Industry News

In observance of National Energy Awareness Month this October, Watts has announced the launch of a six-week sustainability-inspired eLearning campaign titled Energize Your Knowledge. Running from October 1 through November 10, the campaign is designed to educate customers on environmentally conscious products and solutions that are specifically engineered to minimize environmental impact, enhance cost-efficiency, and help customers achieve their sustainability objectives.

The Energize Your Knowledge campaign features over 80 eLearning modules from the Watts family of brands, with eight courses eligible for Continuing Education credit.

Highlighted products in the campaign include anti-scale systems, which enhance water and electricity savings by eliminating unnecessary regeneration cycles, and balancing valves, which can reduce energy consumption by up to 35%. Customers will also learn about smart home management devices that adapt to user lifestyles and optimize energy usage without compromising comfort.

Other featured products include Bradley motion-detecting faucets, which conserve water and energy by only activating when necessary, the Dormont FloPro-MD, which maximizes energy efficiency during the startup and commissioning of gas appliances, and the IntelliStation 2, a precise water management solution that maintains outlet temperatures within ±2°F, offering significantly tighter control than traditional thermostatic mixing valves.

As part of this campaign, customers who complete 24 or more modules will receive a complimentary solar power bank.

To learn more, www.watts.com/EnergizeYourKnowledge.

Plumbing and HVACR apprentice contests in Birmingham are set to showcase top talent this year.

Falls Church, Va. — A strong line-up of top apprentices will have their opportunity to shine at the PHCC Educational Foundation’s National Plumbing and HVACR apprentice contests. This two-day competition will take place during CONNECT 2024, October 7-10, at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center, Birmingham, Alabama.

These contests — always a popular attraction on the trade show floor — will highlight the skills and expertise of the nation’s top apprentices in the plumbing and HVACR industries and allow attendees to watch the contestants’ progress.

Apprentices from across the country will come together to showcase their expertise and compete for the title of the nation’s top apprentice. This event offers apprentices not only a chance to demonstrate their skills but also an opportunity to network with fellow apprentices and industry professionals.

Plumbing apprentices must rough-in a bathroom – including the drain, waste and vent lines, a toilet, a sink and shower. HVACR apprentices must demonstrate their knowledge with a written test, plus their hands-on skills with brazing, pressure testing, refrigerant recovery and diagnosing and repairing a package unit system.

The evening of Tuesday, October 8, will kick off with a pep rally on the tradeshow floor to energize and support the contestants. University of Alabama sportscaster Chris Stewart will emcee the event. After the contest concludes on Wednesday, October 9, participants and attendees are invited to celebrate at the awards breakfast on Thursday, October 10. This event will honor the top performers and offer a final chance to honor the hard work and dedication of the next generation of industry leaders.

“We are very proud to sponsor these contests each year,” says Kevin Tindall, PHCC Educational Foundation chair. “Not only do they provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for star apprentices to demonstrate their skills on a national stage, but the contests also support the Foundation’s mission by helping to generate awareness for local apprentice programs, boosting interest in the fields of plumbing and HVAC and attracting new recruits to the industry.”

For more details, visit phccweb.org/CONNECT. This site offers information on education sessions, speakers, exhibitors, registration and hotel reservations, as well as the many attractions of Birmingham, Alabama, known as “The Country’s Best Kept Secret.” Register for CONNECT 2024 here.

A.O. Smith will celebrate the company’s 150^th anniversary in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on Thursday, Sept. 19. The festivities will focus on A. O. Smith’s rich history, the employees, its innovative transformations and the promising future ahead.

The event will also celebrate the opening of the site’s third plant and an additional building expansion, which will add hundreds of new jobs and produce more than 140,000 water heating units in the first year.

The Sept. 19 celebration will include food, festivities and a ribbon cutting ceremony with employees, elected officials and other key stakeholders. The event will include Claudia Escudero from the Mexican Consulate; Cristina Touché, president of Economic Development of Ciudad Juárez; Cruz Pérez Cuellar, mayor of Ciudad Juárez, and his private secretary, Ignacio Carmona Campirano; along with Isela Molina Alcay, president, and Mónica Leticia Luévano García, director, with Canacintra, the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry.

The program will feature Chairman and CEO Kevin Wheeler; Stephen O’Brien, president and general manager of North America Water Heating; Samuel Carver, senior vice president of global operations; Keith Auville, vice president of North America manufacturing; and Eduardo Gonzalez, Ciudad Juárez operations director. More than 1,000 employees are also expected to attend.

The company has had a presence in Mexico since 1984, beginning with electric motor assembly operations in Ciudad Juárez and Ciudad Acuna. In 1986, the company began manufacturing water heaters, and in 1995, the company withdrew from the automotive industry to focus on water heaters.

Malco providing hammer for use during Wednesday’s event

Malco Tools, one of the nation’s top manufacturers of high-quality tools for the HVAC and building construction industries, is proud to announce its involvement in the Inaugural First Nail Ceremony for the upcoming 2025 presidential inauguration this January.

The Inaugural First Nail Ceremony takes place every year to commemorate the start of construction of the inaugural platform on which the next president and vice president will be sworn into office. During the ceremony, members of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies hammer nails into a symbolic piece of wood, in which Malco’s Claw Hammer will be used, representing manufacturing in the state of Minnesota. Malco was chosen for this event by Minnesota State Senator Amy Klobuchar who serves as chair of this year’s joint committee.

“We are honored to be part of this historical event,” said Malco President and CEO, Rich Benninghoff.  “The use of the Malco Claw Hammer as a way to represent the strength of manufacturing in Minnesota is a source of great pride for our company and our team members.”

This year’s First Nail Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 10:30 a.m. CST and will also be broadcast on Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies website.

The company, founded in 1950 and based in Annandale, Minn., represents the state’s thriving manufacturing industry, employing more than 160 people. For more information about Malco Tools, visit www.malcotools.com.