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 Read more
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 Read more
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 150th 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 Read more
A.O. Smith will celebrate the company’s 150th 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 Read more
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.
To celebrate National Tune Up Day on September 25, Service Experts will give $5 from every tune-up, drain cleaning and water heater flush to Make-A-Wish® America throughout the months of September and October. The contribution of up to $40,000 from Service Experts continues a relationship started in 2018 with Make-A-Wish America that has led to Read more
To celebrate National Tune Up Day on September 25, Service Experts will give $5 from every tune-up, drain cleaning and water heater flush to Make-A-Wish® America throughout the months of September and October. The contribution of up to $40,000 from Service Experts continues a relationship started in 2018 with Make-A-Wish America that has led to more than $1.5 million in total giving to help grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
“Getting to see the power of a wish for a child and their family has been the highlight of our partnership with Make-A-Wish America – we’ve had the honor of getting to personally grant 27 wishes in that time,” said Dave Moody, Chief Marketing Officer of Service Experts. “National Tune Up Day and the weeks around it have our technicians in even more people’s homes, giving them the perfect opportunity to highlight the work Make-A-Wish is doing with help from our network of more than 100 service centers.”
Most recently, Service Experts participated in a wish reveal with Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana to a 12-year-old with a respiratory disorder to Hawaii with her family. Earlier this year, the company also had the honor of Linda Pauling, co-founder of Make-A-Wish, joining them for a wish reveal at their annual meeting in Orlando. A wish experience can be a game-changer, impacting not only the wish kids, but also their families, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals and communities. A wish renews hope, uplifts spirits and encourages the belief in the impossible, giving kids the strength to fight against—and even overcome—a critical illness.
“Make-A-Wish relies on the generosity of individuals and organizations, like Service Experts, to close the gap in the number of children waiting for their wishes to be granted,” said Leslie Motter, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “For the past seven years, Service Experts has ensured that when children are dealing with unplanned hospital stays and uncomfortable treatments, they can count on a wish to help them replace anxiety with hope and reclaim a piece of their childhood.”
Since its founding in 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 375,000 wishes nationwide to children battling critical illnesses. A wish experience can be a game-changer, and tens of thousands of volunteers, donors, and supporters like Service Experts advance the Make-A-Wish vision to grant the wish of every eligible child.