Supply House Times articles from May 2008

Supply House Times archives from May 2008

WinWholesale.(PEOPLE ON THE MOVE)
May 1, 2008... WinWholesale (Dayton, OH), named Jim Kennaugh an area leader in its Western region and Rob McCullough was named region manager for the Southern and Southeast regions of Noland Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of WinWholesale.

American Pipe & Supply Co.(PEOPLE ON THE MOVE)
May 1, 2008... American Pipe & Supply Co. (Birmingham, AL) has named Phillip Martin operations manager, Martin has 13 years' experience in the plumbing wholesale business.

Matco-Norca.(PEOPLE ON THE MOVE)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Matco-Norca appointed Scott Bardreau vice president of sales. Most recently he was national sales manager for the wholesale group at Watts Regulator Co.

Bradford White.(PEOPLE ON THE MOVE)
May 1, 2008... Bradford White promoted Jason E. Fifer to product manager. Most recently he was product analyst.

Rheem Manufacturing Co.(PEOPLE ON THE MOVE)
May 1, 2008... Rheem Manufacturing Co. named Christopher (Chris) Peel corporate senior vice president and COO. Peel most recently held positions with Heatcraft Worldwide Refrigeration--Americas, a division of Lennox International. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ClimateMaster.(PEOPLE ON THE MOVE)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ClimateMaster hired Tony Landers as director of marketing. Most recently he was the marketing manager for commercial unitary products with Johnson Controls.

Leaky pipes.(down the PIPE: COMPANY / ASSOCIATION / TRENDS / PEOPLE
May 1, 2008... THAT'S THE GUY YOU APPROVED FOR A SMALL BUSINESS LOAN?... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Johnstone Supply Responds to tornado damage.(Industry News)
May 1, 2008... Detailed emergency and contingency plans enabled Johnstone Supply (Portland, OR) to restore its regional distribution center in Memphis, TN, to full operation within a week after suffering significant damage from a tornado. A series of...

HD supply unveils proprietary brands.(down the PIPE: COMPANY / ASSOCIATION
May 1, 2008... Atlanta, GA-based HD Supply launched two new proprietary brands, Seasons and Brigade, in April. The Seasons brand will be carried on products such as kitchen and bath fixtures and ceiling fans, ultimately used by consumers, while the Brigade...

Omni corporate services meets in Cancun.(down the PIPE: COMPANY / ASSOCIATION
May 1, 2008... Nearly 1,200 people attended Omni's 27th annual spring meeting, held in Cancun, Mexico, Feb. 3-5. This included 215 member companies and 120 vendors. The conference booth meetings between distributors and vendors were held outside under a...

Embassy Group Ltd. honors John Vogt.(down the PIPE)(Award to John Vogt of National Wholesale Supply, Dallas, TX)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... The Embassy Group Ltd. presented a Founder's Award to John Vogt of National Wholesale Supply, Dallas, TX, at its spring conference held March 11-15 in Orlando, FL. Pictured (L to R): Wally GUmm, Embassy president; John Vogt; Frank Finkel of...

Gerber Plumbing Fixtures.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... Gerber Plumbing Fixtures hired Claude Dib as NA demand planning and inventory analyst, based in its Montreal office. She has worked in the accounting and finance departments for Gerber's parent company, Globe Union, since 2006.

Blanco America.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Blanco America promoted Christy Emens to marketing communications manager. She had been marketing communications specialist.

The Century Cos.(EXPANSION/ACQUISITIONS ...)
May 1, 2008... The Century Cos. (Houston, TX) announced the addition of Johnson A/C Supply (Dallas, TX) to its family of companies. Johnson A/C Supply has been in business since 1980 and has two locations in the Dallas/Richardson area. This acquisition gives...

ABCO Refrigeration Supply Corp.(EXPANSION/ACQUISITIONS ...)
May 1, 2008... ABCO Refrigeration Supply Corp. (Long Island City, NY) has relocated its Manhattan branch to 438 West 37th St., New York, NY. The grand opening for the superstore included lunch, a raffle to benefit Make-A-Wish and the launch of a series of...

Crawford Supply Co.(EXPANSION/ACQUISITIONS ...)
May 1, 2008... Crawford Supply Co. (Morton Grove, IL) said it will open a 5,000-sq.-ft. showroom in Itasca, IL, in June. The facility will also include a distribution center, inside sales and counter sales.

Ferguson.(EXPANSION/ACQUISITIONS ...)
May 1, 2008... Ferguson (Newport News, VA) opened a 7,000-sq.-ft. showroom in Rocky Mount, NC, attached to its current Rocky Mount branch at 572 Sutter's Creek Blvd. It offers plumbing, appliances and lighting.

Wit & Co. hosts 24th annual distributor/vendor conference.(down the PIPE)(WIT & Co. is a pioneer in the plumbing, heating and cooling industries conference)(Conference news)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... More than 700 distributors and vendors attended Wit & Co.'s distributor/vendor conference March 3-7 in Austin, TX. Chris Perry (pictured) of VAMAC, Richmond, VA, current president of Wit, moderated the general session. Among the highlights was...

Ferguson.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... Ferguson also announced the grand opening of a 15,000-sq.-ft. waterworks location in Clifton Park, NY, on May 1, offering water, sewer and drain products and geotextiles.

First Supply LLC.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... First Supply LLC (Madison, WI) opened a location at 1703 Academy Ave. in Tomah, WI. Schmidt's Wholesale (Monticello, NY) has opened a third location with the acquisition of long-time local distributor Smith Supply, Newburgh, NY.

HD Supply.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... HD Supply (Orlando, FL) announced that its Creative Touch Interiors (CTI) business has entered the Atlanta market with the opening of a 20,000-sq.-ft. warehouse. The facility will serve national home builder customers by warehousing and...

Bradford White.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... Bradford White converted its 50,O00-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, into a distribution center serving all of Canada and moved production of oil-powered and indirect water heaters to its manufacturing facilities...

Wit & Co.(CONTESTS, AWARDS ...)
May 1, 2008... Wit & Co. Awards to the following distributors (in alphabetical order) at its distributor/ vendor conference March 3-7 in Austin, TX: APR Supply Co., Lebanon, PA; Canyon Pipe & Supply, Phoenix, AZ; Consolidated Supply Co., Portland, OR; Cregger...

WinWholesale presents its first Vendor of Year awards.(down the PIPE)
May 1, 2008... WinWholesale Presents Its First Vendor of Year Awards WinWholesale (Dayton, OH) recognized vendors in the plumbing, HVAC, electrical, industrial supplies, and waterworks and utility supplies categories with its first ever "Vendor of the Year"...

Lute Supply.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... Lute Supply (Portsmouth, OH) received the Harold V. Goodman distributor award from Goodman Manufacturing Co. at its annual distributor meeting. Lute Supply, a family-owned third-generation wholesale distributor with locations in Ohio, Kentucky,...

Watts Regulator Co.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Watts Regulator Co. presented its Lifetime Achievement award to Paul Polverari, national market manager. He has been with the company 17 years.

US Airconditioning Distributors.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... US Airconditioning Distributors (City of Industry, CA) was presented with the 2007 United States Distributor of the Year award Polverari by Mitsubishi Electric at its HVAC Advanced Products Division's annual distributor conference in February.

First Supply LLC.(INDUSTRY NEWS ...)
May 1, 2008... First Supply LLC (Madison, WI) said it is now an independent, full-line Allied Air Enterprises distributor, offering Allied Commercial, Ducane, Armstrong Air and Magic-Pak home comfort heating and cooling systems.

Wilson.(EXPANSIONS ...)(Wilson, Pipe, valves, fittings giant, has opened a new 450000-sq center)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Wilson, the Houston-based industrial PVF giant, has opened a new 450,000-sq.-ft. distribution center featuring the combined inventory of five DCs while leveraging the efficiency of a single operation. Situated in La Porte, TX, near the Port of...

HD Supply Waterworks.(EXPANSIONS ...)
May 1, 2008... HD Supply Waterworks has finalized the purchase of D&M Fabrication, Inc. Located in Lodi, CA, D&M specializes in fabricating fire protection systems for distributors and contractors who design, sell and/or install systems for end users. Terms...

Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Corp.(PEOPLE ON THE MOVE ...)
May 1, 2008... Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Corp. promoted John Brennan, who currently heads up Valve Systems and Controls, to vice president and general manager of the company's Oil and Gas Systems Division. His industrial PVF career, which began in 1971,...

Victaulic.(PEOPLE ON THE MOVE ...)(Victaulic promoted Mark Danial)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Victaulic promoted Mark Danial to vice president--operations. He will oversee manufacturing for foundries in Alburtis and Forks, PA, and manufacturing of fire protection products and gaskets in Leland, NC. Additionally, he is responsible for...

Industrial Information Resources.(THIS 'N THAT ...)(Report of Industrial construction spending)(Financial report)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Industrial Information Resources reports that industrial project spending this year is experiencing 21% growth vs. 2007. Currently, there is almost $374 billion worth of industrial projects which have begun or are scheduled to begin...

F. W. Webb.(THIS 'N THAT ...)(Devon Craig achieved Lothar Kartanos Memorial Sales Award )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... F. W. Webb's 2008 Lothar Kartanos Memorial Sales Award was presented to Devon Craig. He was the first recipient of this new annual recognition named after the recently deceased Kartanos, who represented the company in the industrial marketplace...

Hirsch.(THIS 'N THAT ...)
May 1, 2008... Hirsch, Van Nuys, CA, with 12 branch locations throughout the state, is a new PVF member of supplyForce.

IPSCO Tubulars sold to Russian steel makers.(Pipe, Valves & Fittings News)
May 1, 2008... SSAB has divested its IPSCO Tubulars operations to Russia's Evraz Group for $4.025 billion (U.S.) in cash. IPSCO Tubulars, acquired as part of SSAB's acquisition of IPSCO in 2007, had 2007 sales of $2.4 billion. The agreement between SSAB and...

Curtiss-Wright gets big nuclear order.(down the PIPE: COMPANY / ASSOCIATION
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Curtiss-Wright Corp. said that it has received orders from Westinghouse Electric Co. to provide four generation II reactor coolant pumps and pump seals supporting the completion of Unit 2 of the Tennessee Valley...

PMI and CIPH.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... PMI and CIPH: Barbara C. Higgens, executive director of the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute, and Ralph Suppa, president and general manager of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at PMI's Spring...

Myson Inc.(BITS AND PIECES)
May 1, 2008... Myson Inc. has launched an expanded Web site at www.mysoninc.com, providing better content and accessibility to information about the company and its line of towel warmers, radiators, fan convectors and shower rails.

The Joyce Agency.(REP UPDATE ...)
May 1, 2008... The Joyce Agency (Springfield, VA) received the Rep of the Year award from Steamist in recognition of its sales growth and overall market development in 2007.

Counterfeit water valves show up in nuclear plant.(CRIME SCENE)
May 1, 2008... The Wall Street Journal reported in its April 11 edition that Southern Co.'s Hatch nuclear power plant in Georgia turned up a couple of fake water valves accompanied by paperwork indicating they supposedly were made by "Ladish Co. of Houston,...

The do's and don'ts of loyalty programs.(PVF TALK)
May 1, 2008... Many companies offer some kind of benefit to those customers they consider loyal. A local coffee shop might give customers a punch card. The premise is simple: Buy 10 cups of coffee and get the next one free. Other companies offer points, cash...

Full-port ball valves.(PRODUCT PREVIEW)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [1] Apollo Valves' 77C "Contractor" Series full-port bronze ball valve line now includes a 2-1/2-inch model, This larger size valve features a chrome-plated machined brass ball, providing straight-through flow and...

Tankless water heater water and gas connection kits.(PRODUCT PREVIEW)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [2] Dormont Manufacturing has introduced water and gas connection kits that provide all components needed to install gas or electric tankless water heaters. Each kit consists of service valves with dual 3/4-inch NPT...

Hammer arresters.(PRODUCT PREVIEW)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [3] IPS Corp. has announced the Shock-Buster hammer arresters in "AA" size for use in residential and light commercial applications. UPC listed and ASSE certified to ANSI/ASSE 1010-2004 standard, the hammer arresters...

Double wall heat exchanger.(PRODUCT PREVIEW)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [4] With the addition of a double wall heat exchanger, Taco's X-Pump Block now meets all state and local codes, including those in California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Oregon, The X-Pump Block combines a...

Flexible stainless steel insulated piping.(PRODUCT PREVIEW)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [5] Connecting solar collectors to the storage tank and pump station is now easier with Caleffi's SolarFlex, a system with pre-insulated flow and return pipes for solar hot water heating systems, The system features...

Fire alarm monitoring package.(PRODUCT PREVIEW)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [6] Fire-Lite Alarms, part of Honeywell's Life Safety Group, offers fire alarm control panel monitoring software from SIS, providing the supervision of multiple fire alarm panels from one PC, Fire-Lite's panels,...

Washbasin mixing faucet.(PRODUCT PREVIEW)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [7] Gessi, an Italian faucet and fittings designer, is introducing its bath and kitchen fixtures in the U.S. Styles vary from classic to modern, transforming practical space into personal space. Shown here is the...

Tool box.(PRODUCT PREVIEW)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [8] The Load 'N' Go Tuff Box has been introduced by the Clean-Fit Division of The Mill-Rose Co. The Load 'N" Go features four compartments to store and organize tools and accessories, two compartments on top for...

Youth does the serving: Western Water Works has grown 10-fold since 1995 with a work force averaging 31.5 years in age.(Western's Youth)(Cover story)(Company overview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You don't expect a firm, vigorous handshake from a 19-year-old. You don't expect him to look you in the eye while he's doing it, address you by name and flash a smile that would make Dale Carnegie proud. Most of all,...

Facing challenges: continued consolidation coupled with the housing slump in the U.S. resulted in flat or lower sales for many PHCP wholesalers in 2007.(2008 PREMIER 150)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This year, as in 2007, we awarded the top spot in the Premier 150 ranking to Newport News, VA-based Ferguson, in spite of the higher sales reported by Atlanta-based HD Supply. Because we were unable to determine how...

Do you know what I know?(LETTER FROM ASA PRESIDENT)(American Supply Association's Training programs )
May 1, 2008... Dear Industry Colleagues, What an exciting job this is! As President of ASA, I get to do a lot of cool stuff. I travel all over the country, visit other distributors, speak to large groups of people, go to Washington, D.C., and walk The...

ASA lends its voice to Washington, D.C. coalitions: members' interests actively represented.(NEWS: the voice of the industry)(American Supply Association)
May 1, 2008... A significant portion of ASA's Government Affairs program is executed through coalitions that address the issues of greatest importance to members. Partnering with other organizations and corporations that have similar goals allows ASA to...

Industrial Piping Division establishes industry award.(NEWS: the voice of the industry)
May 1, 2008... ASA's Industrial Piping Division will present its first IPD Award of Excellence during the IPD Breakfast Program at Network'08, October 2, 2008 in Atlanta, GA. IPD members are encouraged to submit nominations for an individual from a...

ROI of training (Part II of III): do your part to make sure it succeeds.(ASA News)(Return On Investment )
May 1, 2008... If a training program's success is to be measured by how it affects the company's bottom line, it stands to reason that the implementation of that program ought to be carefully planned to maximize its potential. In last month's issue, Part...

Industry best share the common bond of ASA: ASA congratulates our members listed on the 2008 Premier 150.(ASA News)(American Supply Association)
May 1, 2008... Industry Best Share the Common Bond of ASA ASA Congratulates Our Members Listed on the 2008 Premier 150 2. HD Supply 3. McJunkin Red Man Corp. 4. WinWholesale 5. Wilson 7. Hajoca Corp. 12. F.W. Webb Co....

Industry's most profitable companies use financial ratios to analyze performance: ASA's OPR highlights the importance of benchmarking.(ASA News)
May 1, 2008... Although many interrelated factors contribute to the success of the industry's most profitable companies, two ratios that consistently differentiate the profit leaders are: (I) significantly lower "total operating expenses as a percent of...

The essentials of profitable showroom sales.(SHOWROOM STRATEGIES)(Marketing training program for all showroom employees)
May 1, 2008... Okay, I borrowed the title for this article from the new training book that I've written for the American Supply Association (ASA). But you folks who have been reading my articles over the past years know how committed I am to teaching how to...

2008 AHR Expo: part 2.(THE AIR SIDE)
May 1, 2008... The biggest news having to do with the coming R22 refrigerant phaseout came from a DuPont press conference at the 2008 AHR Expo in New York City, where we were told that the next federally mandated production cut (in 2010) will bring the...

Is global sourcing losing its luster?(IN CLOSING)
May 1, 2008... A frenetic pace of growth has led to inflation, labor shortages and upward wage pressure in developing countries of Asia that diminish their attraction as outsourcing destinations. A recent survey by the American Chamber of Commerce Shanghai...