Plumbing & Mechanical articles from April 2003

Plumbing & Mechanical archives from April 2003

Good eyes Chuck! .(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2003... I want to thank Chuck Goodwin, P.E., of Bozeman, Mont., who recently contacted me about a couple of details in the figures shown in the February 2003 Hydronics Workshop column ("Across The Mains"). Chuck rightly points out that the check...

Two-tiered America? .(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2003... I think we should think in terms of a two-tiered America ("A Two-Tiered Trade," February 2003). My thoughts were developed in writing a letter to our state legislative delegates in response to their new bill for a law to prevent the parking of...

Finally. .(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2003... What's this? Finally a critical comment from the exclusively flat rate views of our PM stable of scribes -- and from the boss, Jim Olsztynski, himself? ("The Top 10 Things To Do In 2003," January 2003.) Item 9B happens to be one of my...

Encompass to focus on Residential Services. (Around the Industry).(Encompass Services Corp.)
April 1, 2003... Encompass Services Corp. intends to retrench into a residential service organization, according to the reorganization plan the company filed on March 5, 2003, with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. In it Encompass...

Trends: what method of communication do you have with your field technicians?(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Trends What method of communication do you have with your field technicians? Cell Phones 37% Nextel/Two-Way 36% PDA 18% Pager 9% Laptop/E-mail 0% Each month PMmag.com explores unique industry...

Globe Union acquires major share of Gerber. (Around the Industry).(Gerber Plumbing Fixtures Corp.)
April 1, 2003... Gerber Plumbing Fixtures Corp. completed a transaction in February in which most of its assets were sold to a new entity, Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LEG. While Globe Union Group is the majority owner of Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC, Gerber will...

Top industry professionals to speak at ISH NA. (Around the Industry).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Recognized as industry leaders and "must see" speakers, ISH North America's initial line-up of "hands-on" professionals includes John Siegenthaler, Matt Freije, Hank Darlington, Julius Ballanco, Frank Besednjak and Maurice Maio. Four of these...

EMCOR Group announces 2002 income, revenue increase. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... EMCOR Group announced a 25.8 percent increase in net income for 2002 to $62.9 million, or $4.07 per diluted share. 2001 net income was $50 million, or $3.40 per diluted share. 2002 revenues also increased to $3.97 billion, an increase of 16...

Dwyer Group reports 2002 revenue, income gain. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Dwyer Group, parent company of Mr. Rooter, reported a 16 percent increase in revenues for 2002 for a total of $25.9 million; 2001 revenues were $22.4 million. Net profit was $2.9 million, or 40 cents per diluted share, up from $2.3 million...

PHCC revises Project Management course. (Briefs).(Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Educational Foundation of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association has revised its "Essentials of PHC Project Management" course. The course provides students with information on managing labor risk, using the contract...

MCAA holds 114th Convention. (Around the Industry).(Mechanical Contractors Association of America)
April 1, 2003... Reflecting on changes already made to America and preparing for more to come was a common thread that ran through many of keynote speeches and breakout sessions heard by the 1,600 attendees of the MCAAs 114th Convention, March 2-6, Palm...

QSC holds largest Power Meeting. (Around the Industry).(Quality Service Contractors)
April 1, 2003... More than 250 service and repair contractors "laissez le bon temp roule" (let the good times roll) in New Orleans during the Quality Service Contractors' Power Meeting XVIII in February, making it the largest crowd ever for the enhanced service...

Roto-Rooter cleans up at the 2003 Rose Parade. (Around the Industry).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Roto-Rooter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chemed Corp., made its debut at the 2003 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., with the first interactive float race. The RotoRooter float, called "Bathtub Races," consisted of five bathtubs...

U.S. Industries reports sales increases for 1Q 2003. (Vendor & Supplier News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... U.S. Industries, parent company of Jacuzzi and Zurn, announced an 11 percent increase in sales for the first quarter of fiscal year 2003, which ended Dec. 31, 2002. Total sales for the quarter were $281.3 million, compared to $254.4 million for...

Rheem sponsors golf tournament. (Vendor & Supplier News).(Nationwide Tour golf tournament renamed Rhhem Classic)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Rheem Mfg. is the title sponsor of the Nationwide Tour golf tournament held in Fort Smith, Ark. Because of Rheem's title sponsorship, the tournament was renamed the Rheem Classic. The inaugural event, a $475,000 event with a winner's share of...

Faulty thermostat cause of boiler malfunction. (Vendor & Supplier News).(Quietside Corp. )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Quietside Corp. has identified the source of the reported lock-out problem with the QVM9 boiler. The problem was found to be electrical interference generated by rapid cycles of the boiler's ignition transformer and gas valve safety solenoid...

TradePower wins IBM Award. (Vendor & Supplier News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... TradePower recently won one of 16 IBM Beacon Awards in the "Best Data Management Solution" category for its new TradeSource enterprise system. The awards honor IBM Software Business Partners for outstanding achievements in providing quality...

Prier receives UPC approval for Freezeless Wall Hydrants. (Vendor & Supplier News).(Prier Products, Universal Plumbing Code )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Prier Products received UPC approval by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials for its C-144 Residential Freezeless Wall Hydrant, C434 Residential Freezeless Wall Hydrant, C-534 Commercial Wall Hydrant and C-634...

EZ-FLO to build new facility. (Vendor & Supplier News).(EZ-FLO International Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... EZ-FLO International recently broke ground in Rockwall, Texas, for its new, 106,000-sq. ft., state-of-the-art facility, set to open in the fall. It will house manufacturing, assembly, warehousing, and sales and marketing functions to better...

Dexter + Chaney schedules annual users conference. (Vendor & Supplier News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Construction management software developer Dexter + Chaney will hold its 7th annual users conference April 24-25 and May 1-2 at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle. New to the 2003 conference is a three session series...

Spirotherm names regional manager. (Vendor & Supplier News).(Thomas G. Dresselhouse)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Spirotherm named Thomas G. Dresselhouse as its Eastern regional manager. A 25-year industry veteran, Dresselhouse was previously Northeast regional manager for Modine Mfg. Co.

New sales VP for Chicago Faucet. (Vendor & Supplier News).(Patrick Khnener)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Chicago Faucet Co. promoted Patrick Khnener to vice president of sales. Previously, he was the company's director of national accounts. Kimener is responsible for all sales activity for Chicago Faucet and Geberit residential products, as...

Nortek to donate funds to fire victims' families. (Vendor & Supplier News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Providence, R.I.-based Nortek Holdings, parent company of BroanNutone and Nordyne, announced it would donate $50,000 to assist the families of the victims of the February nightclub fire in West Warwick, R.I.

2003 National Issues Conference May 5-7. (Briefs).(Mechanical Contractors Association of America and the Campaign for Quality Construction Alliance )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Mechanical Contractors Association of America and the Campaign for Quality Construction Alliance will hold the 2003 National Issues Conference May 5-7, 2003, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington. The conference will focus on the critical...

New National Standard Plumbing Code available. (Briefs).(Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors?National Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The PHCC--NA recently released the 2003 National Standard Plumbing Code, a new edition that reflects revisions made to the 2000 edition and is completely redesigned in computer-aided design. The 2003 edition will be available for purchase from...

Canadian Plumbing Code available on CD. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Canadian Standards Association and the National Research Council of Canada have produced the first CD-ROM containing all seven sections of the 1995 National Plumbing Code of Canada, plus all 56 CSA standards referenced in the code. The CD...

A tribute to Frank Blau: it's no surprise that after Frank Blau announced he would not be writing a column for PM, plenty of readers sent us their thoughts on his retirement. (Fan Mail).(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2003... A few years ago, our business was the kind that you so often write about. We were a steadfast time-and-material shop, and we were clueless regarding our true cost of doing business. In fact, my husband David and I were so dead set against flat...

The vision thing: business should be about more than making money. (Business Tips).
April 1, 2003... Bob Shortsight and Ted Longview were a couple of service contractors. After they attended one of Frank Blau's "Business of Contracting" seminars, their heads were swimming with information. The key concept they learned was that "the going...

The do's and don'ts of three-way thermostatic valves: tips for properly installing these mixing valves in radiant heating systems. (Hydronics Workshop).
April 1, 2003... One of the best known temperature control devices in hydronic radiant heating systems is the three-way thermostatic mixing valve. It's available from several manufacturers with internal thermostatic element or an external actuator. The latter...

Selling clean water: a Philadelphia-area plumbing contractor shares his secrets to succeeding in the water treatment business.(Donnelly's)
April 1, 2003... When Marty Donnelly made his first acquisition in 1979, little did he know how that little plumbing, hydronic heating and water treatment company would change his business. "After buying that one business, I soon realized the potential of...

Treating treated water: does the perfect glass of water exist?
April 1, 2003... With the execution of private well systems, tap water go through a well-regulated filtration process at a municipal facility. To secure the procedure, the Environmental Agency has set standards for treating ore than 90 contaminants that may...

Lateral repairs and clean water.(Chronology)
April 1, 2003... Repairing lateral lines may seem an odd component for us to cover in a supplement touting the benefits of clean water. Treating water with various filtration devices probably is the first item to come to mind. And those are all certainly...

Esrever reverse osmosis.(water treatment )
April 1, 2003... An associate of mine met recently with an expert from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. He was shocked to learn that 70 percent of the people in the L.A. area drink only filtered water or bottled water. With this growing...

Treatment options.(water treatment)
April 1, 2003... According to the Water Quality Association, three-fourths ol Americans don't think that their household water supply is as safe as it could be. Any number of environmental and chemical problems have an impact on water quality, but there are...

A letter you can use: here's a readymade sales letter that can get you started selling water treatment equipment.
April 1, 2003... We printed the following letter in the September 1998 issue of the PHC Profit Report. It comes from market research and marketing consultant Matt Michel, one of the founders of the Service Roundtable, an online organization for HVAC and...

Wireless field communication: should you consider mobile service technology?
April 1, 2003... For most plumbing and mechanical contractors, implementing technology in the office and the field has become standard practice for improving communications. Today, high speed Internet access, integrated software applications and cellular phones...

'I'll think about that tomorrow': give the procrastinator in your organization a reliable system to complete projects on time. (Managing Your Business).
April 1, 2003... Do you remember watching the end of the movie "Gone With the Wind" and seeing Scarlet O'Hara standing alone in the doorway? She's devastated by all the things going wrong in her life and she says, "I'll think about that tomorrow. Hey,...

A thermostat is just a switch: you could replace a thermostat with a light switch, and the heating equipment would never know the difference. (Hydronic Controls).
April 1, 2003... One day long ago, when I was newer in this industry than I am now, I was sitting in the well-appointed office of a large homebuilder. I was there because the heating contractor had told me that the reason he was putting in the cheapest (in both...

Insulation--more important than ever: condensation and the mold problem go hand in hand. (Plumbing Primer).
April 1, 2003... I overheard a discussion by a group of lawyers. They made a comment that I found intriguing: "Asbestos is old, mold is gold." In lawyer talk, that means, "Where's the money?" Since hearing that comment on mold, I have been asked numerous...

Success barriers: don't put off implementing proven techniques in your business to make it successful. (In the Field).
April 1, 2003... Sometimes you just have to measure where you are compared to where you want to be. Otherwise you will look at your current business performance and assume that's the way things are supposed to be, or that's as good as it will get. If you...

Building your dream team: a self-diagnosis of your company can help you achieve your goals. (Practical Management).
April 1, 2003... Some people call it long-range planning or goal setting, but it really is daydreaming. I like using the "2020 vision" title to predict what you can foresee in your company in the year 2020 ("2020 Vision -- Controlling Your Destiny," March...

Hot water dispensers. (Plumbing Trends).
April 1, 2003... Hot water dispensers are coming out of the office break room and into high-end kitchens everywhere. With new designer styles--such as gooseneck and twist handle--and fashionable finishes, instant hot water is no longer sentenced to...

WINGTITE replacement shower drain. (Product of the Month).
April 1, 2003... "Replace the Drain, Not the Whole Shower" * Install entirely from the top of the shower * Most repairs are completed in approximately 20 minutes * Can be installed after shower stall or pan is set * O-ring seal allows for flex...

Auto-upright video system. (Product Focus: Pipeline Inspection).
April 1, 2003... The RavenEye[TM] from Everest VIT Inc. inspects mainlines and laterals with a compact, simple-to-use rigid push camera system made to withstand most rugged conditions. It features 164 feet of cable and an auto uprighting camera image with 2 lux...

Vehicle-mounted inspection. (Product Focus: Pipeline Inspection).
April 1, 2003... Aries vehicle-mounted pipeline inspection systems provide a professional platform for sewer inspection and rehabilitation operations. Ideal for worker safety and inspection efficiency, they are available in one-ton van, HI-cube van and step van...

Eel Cam. (Product Focus: Pipeline Inspection).
April 1, 2003... The Eel Cam EC-200 black and white and color inspection systems from Electric Eel Mfg. now come standard with a 512 HZ in-line transmitter at no additional cost. Standard features also include an on-screen counter and keyboard, microphone,...

Flexicam system. (Product Focus: Pipeline Inspection).
April 1, 2003... The Sreco Flexible[R] Flexicam[TM] system offers a variety of inspection equipment for clean-outs, drain lines, service laterals, vent stacks, floor drains, water lines, boilers, HVAC ducts and more. Circle 4

Windows-based pipeline inspection. (Product Focus: Pipeline Inspection).
April 1, 2003... Peninsular Technologies offers its Windows[TM]-based PipeTech[R] software for simplifying sewer inspection. It allows you to collect, edit, analyze and archive all inspection data digitally, eliminating the need for VHS tapes and paper...

Brass p-traps. (Product Focus: Pipeline Inspection).
April 1, 2003... Hodesco is offering its Magnum(r) series brass p-traps with heavy pattern machined brass rod nuts. It features extra-thick square cut slip joint washers. Circle 8

New Flushmate. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... Flushmate[R] is sporting a new look, centered around a new welding technology. This new process is 400 times stronger than the previous system and is used on the vessel, lower supply and the discharge extension. The sleeker look and improved...

Sammy X-Press. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... ITW Buildex announces an addition to the Sammy Super Screw product line. The Sammy X-Press lets you hang 3/8-inch threaded rod with direct vertical attachment in metal deck or thin-gauge purlin where access to the back of the installed fastener...

Beat basement flooding. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... Prevent basement flooding, expensive property damage and messy clean-up with the Flood-Guard backflow check valve from General Pipe Cleaners. It operates like a check valve, sealing off water backup from overloaded sewers. It features quality...

Pressure-balanced valves [no photo]. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... Leonard Valve's Aquatrol[R] line of pressure-balanced shower valves has been improved with a new dial plate/wall flange design, thin wall mounting plate and standard angle checkstops. Featuring solid bronze and brass construction with a...

One-Hand Wrench. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... Reed Mfg. Co.'s original One Hand Wrench now features a "comfort grip" handle for better ergonomics. With all-forged steel construction and a one-piece handle, the wrenches now have fitting capacities up to 1 1/4 inches and offer a narrow...

Toilet flapper. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... Lavelle[R] introduces the new Korky[R] Plus Adjustable toilet flapper. The flapper has an infinitely adjustable float on the chain. The float can be adjusted for more flush or water savings. Made from premium red rubber, the flapper withstands...

Water flex connector [no photo]. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... The only code-compliant water flex available, the Mega-flow SUPER Waterflex[TM] from Falcon Stainless Inc. increases flow, flexibility and strength. It resists kinking, crimping and cracking, corroding, and pin holing while meeting code...

Swivel dropear elbow. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... A new PEX swivel dropear elbow from Marshall Brass makes shower arm installation easier, faster and less costly. Designed to mount on the back wall surface with three screws, the 1/2-inch PEX brass elbow is coupled with a 1/2-inch female swivel...

Indirect pool heater. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... The E-ZEE FLOW pool heater by Diversified Heat Transfer Inc. uses energy from an existing boiler and comes in a full range of sizes. It accommodates swimming pools, spas and hot tubs for residential and commercial applications. Designed to...

Fiberglass van body. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... Unicell offers its one-piece molded fiberglass van body for Ford E-Series cutaway chassis. Features a smooth exterior surface to enhance company graphics, seamless molded construction (no leaks or damage to cargo), and a weather-resistant...

Change Order software [no photo). (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... ChangeOrder and ChangeOrderPro from Accubid Systems Ltd. helps contractors assess the "big picture" pricing not just labor, material and equipment, but also cleanup, material handling, overtime, relocation delays, and additional supervision and...

Furnace cement. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... Hercules Chemical Co.'s new patented Clean 'n Friendly high-heat furnace cement is the first cement on the market that meets OSHA's requirement of less than .1 percent of crystalline silica. It also features an ease-of-use formula, long shelf...

Fleet GPS [no photo]. (Products & Literature).
April 1, 2003... "The Boss" mobile unit 3500 from FleetBoss automatically captures, stores and downloads data on vehicle activity directly to your PC. It receives and responds to location requests, and generates alerts for speeding, idling, etc. Connects to...

What's a water heater worth? Our market economy has a way of skewing perceptions of value. (Editorial Opinion).(Editorial)
April 1, 2003... Inside a training room at the Montgomery, Ala., plant of Rheem Water Heaters are displays of memorabilia from the company's history. One exhibit includes a mannequin of Edwin Ruud, inventor of the water heater, alongside one of his early models...

Ferguson's history: the Ferguson chronicles; celebrating 50 years of success in the PHCP wholesale industry.(Ferguson Enterprises Inc)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... Ferguson began as the dream of three men: Charles Ferguson, Ralph Lenz and Johnny Smither. Ferguson was a retired president of Noland Co., Lenz was serving as Nolands treasurer and Smither as branch manager. They started out with two supply...

Ferguson's culture: creating a winning team.(Ferguson Enterprises Inc)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... When speaking about the "culture" of a company, most people use that word in its noun form: a place with a set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices. But at Ferguson, the word becomes active; it is used as a verb. Ferguson uses...

Customer relations: from its earliest days Ferguson has stressed the need to take care of the customer.(Ferguson Enterprises Inc)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... "We're in the relationship business," says C.S. "Chip" Hornsby, president/CEO of Ferguson. Ferguson is constantly asking itself, how do we become easier to do business with? That includes the caliber of people, product availability, fill...

The business: restructuring for growth; here is an overview of how Ferguson manages its business.(Ferguson Enterprises Inc)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... Ferguson has discovered that compounding double-digit growth becomes more and more challenging the larger a company becomes. Within the past 12 months it has restructured the organization, including senior management. Prior to C.S. "Chip"...

Streamlined sourcing: a reorganized purchasing department has helped Ferguson to develop better relationships with its vendors.(Ferguson Enterprises Inc)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... The sourcing group at Ferguson evolved out of a need to streamline the purchasing process. Prior to the reorganization in 1995, each branch negotiated with each manufacturer on commodity products. Now only one sourcing manager is needed to...

Ferguson's credit department: the credit manager or controller at each Ferguson branch serves as a point person with the customer.(Ferguson Enterprises Inc)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... Unlike many other regional or national wholesalers, Ferguson has made the investment to place a credit manager and/or controller in every main branch. "I like the idea of having the credit people close to the action," says John E.G....

Technology: keeping up with the times.(Ferguson Enterprises Inc)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... Technology is an integral part of every business, and companies that adapt and upgrade technological use move forward in their respective markets. Companies like Ferguson don't succeed by remaining stagnant. "Implementation of technology...

Recruitment & Training: Ferguson's recruiting department doesn't stop at finding the right people, but also helps them with career development within the organization.
April 1, 2003... Because Ferguson views its associates as driving its success, recruiting the right people is a major focus of its efforts. However, the company not only invests in its recruits, but encourages development through training and sharing of...

A profitable purchase: Wolseley's acquisition of Ferguson in 1982 has resulted in growth for both sides.(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... When Wolseley (then known as Wolseley-Hughes plc) acquired Ferguson Enterprises, Inc., in June 1982, it chose to finance Ferguson's growth but allow it to continue running autonomously. As SUPPLY HOUSE TIMES reported in its April 1983 feature...

Strength through unity: two well-known wholesalers merge into a stronger company.(Ferguson Enterprises Inc merges with Familian Northwest)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... In August of 2002, the integration of Familian Northwest, based in Portland, Ore., into Newport News, Va.-based Ferguson was begun, following integration of Familian's California operations into Ferguson about four and a half years ago. A key...

A day in the life of a Ferguson branch manager: Alex Hutcherson has managed large, medium and small branches for Ferguson and currently heads its Beltsville, Md., location.(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... About 30 miles southwest of Baltimore, Alex Hutcherson is a branch manager for Ferguson's Beltsville, Md., location. He's been president and general manager of the branch since 2001, but his journey to that position started almost two decades...

Challenges that remain: Ferguson is gearing up for continued growth in the future.(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... While Ferguson has grown into a leader in the PHCP wholesale distribution industry, there are still challenges ahead for the company to face. "I believe leadership development is going to be the most challenging aspect of our future," says...

A legacy of explosive growth.(Ferguson Enterprises Inc)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... When David Peebles (right) hired Charlie Banks (left) in 1967, he was looking for someone with the potential to perpetuate his vision of creating an industry-leading company. As the company's first management trainee, Banks saw Ferguson grow...

Plumber's Mate. (Product Focus: Pipeline Inspection).
April 1, 2003... Ratech Electronics introduces its newly designed Plumbers Mate color or black and white camera featuring heavy-duty flexible spring assembly for tight locations. It also features a built-in modular VCR and 9-inch monitor, with 200ft. push cable...

Pipe Profiling Sonar [no photo]. (Product Focus: Pipeline Inspection).
April 1, 2003... Radiodetection Corp. introduces a state-of-the-art advanced survey technique for large diameter sewer pipe and boreholes. The Pipe Profiling Sonar goes where cameras dare not go--under the waterline. It features a stainless-steel transducer...

Ferguson's history: The Ferguson chronicles.
April 1, 2003... Ferguson began as the dream of three men: Charles Ferguson, Ralph Lenz and Johnny Smither. Ferguson was a retired president of Noland Co., Lenz was serving as Noland's treasurer and Smither as branch manager. They started out with two supply...

Ferguson's culture: creating a winning team.
April 1, 2003... When speaking about the "culture" of a company, most people use that word in its noun form: a place with a set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices. But at Ferguson, the word becomes active; it is used as a verb. Ferguson uses...

Customer relations: From its earliest days Ferguson has stressed the need to take care of the customer.
April 1, 2003... "We're in the relationship business," says C.S. "Chip" Hornsby, president/CEO of Ferguson. Ferguson is constantly asking itself, how do we become easier to do business with? That includes the caliber of people, product availability, fill...

The business: Restructuring for growth; Here is an overview of how Ferguson manages its business.
April 1, 2003... Ferguson has discovered that compounding double-digit growth becomes more and more challenging the larger a company becomes. Within the past 12 months it has restructured the organization, including senior management. Prior to C.S. "Chip"...

Streamlined sourcing: A reorganized purchasing department has helped Ferguson to develop better relationships with its vendors.
April 1, 2003... The sourcing group at Ferguson evolved out of a need to streamline the purchasing process. Prior to the reorganization in 1995, each branch negotiated with each manufacturer on commodity products. Now only one sourcing manager is needed to...

Ferguson's credit department: The credit manager or controller at each Ferguson branch serves as a point person with the customer.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Unlike many other regional or national wholesalers, Ferguson has made the investment to place a credit manager and/or controller in every main branch. "I like the idea of having the credit people close to the action," says John E.C....