Supply House Times articles from May 2003

Supply House Times archives from May 2003

Commercial-institutional wholesaler responds. (Letters).
May 1, 2003... I have some exceptions to what was written in "The Commercial-Institutional Marketplace" in the April issue. Our company derives a large portion of our volume from the commercial-institutional, new construction, plumbing and PVF market. We...

"Factual" editorial on free trade. (Letters).
May 1, 2003... Great article ("The Free Trade Revolution, SUPPLY HOUSE TIMES, March 2003, page 100)! It takes some guts to treat this "gobalization" issue factually and I think you have done so. At MANA, we have the first small controversy in the five years I...

Terry Sherman remembered. (Letters).
May 1, 2003... As reported in the April issue of SUPPLY HOUSE TIMES, Milwaukee Valve's Terry Sherman has died at the young age of 54. For those of us who have spent 30+ years in this industry, the news of his death was a total surprise. When I first became...

SWA [Southern Wholesalers Association] celebrates amid uncertainty.
May 1, 2003... A convention that billed itself as "Celebrating 75 Years of Tradition spent most of its substantive time trying to divine the future. Two speakers at the 75th convention of the Southern Wholesalers Association, held in Boca Raton, Fla., March...

Ferguson. (People On The Move ...).
May 1, 2003... Ferguson (Newport News, Va.) appointed Ray Collins president/general manager, Salem, Ore. He joined the wholesaler through the Familian Northwest integration. Most recently he was branch manager at that location.

Hercules Chemical Co. (People On The Move ...).
May 1, 2003... Hercules Chemical Co. announced that Jay Fidler, chairman, retired April 30 after a 57-year career with the company. He started working for Hercules at its office/factory in lower Manhattan in June 1946 after returning from service in the U.S....

Residential building permit activity regional & local market survey. (A Supply House Times Exclusive).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... ANALYSIS Single-family permit activity in February slowed abruptly from January's (and last year's) impressive 8.5% annual growth, with every region except the West showing negative or flat growth. Even in the West, where still exceptional...

Ferguson acquires two wholesalers. (News: companies ... associations ... people ... government ... trends).(Linwood Pipe and Supply Co.)(Hanco Plumbing Supply)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Newport News, Va.-based Ferguson purchased Linwood Pipe and Supply Co., based in Detroit, and Hanco Plumbing Supply of Ashland, Ky. Both companies were acquired through asset transactions. Family-owned and operated Linwood Pipe and Supply...

Obituaries.
May 1, 2003... Jay R. Smith, 92, chairman of the board and former president of Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. from 1942 to 1978, died of natural causes at his home in West Palm Beach, Fla., March 28. His legacy lives on with his family, in the company that bears his...

Clarification.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Photographer Andrew Carney of Norfolk, Va., took the photo of David Peebles and Charlie Banks that is on page 64 of the "Ferguson At Fifty" supplement, distributed with the April issues of SUPPLY HOUSE TIMES and Plumbing & Mechanical.

Elkay Manufacturing Co. (Kudos To ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Elkay Manufacturing Co. was presented with the Partnership for Excellence Award, sponsored by the Illinois Council on Economic Education, in recognition of its long-term commitment to economic and financial literacy.

Delta Faucet Co. (Kudos To ...).(Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Delta Faucet Co. was named "Supplier of the Year" for 2002 by Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse. The criteria Lowe's used for judging suppliers included product quality and value, responsible environmental stewardship, innovative merchandising...

Triangle Sales. (Manufacturers Rep News ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Triangle Sales, Bridgeville, Pa., now also represents Jacuzzi and Bath Unlimited.

Moen Inc. (And The Winners Are ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Moen Inc. awarded three wholesalers six-day trips for two to Kent, England to attend the 2003 British Open as part of a product incentive program. Winners Morrison Supply (Fort Worth, Texas) will send Brent Carter, territory manager; Wool...

Takagi Industrial Co. U.S.A. (Branching Out...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Takagi Industrial Co. U.S.A. has added toilet seats to its product offerings. Its new Fresh Seat combines features of a toilet seat and bidet. For information, call 888-882-5244 or visit www.takagi-usa.com.

Kohler and Sterling division launch road shows. (Bath & Kitchen).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Both Kohler Co. and its Sterling division have embarked on road shows, each in four custom trucks outfitted with products, literature, computer/video demonstrations and Internet access, to strengthen relationships with customers. Kohler...

Obituary.(Alan Gerber Lewis, Gerber Plumbing Fixtures Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Alan Gerber Lewis, 56, a former CEO of Gerber Plumbing Fixtures Corp., died suddenly April 22. He worked for the company nearly 30 years, serving as CEO from 1989 until he retired in 1999. He was brother to Ila Lewis, current Gerber chairman....

Sterling discontinued entire faucet line. (Bath & Kitchen).(Kohler Co.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The Kohler Co. has discontinued production of its Sterling brand of bathroom and kitchen faucets, including Nova[TM], Starflo[TM], Gemini[TM], Tribute[TM], Eminence[TM], Progression[TM], and bath/shower drains and accessories, according to a...

Forte Buying Group welcomes new members. (Bath & Kitchen).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Six new member companies were introduced at the semi-annual conference of Forte Buying Group held in New Orleans in March. Representatives from Bell Supply (Newark, Del.); Snyder Diamond (Santa Monica, Calif.); The Finial (Mequon, Wis.); Chown...

Lowe's names Jacuzzi exclusive supplier. (Bath & Kitchen).(Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse)(Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse has named Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath, a brand of U.S. Industries, as the exclusive supplier of jetted baths to more than 850 Lowe's stores nationwide. Jacuzzi began store installations in April and expects to...

Fairmont Supply Co. (Appointments ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Fairmont Supply Co. (Canonsburg, Pa.) appointed Richard L. Layton president, succeeding Charles F. Whitlow, who retired after 33 years of service with the company. Layton had been vice president of operations. The company distributes industrial...

Flowserve Corp. (Appointments ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Flowserve Corp. has appointed Thomas Ferguson president of the Flowserve Pump Div. He has been with Flowserve and a predecessor company for 16 years, most recently as corporate vice president and president of the Flow Solutions Div. He...

American Valve. (Appointments...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... American Valve named Dave Zagury vice president of sales. He had been northeast regional manager for the past seven years. Previously, he served 16 years in a similar capacity for Zidell Enterprises, a major PVF manufacturer and master...

Industrial Supply Corp. (Appointments ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Industrial Supply Corp. (Richmond, Va.) named Steve Jones eastern regional manager, responsible for its Richmond, Chesapeake, Waynesboro and Winchester locations. Most recently Jones was complex manager of the Industrial Distribution Center for...

Hot Box. (Appointments ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Hot Box has named Brian Devine as southeast regional sales manager. He spent the last five years as a district manager with Home Depot. Hot Box is an industry leader in valve enclosures.

IPSCO. (Appointments ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... IPSCO appointed Greg Maindonald vice president/operations services. The 30-year IPSCO veteran will be responsible for information technology, transportation and purchasing.

Crane Canada buys NH Valves. (Pipe-Valves-Fittings).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Crane Co.'s Canadian subsidiary has acquired NH Valves, a Newman Hattersley Canada Ltd. company. The acquisition will become part of the Crane Valves North America (CVNA) division of Crane Co's Fluid Handling Group. The purchase only...

Italian firm buys Red-White Valve Corp. (Pipe-Valves-Fittings).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Red-White Valve Corp. has sold the majority of its existing shares to the Italian valve manufacturer Valvoindustria Ing. Rizzio (VIR). The remaining shares shall continue to be held by Mitsui & Co., which co-founded Red-White in 1971 as a joint...

McJunkin to acquire Valvax Corp. (Pipe-Valves-Fittings).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... McJunkin Corp. (Charleston, WV) announced that one of its subsidiaries has signed a letter of intent to acquire Valvax Corp. Founded in 1981, Valvax is a distributor of valves, engineered valves, valve automation and specialty products in the...

Obituary: R.I.P. NIBCO's Lee Martin.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Lee Martin, former president, CEO and chairman of NIBCO, died on March 26 at the age of 83. Vice chairman of NIBCO's Board since 1995, Martin served for nearly 60 years with the company, which was founded by his maternal grandfather, Casper...

Columbia Specialty Co. buys Stain Steel Inc. (Pipe-Valves-Fittings).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Columbia Specialty Co. Inc. of Paramount, CA has purchased Stain Steel Inc. of Downey, CA. Stain Steel produces stainless and aluminum piping products. Columbia has been in business since 1961 serving customers with stainless steel, alloy,...

New master distributor arises for high-temp alloys. (Pipe-Valves-Fittings).(from Alloy Master Supply Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Based in Spring, TX, a northern suburb of Houston, Alloy Master Supply, Ltd. (AMS), was formed in July as a master distributor of high temperature alloys in ASME/ASTM SA/A335-P grade pressure piping and ASME/ASTM SA/A182-F grade pressure...

PW Eagle acquires Uponor ETI. (Pipe-Valves-Fittings).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... PW Eagle of Minneapolis has acquired all of the stock of Uponor ETI Co., a subsidiary of Uponor Oyj, a Finnish company. Uponor ETI's name will be changed to Extrusion Technologies, Inc. (ETI), and operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of PW...

German firm develops new chemical process tubing. (Pipe-Valves-Fittings).(SGL Acotec GmbH)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... SGL Acotec GmbH, a member of the SGL Carbon Group that specializes in industrial corrosion protection, has developed a GRP bonded tube system capable of handling highly corrosive media at temperatures of up to 200[degrees]C (392[degrees]F),...

Large diameter molded fittings. (Pipe-Valves-Fittings).
May 1, 2003... LARGE DIAMETER MOLDED FITTINGS: Charlotte Pipe and Foundry offers a new line of 10-inch and 12-inch PVC DWV molded fittings. "Most fittings larger than eight inches are fabricated," said Reese Sumrall, technical director for Charlotte Pipe's...

Turbocor, Inc. (People On The Move ...).
May 1, 2003... Turbocor, Inc. elected James H. Schultz to its Board of Directors. Schultz recently retired as president of the Commercial Systems of the Trane Co., completing a successful 31-year career with Trane.

NORDYNE, Inc. (People On The Move ...).
May 1, 2003... NORDYNE, Inc. President and CEO David LaGrand was reappointed as vice president of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's (ARI) Board of Directors. He continues to serve as a member of the executive committee, chair of the...

Coleman[R] Heating and Air Conditioning. (As Seen On TV ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Coleman[R] Heating and Air Conditioning, a division of YORK International Corp.'s Unitary Products Group (UPG), is debuting its first national television commercial as part of its Spring 2003 national consumer media campaign. The company plans...

Rheem Air Conditioning. (As Seen On TV ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Rheem Air Conditioning released two 30-second television spots entitled "Yoga" and "Massage" that use humor to depict homeowners seeking heating or cooling relief through comical efforts that go laughably wrong. At the end of each commercial, a...

CFC chiller phaseout affected by slow economy. (Hydronics/HVACR).(chlorofluorocarbons)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Last year, building owners in the United States replaced or converted about 2,600 comfort cooling chillers that use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), according to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). Due to concerns about the...

NORDYNE signs Maytag distributors in Midwest. (Hydronics/HVACR).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... NORDYNE named Milwaukee Stove of Wisconsin, Riback Supply Co. of Missouri and Young Supply Co. of Michigan to distribute Maytag heating and air conditioning products to dealers in their respective areas. Milwaukee Stove, in operation since...

McCleery speaks at UAB. (Technology).(Winston T. McCleery)(University of Alabama Birmingham)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Winston T. McCleery, CEO of Management Software Systems, Inc., lectured students at the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) this month on his unique method of inventory and customer ranking. McCleery was asked to present his method to...

Recruiting sites unite under MEPAtWork.com. (Technology).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... HVACjob.com, PLUMBjob.com and ELECTRICjob.com, job and resume sites serving the mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) industries, have been united under the new MEP AT WORK brand name. The change, made by the boards' operator, MECHdata,...

Prophet 21. (Partnerships ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Prophet 21 announced that tool manufacturers Stanley Tools and Black & Decker-DeWalt have joined Trading Partner Connect. Trading Partner Connect streamlines the commerce process between manufacturers, distributors, and end-users.

Hubbard Enterprises/HOLDRITE[R]. (Web Site To Watch ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Hubbard Enterprises/HOLDRITE[R]'s new Web site allows visitors to access Hubbard products via application use, type of pipe, or product model number. Its new product information, specification sheets, literature, and Web site links are also...

Premier 150 thinking positive: more than half of the wholesalers contacted predict a sales increase in 2003. (Cover Story).
May 1, 2003... Last year more than 70% of the wholesalers contacted for Supply House Times' Premier 150 survey expected sales to increase in 2002. Those optimistic projections for fiscal 2002 largely came to pass, with 61% of the wholesalers contacted...

The U.S. faucet marketplace: distributor profitability is increasingly connected to customer insight. (Special Report).
May 1, 2003... Fifteen years ago about 20% of consumers were involved in plumbing product selections for the home. Today, it might be as high as 75%. Winning companies--wholesalers, showrooms, builders, manufacturers--are beginning to reap the rewards...

Mincron Users Conference: most people travel to New Orleans for the fun of nightlife, but sometimes you can learn a thing or two--and in some cases you can learn a lot. .(Column)
May 1, 2003... Software and business service mogul Mincron Software Systems held its 2003 Users Conference in New Orleans to display and discuss new technologies that can make wholesalers' lives easier. About 35 companies brought a total of 90 employees...

"Hot Topics" for manufacturers.(American Standards Association vendor members division reports.)
May 1, 2003... About 30 manufacturer executives took part in the first "VMD Hot Topics Roundtable" session on March 19th in Boca Raton, Fla. The Vendor Member Division of ASA sponsored the gathering which was organized to engage members and prospective...

A simple solution: these industry leaders have chosen the IDB [industry database] for their product data needs, and so can you! .(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... F.W. Webb, Torrington Supply, Winnelson--these highly-recognized names in our industry have done. their research and chosen ASA's Industry Database--the IDB--to supply them with timely and accurate product data, catalogs, and marketing content....

ASA [American Standards Association] exhibits at embassy's spring conference. .(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The ASA Center for Advancing Technology exhibited the latest in technology-related solutions available to industry, wholesalers and manufacturers during the March 20-22 Embassy Group Ltd. meeting in Miami Beach. A large crowd was in...

Some observations on training and technology. .(Column)
May 1, 2003... Within the past few months, I've visited dozens of wholesalers and vendors at regional conventions, pilot courses and buying group meetings. Participants in the meetings have shared with me the challenges they face implementing training and...

Industry families support education foundation: gifts made to honor Neupert and Weinstein.(The Karl E. Neupert Endowment Fund has been the recipient of two extraordinary gestures of generosity.)
May 1, 2003... The Karl E. Neupert Endowment Fund has been the recipient of two extraordinary gestures of generosity, the result of which has brought the total pledged to the Fund almost $9.4 million. In December 2002, the PHCP industry and ASA lost a...

Crane Valves named L & S Associates of Wakefield, MA its Rep of the Year. (Kudos ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Crane Valves named L & S Associates of Wakefield, MA its Rep of the Year. Principals are Steven Minichello and Peter Lofgren.

Crane's Stockham Valve division gave its Rep of the Year award to New England's Green Sales. (Kudos ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Crane's Stockham Valve division gave its Rep of the Year award to New England's Green Sales. Principals Bill Green and Greg Green have been in the rep business for 23 years.

Performance Pipe, a division of Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP and North America's leading producer of polyethylene pipe systems, named Ferguson (Newport News, Va.) its "Distributor of the Year for 2002." (Kudos ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Performance Pipe, a division of Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP and North America's leading producer of polyethylene pipe systems, named Ferguson (Newport News, Va.) its "Distributor of the Year for 2002." Performance Pipe presented the award...

ISH 2003: an overview of the world's largest trade fair and international styles and trends. (Darlington on Showrooms).
May 1, 2003... While sitting on a Boeing 767, flying at 36,000 feet and going almost 600 miles per hour, I decided to use the 8-hour flight time from Frankfurt, Germany to the United States to consolidate my many thoughts and impressions after attending ISH...

The role of refrigerant lines in air conditioning systems: there is a science to selecting copper tubing. (Wheeler on HVACR).
May 1, 2003... Yes, your company sells them, all types of copper tubing--insulated and uninsulated--to connect up split-system air conditioners. Is there any science involved in properly selecting the right type of tube? You bet! First of all, there are...

ITC investigating steel safeguard impact. (Pipes-Valves-Fittings).(International Trade Commission)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The U.S. International Trade Commission has instituted a general fact-finding investigation under section 332 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to examine current competitive conditions facing U.S. steel consuming industries with respect to tariffs and...

Elkay. (Products).
May 1, 2003... This 4-color catalog covers Elkay's entire line of stainless steel undermount sinks, including new 2003 models. The company offers more than 80 models of stainless steel undermount sinks in a variety of sizes. >> Circle 180 ...

Invensys building systems'. (Products).
May 1, 2003... The Erie general close-off (AG) actuators now fit in baseboard systems. Measuring 2-3/8" wide, this patented, UL-listed actuator has improved close-off ratings and is designed to fit in virtually any style of heating unit. >> Circle 181...

AERCO. (Products).
May 1, 2003... Natural gas- and propane-fired KC1000 boilers can be equipped to meet stringent NOx emissions standards. A condensing design eliminates secondary piping. Each one million Btu unit occupies a 78"H x 22"W x 57"D footprint with flexible venting....

General pipe cleaners. (Products).
May 1, 2003... The Power-Vee[TM] automatic feed drain cleaner has a simplified feeding system and unclogs sink, shower, toilet, and laundry drains up to 3" and can quickly adjust to take any diameter cable from 1/4" to 3/8" without requiring the use of tools...

More associations endorse ISH North America. (News: companies ... associations ... people ... government ... trends).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (3,000+ members), the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society, the American Backflow Prevention Association and the World Plumbing Council have endorsed ISH North America, along...

Cash Acme. (People On The Move ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Cash Acme, a division of Reliance World Wide, named Kendriek Reaves the North American national sales and marketing manager. He joined the company in March after spending more than seven years with the Kohler Co., where he held various...

Brad Sell fundraiser. (News: companies ... associations ... people ... government ... trends).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... An auction and roast is planned for June 4 at the Sheraton Towers, Framingham, Mass., to help Brad Sell. a 33-year veteran of the PHCP distribution industry, who is battling prostate cancer. It will include a $100-per-plate dinner with...

Litter versus glitter: two different mindsets came starkly into view during travels in Europe. (Editorial).
May 1, 2003... Of all the things I saw in late March during my fifth trip to Germany, the deepest impression was made by litter. Discarded trash lined both sides of a two-lane country road for some 60 kms as our tour bus headed to a factory in the little...