Under 1 Roof” brand to the Scranton
marketplace by spring 2012.
With the addition of Scranton, the three companies will share 10 multi-distributor facilities
throughout Pennsylvania, six of which contain at
least two partners and four that include all three.
the business model is the first of its kind in
Pennsylvania, specifically in the wholesale industry. Customers may already make purchases
from each of the three distributors; now they can
find a large assortment of the materials needed
for a project in one convenient location, experiencing a level of customer service that surpasses
competition.
All three well-known, independent distributors
are headquartered in central Pennsylvania. the
first multi-distributor facility was opened by the
joint venture in October 2006 in Chambersburg,
Pa., and has grown ever since.
Visit www.sydist.com, www.aprsupply.com or
www.ipspipe.com.
MRC completes acquisition
of Onesteel Piping Systems
Houston —MRC Global Inc., formerly
McJunkin Red Man Holding Corporation, has
completed the previously announced acquisition
of the operations and assets of OneSteel Piping Systems (OPS).
OPS now operates as MRC Piping
Systems Australia.
Andrew Lane, chairman, president and CEO
commented, “We are pleased and excited to have
completed the acquisition of OneSteel Piping
Systems. With the acquisition of OPS, MRC is
now the largest distributor of pipes, valves and
fittings in Australia in the markets we serve, with
the largest full-line product offering, including carbon steel, stainless steel and alloy pipe, valves,
fittings and flanges to serve customers throughout Australia in the oil and gas,
mining and mineral processing industries.”
Visit www.mrcpvf.com.
OBITUARY
Karl Larson, Gustave A. Larson leader
COLUMBUS, OHIO — It is with deep regret that
HARDI announces the recent passing of Karl
Gustave Adrian Larson, 80 , of Aspen, Colo. Larson died on March 4 in Palm Springs, Calif.
Loving husband, father and grandfather, Larson
was the ultimate dedicated family man. He was
born January 11, 1932 in Madison, Wis., to Gustave and Mildred Larson, and married Madeleine
Larson on December 15, 1962, in Milwaukee.
He served as president, CEO and then Chairman of the Gustave A. Larson Company
(www.galarson.com) from 1960 until 2012.
As a young man, Larson actively served in the
United States navy from 1955 until 1960 where
he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander
when he retired from the naval Reserve in 1978.
Larson is survived by his wife M. Madeleine
Larson of Aspen, sons Arne G. Larson (Donna)
of San Antonio, texas, Andrew G. Larson (Amy)
of Boulder, Colo., and Scott Karl Larson (Antonella) of Milwaukee, Wis. His legacy will also
live on through his nine grandchildren.
Larson was very engaged in charitable and industry boards being on the board of the Milwaukee Ballet, University of Colorado (CU)
Engineering School Board, and Deacon at First
Congregational Church. He was also very supportive of medical research at the Cleveland
Clinic, national Jewish in Denver, and CU Chil-
dren’s Hospital. His contributions to the HVACR
industry are countless, including his tenure as
nHRAW Refrigeration Council Chairman, Regional trustee and President.
He was an outdoorsman and motorsports enthusiast among them snow
skiing, biking, golf, climbing and vintage car racing.
His major accomplishments include being a varsity ski team letterman at
CU, completing many
major ski marathons such
as the Vasaloppet in Sweden and Birkebeiner in
norway and the U.S., and
climbing Capitol Peak in Colorado.
A memorial service to celebrate Karl’s life was
held in March in Palm Desert, Calif Future memorial services will be held in Aspen and Milwaukee, with dates and times to be determined.
the family has requested that gifts in memory
of Karl Larson be made to the University of Colorado Foundation, in lieu of flowers. Gifts will
be used for the Karl Larson HVAC Research
Fund. Its purpose is to provide support for students at CU Boulder doing research into HVAC
in the Larson Lab in the College of Engineering
and Applied Science at CU Boulder.
16 •
T
he Luxury Products Group Showplace was held February 1-3 at the Hyatt
Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando. It drew several hundred for product
displays, networking opportunities and educational sessions. Next year’s LPG
Showplace will be January 22-25 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs in Palm
Desert, Calif. For more information, visit www.luxuryproductsgroup.com.
Luxury Products Group Showplace
18 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Component Hardware
Group, JHL merge
NKBA report shows high optimism
HaCkeTTsTowN, N.J. —The National
kitchen & Bath association recently
released the Kitchen & Bath Market
Report for the fourth quarter. although results convey a slight dropoff from third quarter in number of
remodels and budgets, showroom
visits held steady from a year ago
and, with marked increases from
2009 and 2010, optimism for the first
quarter of 2012 remains high.
“although numbers dropped off at
the end of 2011, optimism is high and
undeterred for the anticipated outcome of the first quarter in 2012,”
stated alan w. Zielinski, Ckd, 2012
NkBa president. “dealers are very
optimistic, with the NKBA Kitchen &
Bath Market Index (KBMI) surging
from +9 to +32.”
The NKBA KBMI, which measures
the confidence of kitchen and bath
dealers on a scale of -60 to +60, is at
+32 for the fourth quarter, showing
that kitchen and bath dealers forecast
a healthy expansion in the market
over the next three months. The
KBMI is determined by averaging expectations of NkBa member kitchen
and bath dealers during the next quarter based on expected increases (+1),
decreases (-1) or no change (0) in
each market condition. That total is
divided by the number of dealers surveyed and multiplied by 10, which
gives the KBMI a range of -60 (pessimistic) to +60 (optimistic). The
NKBA KBMI surveys approximately
150 kitchen and bath dealers across
North america each quarter.
NKBA KBMI overview
Showroom visits:
• down 3% from previous quarter;
0% difference from previous year
• 70% anticipate an increase in Q1;
3% anticipate a decrease
Kitchen remodels sales volume:
• down 20% from previous quarter; down 49% from previous year
• 73% anticipate an increase in Q1;
3% anticipate a decline
Kitchen remodeling prices:
• 35% anticipate an increase; 4%
anticipate a decrease
Bathroom remodel sales volume:
down 11% from previous year
anticipate a decline
Bathroom remodeling prices:
down 3% from previous year
anticipate a decline
Kitchen and bath revenue:
anticipate a decline.
Visit www.nkba.org.
The beauty of porcelain.
The strength of steel.
MAUI
DEEP SOAKER
The New Depth of Luxury.
Introducing the Maui - 60" x 30" x 16 5/8"
At last ... a 15" deep tub with the practical elegance
of porcelain enamel steel. The Maui is a generous 2"
deeper than a standard recess bath, just perfect for
soaking. The advanced thermal and sound insulation
mean a quieter, more serene bathing experience than
ever before. Made exclusively by Bootz in the U.S.A.
Complies with ASME A112.19.1-2008/ CSA B45.2-2008
Call us today at 812-423-5401
Bootz Industries
0ARK3TREETsP.O. Box 18010
Evansville, IN 47719-1010
(812) 423-5401 s&AX(812) 429-2254
http://www.bootz.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Also available in Mauicast.
Lakewood, N.J. — Component
Hardware Group and JHL enterprises, two leading manufacturers of
plumbing and hardware products,
signed a definitive agreement to
merge, which took effect on March 2.
Under the terms of the merger
agreement, JHL will be fully integrated into Component Hardware
Group. Harry Franze will retain his
position as president and Ceo of the
combined businesses. J. Howard
Levine, Ceo of JHL enterprises, will
stay on in a consultant role.
The combined company will be
headquartered in Lakewood and retain
a warehouse in Rancho Cucamonga,
Calif. In the near-term, the company’s
main priorities will be to seamlessly
unify its product lines and services.
Component Hardware will continue to
service all existing JHL customers and
support its commitments.
Visit www.componenthardware.com.
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Turn time: 60-90 days
2.
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inventory (China) direct to your dock
(North/Central/South America)
Turn time: 30-90 days
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Turn time: 1 week to 40 days,
air or sea freight option.
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Turn time: 1-7 days
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AFD Faster, better Lean 21st Century distribution! Western management, Western quality
control, Western insured, but with the China price! Distribution, sourcing, OEM product
development services, private label program, and consulting services available.
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20 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
NDL adds value for wholesalers
VanCOUVer, B.C. — nDL industries inc. has been manufacturing
copper fittings for the HVaCr market for nearly 13 years. Today, nDL
an excellent heat conductor. On
smaller fittings, the added wall
thickness will help in preventing
“over heating” (or basically annealing the fitting) when brazing.
many supermarkets have started to
install CO2 systems that work on
higher pressure rather than regular refrigerant. Two of the leading designers
of CO2 systems in north america have
chosen to use nDL fittings.
nDL stamps the size on each fitting,
a practice that has been well received
by both wholesalers and contractors as
it helps identify the size once the fitting is out of the box. another added
bonus is the packaging — nDL polybags the fittings inside each box,
which assures a clean fitting for the
contractor and reduces inventory
count time for wholesalers.
Visit www.ndlinc.com.
Houzer forms partnership with German sink maker
is a leading brand in the refrigeration
industry with fittings certified by 3rd
party for use in r-410 and CO2 applications.
nDL fittings are heavier than the
industry standard, sometimes by as
much as 50%. There are several
benefits to having a heavier fitting
beyond than the obvious strength
and increased pressure; the heavier
wall will also absorb the heat more
evenly due to the fact that cooper is
HamiLTOn, n.J. — Houzer inc,
renowned stainless steel sink manufacturer, has partnered with a leading
German granite sink manufacturer
Schock GmbH® to launch a new
chapter in luxury sink offerings. This
strategic partnership will add a new
dimension of opulence and timelessness to the Houzer® line of sinks, already famous for their classic style
and durability. “The core values of
both Houzer and Schock have fueled
this opportunity, with each company
holding a top-tier global position in
our respective material categories in
sinks,” said Ken Fey, VP and COO of
Houzer. “Schock is known as the
best-in-class leader in the granite sink
category, and their people and ethics
are impeccable.”
The partnership of the two sink
manufacturers combines their shared
commitment to enduring quality, value
and timeless style. The recently unveiled line of Schock-Houzer granite
sinks combines durability and exquisite design with patented breakthrough
materials that redefine the entire category. Schock was the original innovator of the granite sink more than 30
years ago, and today 75% of the nearly
2 million granite sinks produced annually are manufactured using the
Schock proprietary method.
The new generation of “Color Your
Life” Schock-Houzer granite sinks
will spark the imagination of designers and homeowners everywhere.
The attention to detail and discriminating style offer a unique take on
refined taste and durability— offering strength 3 times harder than natural granite.
“Houzer is looking forward to collaborating on new designs and materials for the U.S. markets with
Schock, and we are extremely proud
to have them become part of the
Houzer family,” commented Fey.
Schock-Houzer granite sinks deliver
all the benefits of the Houzer tradition
and the leading technology of Schock,
for lasting beauty and value.
Visit www.HouzerSink.com.
Billtrust launches
electronic billing
destination site
HamiLTOn, n.J. — Billtrust has
launched invoice Central, a groundbreaking, cloud-based business invoice network that is focused on
streamlining invoice delivery and
payment for both vendors and small
businesses that provides vendors
with a hub-based approach to deliver
invoices and accept payments electronically. Small businesses can sign
up for free, log in and begin receiving and paying invoices from multiple vendors from one convenient
website. invoice Central empowers
small business owners with a onestop location for invoice and payment management, helping them
avoid late fees, maximize early-pay
discounts and save time by scheduling future payments.
Today, many vendors have the ability to issue invoices and receive payments online. However, the majority
of their small business customers have
resisted turning off paper because it is
too cumbersome to contend with logging in to multiple vendor payment
sites, each with a different login protocol and user interface. invoice Central solves this problem by enabling
small businesses to access invoices
from multiple vendors with a single
login to a central site.
invoice Central is free to business
bill payers and delivers productivity
gains that are impossible to achieve
with paper-driven processes or at single-vendor sites. Designed to eliminate the inefficiencies that hamper
accounts payable operations, invoice
Central can minimize business disruptions. it enables users to schedule
future payments quickly and easily
and allows businesses to capitalize on
early payment discounts. invoice
Central also provides companies with
online access to their complete billing
and payment history.
On the vendor side, invoice Central
offers an array of benefits, even for
electronic billing-savvy vendors. it
provides vendors with an opportunity
to expand their electronic invoicing
footprint, thereby dramatically reducing processing costs and payment
processing expenses. it expedites
payment through the aCH network
and enables faster payment application with files that are configured for
vendor accounts.
Visit www.invoicecentral.com.
AMERICAN INGENUITY.
WORLD-CLASS PERFORMANCE.
GAS AND WATER HEATER CONNECTORS
BUILT WITH PRIDE.
We weren’t founded in 1946 to last.
We were founded to outlast. Designed
with all-American ingenuity, these durable,
reliable products are designed in Novi,
Michigan, and machined and assembled
in Lancaster, Texas and Corona, California.
Built with pride. Crafted with quality.
www.brasscraft.com
Scan for more
information
©2012 BrassCraft Mfg.
GAS CONNECTORS
APPLIANCE CONNECTORS
WAT E R C O N N E C T O R S
WAT E R S T O P S
INDUSTRY NEWS
24 •
ASA distributor members
off to solid start in 2012
ItASCA, Ill. — American Supply Association distributor members started
2012 with a robust 13.2% improvement in revenues as compared to
2011, up 25.8% as compared to 2010
and up 13.2% as compared to 2009.
the plumbing, heating and PVF distributors are also up 9.1% on a trailing 12-month basis, the highest level
since the data has been compiled, beginning with 2008.
Geographically, all regional monthly
revenues showed double-digit positive
growth with the exception of the
Michigan, Indiana and Ohio markets,
which were up 7.5%. Distributors with
less than $10 million in annual revenues had significantly less growth, reporting only a 2.8% increase. the
industrial PVF segment was on fire,
showing a very hearty 27.5% growth
for 2012 and a 17.8% growth on a
trailing 12- month basis.
Inventory rebuild in 2012 continues, as it increased another 6.5% in
January vs. 2010, 11.2% vs. 2010 and
0.6% as compared to 2009. Accounts
receivable, as measured by 3-month
days sales outstanding, stood at 47.6
days at the end of January. this is
more than last year by 0.5 days and
less than 2010 by 0.4 days.
ASA distributor members continue
to create jobs, as they again report
their full- time equivalent employee
count as larger than a year ago. they
have reported increases in every
month since October 2010 — 15 consecutive months. Improved profitability also continues to be reported
as compared to 2011. It remains clear
that these increased profits are being
driven by more than 21 months of
sustained revenue increases.
For a full report, which contains
the breakdown by regions of the
country, market segment and distributor size, ASA members should contact Chris Murin at [email protected]
or at 630/467-0000, Ext. 204.
Visit www.asa.net.
Basco reaches 100-dealer
milestone for RODA Select
AtlAntA, GA. — Basco Shower Enclosures has reached the 100-dealer
mark for RODA Select, a huge milestone for the RODA brand, which
was launched in early 2011. the
RODA Select program requires
Basco customers to make a commitment to the Basco brand in terms of
displaying products, supporting company initiatives and becoming truly
engaged with Basco’s brands.
Basco is proud of their sales organization for reaching this goal and is
excited for the impact it will have
now and in the future for RODA
sales. this achievement would not
have been possible without the hard
work and support of the entire organ-
ization, from quoting, drawing and
manufacturing to servicing the customer as they engage with this more
complicated product line.
Visit www.bascoshowerdoor.com.
THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WORK.
»
»
»
»
Stiebel Eltron Mini™ & DHC
point-of-use tankless water
heaters don’t fail like the
competition’s. That means you
have fewer callbacks and happier
customers. Stiebel Eltron invented
tankless electric and is Europe’s
largest seller. Install one and find
out why we are …
Simply the Best!
Exclusive design prevents dry firing
High-limit switch with manual reset
Compact size mounts anywhere
Mini™ & DHC are available in
sizes from 1.8 to 9.6 kW
Simply the Best
Engineered in Germany to be the best.
Proudly made in Germany and the U.S.A.
800.582.8423
www.stiebel-eltron-usa.com
STAINLESS AND ALLOY WELD FITTINGS AND FLANGES
QUALITY
AND INNOVATION.
Quality and inno
vation are
are not just words
represent a
words to us. They represent
innovation
commitment embr
Core Pipe
aced throughout our organization.
organization. At Core
embraced
®
Products, we deliver Piping Solutions That Fit the growing
growing needs
ever-changing global marketplace,
marketplace, and
of our customers, the ever-changing
b
the quality expectations
expectations of thee end user.
userr.. Going beyond
the industry
industry standards
standards to exceed
exceed our customers’
requirements
requirements is the norm
norm - and we are
are proud of it.
Because every
every customer has different
different needs, we have
have
To learn
learn
both standard
standard and custom fittings and flanges. To
more
more about our products and solutions give us a call.
We’d
We’d be happy
happy to explore
explore how
how Core
Core Pipe Products can
leverage
leverage the versatility of its four major brands
brands to
precisely
precisely fit your needs.
®
Piping Solutions That Fit. ®
®
®
®
1 7 0 T U B E W A Y 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. C O R E P I P E . C O M
®
26 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
A. O. Smith MMV a hit at IBS
aSHland CITY, TEnn. — Water heater
manufacturer a. O. Smith was among
800 exhibitors at the 2012 naHB International Builders’ Show (IBS) in
Orlando recently, which drew more
than 50,000 attendees.
a. O. Smith featured its comprehensive residential product offering
The original innovator of
Tankless Electric Water Heaters
for commercial applications
Since 1966
UUÊ-9Ê/"Ê-*
9ÊUU
Visit our online configurator at
www.Chronomite.com
U "`i>` hot water at
99% energy efficiency
U Patented, ÃivVi>} microprocessor technology ensures
reliable performance
U One easy-to-install, compact
unit supplies multiple basins
on board one of the show’s most
unique displays, the company’s mobile marketing Vehicle (mmV). The
guided tour allowed show-goers to
interact with each of the residential
products, including the nEXT Hybrid® high efficiency gas, the Voltex® Hybrid Electric Heat Pump, the
Effex® high efficiency gas, both condensing and non-condensing gas
tankless models, and the Vertex™
condensing gas water heaters, as
well as a. O. Smith’s newest power
vent unit.
a. O. Smith also featured its Voltex® Hybrid Electric Heat Pump, Vertex™ Power direct Vent gas and
high efficiency gas condensing tankless water heaters in the 14th annual
BUIldEr Concept Home series at
Orlando’s Eagle Creek community.
Set side-by-side on a cul-de-sac,
each home was built to cater to the
lifestyle needs of a different demographic — gen X, gen Y and gen
B (Baby Boomer). Understanding
that each demographic has varying
hot water needs, a. O. Smith’s diverse residential portfolio offers
builders a solution to meet nearly
every homeowner’s needs. For the
BUIldEr Concept Homes, Centerline Homes, the lead builder at
Eagle Creek, chose:
• Gen X — The revolutionary
a. O. Smith high efficiency Vertex™
Power direct Vent water heater com-
bines an advanced internal heat exchanger with 100,000 Btu input resulting in a state-of-the-art water
heater with money-saving 96% thermal efficiency;
• Gen Y — The 2.3 EF EnErgYSTar® qualified Voltexv Hybrid
Electric Heat Pump water heater is
twice as efficient as a standard electric water heater by pulling in heat
from the surrounding air and depositing it into the storage tank, allowing
the heater to operate in the most efficient mode; and
• Gen B — The a. O. Smith high
efficiency gas condensing tankless
water heater with 91% thermal efficiency, EnErgY STar qualified and
199,000 Btu input. The unit offers improved flow rates for increased water
delivery, digital interface for simple
programming along with a 12-year
limited warranty.
“We at a. O. Smith are proud to
have been a part of these two great
events, IBS and the BUIldEr Concept Home series,” said marketing director david Chisolm. “It clearly
demonstrates the wide range of water
heating products that are now available. We understand that homeowners have growing demands for
innovative, energy-efficient products,
and our company has met these needs
by offering solutions for every type
of home.”
Visit www.hotwater.com.
GROHE Americas headquarters relocates
BlOOmIngdalE, Ill. — grOHE’s
new York office will now function as
the grOHE americas regional headquarters. This past year, grOHE
americas opened its new York City
office and officially launched the
grOHE live! Center.
The center is a destination for customers — including architects, designers and developers — to
experience and learn about the
grOHE brand and products. It joins
london, Singapore, Bangalore and
dusseldorf in being a key hub for
driving international business.
Over the next few months,
grOHE will begin to transition the
leadership team and sales and marketing functions from Bloomingdale,
Ill., to new York City. The grOHE
customer & technical service and logistics/warehousing groups will remain in the Chicago area.
Visit www.groheamerica.com.
Dow and Zurn Pex collaborate to
bring advances to the plumbing industry
www.Chronomite.com
Ph 800-447-4962 / 626-937-4270
Fx 626-937-4279
U.S. MANUFACTURER of Tankless Electric Water Heaters
OrlandO — dow Chemical Company and Zurn Pex Inc. announced a
new strategic collaboration focused
on delivering next-generation piping
solutions for hot and cold pipe applications. The new alliance will leverage a combination of dow’s tradition
of innovation in advanced PE-rT
(Polyethylene of raised Temperature) resin technologies and Zurn
Pex’s plumbing system expertise.
The collaboration already anticipates results — with the projected
launch due to take place later this
year — of a novel, high-performing
and more sustainable plumbing and
heating solution designed to serve the
light commercial, multifamily and
residential plumbing markets.
dow’s PE-rT resin is a certified
level 5 chlorine-resistant material especially designed to withstand the
unique and high demands of both hot
and cold water usage. Homeowners
and contractors can install their
plumbing systems as continuous circulation loops and on-demand recirculation, both of which reduce water
consumption and hot water energy
use when compared with traditional
plumbing systems.
Visit www.zurnpex.com.
28 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Wilkinson Supply receives
prestigious honor from Forte
ralEiGH, n.C. — forte Buying
Group president Jeff Burton honored
andy Wilkinson, owner of Wilkinson supply Company, with the President’s award — the group’s highest
honor — at its conference this year.
in front of hundreds of industry
peers, Wilkinson accepted the
award, which reads: forte 2011
President’s award andy Wilkinson
for his unbridled commitment to
supporting and strengthening the
forte Buying Group.
Wilkinson supply’s roots date back
to 1965, when Bill Wilkinson and his
wife Martha opened the doors to
Wilkinson supply Company, a small
plumbing distribution business based
in raleigh, n.C. after years of hard
work and dedication, this local,
family-owned
company, now in
its second generation, has grown to
be one of the
largest, most respected plumbing
supply houses in
the region. today,
the company has three locations serving the areas of raleigh, durham,
Chapel Hill and Carrboro, n.C. its
warehouses comprise over 100,000
square feet of space and contain over
6,000 stocked items.
Wilkinson’s decorative kitchen and
bath showrooms were born 20 years
ago, providing over 8,000 square feet
of display area across the three locations. the showrooms offer customers the opportunity to see, touch
Acorn Family of Companies changes name
City of industry, Calif. —the
acorn family of Companies is
changing its name to Morris Group
international in 2012.
the acorn name has long been associated with durable stainless steel
prison fixtures; today, the business includes divisions with both related and
unrelated product lines.
the new Morris Group international name will allow the company
to better acknowledge and promote
and experience some of the highestquality, most unique kitchen and bath
products available in the marketplace
today.
recently, Wilkinson supply added
salon Blue ridge, a 7,500-squarefoot decorative kitchen and bath
showroom, to its family. salon Blue
ridge is located in flat rock, n.C.,
and serves Western north Carolina
and the greater tri-state area.
Visit www.wilkinsonsupplyco.com.
its diverse line of businesses, including acorn Engineering Company, the founding company, as well
as all of the other divisions formerly
under the acorn family of Companies umbrella.
the Morris Group international
name will also give the company a
platform from which to continue aggressive growth, while providing the
best possible experience to users of
the company’s products.
32 •
ON
THE
PVF PULSE
Economides gives highly
charged talk at PVF Roundtable
U
niversity of Houston professor Michael J. Economides is
a celebrated, globally published and recognized conservative
energy expert. In a speech at the February meeting of the PVF Roundtable
in Houston, Economides accused the
Obama administration of igniting a
worldwide energy development civil
war that, he believes, the U.S. leadership is destined to lose in confrontation with China.
Speaking before an all-time record
attendance at the quarterly Roundtable meeting, Economides based his
contention on the “misguided” U.S.
Energy Department’s direction. He
elaborated on this by rejecting the
false premise of emphasis on “renewables” and suppression of fossil fuels
(oil, natural gas, coal), which he believes are the “87% solution” of the
world’s energy needs.
Economides further rejected the
current emphasis on the “taxpayer”
— subsidized emphasis on alternative energy, i.e. solar power, wind,
geothermal, bio-mass and ethanol,
and even electric-powered cars, as
cost-ineffective and eventually comprising less than 5% of the growing
global energy needs well into the
next century. Current governmentsupported bankruptcies of “alternative energy” producers added
substance to his warnings.
Economides dramatized the “destructive” role of the unrestrained Environmental Protection Agency and
its leadership in attempting to crush
America’s revolutionary hydraulic
expansion of shale oil and natural gas
production, which, he claims, could
provide North American energy independence by 2030. He alluded to the
president’s delaying approval of the
Trans-Canada XL oil pipeline as a
major symptom in the civil war being
waged against fossil fuels.
He further claimed that the stupendous expansion of China’s 1.4-bil-
• Acuses Obama team
of starting energy war
• China, India scramble
to amass fuel sources
• ‘Back to America’
movement growing
• Natural gas on a roll
• Independent business
fueling recovery
• U.S. businesses face
dearth of skilled workers
lion-strong population — now 50%
urbanized — has driven that nation’s
increasingly intense global efforts to
dominate the world’s energy sources
to requite domestic demand. In his
contacts with leading Chinese government officials, Economides has
been impressed with their acquisition
of oil and natural gas availability
through contracts and outright business purchases of energy production
companies worldwide.
He cited China’s most recent contract with Canada, increasingly directing their oil-sand conversion to
Beijing, even at prices substantially
higher than that paid by the U.S., as
only the latest in the energy wars
being won by China and its equally
populous neighbor, India. This energy obsession is further fueled by
the fact that these countries’ combined energy usage is, for the first
time, handily eclipsing that of the
U.S. — with this gap being expected
to become increasingly dependent on
China’s largesse in the future.
Economides concluded that only “a
total reversal of America’s headlong
collapse into the abyss of its war
against oil, natural gas, coal, the 87%
solution” will save the U.S. from
eventual energy bondage.
Privately-funded fossil fuels flourish,
while taxpayer supported renewables sag
While the revolutionary hydraulic
fracturing fossil fuel revolution is impressively expanding despite the
EPA’s opposition, the administrationtouted renewable energy alternatives
are being increasingly exposed as
“crony capitalism.”
This assessment includes cornbased ethanol, implemented during
the Bush administration, ostensibly to
create a lower-cost gasoline blend to
restrain the dependence on foreign oil
and its derivatives. To do so, the
MTBE mixture had to be rejected due
...The stupendous expansion of China’s
1.4-billion-strong population — now 50% urbanized —
has driven that nation’s increasingly intense
global efforts to dominate the world’s energy
sources to requite domestic demand.
to widen geometrically in the second
half of this century.
With the China/India combine anticipating the accelerating urbanization of their once-dominant
agricultural base, Economides believes that China, especially, is winning the global war of energy
sourcing. He claims that Chinese experts are particularly puzzled why
the U.S., with its fossil fuels energy
source potential eclipsing that of the
rest of the world, is literally handing
the global energy victory to China,
which long ago exhausted the limited resource potential available to
its land mass.
While the U.S. and Europe are increasingly mired down by the growing Mideast conflicts, Economides
believes that China will continue to
do business with every regime, good
or bad, as long as it serves their world
economic interests. This emphasizes,
he commented, their indifference to
UN crackdowns on Iran’s nuclear
ambitions or to joining global disciplinary action against Syria. In conclusion, Economides manifests that,
while amoral, China’s long-term interests are being served in winning
the energy wars which, he believes,
will force Europe, Japan and the U.S.
to suspicions of being cancer-inducing. The real story behind this caper
was the concept of giving a boost to
the U.S. corn production industry,
primarily controlled by huge corporate agribusiness. But to make it happen required a major tax subsidy for
every gallon in which the ethanol
blend was used and an equally arduous tariff against sugar-based Brazilian ethanol, which had proven
successful in that country, with gasoline demand less than one-tenth that
of the U.S.
On top of that, Congress passed a
multi-billion-dollar overall agricultural sector subsidy and a mandate
that today requires an objective of
10% of each gasoline of gallon being
comprised of ethanol. Even though
the subsidies have mercifully lapsed,
the mandate for a 10% proportion
continues, with higher costs being
borne by the U.S. taxpayer.
This budding fiasco was followed
by the current administration’s illconsidered commitment to such renewables as solar, wind and
geo-thermal, touting them as eventual
substitutes for oil, natural gas, nuclear and the EPA’s arch-enemy, coal.
Although this basic credo is increasingly rebutted by the growing num-
BY MORRIS R. BESCHLOSS
PVF and economic analyst
ber of bankruptcies (Solyndra, et al)
of taxpayer-supported companies,
vaulting into the multi billions of dollars, there seems to be no letup in
government support for these disproven alternatives.
Ironically, only the geo-politically,
stratospherically driven costs of oil
give a glimmer of acceptability to the
use of renewables. But these will
never provide more than 5% of all
natural resources used for power generation, motor transport, heating,
cooling, and practically none for the
development of oil-based derivatives.
As long as the current Energy Department’s bankrupt policy of continued
funding
to
potentially
loss-inducing companies producing
renewables with taxpayer supported
revenues persist, the continued allure
of “renewables” replacing oil, natural
gas, coal, and nuclear and their attendant, galloping budget deficit and escalating taxpayer revenue losses will
prove to be the only end result.
Continuing factory orders undergird
strong manufacturing comeback
As an early prognosticator of a
strong U.S. manufacturing comeback, I’m delighted that the most recent key statistics are increasing
proof that this production phenomenon is gathering steam.
What first caught my attention in
the reversal from “outsourcing” to
“insourcing” came soon after the
disastrous consequences emanating
from the BP Gulf of Mexico deep
sea drilling rig explosion. That leading British fully-integrated oil giant
had experienced previous installation troubles in Texas City, Texas,
and within other units of its entities.
But the cause or, much less, the type
and brand of the failing components
in these various instances were
never disclosed.
In the wake of the Gulf of Mexico
deep sea drilling fiasco, however, a
surge of concern started to pervade
many of my distributor contacts, who
had been systematically importing
low-priced finished products as well
as components from importers who
had disclaimed all responsibility for
consequences. With American-based
THE WHOLESALER® —APRIL 2012•
• 33
PVF PULSE
and owned companies emphasizing
the quality, responsibility and inventory availability behind all products
under their jurisdiction, emphasizing
“Buy American” through all aspects
of communication, a perceptible
change has undergirded a new “back
to home” philosophy. Such “insourcing” has also been facilitated by the
following aspects:
• Import costs, which include
labor, material and transportation,
have significantly increased bottomline costs over the past year or two.
• Minimum inventory shipments to
achieve lowest cost have grown by
substantial amounts, making it difficult for most importers to achieve
maximum cost savings without plac-
creasing number of analysts are concerned that the resultant glut of natural gas will lower prices to the point
where it might be cheaper to concentrate strictly on oil and flare-off natural gas.
At the current price of under $2.50
for 1 million Btu (the standard measuring rate), Chesapeake Gas & Oil,
one of the nation’s leading natural gas
producers, announced a severe cutback in further production, fearing
that the natural gas surplus might be
getting out of hand. Adding to unexpected supplies and lowered demand
for residential and commercial heating alike has been one of America’s
warmest winters on record.
The balance of natural resource de-
It is no exaggeration to claim that the current employment
increase is primarily instigated by independently-owned
businesses that transact their business within the domestic business segment. They are far more involved than
conglomerates managed by corporate giants dependent
on worldwide commercial transactions.
ing inordinately large orders.
• With U.S. brand names and quality reaching a peak of prestige worldwide and end users focusing on
consumer and industrial products
with tried and true brand names, endorsers are more prone to pay a premium for those specified and
certified brand names. Also, independently-owned American firms,
which employ two-thirds of all employees, are gaining increasing quality reputations as being more
involved in the consumption sector,
from top management on down.
It is no exaggeration to claim that
the current employment increase is
primarily instigated by independently-owned businesses that transact
their business within the domestic
business segment. They are far more
involved than conglomerates managed by corporate giants dependent
on worldwide commercial transactions. Despite current business obstacles, such as Sarbanes-Oxley,
Dodd/Frank and Obamacare, the
sheer economic power unleashed by
tens of thousands of independents
will continue to be at the forefront of
business growth, destined to be the
surprise positive economic factor carrying the U.S. forward this year.
Will natural gas become America’s
next great breakout resource?
With the unprecedented surge of
oil and natural gas emanating from
the rapid expansion of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, an in-
mand and availability is rapidly
changing, however, with Japan in the
forefront. As a result of last March’s
Fukushima Daiichi earthquake disaster, nuclear power production in
Japan has tumbled from 70% usage a
year ago to less than 10% currently.
This has put Tokyo’s nuclear power
generating capability practically out
of business, with no stated indication
of restart.
Already, there have been increasing incidents of brownouts and blackouts in the country, with business and
industry getting hit the hardest. With
the expectation that the shutdown of
nuclear capability has reduced anticipated power generation to 25% of
the previous level, the gap must be
filled by natural gas. During the latest
2011 quarter, Japan boosted its usage
of liquefied natural gas by $7.5 billion. This was followed by purchases
of 5.19 million tons of liquid natural
gas, an astronomical 39% increase
from the same month a year earlier.
Such a turn of events also contributed
to Japan’s first monthly trade deficit
in 30 years.
Germany, another major user of nuclear power, has said it will shut down
its nuclear plants by 2022. Berlin has
already opened a new gas pipeline
from Russia, and the United Kingdom
has signed a contract to import all U.S.
liquid natural gas available.
With nuclear power having become
an international pariah, justifiably or
not, and coal the bane of most Western
(Turn to American... page 34.)
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34 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Infiltrator Systems acquires
ADS septic chamber assets
olD sAyBRook, Conn. — Infiltrator
systems Inc. (IsI) has acquired the
assets of the septic chamber business
of Advanced Drainage systems Inc.
(ADs) and its subsidiaries. the acquisition is part of IsI’s ongoing
commitment to offer innovative quality and service to the onsite wastewater industry.
Infiltrator currently offers a broad
family of products that save septic
installation professionals time and
money. As part of the acquisition,
Hilliard, ohio-based ADs has entered into a long-term, non-exclusive distribution agreement with
Infiltrator systems and will continue to market and sell the Arc™
and BioDiffuser™ product lines.
the ADs chamber product line is
comprised of a family of onsite
wastewater infiltration chambers
that are well established in the onsite industry.
American independent businesses
spearheading U.S. economic turnarond
(Continued from page 33.)
nations, adhering to the limitations of
Co2 and greenhouse gases, natural
gas stands as the only available resource that minimally passes muster
with climatologists. It is readily available and relatively cheap. America’s
upcoming ability to establish an infrastructure to deliver lnG worldwide
could likely prove to be a bonanza toward the u.s. becoming a world
leader in fossil fuel export derivatives
in the not-too-distant future.
Independent U.S. businesses are providing
overpowering economic leadership
the recent rebound of American
employment, economic expansion,
and even a quickened pulse of gross
domestic product growth is a direct
result of the “exceptionalism” of
America’s tens of thousands of independent businesses.
Although Big Government, Big
Businesses and “Big” politicians are
quick to lay claim to this unexpected,
if still fragile, turn of events, my contacts with several hundred of these
astute “small” business magnates,
have convinced me that this backbone of America’s long-term economic durability is primarily the
result of privately-owned manufacturers, distributors, contractors, retailers and service organizations taking
the “bull by the horns” in an iffy economic climate.
While the Beltway benevolence bubble attempts to right all wrongs by inflating all-time high debt and deficits,
the courageous independent men and
women heading up organizations with
annual revenues ranging from minuscule to $1 billion have taken it upon
themselves to move the great u.s.
value-added machine forward, despite
the increasing impediment of cascading
governmental financial and businesshostile regulations.
While multi-national, multi-billion-dollar conglomerates have become a meaningful fact of life in
projecting the u.s. into world leadership, it’s the privately-owned businesses that have made their stand
within the borders of the 50 states and
that know their specific business sectors far better than super corporate giants that need international
businesses and are primarily focused
on the bottom line.
With the lightning-fast changes
necessary in this nano-second age of
staying ahead of the game, it takes a
“the buck stops here” attitude to
make the crucial hands-on decisions
as world events coincide with domestic happenings to redirect the status
quo at an ever-quickening pace.
these factors have resulted in energy, export, agricultural and technological breakthroughs that have
created additional job opportunities.
such payroll additions are matched
by the increased revenues generated
by such outstanding independently
owned and managed companies.
With over two-thirds of the 140 million potential u.s. workforces encompassed within the “independent
Energy Metals joins PVF Roundtable
Houston — In a continuing effort
to better their company, Energy
Metals Inc. announced its newest
venture as a member of the PVF
Roundtable, a not-for-profit organization of companies involved in all
areas of pipe, valves and fittings.
this organization allows members
to meet and greet, as well as discuss
important industry issues, news and
current events.
Energy Metals is excited to be
part of this community and looks
forward to being actively involved
with fellow members.
Visit www.emetalsinc.com.
business” environment, consumer
confidence, the psychological drumbeat of popular optimism, is beginning to improve as the first signs of
spring start to beckon.
All Americans owe a debt of gratitude to the continued courage of these
business titans, who never gave up
but have always looked ahead.
U.S. manufacturing faces
increasing skills crisis
the good news brightening the
outlook for u.s. manufacturing is
that after 12 years of declines,
“this is a ‘win-win’ for the industry,” said Joe Chlapaty, chairman and
CEo of ADs. “the agreement allows ADs to continue to compete
vigorously for septic leachfield
product sales by distributing Arc™
and BioDiffuser™ products manufactured by IsI, as well as ADs’s
other septic leachfield products.”
terms of the transaction were not
disclosed.
Visit www.infiltratorsystems.com
or www.ads-pipe.com.
All Americans owe a debt of
gratitude to the continued
courage of these business titans...
those anxious to bring production or
servicing “back into house” within
the 50 united states.
Much of this distortion is due to
both increased productivity and the
changing nature of manufacturing activity now taking place in America’s
once-dominating industrial sector.
Gone are such major assembly line
type jobs as existed until the mid1950s, covering steel and textile
mills, automotive, various types of
metal fabrication, electronics and
even a greater number of workers in
mining and utilities.
With over two-thirds of the 140 million potential U.S.
workforce encompassed within the “independent business”
environment, consumer confidence, the psychological
drumbeat of popular optimism, is beginning to improve
as the first signs of spring start to beckon.
109,000 workers were added to
America’s payrolls in 2010 and an
even greater amount, 237,000, in
2011. to top that off, 50,000 more
joined manufacturing payrolls in January of this year alone.
But the bad news is the schism that
has developed between skilled job requirements and availability. this
growing 50% vacancy rate has now
reached 600,000, stultifying the nation’s effort to reach parity between
job openings and potential employee
availability.
the simple answer lies in the accelerated changes in the type of manufacturing efforts prevalent in today’s
united states and its worthy efforts
to broaden the scope of its industrial
base ever wider in the times ahead.
According to professional analyses
of those manufacturers with the
widest vacancy rates, these bemoan
skills deficiencies in such specialties
as machinists, specific crafts training
and technological knowhow, matching the changing priorities demanded
by residual u.s. manufacturers and
this dislocation of job openings, as
well as the major leap forward orchestrated by the technological evolution taking place in America’s
overall industrial stratosphere has
elicited a desperate need for a government-subsidized private sector effort. this is necessary to massively
train candidates for the multi-million
offerings that are due to be created, in
addition to those already in existence
in the years ahead.
However, this frustration may be totally unrequited under a federal government that neither understands nor
feels obligated to put such an obvious
job-filling and industrial expansion
system in motion. While pundits, like
myself, may recite the obvious, it will
take a national leadership both qualified and motivated to make “skills
training” befitting today’s manufacturing needs a critical priority.
n
Morris R. Beschloss, a 55-year veteran of the pipe, valve and fitting industry, is PVF and economic analyst
emeritus for The WholesaleR.
36 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Zurn Industries celebrates World
Plumbing Day with major lead-free announcement
ERIE, PA. – On March 11, as members
of plumbing organizations across the
world joined together to recognize
World Plumbing Day and promote
the vital role the plumbing industry
plays in protecting public health and
safety, Zurn Industries, LCC announced that its entire line of products will be available “lead-free” by
the close of 2012.
Inspired by their relationship with
NSF International and their dedication to offer the highest-quality and
safest products available, Zurn products will comply with NSF low-lead
Standard 61: Drinking Water System
Components – Health Effects, Annex
G requirements more than a year in
advance of the deadline mandated by
the Reduction of Lead in Drinking
Water Act.
“Zurn focused resources early to
create product solutions and we are
pleased to announce we will be in
compliance ahead of schedule,” said
David Scelsi, director of product
management & Engineering at Zurn’s
Commercial Brass Operation.
The Reduction of Lead in Drinking
Water Act (S. 3874) requires that any
valve, fitting or fixture coming in
contact with potable water must meet
NSF/ANSI Standard 61-G requirements, having weighted average of
less than 0.25% lead content. The law
will take nationwide effect on January 4, 2014, but states like California
and Vermont have already begun enforcing it. Other states may soon follow. With their early compliance,
Zurn becomes a leader in lead-free
applications and global awareness of
lead-related health issues.
“We’ve been working toward this
goal since the Act was passed into
law and World Plumbing Day pres-
ents the perfect opportunity to celebrate this commitment,” said Rick
Fields, senior director of marketing
and product development at Zurn
Wilkins. “By making the change
early, we hope to set an example and
encourage fellow manufacturers,
engineers, contractors, building
owners and water purveyors to do
the same in the interest of a healthier tomorrow.”
Children and senior citizens are
particularly at risk when exposed to
lead in drinking water. Lead contamination can lead to damage in
the brain and nervous system, behavioral and learning problems,
slowed growth, reproductive problems, high blood pressure and more.
Through studies conducted by the
Center for Disease Control and the
PEW Center on the States, Congress
discovered that by reducing lead in
the nation’s drinking water systems,
the U.S. could save an estimated
$10.8 to $53.1 million in health care
costs annually.
“Zurn Industries’ commitment to
comply with NSF Annex G’s lead
content requirements in advance of
the 2012 deadline reinforces to their
customers that protecting public
health is a #1 priority,” said Nasrin
Kashefi, general manager of NSF International’s Plumbing Programs.
Products that meet NSF/ANSI Standard 61-G requirements appear on
NSF International’s website and bear
the NSF Annex G Mark.
Zurn Industries has a standing reputation of producing products that are
in full compliance with Federal and
State low-lead standards. In September 2009, Zurn became the first manufacturer in the industry to provide
lead-free, fully approved backflow
prevention assemblies and parts to
the market.
Visit www.worldplumbingday.org
or www.zurn.com.
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40 •
TOP GUN SALES
Best Practice #21: Uses an effective
system for making appointments
T
he best salespeople have created a system to consistently
acquire appointments with
prospects and continually work to improve that system.
All routine, sophisticated work is
most effectively accomplished by implementing a system: That’s one of
the observations I’ve made in my 20+
years of experience in consulting. It
doesn’t matter what area of work we
are considering. For example, clean-
• Perform consistent,
sophisticated tasks
• Multiple steps before
making appointment
• Constantly review your
entire sales process
ing teeth, paving a road, painting a
house, laying carpet, creating your income tax returns, etc. are all routine,
sophisticated jobs that are best accomplished systematically.
The job of the professional salesperson is crammed with such tasks,
sophisticated tasks that need to be
done over and over again.
Making appointments is one such
undertaking.
A system is composed, in its simplest expression, of processes, practices and tools. Processes are the
step-by-step series of events that
eventually lead to a goal. Practices
are the behaviors that are part of the
process, and tools are the specific
things we use to accomplish the
process.
so,
for example,
3/13/12
11:48 AM when it comes to
sloan
performance
also comes in
white
A full line of vitreous fixtures engineered and built
exclusively for commercial use
making appointments, the process
may look like this:
1. Create a list of prospects.
2. research the list and determine
the highest potential.
3. Acquire their names and contact
information.
4. Deliver a pre-call touch.
5. Make a phone call to acquire the
appointment.
6. repeat at least five times, if necessary.
7. If necessary, send a personal
snail mail letter.
8. If necessary, make a personal
cold call.
I’m not suggesting that this is the
only process you could use. I am sug-
BY DAVE KAHLE
Sales specialist
way to acquire appointments and
have put together a system made up
of processes, practices and tools.
They consistently implement that
system and continually work on improving each piece of it.
That’s one of the things that make
them the best.
Here are some of our resources to
help you master this best practice:
The best salespeople have thought deeply
about the best way to acquire appointments
and have put together a system made
up of processes, practices and tools.
They consistently implement that system
and continually work on improving each piece of it.
gesting, however, that the best salespeople have created a similar process,
designed for the specifics of their
business.
within that process, there are certain key practices. For example, the
phone call that you make to the
prospect asking for the appointment
is a key practice. To improve the end
results of your process, you need to
improve each of the practices you use
along the way. The best salespeople
understand that and continually work
on improving their practices.
The final piece of a good system is
the set of tools you use to implement
the system. The pre-call touch, for
example, is a tool, as is the script that
you use, the letter that you may send,
etc. As with your approach to practices, your approach is to continually
work on these tools.
let’s review. The best salespeople
have thought deeply about the best
• First Steps to Success in Outside
Sales, Chapter Four, ‘Acquiring Appointments’”.
• video, “victory over voicemail”.
Visit www.davekahle.com/notch.htm.
If you are a member of The sales
resource Center ™, consider “Pod32, How to create a system to develop new customers”; “Pod-38,
Mastering the Creative Cold Call or
Cluster Cl-87”, “Making appointments”.
n
Dave Kahle has trained tens of
thousands of distributor and B2B
sales people and sales managers to be
more effective in the 21st-century
economy. He’s authored nine books,
and presented in 47 states and seven
countries. Sign up for his weekly ezine
or visit his blog . For a limited time,
you can purchase his latest book,
‘How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime’ and receive $534 in free bonuses.
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Neuco adds new lines
Downers Grove, Ill. — neuco has
teamed up with Allagash to bring
wholesalers nor’east controls and
Forbes Marshall, including globe
control valves previously manufactured by Dezurik and Honeywell.
In addition, neuco now stocks
Honeywell Genesis cables for HvAC
thermostats and control systems, one
of the most enhanced and efficient
cablings available. It is possible to
order individual rolls.
Contact the neuco sales team for
assistance at 800/323-7394.
713.466.1644
1.877.996.9911
www.candcvalve.com
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2:42:58 PM
42 •
SHOWROOM STYLE
K/BIS 2012
A deeper look at getting better show results
T
here is no doubt that 2012 is
a challenging year for the
showroom industry. It will require more focus, creativity and
going back to the basics of what
works in our showrooms.
The Kitchen and Bath Industry
Show (www.kbis.com), April 24 – 26
in Chicago, is expected to draw
20,000 to 25,000 people. Show hours
are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and
Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thursday. About 300 exhibitors will
be housed in 200,000 square feet of
exhibit space in two halls. This year’s
theme, “Touch the Future,” is about
technology innovations.
The National Kitchen & Bath As-
Stainless Living backsplash systems
New category! A huge hit at K/BIS 2011! These
distinctive backsplashes are available in three
sizes and 14 different design patterns. You can
choose from the three stock sizes, or the backsplashes can be customized to fit your exact
specifications. Installation is accomplished in
minutes, using a combination of two-sided tape
and construction adhesive. Plumbing and
appliance showroom display and stocking
distributor programs are offered strictly
through “channel distribution.” For 2012,
Stainless Living will be releasing stainless steel
dishwasher panels and refrigerator fronts in 14
different patterns. They are a $25-million,
70-year-old company. www.stainlessliving.com
sociation (NKBA), along with the
Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) and the
National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) will work together to promote a fresh and
collaborative approach to business.
On the KBIS show floor, these three
unique associations will host seven
one-hour panel discussions over a
three-day period on the topic of collaboration between trades. Each association brings their own perspective
on business and their respective industries. Building professional teams
with cross-industry areas of expertise
provides a competitive edge for all
trade partners involved.
Don’t miss the 12th annual Crystal
Vision Award breakfast. This event
honors premier industry leaders partnering with the Storehouse of World
(Turn to Get the most... page 44.)
BY PETER SCHOR
Showroom specialist
Don’t miss the 12th
annual Crystal Vision Award
breakfast. This event
honors premier industry
leaders who are partnering
with the Storehouse of
World Vision, the NKBA’s
Charity of Choice.
44 •
SHOWROOM STYLE
Get the most from K/BIS 2012
Vision, NKBA’s Charity of Choice.
Join your peers for an exciting presentation and breakfast on Wednesday,
April 25, 8 – 9:30 a.m. in Room
S406. Guest speaker Lou Rohl of
ROHL LLC will offer a firsthand
look at how companies in our industry are transforming communities in
need across the U.S. There is no fee
for this event; however, attendees
must preregister at http://crystalvision2012.eventbrite.com.
The Retail Observer, a key industry
publication for major kitchen and
Each association brings their
own perspective on business and
their respective industries.
Building professional teams with
cross-industry areas of expertise
provides a competitive edge
for all trade partners involved.
bath appliances retailers, will sponsor
the Appliance Pavilion. Sub-Zero,
Wolff Appliance and others will be
back this year for K/BIS 2012. Additional pavilions will include categories such as decorative hardware,
cabinetry, natural stone and tile,
sourcing and international.
Schedule
• Opening Ceremony, Tuesday
April 24, 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m, features TV personality (HG-TV) and
author Candice Olsen of Candice
Olsen Design.
• Wednesday, April 25, 8 a.m. –
10:15 a.m. at the 10th annual “Shark
Breakfast” a panel of industry experts
will cover your specific questions regarding today’'s kitchen and bath
trends. The experts range from specialists in cabinetry, universal design
and sustainability to electronics and
lighting. Make sure to join us for this
Rigidized stainless steel countertops
Rigidized custom metal countertops are made
from textured and plain stainless steel and copper.
Stainless steel countertops are hot! They provide
a heat resistant, anti-bacterial surface that requires
minimal maintenance, and they offer a wide variety of edge profiles, backsplash styles and corner
options. Suitable for both commercial and residential applications, they are also available with integral sinks. Showrooms are offered one unit on
display for qualification purposes. You will just
need to mail or fax a CAD or shop drawing to
Rigidized from your client. They will give you a
consumer price, trade price and your price. These
products are highly profitable, competitive and
ship to all parts of the U.S. www.rigidized.com
interactive session, allowing you to
get up-to-date information that you
can apply in your business.
• Wednesday, April 25, 11:00 a.m.
– 12:15 p.m., the “State of The Industry” address will be given by Michael
Werner, president and CEO of Globe
Union Group. Werner will provide an
overview of how we can envision the
future in business and how technology advances will alter the industry.
He will address the impact of tech-
nology on our current landscape, how
it has evolved and how we can best
prepare for shifts in the way we traditionally operate. Through ongoing
advancements in technology, everything has become possible, accessible
and more affordable. Navigating and
embracing the redefined course of
business as kitchen and bath professionals will ensure the success of the
industry. Werner will provide a look
(Turn to K/BIS... page 46.)
46 •
SHOWROOM STYLE
K/BIS is here! It’s your show!
Perlick Coproration
at this new terrain. This will be a
humdinger keynote to attend.
Other NKBA programs, paid for by
manufacturer sponsors, will include
subjects that should hold your interest, such as innovative technology,
appliance design, design trends and
universal design.
Through ongoing advancements
in technology, everything has
become possible, accessible and
more affordable. Navigating and
embracing the redefined course
of business as kitchen and bath
professionals will ensure the
success of the industry.
LUXE Home at the Merchandise Mart
is a visual extravaganza of 40 showrooms, including Kohler, Urban Archaeology, Hastings, Lefroy Brooks,
TOTO USA and many more. On
April 24, a giant celebration of Open
The first floor of The Merchandise
Mart features 110,000 square feet of
kitchen, bath and building products.
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Mart
T&L International bathtubs
Tyrrell and Laing International Inc. offers a wide
range of Luxury Lifestyle bathtubs, lavatories and
related products in a range of colors and matte or
gloss finishes. They make matching basins,
shower trays and vanities. T&L manufactures
their bathtubs in the U.S., and carries a 10-year
warranty. Tubs and lavs are made from a composite of cast stone, which is lightweight, compared to natural stone. The bathtubs are IAPMO,
UPC, ANSI, NAHB code approved. T& L is looking for qualified showrooms for semi-exclusive
distribution. www.tandlinternational.com
Perlick Corporation’s new Shallow-Depth Series
of undercounter refrigerators, beverage centers
and wine reserves has earned the 2011 GOOD
DESIGN® Award in the Commercial Fittings/Supplies category. Designed by Perlick as a result of
requests from specifiers, the Shallow-Depth Series is the first line of undercounter refrigeration
to feature an 18-inch depth, which allows for
installation in unique hospitality, residential and
commercial applications. The Series is ADAcompliant, and available with the option of
either a solid or glass door. It is powered by a
whisper-quiet 700 Btu compressor, and features
Perlick’s RAPIDcool™ refrigeration technology.
www.perlick.com.
House showrooms will start at 5
p.m. If you want to get great showroom merchandising ideas and see
many of your lines displayed elegantly, take a quick cab ride to The
Merchandise Mart.
What’s new and hot?
Here are some innovative products
that caught my eye: ARB Teak and
Specialties, Booth 1667; Artesano
Iron Works, Booth 337; Calocasa
Bathroom Equip, Booth 5010;
Warmly Yours, Booth 113 (Must
Eliminate scale, lime
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areas? That means scale build-up begins almost immediately
on heat exchange elements like hot water heaters,
boilers, tankless units and more.
SpeedClean’s Bucket Descaler quickly turns any 5-gallon
bucket into a high-powered descaling system. Just add
SpeedyBright, our NSF/UL certified descaler solution, and
you’ll quickly reduce limescale, rust, and calcium –
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addition to your maintenance offerings.
Use it on • Tankless Hot Water Heaters
• Tanked Hot water systems
• Boilers/Heat Exchanger
Learn more at
SpeedClean.com
Bucket
Descaler
& SpeedyBright
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Available at your
HVAC Distributor
Improve your performance at
speedclean.com
see); Rigidized Metals Corporation/
Stainless Living, Booth 3908, which
is one of my best picks — kitchen
stainless steel backsplash systems in
The WarmlyYours Radiant Inc.
LAVA® Radiant Panels
Winner of 2011 KBIS ‘Best of Show’
Award, WarmlyYours LAVA® Radiant
Panels come in 3 main styles, a vari-
ety of colors and can be used for central or auxiliary heating. Lava® stateof-the-art heating system uses infrared heating technology that is both
environmentally friendly and energy
efficient, effectively reducing annual
heating costs. Heating panels not only
provide heat, but also enrich your interior design. www.warmlyyours.com
14 patterns, all boxed and stockable;
stainless steel countertops and tiles.
I hope to see you at K/BIS 2012! n
Peter Schor, president of Dynamic
Results Inc., is a bath/plumbing industry speaker, educator, author,
columnist and consultant in the many
segments of our industry. For the past
20 years, he conducted seminars and
speaks at numerous conventions.
Schor has great expertise in the field
of showrooms and hotel bathrooms
and has won many industry awards.
He also consults manufacturers in
taking their products to market in the
areas of sales, marketing and public
relations. Schor can be reached at
1302 Longhorn Lane, Lincoln, CA
95648, phone 916/408-5346, fax
916/408-5899, email [email protected] or visit www.dynamicresultsonline.com.
The first floor of The Merchandise
Mart features 110,000 square
feet of kitchen, bath and building
products. Open from 9 a.m. to
5 p.m., the Mart is a visual
extravaganza of 40 showrooms...
48 •
Bathroom Luxury
Thinking outside the box
Wholesaler to implement
new ‘luxe’ sales strategy
MASON, OHIO — If necessity is the
mother of all invention, a weak economy may be the mother of all expansion. Like many, wholesalers have
seen the vast effect of the economy on
their businesses, leaving them wondering where to turn next. There are
many reasons for product diversification, but for most wholesalers the primary motivation is maximizing cash
flow. Prolonged economic instability
has served to make this task even
more difficult and daunting during the
past several years. Amazingly, some
products have been able to beat the
odds and make an economic impact.
These products are industry pacesetters, with proven ability to provide
additional cash flow to struggling
wholesalers. Perhaps equally as important, these brands demonstrate
that, even in difficult times, taking
risks can reap substantial rewards —
and underscore the fact that successful new launches don’t have to cause
financial setbacks.
Get over your fear of shower enclosures
More often than not, wholesalers
are afraid of selling shower doors, especially heavy glass, because of the
“liability” factors — ultimately missing out on opportunities by sending
customers to the glass channel. Basco
line of enclosures from Basco, is one
of the easiest doors to quote because
of less “adders,” with blended pricing
options. By simply suggesting the
product and closing a sale, wholesalers are able to gain 30% to 35%
profit off of each enclosure. And with
a retail sale price ranging from $675
to more than $3800, there is plenty of
opportunity to add to the bottom line.
Laura Tomaschefsky with Northeastern Supply in Bel Air, Md., discusses her success as a recent Roda
Select Dealer. “Becoming a Roda Select
Dealer has given us a
new and unique
higher quality door
style, catering to our
affluent clientele,”
stated Tomaschefsky.
“In a down economy,
we are much more selective in deciding
which new product
strive to design a relaxing, yet personalized shower space. RODA by
Basco helps wholesalers take advantage of this growing and vibrant market opportunity. RODA allows
customers to select the design that
complements their individual environment, while adding ease to the
overall purchasing experience.
Each door from the RODA collection is custom made within days and
factory installation services are available in most markets. Basco Shower
Basco’s RODA lines of luxury frameless enclosures take the
anxiety out of choosing and installing glass shower doors. Models
shown clockwise from top are: Preceria, Rolaire and Tresor.
Shower Enclosures is
a great example of a
manufacturer
that
stresses the importance of being involved in the shower
door market, by providing wholesalers the
marketing materials,
technical expertise,
factory installation
services and a limited
lifetime
warranty.
RODA, the newest
lines to entertain.
However, our commitment
to
sell
RODA was an easy
decision because of the product quality and brand awareness. Basco provided us with additional marketing
materials, recognition on their website and incentives to sell their product. We have been very successful
with Roda; our sales have increased
roughly by 25%.”
Bathrooms are becoming increasingly more luxurious, as homeowners
Enclosures values dealers as team
members, and equips them to succeed. When wholesalers provide excellent customer service, share
knowledge and expertise with consumers, everyone becomes successful.
See the full line of Basco and
RODA shower enclosures at
www.bascoshowerdoor.com. n
50 •
Suppliers in Action
Exclusive Q&A
Huntington Brass continues building its brand
By Mary Jo MarTin
Editorial director
F
ounded in 1989 by a group of
private investors from the U.S.
and Taiwan, Huntington Brass
originally offered hand showers,
shower heads and shower accessories
under the name Afeel Corp.
Huntington Brass owns and operates a 600,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Guangdong, China,
which is about 200 miles from Hong
Kevin Thiha,
president, Huntington Brass
Kong. The dedicated manufacturing
and plating facilities are fully automated with CNC machines, plastic
and zinc injection molding, zinc die
casting, brass forging, stamping and
PVD plating machines. The facility
has earned both ISO 9001:2008 and
ISO 14001:2004 certifications. The
company also maintains a corporate
office and a 30,000-square-foot warehouse/distribution center in Cypress,
Calif. Huntington Brass does 100%
of its business in the wholesale channel — with 60% of it to true wholesalers and 40% to independent
showroom dealers.
Recently, president Kevin Thiha
talked with me about a broad range of
topics, including product development, lead free legislation and the
company’s future direction.
************
MJM: Tell us how far Huntington Brass has come in recent years,
basically reintroducing yourself to
the market?
Thiha: Huntington Brass gradually
has been investing to expand its product offering over the past 10 years. In
2003, we introduced a decorative
showroom line called Platinum Collections that currently offers 11 suites
of fine faucets and accessories. Last
year, we launched a mid-range product collection called “Décor Collection” to fill in demands for products
that offer distinguish styles at affordable prices.
Huntington Brass is reintroducing
itself as a one-stop plumbing fixture
company that offers everything from
entry-level products to high-end decorative plumbing fixtures at all different price points. We feel this helps
our loyal partnering customers gain
an advantage in their markets by
being able to rely upon Huntington
Brass to service all of their needs.
MJM: How are you positioning
yourself for the future, with your
faucets meeting AB1953?
Thiha: AB1953 no lead requirements will go national in January
2014. We first redesigned our products to meet California no lead requirements in 2010 to take a
proactive approach, knowing this was
going to be mandated nationwide
someday. However, we have decided
to move the majority of our products
to meet AB1953 standards and now
we are offering these new products to
customers in other states at the same
price levels as in California. By offering these same benefits at no additional costs to customers in other
states, we believe it will help them
convert well in advance of the deadline — again showing how we want
to be proactive in our actions.
AB1953 applies to mostly lavatory
and kitchen faucets; Roman fillers
and tub and shower faucets are excluded. It took a lot of resources and
planning to be proactive and convert
our manufacturing to fit the new
AB1953 law, but like all of our products, we make sure they are all code
compliant or we do not include them
in our product offering. All HB products sold in the U.S. are NSF, CSA,
IAPMO and now AB1953 applicable,
and each product packaging and
specification sheet is listed with each
code listing.
MJM: What are you doing to educate wholesalers and contractors on
this new legislation?
Thiha: We work with our manufacturers’ representatives in all territories
in the U.S. to inform our customers of
the new changes and legislation affecting the plumbing industry. We
printed
information
regarding
AB1953 in our price books, and list it
on all packaging and product specification sheets. We make sure all of our
partnering customers have the information at their fingertips so they have
the power and knowledge to make educated decisions.
MJM: Besides the lead-free products, what are the other trends and
new styles or price points will you be
refocusing on?
Thiha: Huntington Brass — HB,
that is — is trying always to increase
our brand awareness. In the last five
years we have gone from being a “me
too import brand” (meaning we had
product offerings just like our competitors) to now having distinct looks
end decorative markets globally.
It is these types of products HB
will continue to develop that will
make our HB brand continue to have
success with our loyal partners.
MJM: Talk about the tremendous
efforts that go into R&D to develop
and launch new products? How are
these ideas generated and what type
of process do they go through before
being brought to market?
Thiha: Almost all Huntington
Brass products are designed here in
California. Our sales, design and
marketing teams meet once a week to
collect market data and to research
product designs based on market demand and customers’ feedback. All
stages of the design process are done
here. Once a product design is finalized, we send our design to the R &
D department at our factory. Our design and R & D teams work together
to come out with the best functional
design possible. All product manufacturing and prototypes are then produced at the factory. Once the initial
sets of products are done, our QC
team will take over to test both functionality and durability. At that point,
our domestic sales and marketing
According to president Kevin Thiha, ‘Huntington Brass is reintroducing itself as
a one-stop plumbing fixture company that offers everything from entry-level products to high-end decorative plumbing fixtures at all different price points.’
that we can truly call our own and
drive people to use our products.
Take, for example, our new Signature Series in our Platinum product
line-up. These six styles give a
unique array of traditional, contemporary and transitional styles that we
believe no other brand can match
when it comes to quality, style and
price point. Monarch, Intrigue,
Favari, Atlantis, McMillan and
SeaCrest have helped HB really establish ourselves in the mid- to high-
teams will begin introducing our new
design concepts and styles to manufacturers’ representatives and key
customers for their feedback. When
products pass all quality tests, we
send them to our marketing team at
the corporate office in California.
There, sales and marketing teams will
set up a timeline to coordinate a
launch plan with the purchasing and
operations teams.
MJM: You offer customers the
(Turn to Loyal to... page 52.)
52 •
Suppliers in Action
Loyal to the channel,
Huntington Brass growing
choice from three levels of faucets.
Describe those levels and what your
offerings are in each?
Thiha: In the U.S. market, we
know people want a choice. Americans always want to have it their way.
So when it comes to faucetry, the
closest you can come to having it
your way is to have a manufacturer
like HB give you many choices.
HB offers three price levels:
• Relia-Flo — These items are
your commodity-based products used
in multi-family or manufactured
housing applications and usually volume and price is the need here with a
little style.
HB offers many different price
points within this commodity level so
the end user can value engineer their
projects to fit their budgets.
• Décor Series — This was created a few years ago to fit the declining U.S. economy when end users
needed style and function, but also
at a value price. Many of our customers nationwide (home builders
for example) were looking to save
5% to 10% per household to cut
costs. So we created some value engineered products in each popular
style like traditional, contemporary
and transitional, and produced a product offering that would give them
style and function — but at a better
price point to help them be more profitable in this down economy.
• Platinum — We believe HB
Platinum products can stand up to
any of the major high-end brands be-
cause they are constructed of all brass
components with ceramic cartridges,
and are backed by a lifetime finish.
With the proprietary styles mentioned
above in our Signature Series, we feel
we fulfill exactly what the end user is
looking for when they choose our
products. And once they have purchased our products their smiles and
feedback back up our efforts.
MJM: What are some of the key
benefits you believe you offer to customers and end users?
Thiha: Loyalty, service and giving
them a quality functioning product
built with code-complying materials
at the best competitive price. We feel
our products are a win-win for everyone on all levels because they function, they save people money without
having to give up style or function,
and we are proud that our customers
can be profitable and happy to represent our name.
MJM: What are some of the other
things you’re doing to strengthen the
Huntington Brass brand?
Thiha: HB tries to focus on three
main qualities — and we use them on
all levels of our actions:
• Loyalty
• Service
• Quality product with style and
function
• And now reaching out to our customers through The Wholesaler!
Thank you so much for your time and
effort and doing this story on HB.
MJM: Describe how important
your relationships with wholesalers
are to Huntington Brass’ business,
and the steps that you
take to develop, maintain and strengthen
those relationships?
Thiha: Huntington
Brass cherishes each
and every business
partnership we enter
into, and treat each
one with the loyalty
and attention they deHuntington Brass has a 600,000-square-foot manufactur- serve.
Huntington
ing facility in Guangdong, China, with CNC machines, Brass protects our
plastic and zinc injection molding, zinc die casting, brass loyal customers by
forging, stamping and PVD plating machines.
protecting their local
markets by not drop
shipping into other
customers’ territories.
In addition, Huntington Brass does not sell
direct on the Internet
or to the public, only
through our distribution. Lastly, Huntington Brass will only
partner with cus-
Huntington Brass maintains a corporate office and a 30,000-square-foot
warehouse/DC in Cypress, Calif., and does 100% of its business in the wholesale
channel; 60% to true wholesalers and 40% to independent showroom dealers.
tomers that fit our customer profile
who will display and stock our products — thus maintaining a true partnership. In return, HB promises to not
over-saturate each local market and
drive the business through our existing loyal customers. HB has the
mindset to keep our loyal partners
protected and happy in their markets
and not to over saturate each market,
which we feel devalues our customer
efforts. Being loyal and expecting it
in return has helped HB become who
they are today and a respected brand
nationwide.
MJM: Please describe your leadership philosophy? Do you like to be
hands-on with all aspects of the company, and in building customer relationships?
Thiha: We believe in teamwork
and working towards building strong
business relationships and providing
quality service and profitability to our
customers. We are very flexible and
attentive in providing what our customers are looking for.
HB has a very professional group
of employees that we all use the
teamwork approach to make sure no
facet of our business model is ever
weak. As president, I am supported
by Joy Hsu, our chairman of the
Board; Brandon Tipton, our VP of
sales; Andy McMillan, our product
designer/graphic designer; and Mike
Lee, our chief engineer. We have a
truly loyal group that can handle and
solve any level of question or service
any level of need.
We encourage our sales force and
loyal customers to call anyone in our
company for help at anytime so they
know we all will come together to
service there needs.
MJM: How has the country’s economic conditions, and particularly
the housing market, affected your
business?
Thiha: The slowdown in the economy has affected HB’s business as it
has all companies in the U.S. by mak-
ing us be sure we always provide our
best service all the time.
Customers are really looking to be
serviced in this down economy and if
we can keep the same service level
but offer more profitable products to
our partners we feel we can actually
grow in this down market and gradually extend and establish our brand
name even more.
Sales figures stayed steady in 2011,
with sales actually growing in the
Midwest. However, our core base of
loyal customers’ has actually grown in
the past two years to where we feel we
are in a better position now to capitalize and grow when the economy recovers in coming months or in 2013.
We expect to see overall economic
condition improving slowly in the second half of the year once economy
grows a little stronger and the unemployment rate goes down further.
MJM: What do you believe sets
Huntington Brass apart in the marketplace?
Thiha: I’d say it’s really all about
these five things:
• Loyalty
• Service
• Function
• Style
• Price Point to make our loyal
customer profitable.
HB is truly an up and coming
brand — actually we feel we have already arrived, but still growing I
guess — and we believe we stand
apart from many other importers. Import brands are big parts in most customers’ business plans now and they
can truly add profit to all levels of the
market in the U.S. As people are finding out, there are different levels of
import brands and when you partner
with a quality brand like HB you can
really differentiate yourself from
your competitor and make yourself
very profitable. n
For additional information, visit
www.huntingtonbrass.com.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
• 55
Shale-Inland buys
HD Supply’s IPVF business
(Continued from HD Supply, page 1.)
HD Supply’s strong liquidity, with approximately $1.2 billion in available funds as of Jan.
29, 2012, provides ample capital to fund growth
and meet its financial obligations. Once the sale
is complete, the proceeds from the transaction
will provide HD Supply with additional financial
and strategic flexibility to further strengthen its
portfolio of industry-leading businesses.
Craig Bouchard founded Schiller Park, Ill.based Shale-Inland in 2010. A separate press release from Shale-Inland went into further detail
about the transaction — and the direction in
which they plan to take the business.
“At Shale-Inland, we are
in distribution...To us, the
customer is everything.”
— Craig Bouchard, Shale-Inland CEO
“We are excited to embark on this new phase
for Shale-Inland, which we expect will help take
our company to a new level of performance,”
said Craig Bouchard, Shale-Inland CEO. “The
potential combination of the assets and people of
IPVF’s businesses with Shale-Inland would create a powerful and well-diversified industrial
supply business serving over 6000 customers on
four continents.”
DeAngelo added, “Aligning Industrial PVF
with an owner focused solely on their business
model will allow them to capitalize on the momentum they have built. Shale-Inland’s market
focus will provide additional opportunities to accelerate future growth for the IPVF business and
its employees.”
In a two-step maneuver, Shale-Inland will be
acquired by Shale-Inland Holdings LLC, an affiliate of investment companies TowerBrook
Capital Partners LP and Stephens Group LLC.
Once that transaction is finalized, plans call for
Shale-Inland’s family of assets to be joined by
the companies comprising HD Supply’s IPVF
business — including Southwest Stainless &
Alloy, J&J Alloys, Sunbelt Supply Co. and Metals Inc. — collectively one of the nation’s largest
master and industrial distributors of stainless
steel, chrome, nickel and nickel alloys, aluminum and carbon steel pipe, plate, bar, coil,
sheet, valves, flanges and fittings, with capabili-
ties to ship products all over the world.
“The refining and petrochemical industries are
in the early uptick of the business cycle,”
Bouchard told American Metal Market in an interview. “There will be plenty of construction, as
well as maintenance spending, over the next 10
years. With this acquisition, Shale-Inland now has
a very attractive market share in transportation,
food processing, appliance and energy. That’s a
good place to be as we enter the next upcycle.”
In the interview, he added that the real key to
the deal was the people behind IPVF. “Acquiring
the management team of Mike Stanwood, Jeff
Legrand, Larry Field, Bill Talley, Lee Land and
Rob Broyles was critical to the transaction,” he
told AMM. “They have a combined 200 years of
experience and have fought together through several business cycles.
“IPVF has had a positive Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) every month for the past 37 years. This is
an unheard-of achievement in steel. Without
question, this is the top management team in
their industry.”
He also noted that IPVF’s large customer base
and diversification was crucial. “At Shale-Inland,
we are in distribution,” Bouchard commented to
AMM. “To us, the customer is everything. Discovering the opportunity to acquire 39 facilities
in 17 states, serving 6,500 customers around the
world was like walking down the alley behind
my grandmother’s house and finding a 10-carat
diamond in a pile of leaves.”
Further details will be announced at the close
of the transaction. A January 29, 2012, overview
posted on the HD Supply website listed annual
sales for the IPVF business at $700 million in
2011, or some 9% of HD Supply’s total sales of
$7.72 billion last year.
Shale-Inland combines stainless, aluminum,
carbon steel and protective film distribution with
stamping and fabrication. With a recovery in our
economy, Shale-Inland believes American manufacturing is on the verge of a renaissance. Their
mission is to optimize supply chain management
and deliver a broad spectrum of metal or finished
parts just-in-time to allow our customers to be
creative in assembling their products and streamlining their processes.
Stay tuned for a comprehensive feature on this
deal in an upcoming issue of THe WHoleSAler.
Apollo brand gets fire protection line
(Continued from Conbraco, page 1.)
This rebranding strategy will capitalize on the
well recognized Apollo® brand, adding to their
wide range of UL/FM approved products. Currently, Apollo® offers backflow prevention products, pressure reducing valves and pressure relief
valves. Combining all these products under the
Apollo® FPSS brand will increase the service
levels of all fire protection products to the industry, providing the high-quality products, exceptional sales support and on-time delivery
customers have come to expect.
At the heart of the Apollo® Fire Protection
System Solutions are the Xpress galvanized and
stainless steel piping systems. The Xpress fittings
are a labor-saving, high-quality addition to traditional threaded pipe and fittings. These press fittings are ideal for both new construction and
retrofit projects such as hospitals, hotels, schools,
food and beverage facilities, or any other buildings with complex fire sprinkler layouts.
Visit www.apollovalves.com.
56 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
KBIS Connect enhances show experience
AlpHAREttA, GA. – the Kitchen &
Bath Industry Show continues to innovate KBIS Connect, a free powerful, online community designed to
facilitate preshow planning and increase networking opportunities both
at and after the show between exhibitors, attendees, and their cus-
tomers and prospects. As the key
industry event for exhibitors, dealers,
designers, builders, remodelers, retailers and other industry professionals, KBIS — the national Kitchen &
Bath Association’s (nKBA) yearly
show —continues to create simple
and effective ways for show-goers to
make meaningful connections, increase exposure for their products or
services, navigate more efficiently
through the show floor’s hottest new
innovations and follow up with exhibitors after the show.
As part of the KBIS Connect platform, exhibitors can upload product
images, logos, press materials and
special events to KBIS Connect for
others to browse. A complementary
matchmaking feature allows exhibitors and attendees to find and
connect with others sharing similar
industry interests. once users fill out
their individual profiles and select the
products and services that they are interested in, KBIS Connect will assist
in suggesting exhibitor and attendee
matches. KBIS Connect also stores
complete profiles of all attendees and
exhibitors for users to browse, schedule appointments and connect with-all with a few clicks of the mouse.
Much like familiar social networks,
users can add someone to their community of interest by sending a connect request to begin communication.
Some additional community features
include:
• A dashboard hosting key information such as recent exhibitor and
attendee matches, new products
added to KBIS Connect, special
events, a show announcements feed,
messages and more
• Ability to upload a profile image
• opportunity to create blog posts
sharing company news, exciting
product reveals, innovations and
more; as well as read blogs from others in the community
• Request connections including
those suggested by KBIS Connect
• Message all your connections at
one time or send individual private
messages
• Write on your connections’ profile walls
Central to KBIS Connect is the interactive planner in which all exhibitors and attendees can plan their
show experience online, while having
the option to export or print out all
key information. KBIS Connect users
can search and add products, people
or seminars into their planner while
exploring the interactive show floor
map. Also, the KBIS Connect interactive map allows users to schedule
appointments or add booths of interest to their planner. KBIS will soon
unveil a new and improved interactive smartphone application that will
sync with the Connect platform allowing the swift exchange of realtime information, including show and
social media updates.
“KBIS Connect enables us to make
the show experience even more valuable to our wide variety of attendees
and exhibitors,” said Jim Scott, managing director of the show. “our exhibitors have asked for a way to
maintain a relationship with the people they talk with during the show. As
more show exhibitors and attendees
utilize KBIS Connect, the site will
develop into an enriched community
that offers value during and after the
show. In addition, KBIS Connect also
allows the exhibitor to gain a better
understanding of the audience and
communicate with them more efficiently by providing each audience
with information they need to be
more successful in the market.”
Visit www.kbis.com.
Little Giant MTF added
to Franklin toolbox
Bluffton, Ind. — franklin Electric
has added a little Giant Mobile
training facility (Mtf) to its technical toolbox of service and training
options, dedicated specifically to the
plumbing and HVAC industry.
this new Mtf is the latest tool in
franklin’s already extensive training
portfolio, which includes franklin-
tECH factory training, on-the-road
seminars, field service support and a
technical service hotline. the little
Giant Mtf focuses on training and
hands-on experience for sump,
sewage and effluent products, allowing franklin to take products and
training directly to the distributor,
contractor or installer.
With this easily maneuverable
truck-trailer combination, franklin
Electric can participate in a wide variety of events within the continental
u.S. Company personnel or little
Giant representatives present all
training and demonstrations in this
rolling showcase.
Visit www.franklinelectric.com.
58 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Bootz Industries celebrates 75th anniversary
EVANSVIllE, IND. — Bootz Industries
is rich in history and tradition. In
1937, William R. Bootz and associates purchased the assets of Crescent
Stove Works and one year later began
fabricating steel products for the
United States Army and Navy, earning Army/Navy Excellence Awards
during World War II. From 1945
through 1951, production grew to include products for Whirlpool, Coleman Company, Hunter Fan and the
U.S. government.
In 1960, Bootz began a long-term
relationship with General Electric
that lasted through 2003, earning numerous production citations and quality awards. In the 1970s, Bootz
produced stamped steel lavatories
and sink shapes that expanded into
bathtubs. In 1979, they purchased the
Peerless Pottery facility in Evansville
and converted it to produce porcelain-on-steel bathtubs, lavatories and
kitchen sinks under the Bootz Industries label.
In 1998, Bootz patented and introduced SYNIRON, an engineered
composite with the structural integrity of cast iron. Bootzcast was introduced at the 2005 Kitchen and
Bath Show and, in 2006, was selected
as 1st place Platinum winner of the
prestigious ADEX Award for Design
Excellence. In 2010, the Maui and
Mauicast 15" deep soaker was introduced to the plumbing wholesale and
retail markets.
From 2001 to 2012, with the purchase and installation of new equipment and a new distribution center
(BDC), production capabilities have
grown to meet the needs of the entire
“porcelain-on-steel” market. Bootz
remains small enough for customers
to work directly with the top management and strives to provide superb
service, with the most competitive
level of on time deliveries and a
100% fill rate that makes backorders
non-existent.
To this day, Bootz remains a privately owned and operated organization directed by Peter DeSocio,
president/CEO and Thomas Bootz,
VP of engineering/quality control.
Both men are 30-year veterans, instrumental in making Bootz Industries a leading manufacturer of
porcelain-on-steel bathtubs, lavatories and kitchen sinks.
Visit www.bootz.com.
Bootz Industries began operating in
1937, yet prides itself that customers
still have access to top management.
60 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Taco project ahead of schedule
CRansTOn, R.I. — Work on Taco’s
Innovation and development Center
is continuing at a fast pace. When
complete, the building will offer a
high-tech, hands-on learning environment for some of the most advanced
HVaC equipment available today.
“Construction is progressing extremely well, and we anticipate a grand
opening this June,” said Chris Integlia,
Taco eVP and the individual leading
the project build team. “This is a very
exciting project because it has allowed
us to work jointly with many of our inTaco’s Innovation & Development
Center will be a state-of-the-art
learning and training facility, and
will offer a high-tech, hands-on
learning environment for some of
the most advanced HVAC equipment available today.
dustry partners — fellow manufacturers, architects, engineers, contractors
and tradesmen — to create a facility
that will display the latest in advanced
hydronic technology.
The Taco Innovation & development Center will be a state-of-the-art
learning and training facility, complete
with new classroom spaces, conference rooms, a business center and
functional labs for testing and teaching. The HVaC products and systems
will be visible throughout the entire
facility, forming “Living Laboratories” that allow for close-up viewing,
hands-on learning and teaching.
Visit www.taco-hvac.com.
Haight honored
with French Medal
for WWII service
LakeLand, FLa. — Fourteen World
War II veterans were honored with
the knight in the national Order of
Legion of Honor medal from French
military officers at a ceremony recently at Macdill air Force Base.
among those to receive the honor
was 87-year-old ed Haight, who
worked in sales for years at Central
Components. He also had a long history as a sales rep for various plumbing manufacturers including Watts
and Conbraco. during the War, his
ship, The Raven, was a mine sweeper
that worked the area for two months,
helping clear the way for the convoy
that would land on Utah beach in the
invasion of normandy on d-day.
“We were off Utah Beach six hours
before the lands on Jun 6, 1944,”
Haight told The Ledger newspaper.
“In all, we cleared thousands of
mines in those months, and lost two
sister ships. Then on august 15,
1944, we cleared the waters before
the landings in southern France.”
according to his former colleague
Tony Proffrio, Haight is “very well
liked in the industry and has a ‘never
say die’ attitude coupled with a very
big heart. He is part of our Greatest
Generation and deserves to be honored not only for his actions in World
War II, but for coming home and contributing to society after the fighting
was over.”
The medal, which dates back to the
time of napoleon, was given for the
veterans’ service in and near France
during the War — and particularly for
helping to liberate France from nazi
occupiers in 1944.
The French consulate and officers
from the French military presented
the medals — and a bottle of French
Rose wine — in appreciation for the
veterans’ service.
62 •
Showroom ROI
Four generations strong
WaterSpot showrooms are a jewel in New England
By MARy JO MARTIn
Editorial director
A
s World War II was winding down, Raymond Ardente Sr. looked at the
diverse career paths that his eight
children were embarking on and decided a “father knows best” decision
was in order. The children — with a
25-year age range from oldest to
“We’re not all going to
go in different directions
doing different things,
so pick one and we’ll go
into business together.”
youngest — were involved in pursuits including plumber, jewelry designer and undertaker. As the story
goes, Mr. Ardente, a tinsmith and
hardware store owner who had immigrated to the U.S. from Italy in
the early 1900s, sat all of his children down at the kitchen table and
said, “This is all the money I have
and we’re not all going to go in different directions doing different
things, so pick one and we’ll go into
business together.”
That discussion led to the founding
of Ardente Supply Company in 1946
on Atwells Avenue in the Little Italy
neighborhood of Providence. And as
their father had desired, all seven of
his children worked in the business. Three of the seven are still living, and two actually still work in
the business (Arthur and Raymond
Jr.). They have now been joined by
four members of the third generation
(Paul, Mark, Bruce and Evan) generation and one from the fourth
(Michael). Each runs various operations/facilities within the company.
Over the years, among some of the
key growth drivers for Ardente Supply were:
• In 1955, Ardente Supply opened
the first showroom of its kind in the
area — a 5,000-square-foot facility
that sold American Standard as well
as Youngstown Kitchens. It was ideal
timing as colors were just starting to
become more popular for kitchens
and baths. The showroom initially
was for the trade only, but soon began
to enjoy growth from the
retail/consumer side as well.
• Opening the Woonsocket, R.I.,
store in 1958. Woonsocket was an
industrial powerhouse in the textile
industry in the 1950s.
• In 2002, the company participated in Rhode Builders, a program
of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp. This pilot program was
designed to help Rhode Island companies learn how to better build their
businesses for growth. There were
only 10 businesses in the program,
which featured weekly programs by
deans from the state’s business
schools and other educators, which
meant a great deal of personal attention. In addition, participating companies were given the expertise of
two consultants who would analyze
their business’s strengths and weak-
nesses. In Ardente Supply’s case,
both consultants agreed the company’s core strength was its showroom business, an area they now
focus much of their energy.
• Two years later, they opened the
Westerly, R.I., store. Although in
Rhode Island, this branch predominantly appeals to the Connecticut
market.
• In 2007 Ardente Supply purchased Thompson Durkee in Allston,
Mass. Founded in 1906, it was one of
the oldest plumbing houses in
Boston. With that acquisition came
the 5,000-square-foot WaterSpot
showroom in Framingham. It was, as
Paul Ardente describes, in a poor location with very little visibility. He
ran that business for about three
years, before the showroom was
(Turn to Ardente... page 64.)
Five Ardente brothers proudly stand with their dad Raymond Ardente Sr. at the grand opening of Ardente Supply in
Providence, R.I., circa 1955.
64 •
Showroom ROI
Ardente Supply makes a big impression
but we’re growing into it. In contrast to some traditional lighting
showrooms that’s entire ceiling is
covered with lights, we spread
moved to a beautiful new location
them out so it’s not so overin Natick, Mass., where they’ve
whelming. We want customers
realized great success.
to get a good visual idea what
The company — which emthey will look like in a space.”
ploys just under 50 — now has
Ardente discussed the chalfive wholesale locations and four
lenges of keeping WaterSpot
showrooms; the only facility
showroom consultants current on
without a showroom is the origitrends and products, noting that is
nal Thompson Durkee supply
one of the most difficult aspects
house in Allston. They serve a terof his job.
ritory running along Highway 95
“We do a lot of training infrom Boston to Connecticut. Most
house,” he said. “My veteran emof their showrooms are less than
ployees are really good about
60 miles apart. The showrooms
helping new people learn. There
are open Monday, Tuesday, Friis constant change-out in our
day and Saturday from 9:00 a.m.
showrooms to keep everything
until 5:00 p.m. and Wednesday
new and fresh. We even sell the
and Thursday remain open until
product off the displays when its
7:00 p.m.
Three Generations of Ardente family (l-r): Mark Ardente, with son Michael Ardente, Mark’s been here a year. I don’t hesitate
There has been a dramatic shift brothers Paul and Bruce Ardente, uncles Arthur and Ray Ardente, and brother Evan Ardente. sending our staff to training that
in the company’s revenue generis available from our manufacturation in recent years. The wholesale
“When we signed a lease on our
knobs he liked. Ardente is proud of
ers; in fact, I send them wherever I
side of the business used to be much
new building in Natick, we were able
the wide range of products and styles
can whenever I can. We also have a
more dominant, accounting for 80%
to open in six weeks thanks to Sysoffered through WaterSpot, noting
classroom in our Providence location
tems Huntington,” Ardente comthat they cater to a rather high-end
that holds about 30 people; and conmented. “They built the whole
clientele.
ference room in each showroom for
showroom at their facility in Canada
“New England is a
and then they disassembled it,
traditional market,
Among the lines offered at
shipped it and installed it onsite. It’s
but it is making inWaterSpot showrooms:
very easy to trade out when we want
roads toward contemto change displays. And also, because
porary,”
Ardente • Toilets — American Standard, Porcher,
we now own the displays we can take
noted. “Our main line
Toto, INAX, Laufen, V&B, Gerber
them if we ever move.
is American Stan- • Tubs/jetted tubs — Americh, Zuma,
“Our showrooms are based around
dard, but we also
V&A, Wetstyle, Porcher, American
line of sight, with display walls being
carry a number of
Standard, Neptune, Pearl and Maax
of the total revenue, but the showlow to make it easier for our showhigh-end, decorative
rooms have increasingly gained moroom staff to see our customers —
lines. Most of our • Faucets and fixtures — American
mentum and now bring in roughly
and for customers to quickly spot our
product on display is
Standard, Dornbracht, Jado, Water
60% of the total.
consultants. It’s good to have such an
white, although we
mark,Aquabrass, Eurostyle, TOTO,
open airy feel. But by doing so, you
do a lot of glass vaniThe look
Zucceti, Rohl, Grohe, Hansgrohe,
sacrifice the display height.”
ties and unique stone
In recent years, Ardente Supply has
In addition to decorative plumbing,
lavs. I think unfinCalia, Symmons, Graff
partnered with Systems Huntington
WaterSpot showrooms also sell cabiished brass is going to
from Canada to handle design and
netry, lighting and hardware. In fact,
make a big comeback. The classic
small groups. We’ve found, however,
displays for all the WaterSpot showArdente noted the initial reason they
pedestal lav is on its way out. People
that is best to do training offsite berooms. Their unique system ensures
got into cabinet hardware about 15
want more storage, and we are sellcause it really limits the distractions.”
a consistent look and feel throughout
years ago was because he was doing
ing a lot of cabinetry units.
Ardente noted that the sales staff is
each showroom.
his own home and couldn’t find any
“Because we’re also into lighting
paid based on gross profit, and they
now and other add-on lines, it works
don’t get a bonus structure unless
to our benefit to use vignettes. They
they maintain a pre-set GP. “We try
allow us to better showcase our
to be good competitors, keep pricing
plumbing products with mirrors,
integrity, and not sell at rock bottom
sconces and other lighting. We’d sold
levels,” he said. “It’s also very intera little bit of lighting for a while, but
esting to see the difference between
we really expanded our selections
plumbing and lighting. The lighting
and brands when we moved here. In
markups are higher than plumbing.”
2009, I went to Dallas Market having
When asked how he measures
only two lighting lines. I really didn’t
ROI in the showroom, Ardente
know much about lighting, but I saw
didn’t hesitate to say “Traffic
some things I liked and got the lines.
through the door and feet on the
Normally, I probably wouldn’t have
ground. We have an oven in our
gotten them, but the economy was so
showroom to bake cookies. I can tell
bad the manufacturers were looking
what a good Saturday we have when
for new business.
I count up the dozens of cookies we
“Most people who walk through
made. The aroma from the oven fills
the door have a jaw drop because
the whole showroom and it makes
The new WaterSpot showroom in Natick, Mass., has been highly successful in
there is nothing like it. We’re not
people feel welcome and at home.
using vignettes to showcase their plumbing and lighting products.
(Turn to Rhode Island... page 66.)
known to be a lighting showroom
“I don’t hesitate sending
our staff to training that
is available from our
manufacturers; in fact,
I send them wherever I
can whenever I can.”
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Crane® & Fortune® CI Valves
Crane® Bronze Valves
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Ph: 800-438-6946
Fax: 704-331-0646
ONE CALL STILL GETS IT ALL
66 •
Showroom ROI
Rhode Island distributor
‘spots’ strategy for success
It’s also a great tension diffuser.”
What’s next
In the near term, Ardente expects
that the WaterSpot showrooms will
continue to expand and be responsible for a great deal of Ardente Supply’s revenues. And there is talk that
the company may open another
showroom.
“The retail side of our business has
been growing,” he said. “Unfortu-
shopping for their homes; they also
do a large design and trade business
as well.
“The Internet has really played a
key part in customers expecting
more,” Ardente said. “Businesses
have to get everything right, and be
competitive, to get their business. We
focus on and try to promote our customer service. We tell customers that
it’s the brick and mortar showrooms
like ours that are going to properly
service them and back up the product
More than half of WaterSpot’s customers are affluent women, aged 25 to 50, shopping for their homes; they do a large design and trade business as well.
Ardente noted, “It gives us an opportunity to have 50 to 100 women in
our showroom. To me, it’s the best
local advertising I can do.” They also
host quarterly Open Houses and do
regular CEU training.
The company has also gotten involved in social media, hiring an outside firm called Design Sherpa to
post regular blogs on their behalf. In
addition, they maintain an active
presence on Facebook and Twitter,
and also have a YouTube channel
with videos on products. In fact, you
can take a “walking tour” of the Natick showroom on their YouTube
channel at www.youtube.com/watch
?v=2rci821BAcQ. n
For additional information, visit
www.ardente.com or www.waterspot.com.
The Natick showroom uses color to good advantge, with brightly hued backgrounds to highlight unique and trendy fixtures such as these glass lavs.
nately, because Rhode Island has second highest unemployment rate in
country, jobs on the wholesale side
have really dried up. A lot of construction has stopped.
“But if my showroom traffic on a
Saturday is any indicator of our future, I think our economy is well on
we sell — not some online site where
you don’t even have anyone to follow
up with. We don’t meet Internet pricing, although sometimes we’ll compromise and meet in the middle.
Once you start negotiating on price,
you have nothing left to negotiate.”
Ardente believes that WaterSpot
“I want people to just feel good when they walk in
our doors. I tell my people to greet customers with a
smile and finish the deal with a handshake. We
want people to enjoy their experience with us,
because that leads to more word-of-mouth referrals.”
its way to recovery. Commercial jobs
are starting to release. Hotels and universities are starting to build. We’re
seeing a lot of pent-up spending from
people who had put home projects on
the back burner. And our customers
don’t’ seem to be squeamish over the
prices. Of course, lower interest rates
are helping.”
He went on to note, however, that
customers are more demanding than
ever. The majority of WaterSpot’s
customers are affluent women between the ages of 25 and 50 who are
showrooms differentiate themselves
through a combination of service and
selection. “I want people to just feel
good when they walk in our doors,”
he said. “I tell my people to greet customers with a smile and say finish the
deal with a handshake. We want people to enjoy their experience with us,
because that leads to more word of
mouth referrals.”
Also as a way of building local interest, WaterSpot showrooms allow
various area networking groups to
use their facilities for meetings. As
WaterSpot showrooms are designed for line of sight, with display walls being low
to make it easier for the showroom staff to see customers, and for customers to
quickly spot consultants when they wish to discuss products.
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68 •
Looking Ahead
An open discussion
Showroom execs share
challenges, opportunities
facing their businesses
By Mary Jo Martin
Editorial director
P
rior to the start of the Forte
Buying Group Conference in
La Jolla, Calif., last month,
Globe Union president and CEO
Michael Werner and Danze associate
brand manager Jeanine Murray
hosted two lively and introspective
panel discussions on the challenges
and opportunities for showrooms
today. They conducted the sessions
on behalf of the National Kitchen &
Bath Association as a way of gauging
the status of showrooms today and in
the near term; Werner will be giving
the “State of Industry Address” during the Kitchen & Bath Industry
Show April 24-26 in Chicago.
“We wanted to put these panels together to understand the state of the
industry and truly educate ourselves
Michael Werner
by not only what's available on the
Internet and written by experts, but
by actual wholesalers and industry
professionals who experience the
highs and lows first hand," Murray
explained.
Each panel included about a dozen
showroom executives from around
the country — all of whom very
openly shared their personal experiences. Werner and Murray presented
them with a number of prepared
questions to generate the discussion.
I sincerely appreciate their invitation
to sit in on these panels, and to bring
excerpts of these candid conversations to readers of The Wholesaler.
One of the talking points that generated the most discussion was how
technology is influencing our industry. Overwhelming, panel participants
agreed that:
• Clients expect things faster, in
real time
• Customers arrive in showrooms
already very well informed about
products and price thanks to the Internet
• It has created more of a generational divide
• Our industry is behind the curve
when it comes to using technology as
part of the sales process
• Tech tools are increasing our productivity
• It has also created a need for us
to be more flexible.
I was also delighted to hear that,
despite the downright ugly economic
conditions of residential construction
the past few years, those who participated remain optimistic about the future. Among the opportunities they
cited were:
• Market conditions improving
ahead
• Finding ways to differentiate
themselves from the Internet
• Networking to build personal relationships with customers
• Establishing and maintaining
trust (an advantage over the Internet)
• Partnering with manufacturers
who are selective in distribution —
plumbing wholesalers and manufacturers can work together to build a
brand
• Investing in their employees —
providing them with the tools and
knowledge to better serve their customers
• Embracing technology and finding a way to use it to your advantage
• Harnessing the power of the web
to grow business.
Following are excerpts from some
of the questions and discussion that
followed:
Q: How has technology impacted
your business – in either a positive
or negative way?
• “The only negative I see is that
manufacturers are not mailing out
printed price lists in a timely manner
and it is really creating issues for us
in the showrooms. They’ll e-mail
them instead. It’s difficult for us to
run to our computer and check pricing when a customer is sitting there
because often they think you are
doing something sneaky if you say
the marked price is the old price and
you need to look up the new price.
We really need to have hard copies,
and we’d like to have them at least
two weeks to possibly a month before
prices go up.”
• “I have to agree. When you send
it in the form of an e-mail, I lose it.
Or I’ll spend 10 minutes searching
my In Box to find it. Hard copies are
extremely important. I do forward the
e-mails to some of my customers so
they are aware of the changes as well,
but the e-mails often get lost in the
shuffle and customers end up calling
us back asking us to look them up or
send them the hard copies. It’s time
consuming.”
Q: How has the Internet affected
your showroom? What do you think
is going to happen in our industry
because of the Internet?
• “I wish that manufacturers would
get more digital and print less stuff.
There’s nothing I hate worse than to
go into one of our consultants’ work
areas and have it be covered up with
binders and books that may be outdated. We have started moving all of
our consultants to ‘less is better’ with
iPads so they can access our system,
access the Internet and get on manufacturers’ websites. We want to have
clean workplaces and a modern look
— it may give us an advantage over
our competitors.”
• “A lot of our customers come
very well informed. They have their
information way ahead of time. They
know exactly what they’re looking
for — or at least they have an idea of
what they are looking for. It’s up to
us to sell them, service them or
change their way of thinking when
they first come into our store. It’s
very convenient to have something
like, say, an iPad or portable computer/laptop and be able to look up
prices or photos, or even print them
out and share them with the customer
along with a price list — letting them
know that you can work out a discount later.”
• “We need to have some documentation to prove the price. Customers do their research. They’ll
come in with something from an Internet site that shows $200 when I’m
quoting $450, so they think I’m expensive and they will walk right out.
I need to be able to show them in
print I am not cheating them.”
• “It has to be challenging for the
manufacturer. We’re kind of in the
middle of this technology thing.
Some of us are way over here. Some
of us are way over there. Manufacturers have to really know their showroom customers and their needs. You
might have an iPad and be able to put
it all in. I have like 300 vendors —
how do I get all that in my iPad? I’m
not so sure. It’s always changing.
Somehow the manufacturers have to
know their dealers and their needs
and how to supply those needs no
matter which end of the technology
spectrum they fall into.”
Q: What about your customers?
What level are they on and what
needs do they have? Do they expect
a digital experience?
• “Customers carry smartphones
and other electronic devices and often
look things up while they’re right in
front of us.”
• “Customers want to touch product and make sure it’s what they think
it is. They want to feel it and look at
it and then they go back on the Internet and they’ll shop it. The biggest
challenge I see for wholesalers is how
do we make that work? And I think
map pricing is the biggest part of it.
How do we enforce that because we
need to be competitive?”
• “It’s going to get worse before it
gets better. Most people will classify
their vendors into two categories –
those who do a good job of protecting
us and taking care of us with map
policies and those that don’t. Those
that don’t will disappear from the
showrooms and will be Internet-only
companies — that’s the road we are
going down. Manufacturers need to
make a choice.”
Q: When you look at the future do
you see certain trends in technology
developing that you think will help
the business and make it more productive and more competitive?
• “It comes down to eliminating
the steps in between. You have the
homeowner who comes in, but then
you have a number of other people in
the middle — plumber, designer, etc.
That’s when homeowners think
you’re being sneaky or you’re all
making a mark up on the product. We
don’t ever say to the homeowner that
the plumber is our customer; they
want to be considered our customer.”
• “We just actually did our first direct mail for a new branch we opened
in the last six months. We have never
(Turn to Discussion... page 70.)
70 •
Looking Ahead
Discussion reveals execs’
observations on market
done direct mail because we didn’t
want to upset the plumbers. We’re
just retail down there and the response was unbelievable. I can’t take
25% off because I’m also wholesale,
but we are offering free delivery.”
Q: How about the selling process?
How do you see selling changing in
the future? Do you see your showroom space getting bigger/smaller,
having more or less staff, using more
or less technology to enable the sale?
• “I don’t see much change. I think
that brick and mortar showrooms are
still important. We need to guide customers the right way. They need us.”
• “I’m seeing more use of technology as a tool in the showroom. Tell
the customer you want to show them
real quick what the different models
and styles are — and use technology
to help us sell the product.”
• “I think the expectations as a customer are going to increase. They will
“Call me an optimist, but I
think we are in the most
exciting time that we have seen
for a long time. Look at the
products that have come out in
the last 18 months. It’s exciting
with the technology and
enhancement of products. It
gives us the opportunity to sell
something other than price.”
want you to guide them, and explain
things, even if you don’t sell. Like tell
them what color towels would go
with this, what kind of light fixture
will go with this. The consultant who
can put all those things together will
win. Customers are still looking for
someone to guide them through the
whole process.”
• “They will want us to guide them
through different kinds of details and
what they want. They will not pay for
it, but just expect it. When you build a
bond with a customer, she will encourage her friends to go down to our
showroom because she was so pleased
with the service and products. That
word of mouth is so valuable.”
Q: What are the core advantages
a brick and mortar showroom has
over the Internet?
• “Building a relationship with a
customer one on one – that’s the main
benefit of having brick and mortar. You
are personally dealing with them. As
salespeople, we gain their trust when
what we present to them is something
they expect. Something they like. They
see you as the expert knowing whatever you recommend is something
they will feel comfortable with three or
four years down the road. The key is
building trust. That’s the difference.
But you need to consider whether the
customer is truly a brick and mortar
customer or an Internet customer. It’s
a different generation. The younger
generation’s communication methods
are very different as compared to previous generations — it is more focused
online. They see what they need online
and they buy it.”
Q: What advantages does e-commerce have?
• “Shopping 24/7 every day.”
• “Flexibility.”
• “You also have to understand the
Internet and the Google philosophy.
You have to invest in your own website
and be able to mirror some of the
things the e-tailers do. You’ve got to be
one of the dominant players in your
market so that when someone is doing
a Google search for, say, plumbing,
you’ll be at the top of the rankings.”
Q: As you look to the future, how
do you see the Internet changing?
And is your business going to be
radically different in 5 years or is it
going to be the same?
• “I think in this arena, even decorators don’t want to learn. They want
to rely on us. They want to stick to
what they are good at. I don’t think
I’ll see a lot of change because I don’t
think people want to learn.”
• “I sit on the ASID BOD as chapter sponsor and while at a meeting I
commented that as chapter sponsors,
we’re putting this money out and
we’d like to see more traffic from designers in our showrooms. I’ll ask
how they want me to communicate
with them what I have to offer if they
won’t come into my showroom?
These young people do it so differently than we do. The designers who
are constantly in our showroom are
older in age; the younger generation
just goes online to research. They
don’t want to spend the time going to
the showrooms.”
• “We found they’re researching
and choosing products online, but
purchasing them through distributors.”
• “I run into that a lot also. Many
architects we deal with like to work
online; they don’t like to touch paper.
They find product online, show the
customer and then get in touch with
someone like me and ask us to put together a package with the products.”
• “I think we have actually made
this technology threat a bigger issue
than it is. Go back and look at when
as much time on their training and
the Big Boxes started — that made us
their value and on making sure
change our business dramatically. We
they’re happy to come into work
have already blurred the lines beevery day. All the other things will
tween wholesale and retail. We will
take care of themselves. I don’t have
adapt. It will be a huge change.”
any turnover. I still think that’s where
Q: Share one future thought on
the focus will be; at the end of the day
how you think our industry might
it’s the people that matter.”
change, whether there will be no
• “I wonder when people are going
change or if you think everything’s
to start being more careful about Intergoing to go digital.
net purchases. Brick and mortar stores
• “I think nothing is going to be
have to play by the rules; the Internet
drastic. The companies that are going
sites can send defective or discontinto be successful in the future are going
ued products and I hope people underto be those that figure out a way to use
stand that there are many scams. Often
the Internet. They will embrace the Inthere isn’t even a phone number or
ternet but do it the right way so they
way to talk to a live person.”
will not mess up the market.”
• “I think the future will be all
• “It’s pretty hard to say. I don’t
about partnerships, not just with custhink there will be a lot of change. I
tomers, but with our vendors. We’ve
think as a distributor or retailer, you
started throwing vendors out of our
have to look more and more for measshowrooms because they are not
ures to differentiate yourselves from
being good partners. We want to get
your competition — there is always
into partnerships with people who
going to be the need to differentiate.”
want to be real partners with us.
• “Twenty years ago, we were all
That’s where the future is going —
scared to death of big losses on the
who truly wants to be our partners in
Internet. We thought that if we didn’t
the future.”
get on the internet, we were going to
Everyone involved came away
be out of business — but that didn’t
armed with valuable information and
happen. That proves that this is a reideas on building better showroom oplationship business. And when cuserations for the future and what is
tomers come into our showrooms,
needed from vendors. “It was interestthey are getting the experience. With
ing to hear their openness and willingthat said, we still have to figure out
ness to embrace change,” Werner
where Facebook and Twitter are
concluded. “With technology evolving
going. I think that’s one of our
so rapidly, the future business environbiggest challenges. We will overcome
ment will look very different from
this, but we have to be smart about
today's environment. I believe embrachow we do it.”
ing that difference will make room for
• “Brick and mortar will still be very
new and exciting opportunities.” n
important in forming those relationships with customers and gaining conStay tuned to the June issue of The
fidence with them, but we have to
WholeSaler for coverage of
embrace any type of technology that is
Michael Werner’s address to the inpresented to us because our customers
dustry at KBIS — and more of his
have made it a part of their everyday
thoughts on the challenges and oplives. If we’re able to bring that to out
portunities ahead for the decorative
showrooms as well, it just makes them
plumbing industry.
feel more comfortable to
Panel participants
come into our place and
Barb Gainey ..............Briggs Inc. of Omaha
work with us.”
• “Call me an opti- Vidal Cantu ...............Clark Hardware
mist, but I think we are Melissa Allen.............Cobblestone Court
in the most exciting time Claudia Allen .............Cobblestone Court
Coley Herrin ..............Plumbing Distributors Inc.
that we have seen for a
Colin Perry................Rampart P&H Supply
long time. Look at the Rich Burkhart.............Rampart P&H Supply
products that have come Brent Hughes .............Nicklas Supply/
out in the last 18 months.
Splash Desgner Hardware
It’s exciting with the John Nicklas..............Nicklas Supply/
technology and enSplash Designer Hardware
hancement of products. Bill Feinberg..............Allied Kitchen & Bath
It gives us the opportu- Sheldon Edelman ........Edelman’s Plumbing Supply
nity to sell something Sheldon Malc.............Davis & Warshow
Chris Brennan ............European Sink
other than price.”
• “I have a strong re- Brad McDonald...........Pacific Plumbing Supply
Andy Wilkinson ..........Wilkinson Supply
tail background. I still
Russ Diamond............Snyder Diamond
think the most impor- Mark Berman .............Benjamin Supply
tant investment and the Warren Frankel ..........Central Plumbing Supplies
biggest asset I have in Howard Frankel ..........Central Plumbing Supplies
my showroom is my Charles Dorfman.........Dorfman Plumbing Supply
people. I need to spend
72 •
PRODUCT NEWS
Dual flush toilets
Faucets and accessories
The Stoic collection of luxury bathroom faucets and accessories includes single-lever, widespread,
vessel and wall-mount lavatory
faucets, a deck-mount tub filler, a
tub/shower set, a personal hand
shower set and matching accessories
such as towel bars, a tissue holder
and a robe hook. Four handle design
options: loop, pixie, cross and cy in a
choice of three finishes — polished
chrome, brushed nickel and platinum
nickel. Maximum flow rate 1.5 gpm;
incorporates pressure-compensating
aerators and ceramic disc valve cartridges. Spouts and bodies are made
of high-quality cast brass. JADO.
www.jadousa.com
Hydrotherapy tubs and utility basin
The Serenity and Cooper series are
part of a refreshed line of high-performing tubs. The freestanding,
skirted Serenity 11 can be configured
as an air bath or soaker with a small
Studio® and Boulevard® dual flush toilets offer the choice between a standard
1.6 gpf for solids or a reduced
1.1 gpf for liquids. Innovative,
siphonic-action PowerWash®
technology offers optimum performance that ensures both a
powerful flush and superior
bowl cleaning. Independently
rated to flush as much as 1,000
grams of solid waste — the
highest possible score in the
Maximum Performance (MaP)
test. The EverClean® permanent
finish inhibits the growth of
stain and odor causing bacteria,
mold and mildew on the surface. A two-button chrome actuator on top of the tank allows the choice of
the appropriate flush. American Standard.
www.americanstandard.com, www.americanstandard.ca
Luxury bath collection
The Esplanade collection includes a
floor-mounted toilet that recalls an
antique chair, a bathtub designed to
resemble a chaise lounge and a washbasin that is reminiscent of a luxurious chest of drawers. The tall cabinet
echoes the style of a vintage case
with hand-sewn leather details and
high-quality chrome surrounds, and
the same materials are used for the
body of the toilet and bidet as for the
cabinets and vanities. Duravit.
www.duravit.us
Tankless water heater accessories
Indoor residential tankless units now include a remote controller and power cord for easy installation.
Due to varying installation regulations from state to
state, outdoor residential tankless units will come
with a remote controller only. Gets information that
could previously only be gathered by removing the
front panel of the heater. Includes the ability to adjust the water temperature and view diagnostic data
such as incoming water temperature, flow rate, error
code history, and total amount of Btus run through the unit. A. O. Smith.
www.hotwater.com
New style controls
Three new styles of controls and
steamheads — Regency, Deco and
Icon — have been designed to complement the existing trim and fixture
designs offered by most bath manufacturers. The Regency Series takes
Faucets and accessories
footprint. The Cooper 32 is available
as a soaker or whirlpool that fits standard bath alcoves. Delicair utility
basins are ideal for hand-washing
clothing or for small pet care. Two
Delicair models include an air bath
system. Aquatic.
www.aquaticbath.com
Faucet pot fillers
Single-handle addition to the Portia
family of pot fillers finished in
chrome, stainless steel and oil rubbed bronze feature lead-free brass construction,
ceramic valve technology and singlehole wall mount. 24" spout reach;
maximum flow rate 2.2 gpm at 60
psi. Has valve mechanisms at the
wall and the aerated portion of the
spout. ADA and UPC compliant.
Matco-Norca.
www.matco-norca.com
ARTOS® Kascade faucet styles include lav, vessel lav, in-wall lav, floormounted tub filler, floor-mounted tub filler with hand shower, five-hole deckmount tub filler and an in-wall tub
spout. Shower systems include rainhead ceiling and wall mounts, a variety of shower rainheads, a flexible
hose shower kit (including wall
inlet), a dual function showerhead
and other accessories. New pressure
balance mixers, part of the Italian Designer collection, are available with or
without diverters in chrome and brushed nickel as well as in three different trim
styles that coordinate with other Artos faucets. Westover Inc.
www.artos.us.com
cues from neo-classical style with
beveled edges, adding elegance and
lightness of touch to the bath, while
the Deco Series echoes the linear
symmetry of the early 20th Century
style. Inspired by the tech legends of
our time, Icon features rounded corners and a minimal design.
ThermaSol®.
www.thermasol.com
Electric baseboard
Macerating toilets
The Ascent II macerating toilet system allows easy installation of a bathroom in difficult areas. Featuring a 1.28-gpf high
efficiency toilet; macerates sewage waste and other debris
with RazorCut™ technology. Other features include ISTTM
solid state switching, a built-in alarm, LED lights and an external touchpad for alarm silence and manual system override. Insulated tanks eliminate sweating. Liberty Pumps.
www.libertypumps.com
Electric baseboard radiators can heat
an entire all-electric house or provide
supplemental or zoned heating to hydronic or warm air systems. Patent
Water conditioners
A new addition to a highly successful range of
physical water conditioners offers an alternative to conventional water softeners. The
WK1-E has been specially tailored to meet the
high power output of electric water heaters, especially when these are supplied by well
water. “No salt” hard water treatment is an increasingly popular requirement, especially for
tankless water heaters. Aqua-Rex.
www.Aqua-Rex.com
pending technology combines high
outputs and low surface temperatures
with fine design and outstanding
quality. Panels are available in 3' to
10' lengths in increments of one foot,
in both 208 and 240 volt configurations and may be ordered in more
than 100 colors. Runtal.
www.runtalnorthamerica.com
SMALL, COMPACT
DESIGN
Fits into virtually any application,
even between floor joints.
QUIET, COOL
OPERATION
STAINLESS STEEL
CONSTRUCTION
Integrated motor design allows
water to flow around it.
Made for years of reliable operation.
When you purchase a new Little Giant Inline CP constant pressure
system, you are getting a proven product, trusted by professionals.
For more information on Little Giant products, contact your local plumbing distributor.
Follow us.
www.franklin-electric.com/lg
74 •
PRODUCT NEWS
Vanity collections
Living Square and Palace ceramic
vanity collections offer customizable
and cutable contemporary ceramic
vanities and shelving solutions. Vanities can be cut to fit, even on a diagonal. Each collection has a full
complement of furniture and accessories. Vanity sizes for Living Square
run from 25.6" to 70", and Palace’s
countertops run from 35.4" to a double vanity at 70". Shelving is cutable
to fit with the vanities, and Palace has
integrated towel rails. LAUFEN.
www.laufen.com
Condensing tankless water heater
The ecoTOUGH™ series of gas-fired
residential condensing tankless water
heaters now includes the NRC83, an
ENERGY STAR®rated unit designed
for smaller homes
and multi-family
dwellings. Available in indoor (2pipe, direct vent
NRC83-DV) and
outdoor (NRC83OD) models, the
wall-mounted units
have an energy factor of 0.92 for natural gas and 0.94 with LP, about 30
points higher than a standard gas-fired
water heater. NRC83 has a gas-consumption range of 16,000 to 157,000
Btu/h, flow rates from 0.5 to 8.3 gpm
and temperature settings from 100°F to
140°F. Noritz America Corp.
www.Noritz.com
Kitchen faucets
The KWC SIN kitchen faucet series
offers four ADA-compliant models.
Each can be swiveled through 360°.
A swivel spout model offers maximum clearance; other models have a
pull-down aerator integrated into the
hose guide inside the spout;
a pull-down
spray that can
extend more
than 19" from
the 360-degree swivelling
spout;
and a patented
highflex®
spring hose
with an adjustable dual-jet spray and a swivel
spout with a pivot range of a full
360°. KWC.
www.kwc.us.com
Sophisticated bath fixtures
Radiant tubing mat
A custom-designed, prefabricated, pre-pressurized network of PEX-a tubing,
the Radiant Rollout™ mat is the ideal solution for faster, more consistent installations for large commercial radiant heating and cooling applications —
saving up to 85% in installation time. The mat consists of hePEX™ (oxygen
barrier) or AquaPEX® (non-barrier) PEX-a tubing connected with ProPEX® engineered plastic (EP) fittings, which are safe for burial in the slab and offer fast
onsite customization when necessary. The mat can install about eight times
faster than conventional radiant tubing installation methods, potentially shaving
weeks off an installation schedule. Uponor Inc.
www.uponor-usa.com
Multi-function showerheads
The Waterfall™ series of 2.5 gpm showerheads are
made of ABS and brass. The Multnomah™, a widefaced “rain-style” showerhead, offers five unique spray
patterns and comes in both a fixed and a handheld version. The Victoria™ offers seven different spray patterns
and also comes in fixed and handheld versions. A
combo-pack includes a fixed and a handheld showerhead from each series and a 3-way diverter. With the diverter, the two showerheads can work independently or
together in one bath, or they can be separated and used
in different baths. ConservCo.
www.conservco.us
Condensing boilers & water heaters
Keystone boilers are available in five models from
399 to 850 MBH. High efficiency, condensing
stainless steel heat exchanger and sealed combustion. Condensing volume water heaters in four
models from 199 MBH to 500 MBH for high volume DHW needs have durable stainless steel heat
exchanger; efficiency is 95% to 97%. Advanced
control with a large user interface modulates firing
rate for a 5 - 1 turndown. Combine up to 8 boilers
or water heaters in a cascade arrangement and can
interface with many building automation systems. Triangle Tube.
www.triangletube.com
The SUPERIOR toilet, with coordinating washbasins, brings high style
to the bath. Measuring 28" deep,
front-to-rear, the toilet utilizes a standard 12" rough-in (drain socket). A
single press of a chrome button atop
the tank engages Jet Stream Flush, a
system that uses 1.6 gpf to discharge
water from the rim to clean the bowl,
while a powerful stream from the
siphon jet carries waste away. Coordinating washbasins are available in
pedestal, wall-mount or undercounter
styles, with three-hole or single-hole
options. INAX.
www.inax-usa.com
Collett covers
Part of a standard line of quick-connect fittings, the key to the fittings’
unique locking ability is their
patented collet, which comes with
stainless steel teeth to grip inserted
pipe and which provides, along
with an EPDM O-ring, a
permanent, leak-proof seal.
Color-coded collet covers are
available in both inch and metric sizes
for use in water treatment/filtration
systems. The covers are available in
black, yellow, blue, red, gray and
green. Sizes range from 3/16" to
5/16"and 4mm to 22mm. A collet locking tool is available in sizes ranging
from 3/16" to 1/2". John Guest USA.
www.johnguest.com
Condensing product accessories
A condensate neutralizer accessory
runs condensation through a container filled with limestone media,
which raises its pH level to make the
liquid less acidic, re-
Bathroom fixtures
The stylish, affordable Brentwood Suite’s detailed beveled edges, scalloped corners and clean flat surfaces are seen in all the suite’s fixtures. All tubs are roomy
and deep; in addition to a soaking-tub
option, homeowners can also enjoy
spa amenities with whirlpool and airbath configurations. Lavatories include self-rimming and under-counter
models, and the matching elongated
SmartHeight™ ADA toilet features a
concealed trapway for easy cleaning,
which is the consumer’s No. 1 requested upgrade feature.
Mansfield Plumbing Products.
www.mansfieldplumbing.com
sulting in neutral water that can be drained directly
from the unit into a public sewer. A
dual pipe venting option for condensing tankless water heaters connects to
a standard concentric vent via a concentric twin pipe adaptor, enabling
more installation options by accommodating venting in tight spaces, such as
between a ceiling and subfloor, making
raised terminations easier and cheaper.
Rinnai America Corporation.
www.rinnai.us
Free guy with every purchase.
That’s John Barba, our Director
of Customer Training. He’s part
of our free customer support
program, dedicating all his time to
the Taco FloPro Team, webinars,
podcasts, FloPro University, the
Neighborhood online community,
blogs, and training both in the
field and at the factory. You could
say that if quality is the face of
Taco pumps, valves, and controls,
John is the face of how to use
them to your best advantage.
Visit www.taco-hvac.com/flopro
and experience the most enlightened customer support in the
industry. We’re saving you a seat.
www.taco-hvac.com
76 •
PRODUCT NEWS
Shower and bath product lines
Four bathroom collections of plumbing fixtures — the Neo™, Alexandria™, Caspian™ and Rainier™ —
are available. Each ensemble includes
a high-performing showerhead,
shower valve/trim and tub spout. The
offering also features coordinated designer faucets and accessories, including a towel bar, a towel ring, two robe
hooks and a toilet paper holder. Styles
range from modern to contemporary.
Speakman Company.
www.speakmancompany.com
High efficiency toilets
The Viper™ 1.28 series of High Efficiency Toilets are WaterSense®
compliant and offer exceptional
flushing performance coupled with
significant water savings. The Viper
line includes the following models: compact elongated, space
saving design and
ADA
compliant;
round front; elongated; elongated, 17"
ErgoHeight, ADA
compliant. Viper toilets include a FluidMaster® 400A fill
valve, which is fast, quiet and trouble
free, a 3" flush valve for quick bowl
clearing and powerful dual-fed
siphon jets that clean the bowl. All
models have a two-inch, fully glazed
trapway. Gerber.
www.gerberonline.com
Faucet collection
The Edge collection uses advanced
technology, and its sleek tapered edge
and trapezoid-shaped spout boldly
blur the line between luxury and contemporary. Each handle attaches to
the valve via rare earth magnets — a
Spas online
Water-jet drain cleaning machine
The newly redesigned JM-3080 Jet-Set™ clears grease stoppages as well as lines
clogged with sand, sludge and ice. It features a removable, 300-ft-capacity hose
reel. The water jet generates 3,000 psi at 8 gpm. Vibra-pulse® on demand helps
the hose slide easily down long runs and around tight bends. A 20-hp Honda engine with electric start and 2 to 1 gear reducer drives the pump; a 12-gallon buffer
tank protects the jet if the water supply can’t match the pump demand. Standard
safety features include a thermal relief valve, a backflow check valve and an inlet
filter. General Pipe Cleaners, a division of General Wire Spring.
www.drainbrain.com
Steambath options
Two innovations have been added to the customizable steambath options available in the Total Sense™ collection.
Installating inside the shower, the
touchscreen TSC-450 digital control
offers a high-contrast display of adjustable settings for the Total Sense
functions as well as for temperature
and duration. Two user profiles can
be programmed. AudioSense features
a wall-mount dock for an iPod and allows the user to enjoy music in the
shower. Now equipped with Bluetooth® technology, the AudioSense
wireless receiver connects a smartphone, iPad, iPod touch or any Bluetooth-enabled music player from up to 30
feet away. Steamist.
www.steamist.com
Flange removal tool
The FlangeOff is a new tool that will cut off
old, broken PVC or ABS toilet flanges, eliminating broken soil pipes and costly, time-consuming repairs that involve tearing out a
portion of the bathroom floor. Cuts off flange
in five minutes without the risk of cracking the
pipe and will leave the pipe ready for gluing
on a new flange with no other cutting or modifications needed. Woods Plumbing.
Woodsplumbingservice.com/flangeoff.html
Water-conserving system
“first” in the industry, eliminating the
need for screws, for easier installation
and a clean, uncluttered appearance.
Available as a wall mount or deck
mount and features three different
handle options, including one with an
elegant Swarovski crystal insert, one
with geometrical cutouts and one that
eliminates the escutcheon.
Watermark Designs.
www.watermark-designs.com
The three-part Stealth® System, includes an ultra-high-efficiency (UHET) Stealth toilet, a high-efficiency, high power
showerhead and a faucet aerator. The system
has been WaterSense® certified by the EPA and
proven to demonstrate a water flow rate of
0.8 gpf. Activated by simply pressing the
flush push button, Stealth technology clears all waste in the toilet
bowl, eliminating the need for double
flushing or dual flush systems. Technologically advanced engineering results in
extraordinary water and utility bill savings
that go a step beyond standard water-saving toilets. Niagara Conservation.
www.NiagaraConservation.com
New Virtual Spa System™ makes it
fast and easy for website visitors to
create a personalized home steam
shower. From generators to controls,
decorative finishes, lights and options
such as chromatherapy or aromatherapy, the system enables visitors to select and preview every element of a
home steam spa in a simple step-bystep guided process. Takes the guesswork out of the process of creating a
residential steam shower. Homeowners or professionals can quickly compare a number of steam shower
options to meet different budget levels. Mr. Steam.
www.mrsteam.com
Affordable style
The Décor Collection offers 5 distinctive styles at affordable pricing in
2012. All products are AB1953 no-lead
compliant and offered in ceramic disc
cartridges with a limited lifetime warranty. Products are inventoried in 3 finishes: Chrome, PVD Satin Nickel,
Antique Bronze; and ship within 48
hours from a distribution warehouse in
California. Huntington Brass.
www.huntingtonbrass.com
Electric tankless water heaters
A new line of high-capacity, 12 module 600v Delta units emergency
eye/face and
d r e n c h
shower applications meet
ANSI Z358.1
tepid water
requirements
(65° – 90° F),
25 gpm, are
equipped
with microprocessing
thermostat accuracy (± 1° F) with
built-in over-temp protection and are
easily installed at the point of use
with no neutral leg required. Each
model features a flow switch that activates the heater only on demand.
Eemax Inc.
www.eemax.com
S
ince 1956 the
employees of Mueller
Steam Specialty have been
dedicated to the manufacture of
high quality products delivered
on time and with superior
customer service. Our core line
of rugged strainers is available
in a wide range of types and
materials. Whether you require
basket strainers, Y strainers,
“Tee” type strainers, duplex
strainers, or even temporary
strainers, Mueller will deliver
your order from stock or custom
engineer and manufacture it to
your requirements. In addition to
its strainer line, Mueller offers a
full line of check valves, butterfly valves, pump protection and
specialty products for a variety
of industries and applications.
Choose Mueller Steam Specialty
for your next project.
www.muellersteam.com
A Watts Water Technologies Company
78 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Rinnai announces results
of water heating survey
PeAchTRee ciTy, GA. — Rinnai corporation has announced the results of
its recent survey on consumer water
heating trends. The survey, which
posed a series of water heating-related questions to homeowners from
across the country, confirmed the importance of hot water to a home and
revealed that, after learning about the
benefits it offered, 92% of survey respondents would be interested in purchasing a tankless water heater. The
survey determined that the most com-
“They just don’t
know what they
are missing yet.”
pelling reason to buy a tankless water
heater is the energy savings associated with the unit. The longer lifespan
of tankless models compared to tank
water heaters and a tankless unit’s
ability to provide endless hot water
only when needed are also top purchase drivers.
Additional takeaways from the survey include the following:
• Almost three-quarters of respondents stated they would view a broken water heater as very problematic
and more than 90% would make repairing or replacing a broken water
heater their highest priority.
• More than one-third of respondents stated they are most likely to
run out of hot water due to increased
demand (i.e., showers used more than
normal or multiple hot water appliances used at the same time).
• The misconception that tankless
water heaters provide instant hot
water at the tap continues to persist;
71% of respondents believed it to be
true.
• Many homeowners are unaware
of the major benefits that tankless
water heaters offer.
• Although 83% of respondents
stated that the energy savings provided by a tankless water heater
would be one of their top reasons for
purchasing a unit, prior to the survey
almost half did not realize the units
could offer up to 40% energy savings.
Urban Green Council recognizes
Davis & Warshow for sustainability efforts
“Now some of us are better than
others and another couple of pennies
do appear, but in general, we can’t go
throwing these pennies around on
green projects because it makes us
feel good, we need a financial reason
to go green.
“in my house, like i’m sure in most
of your homes, i make choices that
are driven by a desire to do something good. We don’t drink bottled
water if we can avoid it, we recycle,
we use products that are greener, or
made from recycled materials and if
there’s a cost premium that’s ok. The
kids learn how to be green in school
at an early age and although i do get
the occasional question about why
Grandma’s toilet paper is so much
softer than ours, they usually don’t
notice, or they’re happy to help.
“But in business we have to make
decisions that will save money or at
least be revenue neutral. There are
some exceptions, but big ticket green
projects will not happen without a
proven payback.
“Davis & Warshow has been around
for 87 years now and our program,
which we call “Practically Green,” is
only about 4 years old. That doesn’t
mean that D&W didn’t have any green
projects prior to 2008, it’s just that no
one called them “green,” they just
called them good business. Motion
sensors in aisles to keep lights off
when not needed, reflective coating on
the roof to reduce heat in the summer,
using modern heating equipment to
lower energy use, all of these are
“green,” but all of them predated the
notion of carbon footprint or LeeD.
“Once ‘green’ became a cause instead of a color, we knew that it was
where we wanted to take D&W and
we started the “Practically Green”
program because we knew that our
steps had to be practical and that we
would never be perfectly green.
“Of course, we started with small
things like improving how we recycle
and making sure that we only used recycled materials for our printing needs.
Then we developed a car pool program
whereby employees can earn entries
into a raffle if they carpool, take mass
transit or bike to work. We’ve been
working with our manufacturers to get
educated about the latest and greatest
low flow water closets and shower
heads or the most efficient heating
equipment. Two of our associates became LeeD accredited. We also put a
minimum target of 20MPG city on any
auto driven by one of our sales people
who use a company fuel card.
“The cost to us on most of those
programs was minimal, the raffle
being the one with the greatest cost
with cash prizes of over $10,000 each
year. But the minimum fuel standard
is a very interesting case study. We
had a parking lot full of SUV’s. Big,
thirsty SUV’s. We decided that if an
employee really needed that type of
vehicle, they could keep it, but they
would lose the company fuel card
and be reimbursed for only a portion
of their fuel use. There was some
grumbling, but as leases came up,
those SUV’s turned into sedans, or
compacts, in a few cases, hybrids.
“That initiative cut our fuel con-
sumption by more than 40% and is now
saving us almost 18,000 gallons of fuel
a year. At today’s prices, we expect to
save over $67,000 this year alone.
Those are bottom line dollars and at our
“2-cent math” we’d have to sell a lot of
toilets to earn that kind of money.
“We also knew that we couldn’t do
it all ourselves and that there were big
issues remaining, so we got in touch
with yR&G consultants and walked
through what else we could do. The
first thing they did was set us up with
Nyc Wastematch. We had piles and
piles of pallets that we simply could
not get rid of in any positive way.
Since 2008, Wastematch has removed and repurposed over 400 tons
of pallets taken from D&W facilities.
At no cost to D&W.
Then they introduced us to Solar
energy Systems. Turns out Long island city is a great place for solar energy. A lot of roof space and few tall
buildings to block the sun. And since
we have the scenic and lovely
Maspeth creek to our South, we have
perfect unobstructed sun bearing directly down onto our roof.
“With Solar energy Systems expertise in the rebate process and some
good luck with the timing of the project, we were able to maximize our
NySeRDA incentive, as well as
Treasury Grants and Nyc Property
Tax Abatements to come up with an
array producing 269,000 Kilowatt
hours annually, which will pay for itself in four years.
“Our next project is just underway.
We are retrofitting the lighting at our
distribution center in Maspeth. Over
• Approximately 60% of participants did not know that tankless
water heaters have a lifespan of 20
years or more.
• 42 % of respondents did not
know that tankless water heaters supply ample hot water for garden tubs
and high-flow showers.
“As the market leader, we have a
responsibility to pass along the
knowledge we gain to our installers,
especially when it can help them
grow their business,” said Rinnai VPmarketing Brad Sweet. “We hope that
our installers will take note of these
survey findings and adjust their selling approaches accordingly. The truth
is that there are a lot of homeowners
out there that would love to experience the benefits of a Rinnai tankless
water heater; they just don’t know
what they are missing yet.”
Visit www.rinnai.us.
200,000 square feet going from fluorescent tubes to LeDs. We will be reducing our energy consumption by
more than 200,000 Killowatt hours
and save over $40,000/year. We will
also save by not having to change the
bulbs for almost 10 years. “And the
light we get will not degrade the way
that fluorescent tubes do.
“Of course, these large projects do
require capital to undertake, but they
are financial no-brainers.
“But you all know about all of this.
you appreciate the financial aspects of
green as much as the overall environmental concerns. As do most of our
manufacturers, many of whom are
here with us this evening. But most
small and medium business owners
don’t. Many of them don’t believe in
climate change. Add to them the ones
who feel that climate change is real,
but think they are too small to have an
impact and we’re talking about the majority of business owners.
“But every one of them cares about
the pennies. if we can show them
how to put more pennies in their
pockets without regard for the environmental benefits of the changes
they make, the conversation changes.
“Though sustainability is of utmost
importance to D&W, the message
isn’t about the problems we face if
we do not tackle pollution. The message is that there is money to be
saved and made if you take advantage of the opportunities. The green
that will motivate business owners is
the green in their pocketbooks and on
their general ledgers.
“help spread that message to your
vendors, customers, tenants and
friends. There are hundreds of thousands of businesses in this city and
they could all use the change.”
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80 •
FROM
THE
FRONT PAGE
Kitchen/bath trends indicate dynamic year
(Continued from NKBA, page 1.)
Kitchens
Cherry wood in decline
Cherry wood has consistently been
the first or second most popular type
of wood for cabinetry, jockeying for
the top spot with maple each year.
However, designers are slowly shifting away from it. While 80% of
NKBA member kitchen designers
had recently specified cherry cabinetry as 2010 approached, that figure
dropped to 72% last year and fell
again to 69% heading into 2012.
No other wood species is taking
that market share on its own, as even
maple dropped in popularity this
year, falling from 77% last year to
70% now. Instead, a number of
lesser-used woods are being specified
more often, including oak, which is
specified by twice as many designers
now (22%) versus two years ago
(11%); walnut, which has increased
from 3% in 2010 to 9% in 2011 to
13% today; birch, which is now specified by three times as many kitchen
designers as it was a year ago (15%
vs. 5%) and bamboo, which has doubled from 5% last year to 10% now.
While alder is currently specified by
27% of kitchen designers, that figure
is down from 30% last year and from
40% two years ago.
Natural kitchen cabinetry continues a steady move toward darker finishes. While light natural finishes
have been recently specified by 30%
of kitchen designers, medium natural
finishes stand at 55%, with dark natural finishes at 58%. Two years ago,
dark natural finishes were specified
by only 43% of designers.
Among painted cabinetry, white
continues to be the most popular option, as white cabinets have been recently specified by 59% of NKBA
member kitchen designers, while
other colors were specified by only
38% of designers. Another trend to
note is that distressed finishes are
making a comeback. After being recently specified by 15% of designers
going into 2010, that figure dropped
to just 5% last year, but has now risen
to 22%.
Glass backsplashes
Although glass remains a niche
material for kitchen countertops, it’s
recently been used by more than half
of kitchen designers as a backsplash
material, rising from 41% a year ago
to 52% now. This trails only natural
stone tile at 60% and ceramic tile (including porcelain), which has been
specified of late by some 74% of designers. Even at that high rate, ce-
ramic tile backsplashes are on the decline, as they stood at 78% a year ago
and 88% two years ago.
Other popular backsplash materials
are granite at 30% and quartz at 20%.
The popularity of these materials as
backsplashes is due to their high use
as countertop materials. Finishing off
a granite or quartz countertop with a
matching backsplash is quite common; however, the same doesn’t hold
true for solid surfaces. While these
materials are very popular for countertops (see Solid Surfaces below),
they’re seldom used for backsplashes, as they’re specified by just
11% of designers.
LED lighting
Energy-efficiency is clearly not a
fad but a real trend that can be seen
taking hold in homes across the U.S.
and Canada. Despite the higher initial
cost, light-emitting diode, or LED,
lighting is proof of this trend. Specified by 50% of NKBA member
kitchen designers entering 2010, that
rate increased to 54% the following
year and has jumped over the past
year to 70%. However, compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) aren’t sharing
in this trend. Although they use
roughly a quarter the energy of an in-
NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry
Show, it’s clear these units can be
seamlessly incorporated into almost
any kitchen design style.
While standard kitchen faucets
were specified by just under half of
designers as 2010 approached, barely
more than a third of designers have
recently specified them. Meanwhile,
the use of pull-out faucets has increased from 88% to 91% to 93%. In
other words, 14 of out every 15 designers who designed a kitchen over
the final three months of 2011 incorporated a pull-out faucet. These versatile models might also be
mitigating the need for pot-filler
faucets, which have been recently
specified by just 28% of designers,
down from 41% two years ago.
Medicine cabinets
The tried-and-true medicine cabinet had been swept aside in bathroom
remodels over the past several years,
replaced by decorative wall mirrors.
However, as homeowners look for
more efficient use of space, most designers are now turning toward medicine cabinets as an effective way to
gain additional storage without having to increase the footprint of a
room, attenuating the need for sepa-
For the first time since the NKBA began tracking
annual design trends, traditional is no longer the
most popular type of design. In both the kitchen and
the bathroom, transitional is now the most common style.
candescent bulb when producing the
same amount of light, measured in lumens, the poor color of the light they
produce and the presence of mercury
in these bulbs are keeping them out
of newly remodeled kitchens, falling
from 36% last year to 26% today.
Older incandescent bulbs stand at
just 42%, a figure we expect to fall
next year due in part to the U.S. ban
on newly produced 100-watt incandescent bulbs that went into effect on
January 1. A ban on 75-watt incandescent bulbs will go into effect on
January 1, 2013, followed by 60- and
40-watt incandescent bulbs on January 1, 2014.
Pull-out faucets
Pull-out kitchen faucets have become established as the dominant
type of kitchen faucet. Designers are
increasingly eschewing the standard
faucet with a detached side spray in
favor of pull-out models that integrate the two functions into a single
unit. Viewing the large number of
new pull-out faucet models at the
rate shelving, cabinetry or other storage options.
After being specified by 43% of
NKBA member bathroom designers
leading into 2010, medicine cabinets
dropped to 36% last year. However,
as we enter 2012, some 66% have recently incorporated a medicine cabinet into a bathroom remodel.
Kitchens, bathrooms
Transitional over traditional
For the first time since the NKBA
began tracking annual design trends,
traditional is no longer the most popular type of design. In both the
kitchen and the bathroom, transitional is now the most common style.
While the traditional style has consistently been used by roughly three
quarters of NKBA member designers
in both the kitchen and the bath, that
figure fell to 58% in kitchens and
59% in bathrooms this year.
These figures come in just below
the transitional style, which is a
blend of traditional and contemporary, typified by lines that are simpler
than traditional, but a bit more elaborate than contemporary, in order to
create a modern classic look. Contemporary is the next most common
style, up 5% to 52% in kitchens and
up 10% to 53% in bathrooms from a
year ago. Shaker, arts and crafts, and
cottage remain the next most frequently used styles.
Solid surfaces
A year ago, the use of solid surfaces was a key trend in the kitchen;
this year, it’s an even stronger trend
and one that impacts both the
kitchen and the bathroom. In the
NKBA’s 2011 Design Trends Survey, the use of solid surfaces in the
kitchen jumped from 11% to 26%
from the year earlier.
This year, that number has increased again, as solid surfaces have
been specified recently by 30% of
designers for use in kitchens. At the
same time, while granite and quartz
continue to be the clear #1 and #2
choices, their popularity has waned
just slightly, with granite falling
from 91% to 87% and quartz declining just a bit from 71% to 69%.
The same pattern holds true in
newly remodeled bathrooms, as
solid surfaces have over the past
year risen from 26% to 34%, as
granite has fallen from 84% to 71%.
Quartz’s popularity has dipped over
that time from 56% to 53%. Marble
is currently the third most popular
vanity top material at 41%, up 3%
from a year ago. Also notable is the
use of glass vanity tops, which has
more than doubled over the past two
years, from 5% heading into 2010 to
11% today.
Shades of gray
When artfully incorporated into a
space, gray color schemes can allow
for very attractive, distinguished
looks without overpowering a design
— the key reason why gray is now
used as the backdrop for the NKBA
logo. In kitchens, gray was used as
the overall color scheme by only 9%
of designers as we moved into 2010,
but that figure nearly doubled (to
17%) last year and then nearly doubled again (to 33%) this year. Over
that time, the use of gray color
schemes has risen just as dramatically
from 12% to 21% to 40% in bathroom remodels.
Whites and off-whites continue to
be the most popular color schemes in
the kitchen and bathroom, followed
by beiges and bones. Brown is the
third most popular color in kitchens
and the fourth most popular in bathrooms, just behind gray. In the
kitchen, bronzes/terracottas have
risen over the past two years from
(Turn to page 82.)
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82 •
FROM
20% to 25% to 31%, while greens
have increased from 18% two years
ago to 32% today. Green was the
color trend in bathrooms last year,
being specified by 25% of designers,
and its use has remained exactly the
same this year. Blue has emerged as
the fifth most popular color in bathrooms, rising from 23% to 30%.
Polished chrome is back
Supplanted by brushed metal finishes in the past, polished chrome is
staging a comeback. After being specified by 34% of designers in kitchens
last year, polished chrome has recently
been specified by 52% of NKBA
member designers in kitchens today.
In the bathroom, polished chrome use
THE
FRONT PAGE
Pull-out kitchen
faucets have become
established as the
dominant type
of kitchen faucet.
has increased from 46% to 65% over
the past year. At the same time, polished nickel is up from 17% to 25% in
kitchens and from 28% to 32% in
bathrooms over the past year.
The increased use of polished finishes is clearly coming at the expense
of brushed finishes. Over the past two
years, brushed nickel is down from
62% to 46% in kitchens and from 66%
to 46% in bathrooms. Brushed chrome
is down from 20% to 17% over the
past year in kitchens but has increased
from 11% to 18% in bathrooms.
Meanwhile, over the past year, satin
nickel, which lies between a polished
and a brushed finish, is down from
64% to 56% in the kitchen and from
57% to 52% in the bathroom.
Only stainless steel has managed to
clearly buck the trend away from
brushed finishes, as it rose slightly
from 46% to 50% in the kitchen and
increased significantly from 16% to
28% in the bathroom. Bronze finishes
continue to be popular, but dipped a
bit from a year ago, falling from 49%
to 41% in kitchens, while their use remained flat at 41% in bathrooms.
More than 350 National
Kitchen & Bath Association
member designers took
part in the 2012 NKBA
Design Trends Survey to
cite the materials, product
types and styles that
they’ve incorporated into
their kitchen and bath
designs over the final
three months of 2011.
Visit www.NKBA.org. n
SMART MANAGEMENT
Pay attention to people: Finding them,
hiring them, keeping them, firing them
• First and foremost, all generalizations about generations like this are
absolutely true and false. In every
generation, there are good and bad
people. The challenge is to hire the
good ones through testing, interviews
and reference checks. I was part of
the “make love not war” hippie generation that included every sort of
person imaginable. I can remember
how old-gas-passers were forecasting
the end of the world, yet my generation has done some good things and
bad things like every generation before us.
• Look for the little signs that
someone won’t fit into your organization. Someone recently forwarded
an article to me about Gen Y people
that described a job candidate who
brought his mom with him to help
fill out the application and to provide support in the interview. While
I like close-knit families, this little
Rich Schmitt is president of Schmitt
Consulting Group Inc., a management consulting firm focused on distribution and manufacturing clients for:
• Pricing
• Consulting Seminars
• Profit improvement
www.go-scg.com
Rich is also the co-owner of Schmitt
ProfiTools Inc.(SPI), providing:
• Web Storefronts and
Handheld tools
• Print catalog software,
content creation and services
• Pricing management and
pricing analysis
www.go-spi.com
clue would have caused me to pass
on this candidate.
• If possible, let them develop a
work-ethic and working habits with
someone else. While some people are
great from the beginning, others need
to be taught how to have a job. Let
some other company pay for the
growing pains and missteps we all
took along the way to becoming acceptable employees.
Hire former military people when qualified
• Not because we as a country, owe
these people our gratitude, even
though we do.
• Not because many of them went
into harm’s way for longer than any
other military force in our country’s
history, even though they did.
• Not because you approved or disapproved of the wars they fought for
us, even though in the service of their
country, they probably often disliked
but followed the orders given to
them.
• Not because former military people have a much higher rate of unemployment
than
the
general
population, even though they do. A
shameful statistic in my opinion.
Hire them because many of them
are qualified, disciplined, mature beyond their years, understand teamwork, know hard work and difficult
conditions far beyond what we see in
wholesaling.
As a further thought, I have seen
several instances where NCOs (noncommissioned officers) have retired
from the military and become firstrate operations people in wholesal-
ing. They are well-versed in taking all
types of people and getting them
trained to work as a team doing work
to a standard.
They should be screened and
tested like every other applicant but,
if you ask me, their experience and
work ethic applies a lot more directly to wholesaling than working
at Micky-Ds. (Having said that, I do
have sincere respect for the work
that McDonalds does in training
first-time employees and first-time
supervisors. Their work provides a
stream of “more-employable” candidates for all of us.)
When it isn’t working, do something!
I was just listening to a radio interview where they were talking about a
recent study saying that we should
quit more often. The point was that
many of us, hating to change, will
hang on too long: To jobs, to marriages, to friends, etc. and that our
lives might be improved by a change.
So consider this process:
• When it isn’t working, figure
out why it isn’t working. Sometimes you know in your heart that it
is messed up but can’t put your finger on it. Take time to determine
what is really wrong.
• Prioritize the problems. In a
hospital, spurting blood always
trumps a hangnail. Most of us can
only focus on a couple things at once
so focus on the important ones.
• Work to fix it. Ideally, you take
the list of what is wrong and address
each issue in priority order. Some
people want to remove people with
problems without any attempt to improve performance. This sends a bad
message to others and often flushes
any investment that your company
has in the individual.
• Keep responsibilities clear.
When an employee’s performance
does not meet standard, make it clear
that they must define, be responsible
for and measure their own improvement. I like to ask them what they
will do to change their performance,
to ask what help they need from me
or the company to accomplish it and
how we will together be able to determine whether progress is being
made in the right direction.
• Set milestones in days and
weeks not months and years. You,
ideally, will see indications of
changes immediately but formal
milestones help to keep the process
reasonable, fair and on track.
• When the party’s over, be respectful and be fair. Your other people will watch how you treat
unacceptable performers but will
often respect that you have acted.
People are critically important to
your company and your toughest
asset to manage. Taking just a little
time to review what you are doing
and how to improve it can yield huge
benefits to your profitability and
competitiveness going forward in
2012.
For reprints on hiring, testing and
people send me an e-mail [email protected].
One finale note
Karl Larson of the Gustave A.
Larson Co. passed away in March.
Karl was a generous and forwardthinking industry leader. He had a
contagious joy of living that he
passed along to those who knew
him. He will be missed.
n
INDUSTRY NEWS
OASIS and Philips develop
partnership for cleaner water
COlUMBUS, OhIO — OASIS International has formed a new partnership
with philips lighting. OASIS and
philips have partnered to integrate a
unique disinfection solution in
OASIS’ water coolers. Now, for the
first time, water dispensed from coolers can be disinfected instantly and
efficiently, on-demand with the
philips Instanttrust solution and will
soon be available in the OASIS
KAlIX® water cooler, and Aqua
pointe® and VersaFiller® bottle fillers.
Many consumers are concerned
about the quality of drinking water. In
Mary Jo
liver during working hours on weekdays, and they often don’t open offer
expanded hours so women can shop
before or after work. Women have
less time and a higher demand for
service. they are expected to give
good service so they expect the same
in return.
• Women are waiting longer to
marry. the average age of the first
Compliments are the
major social currency for
women...Women’s brains are
sensory machines; they
remember everything...
Women feel that if they find a
great buy or new store it is
their duty to tell their friends.
marriage for women in the U.S. is 26,
and the average age of college-educated woman when they marry is 30.
that’s a pretty ripe old age when you
think about it in terms of human history. Women in their 20s are now
spending money in the ways that couples used to spend money. they don’t
appreciate when a salesperson asks
them where their dad or husband is
when they are on a major shopping
excursion. Women are on guard for
being viewed as vulnerable targets.
• Women are having fewer chil-
emerging countries these concerns
may be due to the water infrastructure, but the problem is also prevalent
in western countries.
With an increased awareness of the
dangers of unpurified water among
consumers, people are increasingly
relying on their own residential filters, regardless of whether there is a
public infrastructure in place to decontaminate water.
philips Instanttrust disinfects
water as its being dispensed, up to 4
liters/minute, its simple and quick
disinfection process is ideal for water
dispensing solutions such as OASIS’
bottle refill stations and water coolers. Its unique design works independently of water temperature,
disinfecting both hot and cold water
on-demand.
the new philips Instanttrust solution is designed to fit point-of-use
water delivery solutions including
taps, water pitchers, under-sink water
dren, but spending more money on
them — and for longer periods of
time. Many Baby Boomers are now
going into their own nest eggs to help
support their young adult children.
people are much more wiling to
spend on luxury items for their kids.
houses keep getting bigger while
families are getting smaller.
• The divorce rate has stabilized
at just under half of all marriages.
Most divorces initiated by women
over 50. this happens a lot during the
empty nest life stage when they try to
decide if they have enough in common without the kids at home. After
divorce, women in particular are all
about reinvention. And they are very
willing to spend money.
• Women still live longer than
men, but the gap is down to five to
seven years. Women over 50 are
probably the most under served, lucrative market out there. they have
the highest net worth and greatest assets of any consumer group, but they
feel invisible in our society. In retail environments, they often feel like people are looking past them. they are
so used to getting no service, or bad
service, that they love it when people
pay attention to them.
Brennan concluded her presentation by outlining the five emotional
outcomes women want when they buy:
• To feel confident, especially
when they are buying a big ticket
item. Women often fast forward to
worst-case scenarios like what if they
don’t like the product after it arrives,
filters and portable counter-top systems. OASIS and philips keep working closely to make it possible to
integrate the Instanttrust into its entire product line.
First to market with Instanttrust
water disinfection inside will be the
OASIS KAlIX point-of-Use water
cooler, Aqua pointe and VersaFiller
• 83
temporary recessed wall unit with optional side-by-side drinking fountain.
the VersaFiller is an economical,
easy to install upgrade to existing
drinking fountains, turning most any
drinking fountain into a bottle filling
station; it’s also available as an all-inone solution for areas without existing bottle fillers or drinking
fountains.
Visit www.oasiscoolers.com.
Bottle Fillers. each of these units deliver refreshing water on-demand and
are ideal solutions for public buildings, gymnasiums, sports complexes,
hospitals, schools and offices.
the KAlIX will be the first of the
OASIS water cooler line to include
philips Instanttrust. It features the
revolutionary pressure Vessel Direct
Chill (pVDC) system, in a stylish,
modern design.
the Aqua pointe and VersaFiller
bottle fillers to include philips Instanttrust. these economical, ecofriendly bottle fillers are perfect for
schools, campuses and public facilities. the Aqua pointe is a sleek, con-
what if something goes wrong, etc.
the more expensive the item, the
scarier her worst-case scenario.
• To be inspired. Women want to
walk into your showroom and dream
about how great their life is going to
be when they finish that bath or
kitchen. they really believe it’s going
to change their life in a very positive
way. But, she can only get as excited
as your sales team is; if they aren’t,
she won’t be either.
• To feel like they conneted with
their salesperson. Give women ideas
about putting things together in a way
they wouldn’t be able to do themselves. She really wants to know your
opinion; and what other smart buyers
doing. Speak her language by asking
questions, providing encouragement,
showing interest, giving her tips.
• For their homes to be admired.
Women need to know that you know
her home is a reflection of her.
• To be thanked for her business.
It’s surprising how often appreciation
isn’t shown to customers. Women
tend to be the ones who teach their
children to say thank you to others.
So they notice when someone thanks
them. Or doesn’t.
n
Mary Jo Martin is editorial director of The Wholesaler. she can be
reached at 972-315-9803 or editor@
thewholesaler.com; follow her on
Facebook at maryjomartintx or Twitter at @maryjomartin. and don’t forget to “like” The Wholesaler on
Facebook to keep up with all the latest news and special events!
Axor NYC launches
sample library program
AlphArettA, GA. — the new Axor
NYC sample library gives the architect and design community the opportunity to borrow popular hansgrohe or
Axor faucets (mounted on acrylic and
non-functioning) for up to one week.
Since opening its doors in September,
the Meatpacking district-based design
studio and the Axor NYC team have
proven to be a valuable resource for
the industry. the new product loan
service is sure to be a vital tool in any
professional’s arsenal. the product
will be sent, free of charge, via messenger service to any office or meeting
site in Manhattan and picked up from
the recipient when finished.
Behind Axor NYC and its new local
program is a supportive and dynamic
staff including Design Studio manager
Kiel Wuellner and international projects consultant, Northeast, Michael
reiman. Wuellner and reiman are at
the space full time and are always just
a call, e-mail or in-person visit away.
A certified interior designer, Wuellner has over 12 years of architecture,
sales and home design experience. he
works with customers to create specifications and conducts monthly CeUs
for the A&D community. Along with
the company’s marketing team, Wuellner coordinates the ongoing series of
events which take place in the 3,000square-foot space. he is also an active
ASID, NKBA and NeWh member.
Michael reiman has practiced as
an architect in New York City for
over 10 yearsand has a diverse professional background with experience in environmental labeling and
certification as well as the industrial
equipment industry. he is involved in
everyday activities and events and
works closely with architects and designers to develop specifications for
large scale projects.
Visit www.facebook.com/axor.design.
84 •
INDUSTRY NEWS
Watermark Designs
expands into
Western Canada
Brooklyn, n.y. — watermark Designs has formed an alliance with
Cantu Bathrooms & Hardware ltd.,
a leading importer of high-quality
plumbing products and decorative
hardware, with retail locations in
vancouver, B.C., and victoria. The
alliance with Cantu, effective February 1, will support a significant expansion of watermark Designs’
luxury bath offerings in western
Canada, a market long touted for its
strong economy.
“our alliance with Cantu represents a significant opportunity to
grow in the western Canadian market, which is particularly strong,
thanks to the strength of the Canadian
dollar, jobs, home sales and consumer spending,” said Jody rosenberg, president of sales and marketing
for watermark Designs. “According
to real estate reports released as recently as november 2011, home renovation spending has actually been
increasing in this region throughout
the past decade. so, our decision to
align ourselves with Cantu was
strategic. with such a thriving economy and prominent importer behind
us, I am confident this expansion will
be an immense success.”
Visit www.watermark-designs.com.
Neuco invites Facebook
users to join them
Downers Grove, Ill. — If you’re an
avid social media user, you’ll be
happy to know that neuco Inc. recently joined Facebook. They will
CLASSIFIED ADS
REPS
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
Great Lakes Copper Inc. is seeking Marketing Representatives to cover the
areas of South and East Central states.
Responsibilities include: Sales and Marketing of Commodity Products in the
East-Central and South-Central Regions; coordinating sales activity with
personnel at the manufacturing facility,
as well as updating competitive information on a regular basis.
National supplier for commercial plumbing products is seeking a Regional Manager in each region. Must have a
minimum of 10 years sales experience,
possess the ability to effectively manage
Manufacturer's reps, and be required to
travel nationwide 60% of the month.
Email resumé to:
[email protected]
We prefer candidates who can work independently with a background in
Plumbing, Refrigeration and HVAC.
Qualifications and Skills required are;
Marketing Diploma, Professionalism,
Dependability, Team Player, Customer
Service, Detail-Oriented.
Please send your resumé to:
[email protected]
Inside Sales Position –
Manufacturer/Distributer in Detroit area looking for Inside Salesperson. Must have experience in PVF/Plumbing Industry. Excellent
opportunity with a rapidly growing company.
Please send resumé.
Respond to: [email protected]
SEEKING TO ACQUIRE
MFR REP BUSINESS
IN PLUMBING/HVAC PRODUCTS
We are representing an operating company seeking merger & acquisition candidates meeting the following criteria:
Manufacturer's Representatives handling any/all of these product categories:
Plumbing Products: HVAC Products,
Cast Iron Pipe & Fittings, Plumbing Fixtures, Green & Energy Efficient Plumbing Products, Bath, Kitchen and
Bathware Products.
Green Energy: Wind Turbines, Solar
Energy, Electric
Other Categories: Apparel, Safety
Gear and Accessories for the
building/plumbing trades
Location: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic US regions
Size: Minimum Sales of $1 million up to
$10 million; Profitable
If interested, please contact buyer's advisor at: (646) 450-1213 or
[email protected]
DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
• Need to get your product
to your wholesalers?
• We can do it!
• We have distribution sites in Boston
and Philadelphia
• We have the capacity to handle
the distribution of your products
• We have first class warehouse space
along with a fleet of trucks to deliver
your products in New England,
New York and the mid-Atlantic states
Contact:
[email protected]
Let’s see what we can do for you.
periodically run exclusive contests
that can only be found on the neuco
Fan Page.
neuco will also be sharing company
news, photos, additional promotions
and industry-related information.
They want to hear from you, so become a fan today and get involved!
neuco Inc. is a leading master distributor of HvACr Controls located
near Chicago.
Visit www.facebook.com/NeucoInc.
WANT TO BUY
WANTED TO BUY
Contractors! Wholesalers!
Sell us your surplus or overstock plumbing materials. Black, Galv., PVC, Groove,
No-Hub, Copper, Brass, Weld Flg's & Fittings, Valves, SS316 & 304, etc.
Excess Plumbing, Inc.
[email protected]
Ph. 602-252-1280 • Fax. 602-252-1668
INSIDE SALES
OUTSIDE SALES
REPRESENTATIVE –
NEW ENGLAND REGION
United Pipe & Steel Corp., founded in 1980, is a
distributor of pipe to the plumbing and electrical
wholesale industries with 7 regional warehouses serving over 40 states. We are seeking
a dynamic Outside Sales Representative for the New England Region. All candidates
must have significant experience selling commodity products to plumbing & heating
wholesalers; possesses a strong work ethic and a charismatic personality; and be a selfstarter who can work independently.
OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE –
KANSAS/MISSOURI/NEBRASKA REGION
We are seeking a Dynamic Outside Sales Representative for the Midwest Region as
we expand into that geographical area. All candidates must have significant experience
selling commodity products to PVF, P&H, HVAC, waterworks and electrical conduit
wholesalers; possesses a strong work ethic and a charismatic personality; and be a selfstarter who can work independently.
OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE – ILLINOIS REGION
We are seeking a Dynamic Outside Sales Representative for the Illinois Region as we
expand into that geographical area. All candidates must have significant experience selling commodity products to PVF, P&H, HVAC, waterworks and electrical conduit wholesalers; possesses a strong work ethic and a charismatic personality; and be a self-starter
who can work independently.
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Service existing accounts, obtain orders, and establish new accounts through cold
calling efforts. Plan and organize daily work schedule to call on existing and potential
sales opportunities.
• Adjust content of sales presentations by understanding the type of sales outlet. Analyze existing and potential volume of dealers. Achieve annual sales targets.
Liaise between the Inside Sales Reps and customers for up-to-date pricing, service and
new products.
• Use sales management tools to maximize sales effectiveness and efficiency.
• Prepare and submit activity/results reports to management.
• Update and maintain accounts including contact names and numbers for future sales.
• Investigate and resolve customer complaints.
• Maintain professionalism, diplomacy, sensitivity and tact to portray the Company in a
positive manner.
• Travel throughout the Southern New England Region up to 95% of the time. Occasional travel to other territories to assist in sales and marketing effort. A car allowance
is provided.
Skills and Specifications:
• Positive attitude to deal with the cyclicality of selling commodity products.
• Significant experience selling commodity products to PVF / P&H wholesalers.
• Strong work ethic and a self-starter who can work independently.
• Effective time management, organization and multi-tasking skills.
• Superior people skills to deal with customers, and an outbound personality.
• Able to prospect and cold-call prospective customers.
• Strong communication skills – writing and verbal.
• Team player who is able to work well under pressure.
• Proficient in MS Office, and comfortable learning other software applications.
Qualifications:
• Minimum 5 years’ experience as an Outside Sales Representative, with a minimum 2
years selling into the plumbing and/or electrical distribution markets.
• Minimum of an Associate’s degree.
Interested candidates should send cover letter, resumé, and salary history to:
[email protected].
Visit www.united-pipe.com to learn more about United Pipe & Steel Corp, The Industry
Leader in Pipe Products Distribution.
CLASSIFIED ADS
• 85
SUPPLIERS
FOR SALE
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Established Plumbing/HVAC Products
Manufacturer's Representative company in major East Coast market for sale.
Current year's projected sales approx.
$2-3 million. Warehouse/office facility
available for long-term lease w/ flexible
terms as part of business sale. Owner retiring. Experienced sales/support/warehouse staff in place. If interested, please
contact seller's advisor at:
(646) 450-1213 or
[email protected]
Get more BANG for your advertising buck
with a display advertisement in
The Wholesaler! See this page for your
nearest advertising sales representative!
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Managing Editor
James Schaible
Prepress Coordinator
www.thewholesaler.com
Mark Bruno
Publisher
Editorial Director
PVF, Industry and
Tom M. Brown Jr.
Mary Jo Martin
Administrative Assistant Production Manager Economic Analyst Emeritus
Morris R. Beschloss
Sadie Bechtold
Cate C. Brown
Editorial Offices: 2165 Shermer Road., Suite A, Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847/564-1127, Fax: 847/564-1264, e-mail: [email protected]
Direct subscription inquiries to: Cynthia Lewis, Creative Data Services;
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Sales Offices
Midwest, Southeast, E. Canada
David Schulte
2165 Shermer Road, Suite A
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847/564-1127
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847/564-1127
Fax: 847/564-1264
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Classified ad sales
Sadie Bechtold: 847-564-1127
West, Texas
Diane Spangler
P.O. Box 9802
Fountain Valley, CA 92728
714/839-6700
Fax:714/839-6777
[email protected]
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., 2165 Shermer Rd., Suite A, Northbrook, IL 60062; tel.
847/564-1127; fax 847/564-1264. Copyright 2012 by TMB Publications, Inc. All rights reserved under the United States,
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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,
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86 •
VIEWPOINT
Talking her language
BY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
W
e’ve all heard the old saying “Men are
from Mars, Women are from Venus,” and
the theory behind how our differences affect our personal relationships. But research also
shows that those differences affect the way we shop.
At the recent Forte Buying Group Conference,
held at the Hilton Torrey Pines in LaJolla, Calif.,
Bridget Brennan, the CEO of Female Factor, gave a
fantastic presentation on “Why She Buys.” With
women now driving upwards of 80% of all consumer spending, either directly
or as the key influence, it is crucial that businesses — including showrooms
— know how to appeal to women. In the sales environment, it is important to
be adept at various styles of communication, from eye contact to small talk,
to meet the needs and expectations of the buyer.
Brennan has done wide-ranging research on the subject and shared some
real eye-opening, yet common sense, facts and advice with the group. Her
presentation drew great reviews from attendees, and so I wanted to share some
of the key highlights with all of you:
• The real reason women are the engine of the global purchasing economy
is that they are buying on behalf of everyone — they are the primary caregivers of children, the elderly and pretty much everyone who lives in the
household.
• Women tend to be consciously thinking about the wants, needs and opinions of all the other people who are going to be interacting with the product
before they buy something.
• Gender is the most powerful determinant of how we look at the world and
everything in it. Gender is pure biology — women run off a completely different cocktail of hormones that dictates behavior.
• Women’s paychecks drive disposable income. Since 1972, almost all of
the household income growth has come from women’s paychecks. Women’s
income has grown almost 52% during that time. In addition, there are now
more women than men in the U.S. labor force.
• Women in their 20s make more money than men in their 20s in almost
every major American city. Most don’t have children yet, so they are willing
to spend more to make their nests more comfortable. In almost 25% of all
marriages, women earn more than their husbands.
• Women want to give their business to a person or company they think
deserves it.
• Men and women can look at the exact same product and judge it by completely different standards.
• Compliments are the major social currency for women.
• Women like to solve problems out loud. Men like to solve them in their heads.
• In addition to being more verbal, women use more adjectives. They believe best part of any story is the details. Men, on the other hand, like to keep
things very short and succinct — whether its voicemail, email or conversation.
Salespeople should tailor their presentations or descriptions accordingly, giving women a lot more details and just the top-line information with men.
• Women have an uncanny ability to read facial expressions and body language.
• Women’s brains are
sensory machines. They
remember everything.
• Women feel that if
they find a great buy or
new store it is their duty to
tell their friends. When
you compliment a woman
on something, she’ll either
tell you where she got it or
the entire story of how she bought it.
• When shopping, men tend to be more transactional and women are more
emotional, which means that she has more of an emotional stake with whatever she is buying.
• Men tend to focus on how things work. This starts at about age 2 when
they take apart toys and try to put them back together. Women focus on the
benefits or features and what it says about them. Men shop for one item at a
time. Women shop for an entire look. That’s why vignettes are so powerful
with women because it shows how a product looks when put together with all
the coordinating items.
• Women have much higher expectations when it comes to customer service. It is probably the single best way you can differentiate yourself from the
Internet.
Brennan went on to discuss what she terms the biggest global shifts impacting women’s purchasing:
• More women are working than ever before. Many places only will de(Turn forward to Mary Jo... page 83.)
Women want to give
their business to a
person or a company
they think deserves it.
Advertisers Index
A.Y. McDonald .............................69
www.aymcdonald.com
Allied Group of Companies............7
www.allied-grp.com
Anderson Metals.............................6
www.andersonmetals.com
Apollo ...........................................57
www.apollovalves.com
Asia Factory Direct.......................19
www.asiafactorydirect.com
Bootz.............................................18
www.bootz.com
Bradford White .............................47
www.bradfordwhite.com
BrassCraft .....................................21
www.brasscraft.com
C & C Industries ...........................41
www.candcvalve.com
Cash Acme ....................................49
www.cashacme.com
CD Sales .......................................45
www.centraldistributionsales.com
Central Compnents .......................53
www.centralcomponents.com
Chronomite Laboratories ..............26
www.chronomite.com
Core Pipe ......................................25
www.corepipe.com
DDI System ..................................33
www.ddisys.com
Epicor............................................20
www.epicor.com
Forgings,
Flanges and Fittings...................30
www.onestoppvf.com
Franklin Electric ...........................73
www.franklin-electric.com/lg
General Pipe Cleaners, a div. of
General Wire Spring ............11, 60
www.drainbrain.com
Global Pipe Supply .......................31
www.onestoppvf.com
Global Stainless Supply................31
ww.onestoppvf.com
Grinnell .........................................79
www.grinnell.com
Huntington Brass ..........................37
www.huntingtonbrass.com
JMF ...............................................14
www.jmfcompany.com
Josam ............................................42
www.josam.com
Kessler ..........................................51
www.ksdusa.com
Kissler ...........................................59
www.kissler.com
Legend ............................................9
www.legendhydronics.com
Liberty Pumps...............................29
www.libertypumps.com
Matco Norca ...................................3
www.matco-norca.com
Mueller Steam Speciality..............77
www.muellersteam.com
Multalloy.......................................27
www.multalloy.com
Navien...........................................43
www.navienamerica.com
Neoperl ...........................................6
www.neoperl.com
NDL ..............................................56
www.ndlinc.com
Noritz ............................................17
www.noritz.com
Panasonic ......................................15
www.panasonic.com
Rinnai..............................................4
www.rinnai.us
Sanilfo...........................................36
www.saniflo.com
Service Metal Products .................65
www.servicemetal.net
Sioux Chief ...................................67
www.siouxchief.com
Sloan .............................................40
www.sloanvalve.com
Smith Cooper ..................................5
www.smithcooper.com
Speedclean ....................................46
www.speedclean.com
Stiebel Eltron ................................24
www.stiebel-eltron-usa.com
Sureseal.........................................61
www.thesureseal.com/tw
Ta Chen........................................BC
www.tachen.com
Taco...............................................75
www.taco-hvac.com
Tapco ..............................54, 55, IBC
ww.tapcogenuinepartscenter.com
Titan Flow.....................................44
www.titanfci.com
Trenton Pipe and Nipple ...............58
www.trentonpipe.com
United Pipe ...................................13
www.united-pipe.com
Val-fit ............................................35
www.valfit.com
Vaughn Heaters.............................28
www.vaughncorp.com
Vitra USA .....................................39
www.vitra-usa.com
Wal-Rich .......................................12
www.wal-rich.com
Watts ...........................................IFC
www.watts.com
Weldbend ................................22, 23
www.weldbend.com
Your Other Warehouse..................71
www.yourotherwarehouse.com
Zoeller...........................................63
www.zoeller.com
Zurn...............................................81
www.zurn.com
®
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exclusive supplier
of American Standard®
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parts, made to authentic
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April 2012 - The Wholesaler

Transcription

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